The late Michael Zimmerman, founder of Junius Lindsay Vineyard in northern Davidson County is pictured in the tasting room. The vineyard will close by the end of 2026. His children tried to keep the vineyard operational since his passing in 2024.
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What began with the careful planting of a few vines on family farmland will soon come to a graceful close in northern Davidson County. After more than two decades of producing award‑winning wines, Junius Lindsay Vineyard announced it will wind down operations and close by the end of 2026, marking the end of a vision brought to life by vineyard founder Michael Zimmerman, whose tireless work turned his family’s land into what many came to see as a little piece of France in the Piedmont.
Zimmerman planted the first vines in 2004 on acreage where his grandfather, Junius Lindsay Zimmerman, once grew soybeans, corn and wheat, blending generations of agricultural history with a dream inspired by the Rhône Valley. Zimmerman welcomed visitors from near and far to slow down, listen to music, watch the sun dip over the vines and share a glass of wine.
Zimmerman’s death in late 2024 left that legacy in the hands of his children, Aaron Zimmerman and Mercedes Zimmerman Davis, who worked to carry it forward but ultimately determined the vineyard could not be sustainably operated from their homes out of state, despite the dedication of its longtime staff.
Junius Lindsay Vineyard will close by the end of the year, said Aaron Zimmerman, an Episcopal minister in Waco, Texas. His sister is a physician’s assistant in Myrtle Beach.
Michael Zimmerman planted his first French varietals with a singular vision — to prove that fine wine could take hold at home. In the end, the decision to close came not from a lack of heart but from a bittersweet truth — that honoring the vineyard the way it deserved was something Aaron and Mercedes simply could not do remotely. And so, with gratitude and grief entwined, they are letting the dream rest where it began, in the soil their family has long called home.
Mercedes Zimmerman Davis and her twin brother, Aaron, have made the difficult decision to close the Junius Lindsay Vineyard, which their dad began in 2004, when he planted the first French varietals on his family farm in northern Davidson County.
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Aaron said his father loved the land where his grandfather established a farm in 1896. Michael Zimmerman had planned to name the vineyard Zimmerman Vineyard. But when he went to file the paperwork, the name was already taken.
He said he and his sister would welcome inquiries from anyone serious about buying the vineyard, but they aren’t interested in inquiries for non-agricultural uses.
“We have given it a good try,” he said. “It’s mostly about the amount of time needed. Having full-time jobs made it increasingly difficult.”
Junius Lindsay Vineyard, located at 385 Dr. Zimmerman Road, north of Lexington, will close by the end of 2026.
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The twin brother and sister also learned that the French varietals their father planted were fragile, even in France. The N.C. climate was not kind to keeping the acres their father planted thriving.
“We were looking at having to plant 11 new acres,” he said.
JLV has events scheduled through Nov. 1, and the business will honor those, said Sarah Taylor, marketing and operations manager.
Michael Zimmerman, founder of Junius Lindsay Vineyard, built the tasting room in 2008 at his northern Davidson County vineyard.
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Until closing, there are several events taking place. They plan to bring bottles from the vault, releasing all remaining library wines that tell the story of JLV since 2004, conduct the final releases of Second Leaf and Rhapsody port in May, and host many music, food trucks and special events and more leading to the final toast in the tasting room on Oct. 17.
“My sister and I are very much aware of the legacy and history of this land,” he said. “It’s a place we feel a deep, deep connection.”
Dining and Cooking