Deer Springs Winery

Open: winter

Deer Springs Winery is the culmination of the dream of Jim Partington, retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral and strike fighter pilot, to become a "Gentleman Farmer" as well as preserve his family heritage. After retiring from the Navy and returning to Lincoln, Jim and his wife, Barbara, built a house on the family homestead property northeast of Lincoln. Jim was interested in planting alternative crops, so explored a number of options, finally settling on wine grapes. He anticipated that the Nebraska wine and grape growing industry would continue to experience significant growth and success.

As  the vineyard began to produce a crop, the family made a collective decision to build a winery and produce and sell the wine. Deer Springs Winery was born!. In 2006 and 2007, the renovation project began to carefully remodel the family homestead farmhouse which was built in 1876 to serve as the Deer Springs Tasting Room.

The land and buildings of the winery are part of the family homestead and the homestead certification, signed by Ulysses S. Grant on August 15, 1874, is on display at the winery. The certificate names ancestor Patrick O'Halloran as "owner" of the property.