08/05/2025
Celebrating Z&M Twisted Vines Winery: A Kansas Wine 🍷 Journey
Z&M Twisted Vines Wines and Winery was officially founded in 2018 by husband-and-wife team Bryan Zesiger and Gina Montalbano. The story behind the winery is as much a love story as a business venture: Bryan is a retired U.S. Army Major and Apache helicopter pilot, and Gina comes from a Sicilian family with deep winemaking roots  . After Bryan’s 26-year military career and Gina’s career in education, the two “recognized in each other a shared love of wine, life, community, and the planet,” planting the seed that would become Z&M Twisted Vines . In fact, the winery’s very name reflects their partnership – “Z” for Zesiger and “M” for Montalbano – and their mission to put a twist on tradition.
The couple started humbly, making their first wines in the basement of an 1890s building in downtown Leavenworth, Kansas . In those early days, they balanced full-time jobs with winery duties, often processing grapes in a back-alley garage and hauling them downstairs to ferment in small batches . It was truly a hands-on labor of love. Bryan’s military precision and global travel experience blended with Gina’s Old World Italian heritage to inspire a unique wine lineup. As Gina notes, Sicily has been making wine for nearly 3,000 years, so they draw on those traditional methods but give them a fun, accessible twist . For example, Z&M became known for creative wines like their jalapeño-infused “Hellfire” (a bold red wine with a kick of fresh jalapeños) and “Blacked Out” coffee-infused wines, alongside more classic Kansas grape varietals . This fusion of military influence and Italian tradition forms the backbone of the Z&M brand, embodied in everything from the tasting room decor (unit memorabilia on the walls) to the custom labels honoring Bryan’s Army units . As one Kansas travel writer put it, “Z&M Twisted Vines is more than a unique, handcrafted, boundary-pushing Kansas wine”  – it’s a tribute to service, heritage, and innovation in equal measure.
Growing the Vineyard and the Twisted Portfolio
What began as a basement operation soon flourished into a multi-location enterprise. In 2019, seeking room to grow, Bryan and Gina purchased farmland north of Lawrence, Kansas, and planted grapevines . By 2020, they had opened their Z&M Twisted Vineyard location to the public  – a picturesque farm winery with rolling vines, a pond, and even a repurposed agricultural Quonset hut “wine hangar” for tastings and wine 🍷 making . This expansion allowed Z&M to scale up production from the roughly 300 tiny 6.5gal glass carboys of their early days  to larger 310gal batches that could meet growing demand. Today, the winery handcrafts around 50 different wines, including dry reds and whites made from Kansas-grown grapes as well as sweet and fruit-infused wines that incorporate local produce . Everything is still made in-house and sourced from their vineyard or nearby Kansas farms, keeping a strictly local, farm-to-bottle philosophy. In addition to wine, Bryan and Gina introduced a line of hard ciders – 8 varieties in total – branded as “Hardly Twisted Ciders,” further showcasing their creativity beyond grapes .
Over just a few years, Z&M Twisted Vines grew to three locations across northeast Kansas. The original downtown Leavenworth winery at 620 Cherokee Street (opened in 2018) became a popular tasting room and event space, conveniently just six blocks from Fort Leavenworth where Bryan had retired . The Lawrence Vineyard & Tasting Room at 24305 Loring Road offered the full farm winery experience, from vineyard tours to sunset views by the lake. Z&M even operated a satellite tasting room inside Overland Park’s Oak Park Mall for nearly two years, bringing their wines to a unique retail setting. This made them one of the first (if not the first) Kansas farm wineries to have a presence in a major metro shopping mall – truly “twisting” the conventional notion of where a winery can operate. As the business expanded, one thing never changed: Bryan and Gina remained the hands-on proprietors behind every vine planted, every wine bottled, and every cider brewed. Their strong work ethic and passion were evident to anyone who visited. “When you serve someone wine and share the story behind the label, seeing their smile makes it all worthwhile,” Bryan says, reflecting on their “why” for doing what they do . Each bottle has a story, and at Z&M those stories range from military honors to local farm harvests – all part of the twisted tapestry of their winery.
Community Connections and Unique Events
From the beginning, Z&M Twisted Vines set out to be more than just a winery – it became a community hub and an advocate for agritourism in Kansas. Being a veteran-owned farm winery, Bryan and Gina forged partnerships that bridged worlds: for instance, their wines broke into the restaurant scene through a partnership with Texas Roadhouse. Z&M’s wines were featured at multiple Texas Roadhouse steakhouse locations, including in Overland Park and Lawrence . This was a groundbreaking achievement for a Kansas winery, making Z&M Twisted Vines the first local winery to get its wines on the menu at those popular establishments. Diners could enjoy a glass of Kansas-crafted “Twisted” wine alongside their meal – a point of pride for Bryan and Gina, who love teaming up with fellow local businesses . Their collaborative spirit didn’t stop there. Z&M also joined the national Harvest Hosts network, inviting RV travelers to camp overnight at the vineyard. This venture started when a KU basketball fan in an RV called looking for a place to park, tipping the couple off to the Harvest Hosts program . Since then, “we’ve met the most amazing people,” Gina shared, as the winery has hosted hundreds of RV guests from across the country, especially during summers . They even set up dedicated RV campsites among the vines – 10 acres overlooking a pond, with fire pits and a front-row view of farm life . It’s become a win-win: travelers get a unique stay and Z&M earns new fans. The local Kansas City media took note of this innovation; KCTV5 News highlighted how Twisted Vines and other farm businesses are attracting RV tourism as an off-the-beaten-path experience  .
Perhaps one of the most remarkable aspects of Z&M Twisted Vines is the unconventional events they have hosted, which have solidified the winery as a true community gathering place. When the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to derail college traditions, Z&M stepped up to help. In 2021, they offered their expansive outdoor vineyard as a venue for a large Greek-life philanthropic event (the University of Kansas’s annual Rock Chalk R***e) at a time when indoor theaters were off-limits. The vineyard welcomed roughly 1,300 fraternity and sorority members for a socially-distanced show and fundraiser – allowing a 75-year charity tradition to carry on safely under the open sky. Z&M has also supported numerous nonprofits and veteran organizations. For example, they have partnered with groups like FISH (Friends In Service of Heroes), even donating proceeds and resources to help fellow veterans . Bryan’s own service background made the mission personal: Z&M proudly participates in the Homegrown by Heroes program and the Farmer Veteran Coalition, and their labels often honor military themes . The winery regularly organizes charity drives and benefits – whether it’s hosting Gold Star families or contributing custom-labeled wine for auctions – weaving community service into their business DNA.
On the lighter side of community fun, Z&M Twisted Vines has become known for hosting one-of-a-kind festivals and activities that you won’t find at any other winery. Case in point: they launched what’s believed to be Kansas’s first hot air balloon festival on a vineyard. In May 2023, the inaugural “Twisted Flying” festival took off – a two-day family-friendly event at the vineyard featuring food trucks, live music, helicopter rides, and hot air balloons glowing at dusk  . Visitors could sip wine by the fire pits as colorful balloons lit up the night sky in a mesmerizing display . The festival was such a hit that it became an annual tradition each fall, even incorporating Halloween-themed aerial acrobat performances by local artists . Z&M’s willingness to think outside the box (or outside the barrel, as Bryan jokes) turned their vineyard into a beloved event destination. They’ve hosted outdoor movie nights, seasonal grape stomps complete with opera singers (a nod to Gina’s Italian roots) , and much more. Fitness enthusiasts even got to enjoy the scenery: the vineyard has been the site of 5K “Wine Runs”, where participants race through the rows of grapes and celebrate at the finish line with wine slushies. In fact, Z&M has organized an annual Wine Run 5K in Lawrence, attracting runners and walkers for a fun twist on the typical road race . (They also partnered on a charity Fox4 “Fund Run” 5K in Kansas City , cementing their reputation for combining community health with hospitality.) From college fundraisers to balloons and runs, the list of events hosted at Z&M Twisted Vines goes on and on – all reflecting the winery’s core belief that wine is best enjoyed in community. “Our winery has become a gathering place for friends and families, a space where connections are made and memories are cherished,” Gina told a local magazine . Indeed, by opening their farm to everything from Greek life galas to goat yoga classes, Z&M Twisted Vines created an inviting environment where everyone was welcome to “drink twisted” and join the family.
Media Spotlights and Accolades
With such a vibrant and unique presence, it’s no surprise that Z&M Twisted Vines garnered significant media attention and industry accolades. Kansas City news outlets featured Bryan and Gina multiple times, showcasing their creative winemaking style and the inspiring veteran-led story behind it. For example, KCTV5’s “We Are KC” segment profiled the couple’s success with Harvest Hosts and agritourism, emphasizing how a retired Major and his wife built a thriving winery that draws travelers from across the country  . (Fox 4 News also spotlighted Z&M, inviting Bryan on-air to demonstrate his wines and share how military precision can apply to crafting the perfect vintage.) The winery’s narrative – “from the battlefield to the vineyard” – even caught the eye of filmmakers . Bryan’s journey of transitioning from war to winemaking was captured in a documentary produced in 2022, which follows his evolution from flying Apache helicopters in combat to tending grapevines in Kansas soil. This film, along with a series of blog posts Bryan penned called “Warrior to Wine,” highlights the resilience and passion driving Z&M’s mission . As Bryan often quips, swapping a flight helmet for a cowboy hat wasn’t easy, but it’s been the adventure of a lifetime.
The winery’s products themselves have earned awards and recognition in competitive circles. Z&M’s notorious “Hellfire” Jalapeño Wine has turned heads at national wine competitions – winning an award at the Santé International Wine Competition in California and another at a Texas wine festival (accolades the team is particularly proud of, given how unconventional a spicy pepper wine can be!). These honors from out-of-state judges validated that Kansas wines – even playful, experimental ones – can hold their own on the big stage. Closer to home, Z&M Twisted Vines was highlighted by the Kansas Department of Commerce as a success story of a minority- and veteran-owned small business  . In February 2020, Kansas Commerce’s “Business of the Month” profile described Z&M as “a winery born in the heartland of the U.S.A… special, unique and individual, just like you” . The profile praised how Z&M “takes traditional wine production methods and uses them to make something fun and accessible” while honoring military and local farming communities . Z&M Twisted Vines also became a certified “Homegrown by Heroes” producer – a designation for veteran-farmers – and a member of the From the Land of Kansas program, through which they were featured in 2024 as a standout Kansas winery driven by love and community .
Beyond the bottles and broadcasts, Bryan and Gina have made a lasting mark through their advocacy. Running a farm winery in Kansas wasn’t always smooth sailing – they encountered regulatory and tax hurdles that threatened their operation. Refusing to back down, the couple became champions for small farm wineries’ rights. In 2023, they challenged a county tax classification that treated their vineyard tasting room as commercial property rather than agriculture, “stirring up a hornet’s nest of property tax controversy” in the process . Their fight drew support from the Kansas Department of Agriculture and Farm Bureau, who agreed that winemaking on a farm is an agricultural activity  . When local officials wouldn’t relent, Bryan and Gina took their case to the state legislature and even filed a federal civil rights lawsuit to protect farm-based businesses from unfair treatment . This bold move – Zesiger vs. State of Kansas, filed in July 2025 – underscores the couple’s unwavering dedication not just to their own winery, but to the principle that “agritourism and farming should be celebrated, not stifled.” As Bryan puts it, “this isn’t about noise, it’s about truth, land, and legacy” . Such tenacity has earned Z&M Twisted Vines immense respect statewide. They’ve shown that a veteran and an educator can become influential voices in Kansas agriculture policy while still throwing great parties on the weekends.
A Twisted Legacy
In just a handful of years, Z&M Twisted Vines Wines and Winery has accomplished more than some wineries do in decades. It has produced an eclectic portfolio of wines and ciders, opened multiple venues, partnered with national brands, hosted one-of-a-kind events, won awards, and given back generously to its community. All of this was achieved with a small team (often just Bryan and Gina themselves doing the work) and a whole lot of heart and creativity. As a quick recap, here are some notable highlights of Z&M’s twisted journey:
• 50+ Handcrafted Wines & 8 Ciders: From traditional dry reds to the famous spicy Hellfire Jalapeño Wine, plus “Blacked Out” coffee wines and seasonal fruit blends – all made with Kansas-grown ingredients  .
• Three Unique Locations: A historic downtown Leavenworth tasting room (est. 2018), a beautiful 30-acre vineyard in Lawrence (with lake and Quonset hut winery), and a pioneering tasting outlet in Overland Park’s Oak Park Mall – bringing local wine to new audiences.
• Groundbreaking Partnerships: First Kansas farm winery to have its wines served at Texas Roadhouse restaurants in the region ; active member of Harvest Hosts, drawing RV tourists nationwide to camp among the vines .
• Community & Charity Events: Hosted Kansas’s first winery Hot Air Balloon Festival, annual Wine Run 5Ks , collegiate charity events for 1,000+ students, veteran fundraisers, grape stomps, and more – making the vineyard a vibrant community gathering spot  .
• Media and Awards: Featured on local TV (KCTV5, Fox4) for their veteran-owned success story ; subject of a “war-to-wine” documentary; winners of wine competition medals (including for Hellfire); recognized by state programs as a model small business .
As Z&M Twisted Vines faces the future, Bryan and Gina have hinted that “this isn’t goodbye, just a new chapter.” In late 2025, they announced plans to wind down their Kansas operations by early 2026 – but notably said, “Z&M Twisted Vines will live on — just not in Kansas” . True to form, they frame it not as a defeat, but as “departure on our own terms”  – the culmination of a remarkable run in the Sunflower State and the start of an exciting new adventure ahead. Wherever the next chapter leads (rumors swirl of a vineyard in a veteran-friendly state or even an international project), the legacy they built in Kansas is secure. They proved that with passion and a willingness to put a twist on things, a local winery can become a force for creativity, community, and change.
In the end, Z&M Twisted Vines is far more than a winery – it’s a symbol of perseverance and innovation. It’s the image of an Army Major trading combat boots for work boots and planting vines in Midwest soil. It’s a Sicilian-American sharing the joy of her heritage with a new community. It’s a group of college kids singing under the stars, a family toasting under a glowing balloon, an RVer discovering Kansas hospitality, a veteran finding peace in a field of grapes. Bryan and Gina’s journey from war to wine, from Kansas to “who-knows-what’s-next,” is an homage to following one’s passions and leaving a place better (and a little more fun) than you found it. As they often remind their patrons and friends: Stay twisted, stay true, and cheers to the road ahead – wherever it may
