Photos features Anthony Debevc., Sr. on a tractor in the vineyard.

Prior to establishing a commercial vineyard in 1972, the Debevc family made wine for home use and cultivated Concord grapes on the family farm.

Early view of the completed chalet. Constructed in about a year, the winery's grand opening ceremony occurred on May 27,1972.

The original winery site of Debonne Vineyards before the construction of the winery.

"(Grape vine) site selection is the number one preventative in the eastern U.S. for frost damage," Tony Debevc, Jr. explains. "Good air drainage and a higher elevation help. Also the temperature moderation of the lake effect (later spring bloom and extended fall season) and frequent cloud cover are built-in frost protectors."

Source: Putting the Finesse in the Wine Bottle (August 1976), Fruit Grower Magazine.

Building the chalet was a family affair.

Donniella (Debevc) Winchell is standing in the front of the structure holding a roof beam. Standing with a hat on the lower level is Tony Debevc, Sr.. Rose Debevc and her son Tony Debevc, Jr. are poised on the top of the scaffolding.

View of the chalet near the end of construction. The original 40 X 90-foot structure included an underground fermenting, storage cellar, and a hospitality room, which seated 25. A few years later the structure was enlarged by 20 square feet. Today, the seating capacity has grown to 150.

Construction workers building the concrete block foundation of the Chalet.

The Debevc family visited a number of successful wineries, talked to several industry experts across the country, and spent a significant amount of time planning to develop the Swiss-style Chalet.

Winter view of the Debonne farm from the deck of the chalet. Off to the right is the house that the Debevc family built decades before the winery.

Anthony Debevc., Sr. (center) and others bottling the first batch of wine, 5,000 gallons in total, in the new cellar.

In the beginning, the Debevc family purchased equipment suitable for a small winery, in particular, Frederich Morges bottling equipment from Switzerland and a French grape press.

As the winery grew in production, the family upgraded the cellar equipment to meet rising demand.

Adams is best known for his book “Wines of America”, a survey and history of American wineries. First published in 1973, Adams visited several Ohio wineries, including Markko Vineyard and Debonne Vineyard, and collected a number of stories that were featured in his popular book. Photos in both collections showcase these visits.

The original hospitality room designed by Tony Debevc, Jr., who is standing behind the bar, featured 100-year old unpainted barn plank walls salvaged from buildings found on family's 30-acre farm. The photo features the initial bar, which was fashioned from 50-gallon oak wine barrels.