In 1972, Bill Worthy, banker and stock broker turned winemaker and wine owner, planted the first vines on his 23 acre farm and sold his first bottle of wine in 1978. As proprietors of the Grand River Wine Co., the Worthy family followed the lead of Arnulf Esterer of Markko Vineyards and planted a number of European-style vinifera vines successfully, considered by the experts to be a fruitless venture at the time. In addition to a hospitality room and wine cellar, the winery also produced plays under the name of Mapleleaf Theater.

The Worthy family sold the winery in 1998 and in 2005, Madison Wine Cellars purchased it and named it Grand River Cellars. Today, the winery prides itself on producing quality Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, and Pinot Grigio wine from grapes grown in the Grand River Valley Wine Region.