Since retiring from the Las Vegas Metro Police Department in 2016, Patty Peters has devoted her time to fulfilling her late husband’s dreams of running a successful winemaking school and Vegas Valley Winery.
In 2005, the Peters helped change the laws allowing them to open a winemaking facility, Grape Expectations in Henderson. By 2012, they expanded and moved their facility to the Henderson Booze District where they continued to grow. After her husband’s sudden passing, Patty, with the love and support of the community and wine professionals they worked with, decided to continue moving forward.
In 2015, laws changed and Patty, along with co-owner Mike Schoenbaechler, opened Las Vegas’s first- ever winery, Vegas Valley Winery. Wine production is all done on-site, starting from crushing and pressing the fruit to bottling and then serving the wine in the tasting room.
Patty continues to ensure the community can make wine one barrel at a time with countless offerings at the winery. The winery offers educational classes, tours, social events, and a tasting room with live entertainment and a delicious menu of award-winning wines and ciders to please all palates.
Mike Schoenbaechler is a longtime resident of Las Vegas, beginning his winemaking path as an amateur winemaker in 2005 with Grape Expectations founder, Charlie Peters. In 2012, Schoenbaechler stepped into the professional side of winemaking, officially joining the Grape Expectations team.
After Peter’s untimely passing at the end of 2012, Schoenbaechler picked up the reigns as Chief Winemaker. Schoenbaechler pioneered Grape Expectations Spring Winemaking Season, importing grapes for the first time from Chili in 2013 and implementing their specialty 2 and 3 year wines (The Barolo, Brunello, and Bordeaux-style wines).
When the laws changed in 2015, new opportunities opened, and in 2018, Schoenbaechler, along with co-owner Patty Peters, opened Las Vegas’s first-ever winery, Vegas Valley Winery. Here, wine production is all done on-site, starting from crushing and pressing the fruit to bottling and then serving their award-winning wines in the tasting room.
Schoenbaechler continues to invest in the craft of winemaking with continued education and collaboration with UC Davis, supporting the growing viticulture industry, and contributing to the growth and development of the wine industry in Nevada.
