How Flying Otter Vineyard & Winery Got Started

The Utter family moved to Adrian and purchased the property in 1996. They established the vineyard in 2005 and celebrated their first harvest in 2007. The Utters began making wine commercially and launched Flying Otter Winery in 2010. Bob Utter and his wife, Linda, have had a passion for wine nearly all their lives. Bob dabbled in winemaking throughout his life, honing his techniques through self-education and trial and error. He became serious about viticulture and winemaking around 2004 and started taking classes from VESTA, a national grape and wine education program.

Image of the Utter Coat of Arms.

Where Did the Name ‘Flying Otter’ Come From?

What started as a hobby planting grapevines to make their own wine, has quickly turned into a passion for honing the craft, expanding the vineyard, and becoming an estate winery. The founder, Bob Utter, is of Swedish descent. ‘Utter’ means ‘otter’ in Swedish. Bob combined his love for aviation and building airplanes with his Swedish surname to create a unique and memorable name for his vineyard and winery.