About Perdido

Alabama's First Farm Winery Since Prohibition

An historic marker stands outside Casa Perdido. (Michael Tomberlin / Alabama NewsCenter)

A 50-acre Muscadine Grape Vineyard was established at this site in 1972 to produce grapes for Bartels Winery of Pensacola, Florida. In 1979, legislation sponsored by Rep. John M. McMillan (Stockton) and Sen. Dick Owen (Bay Minette) was enacted into law by Gov. Fob James as The Alabama Native Farm Winery Act of 1979. The Winery was established September 1, 1979 as Bonded Winery – Alabama – No. 1, the first Alabama Winery since before Prohibition. Jim and Marianne Eddins, as owners and winemakers, produced table wines from the native Muscadine grapes and other fruits grown in the State of Alabama. In 2002, the Winery began producing wine vinegars that have won International awards.

Years of production

Acres muscadine grapes

Gallons Juice/acre

Our Past

In the late 1800s, German and Italian immigrants established numerous wineries throughout Alabama, which included thousands of acres of vineyards and orchards, resort hotels and gourmet restaurants. In 1920, Prohibition wiped it all out.

Alabama would wait 52 years until its first post-Prohibition vineyard appeared in 1972 when Jim and Marianne Eddins first opened the doors of Perdido Vineyards. Since then, we have produced some of the most unique table wines in the country, as well as fortified wines especially designed for local Alabama fruits.

In 2002 we expanded our business and began creating award-winning and internationally-recognized wine vinegars.

Jim and Marianne were instrumental in helping to get legislation passed in Alabama in 1979 that would allow native farm wineries to produce up to 100k gallons of wine per year and allow them to sell to retailers and consumers. Prior to this, wineries could only sell to state stores, wholesalers, or out of state. The Eddins’ are recognized for their efforts in Hudson Cattell’s book Wines of Eastern North America: From Prohibition to the Present.

OWNER/Winemaker

Meet Jim.

Jim Eddins, a former Marine who served in both Korea and Vietnam, has fought Alabama legislators for decades to loosen prohibitive legislation for wineries. An article from AL.com perfectly describes his long and colorful history.