Known for its rolling hills of vineyards, Napa Valley is the quintessential location in the U.S. for wine lovers. However, since many of us in Kansas can’t just make a trip 1,600 miles west to wine country as often as bold reds call our names, we’re lucky vintners are bringing the coast to the countryside at many Kansas wineries.  

Just northeast of Lawrence, on a short stint down a low-maintenance road, is Irvine’s Just Beyond Paradise. Owned by Ed Sr., Cindy, Ed Jr., George and Austin Irvine and Scott Schlageck, the name describes not only the idyllic views of rural Kansas but also its geographic location. 

“With a name like Irvine, that’s a pretty good name for a winery,” Ed Sr. says. “But we wanted to add a little bit of zest to it. From one direction, you go past Paradise Saloon and from the other direction, there’s Paradise mobile home park in Tonganoxie. We can’t move unless we call it Just Before Paradise.” 

A family legacy, bottled in rebellion  

Ed Sr. has viticulture in his blood — and a tad bit of rebellion.  

“One of my grandfathers was German and Germans like wine,” Ed Sr. says. “He lived in St. Marys and he was making wine in 50-gallon barrels during Prohibition for family and friends. I never got any recipes from him because he passed away when I was around 4 years old, but I know he’s looking down on me, glad I’m doing this.” 

Ed Sr. didn’t really need the recipes from his grandfather. He is a natural vintner — starting his journey in winemaking as a teenager, that rebellious streak inherited from his grandfather serving him well later in life.   

“I first started trying to make my first batch of wine when I was 15 years old,” Ed Sr. says. “I wasn’t successful at that age, but I didn’t give up.” 

Having the wine-making lineage combined with entrepreneurial grit allowed Ed Sr. to continue to drive his ideas forward. The streak of rebellion doesn’t hurt either — bold beginnings have led him and his family to create bold wines.   

An agritourism destination in the heartland 

Irvine’s Just Beyond Paradise sits on 40 acres of Kansas pastureland, ripe for agritourism.  

“When we bought this property in 2017, it was just bare,” Ed Sr. says. “We constructed a building in 2018 and planted a bunch of blackberries. Then we added tomatoes, fruit trees and then grape vines. It takes grape vines about four or five years to produce, and that's one of the reasons why we wanted to go with blackberries and tomatoes to begin with, because on tomatoes, you can go from a seed to a bottle in nine months. We love being an agritourism location in Kansas — sharing our wine with customers is such an honor for us.” 

The Irvines are expanding to offer Kansalot — a Kansas “castle” built out of shipping containers and grain silos — and host Renaissance-themed events. 

“Being in Kansas, we get a lot of wind, so this was a way to combat that, but it’s mostly something fun for our guests and an ode to the Irvine’s Scottish heritage,” Ed Sr. says. 

The winery recently received a $22,000 grant from Kansas Department of Commerce’s tourism department to expand its offerings with a new pizza oven and other enhancements. 

Kansas’ agritourism is robust, especially in the fall, where pumpkin patches, corn mazes and apple picking opportunities bring families closer to agriculture. Wineries offer a unique look into the specialty crop we enjoy in its crushed, fermented, liquid state.  

“Agritourism in Kansas is truly something special,” says Bridgette Jobe, Kansas Tourism director. “Our wineries, vineyards and farm experiences offer visitors the chance to slow down, connect with the land and enjoy the authentic hospitality Kansas is known for. Whether you’re sipping a glass of locally crafted wine overlooking the vines, exploring a pumpkin patch or gathering around a farm table, these experiences create lasting memories while supporting our agricultural businesses and local economies.”  

According to Wine America, the economic benefit of Kansas wineries is nearly $2 billion. The 36 wine producers across the state, like the Irvines, not only produce delicious wine, but they’re also contributing to the economic sustainability of our state.  

Blending family roles into bottled blends 

The Irvine winery isn’t just guessing at the wine game, they’re intentionally learning. Ed Jr. and his friend, Scott Schlageck, had similar beginnings to Ed Sr. — a homebrewing hobby that turned into a fully operational business. Ed Jr. earned a molecular biology degree from the University of Kansas, a knowledge integral to the formulation of wine. Schlageck earned a winemaker’s certificate through the enology (the study of wine and winemaking) program at the University of California, Davis.  

Ed Sr. is proud his family has individual roles in the business, knowing it takes all of them to learn new things and grow in the industry. 

“You can’t be an expert on everything, but you do have to have an expert who can be available to do it,” Ed Sr. says. “Cindy has a banking history, so she’s a whiz with numbers. Our sons all have important roles to play, from the science of winemaking to making sure our website is functional and user-friendly. Scott as a viticulturist and my background of working with the USDA on fruit and vegetable market reports nationwide and internationally makes us a really nice family team with a lot of different expertise in a lot of different areas.” 

Having different roles makes a business thrive. Ed Sr. is highly invested in the winery because he wants to build something that lasts.  

“The most important thing you can leave in this world are your children,” Ed Sr. says. “And Cindy and I, we want to leave a legacy — not only of our children, but of something to pass to them. This winery is our way of doing that.” 

Together, the Irvines and Schlageck have built a great team, and they’re willing to share what they’ve learned with others. A new lab at Irvine’s Just Beyond Paradise is used both for in-house analysis (wine chemistry, quality control) and, going forward, as a resource for other wineries.  

“The better you are as a whole, the better you are as individual wine makers,” Ed Jr. says. “The lab we will have here, we’re opening up to any winery or vineyard or orchard to submit samples to. If someone wants to learn more about the chemistry of wine, we’re going to be open to that. We want to boost the whole industry because it’s better for everybody.” 

From tomatoes to pizza wine 

Between finding their home in 2017, adding their two other sons to the operation in 2018 and opening in 2020 stalled by COVID-19, Irvine’s Just Beyond Paradise experienced ups and downs in its infancy. However, once the family persevered through the pandemic, their opening in 2020 was the start of growth in many aspects. Their growth was noticed by others, including a popular pizza brand.  

“In April 2024, the marketing company for Pizza Hut contacted us,” Ed Sr. says. “They told us to send them two bottles of our tomato wine. They wanted to partner with a Kansas winery on a special promotion since Pizza Hut also got its start in Kansas.”  

“No one outpizzas the Hut,” and that was true with their request for Irvine’s Just Beyond Paradise’s tomato wine. The winery made 1,200 bottles of its specially aged tomato wine, which was enhanced with basil, oregano and garlic for a pizza-like taste and black carrot juice for color.  

The promotion was so popular, the product sold out within 24 hours.  

Although the Pizza Hut tomato wine isn’t available, Irvine’s Just Beyond Paradise still offers tomato wine and other fruit wines in addition to interesting reds and charming whites. The winery also offers “Kanza Pizza Nights,” where Ed Jr. uses his culinary skills to create wood-fired pizzas made from homemade dough. The pizzas are perfect for a crisp fall evening paired with a glass of your favorite wine on their menu — but good luck picking a favorite.  

Trading Napa Valley for Kaw Valley makes for a shorter commute (please drive responsibly), and you still get to enjoy crisp whites and bold reds at Irvine’s Just Beyond Paradise Winery just outside of Lawrence. Who needs Napa Valley when delicious wine is just beyond paradise?  

Learn more about Irvine’s Just Beyond Paradise and see the wines available at www.irvinewinery.com.