Lawrence Vineyard & Tasting Room
24305 Loring Road, Lawrence, KS 66044

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August 18th, 2025

Sunday Reflections: Warrior to Wine to Pro Se Litigant 

What a journey Gina and I continue to walk — from the battlefield to the vineyard, from writing mission orders to writing motions. This week reminded us just how far we’ve come and how much we’re still learning.

We did our first interview, felt the support from so many people around us, and I even discovered a new word — mandamus. (No, it’s not a cuss word — it’s Latin. And yes, I had to look it up!) It’s one of those legal arrows in the quiver that we now get to use, but more than that, it’s another reminder that every day brings growth. Someone wise told me recently: “Keep your motions simple, direct, and don’t clutter the docket.” Message received, coach. We’re executing.

And let me tell you — digging into Westlaw for the first time felt like walking into a whole new armory. Only this one is stacked with statutes and case law instead of Apache rockets. It’s nerdy, I know — but it’s oddly fun.

Back on the home front, the vineyard is alive with its own lessons. The grapes are changing color — veraison — the moment when they transform and begin to ripen. In about a week or two, we’ll be ready for our Sicilian stomp. Yes, with opera, laughter, and bare feet in the bins. That’s our Italian side.

And then there’s our military side — woven into every bottle we make. Not Prosecco, not Merlot — but Apache Hellfire, Heroes, On Wings of Eagles, Household Six, Hardly Twisted Cider, Gladiator Tomato Wine, and more. Each one tells a story of service, sacrifice, and the crazy, beautiful, twisted journey from warrior to wine.

So that’s where we are today — learning, fighting, farming, and having a little fun along the way. From courtrooms to grape rows, it’s all about discipline, heart, and never quitting.

Stay cool out there, enjoy your Sunday, and remember: life is always about growth — whether it’s grapes turning, cases turning, or us turning the page on a new chapter.

🍷 Cheers — or as we say here at Z&M Twisted Vines: Stay Twisted.

August 9, 2025

Warrior to Wine, returns 

Disclaimer: My views, my words — protected under the First Amendment. All case details come from public records.

For those of you quietly watching this case — in the courtroom or from the sidelines — understand this: the warrior you’re up against doesn’t quit, doesn’t scare, and doesn’t run out of tactics!

As most of you know, our lives have shifted this year. Our passions haven’t gone away — they’ve just multiplied.

If you know me, you know I get obsessed when something grabs my attention. The last time it happened was about eight years ago, when Gina and I started making wine together. That obsession turned into Z&M Twisted Vines, Big Vino, Vino I, and 620 Cherokee Winery. We’ve been making wines, hard ciders, champagne — traveling Kansas and beyond, sharing our products, meeting amazing customers, and having a blast.

But this year, a new passion landed in my lap… and it surprised even me.

Federal court.

Twice in my military career, a commander wrote in my evaluations that I was “unflappable.” That stuck with me — partly because it’s funny in aviation, but mostly because it’s true. Recently I came across a Latin phrase that feels like my mission statement:

Fiat Justitia Ruat Cælum

Let justice be done, though the heavens fall.

It reminds me of an airborne cadence — “If my main don’t open wide, look out Lord, ‘cause I’m coming through.” 

The warrior who left the battlefield found peace and joy planting grapes, making wine, and meeting incredible people. But when that vineyard was tread upon, I found a new battlefield. Now I’m devoting 10, 15, sometimes 16 hours a day to reading statutes, case law, other court filings, and yes — writing motions.

And I’ll admit it: I’m not operating like a “real” attorney. I’m not an attorney at all. I’m a pro se litigant — which means I don’t play golf, I don’t play tennis, and I don’t drag things out for $1,000 an hour just to bill a client. I go straight at the problem.

Some say my motions are “too aggressive.” My response? Duh. Passion drives results, not endless ping-pong filings.

I’ve been reading filings on PACER from big firms, and honestly… they’re boring. So yes, I’ve been drinking wine while I write — and I might be writing this at 3:00 a.m.

A Couple Legal Nuggets for the Sideline Watchers

Blauvelt v. Board of Leavenworth County Comm’rs – Exemptions extend to the land—even if not exclusively agricultural—to protect core farming activity. The Kansas Supreme Court reaffirmed that agriculture is a protected land use under Kansas law, and any zoning restriction that contradicts statutory protections is invalid.

 Humorous takeaway: Even Kansas courts know you can’t tell a soldier to “stop soldiering” any more than you can take the uniform off and erase the training, discipline, and heart that make them who they are.

From Federal Court: Wickard v. Filburn, 317 U.S. 111 (1942) — The U.S. Supreme Court held that even growing wheat for your own use can fall under federal regulation because it affects interstate commerce.

 Humorous takeaway: Translation — the government can watch what’s growing in your backyard, but somehow still can’t fix potholes on the road to it.

Recently I found another Latin phrase that’s worth keeping close:

Fortuna Audaces Iuvat

Fortune favors the bold.

That’s the mindset I’m taking into every filing. It’s why Gina asked me the other day, “After you get through this, are you going to law school?” My answer? Heck yes. I’ve got to figure out what I’ve been doing wrong so I can do it even better next time. She says, “there’s no next time…get it right now”.  

So here’s where I’m at now: Warrior to Wine… to Litigation.

If you see me in court with a bottle of wine in my hand, you’ll know the mission — protect Kansas farmers, veterans, and the public by making sure we follow Kansas statutes and the U.S. Constitution.

Thanks for all your support. We’re doing this with smiles on our faces, and at the end of the day, it’s only going to make Kansas stronger.

Stay cool out there — and don’t forget… stay a little Twisted.

July 7, 2025:

Sunday Briefing – Here’s the Rest of the Story

Brought to you from the fields, the vineyard, and the Constitution.

“Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you’re a thousand miles from the cornfield.”
— Dwight D. Eisenhower, Kansas

Good Sunday from Z&M Twisted Vines. Gina and Bryan are getting ready for a bike ride through the beautiful Kansas countryside, but we wanted to take a moment to update you on our federal case — and share what this is really about.

This isn’t just about a vineyard, or even just about us.

This is about:

What defines agriculture

What rights small farmers and veterans still have

And what happens when bureaucracy forgets its duty to the land and the people who work it

🇺🇸 Here’s the Rest of the Story

We are a registered USDA-FSA farm, a certified value-added producer, and yes, we are an agricultural operation.

But more importantly:

📜 Viticulture and Enology are explicitly protected by both federal and Kansas law.

✔️ The USDA recognizes viticulture (grape growing) and enology (winemaking) as core agricultural activities.
✔️ The State of Kansas defines a farm winery as agriculture — not commercial manufacturing.
✔️ In fact, our license through Kansas ABC specifically distinguishes us from commercial producers.
✔️ We are registered under the Kansas Agritourism Act and hold a farm number through USDA.
📚 Want proof? Here are the receipts:

K.S.A. 74-50,173 – The Kansas Agritourism Promotion Act (promotes value-added agricultural activities)

Corbett v. Board of Zoning Appeals of Shawnee County (2005) – Kansas courts upheld that a hunting preserve (on Rep. Ken Corbett’s land) was agricultural in nature

K.S.A. 2-3201 et seq. – Defines agricultural activities to include viticulture and on-farm processing

K.S.A. 41-308a & 41-308b – Establishes that farm wineries are not commercial manufacturers under Kansas law

📚 Kansas Case Law That Protects Us

Blauvelt v. Leavenworth County (1980)
— The Kansas Supreme Court held that a farmer’s house counts as an agricultural purpose—even if it doesn’t front a public road, it’s still part of the farmstead  .

Miami County v. Svoboda (1998)
— A private airstrip used for farm purposes (checking cattle, fences, crops) was exempt from zoning because it served agriculture  .

These cases make clear: Kansas law defines agriculture expansively—as any activity that supports farming, even if it looks unconventional.

And if you want to go deeper, there’s even a 246-page USDA-funded Kansas Agritourism Handbook that teaches farmers how to:

Sell honey, eggs, and grapes

Invite the public onto their farm

Host weddings and events

Engage in direct-to-consumer sales

And that, friends, is exactly what we do.

📂 What We’re Fighting

We’ve now filed:

A 79-page federal lawsuit

Over 1,500 pages of exhibits

28 legal motions already on record — with more coming this week

📣 Stay Informed – No PACER Account Needed

We know not everyone has a PACER account. So starting this month, we’ll be uploading exhibits, and updates from our federal case onto our website,  

https://zmtwistedwines.com/
so you can:
Click in & Read along

See for yourself what’s going on behind closed doors

Because transparency matters, and every Kansan — every American — deserves to see how their leaders treat the farmers who feed them.

“In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.”
— Dwight D. Eisenhower

This is a battle we planted for.

It’s not about politics.

It’s about principle.

It’s not about punishing people.

It’s about restoring rights.

And it’s not about noise.

It’s about truth, land, and legacy.

Stay tuned. Stay curious. And as always —
Stay Twisted.

June 29, 2025:

📣 IT’S OFFICIAL: WE FILED A FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS CASE AGAINST THE STATE OF KANSAS AND LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
This Fourth of July weekend, while others celebrate freedom, we’re fighting for it.
We’re a combat veteran and a doctor of education. We built a farm winery from the ground up in rural Kansas — only to be harassed, overtaxed, zoned into oblivion, and targeted by local and state officials who couldn’t keep their own laws straight.
After years of being told to sit down and shut up, we filed a lawsuit that exposes the truth, names the names, and calls the system to account.
This isn’t a protest. This is a federal petition — filed, documented, and entered into public record.
📂 WHAT’S IN THE CASE:
• 1,500+ pages
• 124 exhibits
• 7 federal motions already filed
• 23+ named defendants — including:
• Governor Laura Kelly
• Senator Jerry Moran and 6 senate and Representative elected KANSAS officials 
• Kansas Department of Agriculture
• Kansas Department of Revenue – Property Valuation Division (PVD)
• Kansas Department of Commerce
• Kansas ABC
• Kansas Board of Tax Appeals (BOTA)
• Leavenworth County Government, its Commissioners, and Staff
This is a civil rights case grounded in facts, law, and firsthand experience. It outlines years of unequal treatment, unconstitutional taxation, due process violations, and agency contradictions that no farmer, no veteran, and no small business owner should ever have to face again.
OUR STORY:
• Retired U.S. Army Major with a Bronze Star
• Doctor of Education
• Farmer. Veteran. Entrepreneur.
• A husband and wife who refused to be silenced.
We followed the rules. We obtained every license. We were certified agriculture by Kansas itself. Then we were treated like criminals for running a vineyard on our own land.
This lawsuit is about freedom, fairness, and forcing the government to follow its own rules.
⚖️ CASE INFORMATION:
Case Name: Zesiger et al. v. Kelly et al.
U.S. District Court – District of Kansas
Case No.: 2:25-cv-2354-EFM-ADM
Filed: July 2025
Filed by: Bryan Zesiger (Major, U.S. Army, Ret.) & Dr. Gina Montalbano Zesiger — Pro Se Plaintiffs
🔥 FIREWORKS START NOW:
We’re not going away.
We’re not backing down.
And we’re not asking for permission to tell the truth.
If you believe in veterans, farmers, fairness, or freedom — we invite you to follow this case, on PACER, share our story, and read the public court filings for yourself.
This case may change how Kansas treats agriculture, taxation, zoning, and small business for years to come.
Because silence isn’t patriotic. And this year, our fireworks come in the form of federal filings.
Truth isn’t defamation. Transparency isn’t harassment. And filing a federal case isn’t a crime — it’s a right.
LEGAL NOTICE:
This post contains factual statements derived directly from public federal court filings and government-issued records obtained through the Kansas Open Records Act (K.S.A. 45-215 et seq.). All statements reflect the content of legally submitted pleadings in Zesiger et al. v. Kelly et al., Case No. 2:25-cv-2354-EFM-ADM, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.
This post is protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees the right to free speech on matters of public concern, including litigation and government conduct.
Any interpretation of this content as defamatory, threatening, or improper is expressly denied. This is a lawful public disclosure of active litigation supported by official records, filed documents, and public interest.
Garrison v. Louisiana, 379 U.S. 64 (1964):
Public discussion of governmental affairs is “the essence of self-government” and entitled to the “broadest protection.”
N.Y. Times Co. v. United States, 403 U.S. 713 (1971) (The Pentagon Papers case):
Government cannot restrain publication of truthful information about matters of public concern.

June 26, 2025:

Official Announcement from Z&M Twisted Vines

After years of pouring our heart, soul, and sweat into Kansas agriculture, we have made a deeply personal decision:

Z&M Twisted Vines will be closing its doors — no later than January 1, 2026, and possibly sooner.

This isn’t goodbye out of defeat. It’s departure on our terms.

We are a Veteran. A Teacher. Visionaries. Farmers. Fighters.
We have advocated relentlessly — for agriculture, agritourism, veterans, and the small businesses that make Kansas great.
We’ve planted roots, built community, and left it all on the field.

But now, it’s time to move on.

We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished. But there are moments in life when the right thing to do is to close the chapter with strength, integrity, and love.

Z&M Twisted Vines will live on — just not in Kansas.

Because of active and ongoing federal litigation, we will not be discussing this decision publicly or privately any further until all legal matters are resolved.

We ask for your support, your understanding, and your respect during this transition. We’re still here — pouring wine, sharing laughs, and celebrating the final season of something truly special.

Our motto remains:

Twisted in Life. Twisted in Love. Twisted in Wine.

With love and deep gratitude,
Bryan & Gina
Z&M Twisted Vines

Contact us for more information about how you can make our Vineyard and Winery locations yours.

 

FIND OUR WINES LOCALLY

Liquor Stores

10th avenue Liquor

5111 10th Ave, Leavenworth, KS 66048

Barrelhouse Liquor Topeka

230 NW Lyman Rd, Topeka, KS 66608

Devlin’s Topeka

2850 SW Wanamaker Rd, Topeka, KS 66614

Eudora Wine & Spirits

218 E 20th St D, Eudora, KS 66025

Happy Hour, Lansing

105 W Gilman Rd Suite D, Lansing, KS 66043

Main St. Eudora

728 Main St, Eudora, KS 66025

Meyers –Topeka

5610 SW 29th St, Topeka, KS 66614

Roy’s Liquor

721 Wakarusa Dr # 107, Lawrence, KS 66049

Vern’s

3700 SW Gage Blvd, Topeka, KS 66610

Brother’s Wine & Spirits

Tonganoxie, KS 66086

EJ’s Liquor

1001 SW Wanamaker Rd, Topeka, KS 66615

Happy Hour, Lawrence

905 Iowa St, Lawrence, KS 66044

Kansas Crown

1215 W 6th St, Lawrence, KS 66044

Mass Beverage Liquor

3131 Nieder Rd, Lawrence, KS 66047

Mike’s Liquor, De Soto

9160 Lexington Ave, De Soto, KS 66018

Village West Liquor

11010 Parallel Pkwy, Kansas City, KS 66109

Restaurants

Basil Leaf– Lawrence

Lulu’s Latin Food– Lawrence

Los Guapos– Lawrence

Old Chicago– Lawrence

Mass St. Fish House—Lawrence

Texas Roadhouse—Lawrence

Texas Roadhouse—97th Street, Overland Park

 

 

Z&M Twisted Vines supports numerous veteran organizations like Homegrown by Heroes and the Farmer Veteran Coalition, inviting fellow veterans to visit the vineyard and experience the camaraderie of service in a new setting. As Bryan and Gina cultivate their hundred-acre vineyard, their story serves as an inspiration to all, reminding us that the journey of life is filled with unexpected twists and turns, each contributing to the rich tapestry of our experiences.