This SC university just got its own wine label. Here’s why and when you can buy it

Furman University gets a lot of publicity for its immaculate and beautiful campus. Also for the school’s high ranking for academic excellence. And don’t forget the stories about the chant that begins FU one time!

Now comes wine.

The Greenville university and Kennington Family Winery of nearby Marietta are collaborating on Bonhomie Wine. The word means cheerful friendliness and is also the name of the school’s yearbook.

It will be released at homecoming Oct. 25, available in some Upstate stores and online.

“The Furman spirit evokes thoughts of smiling faces crossing campus, a warm embrace after time apart and a willingness to simply be there when called,” a Furman news release said.

The wine “embodies all of that and more,” the release said.

Allison Kennington, owner of the winery, is a Furman chemistry graduate who earned a doctorate in chemistry and biophysics from the University of Virginia. After a 20-year career at Eli Lilly as a chemist developing medicines, she returned to South Carolina to join family members in operating the winery.

Christine Velasquez, Furman’s assistant vice president for marketing and communications, said the partnership came about “simply because an engaged and passionate alumna (Kennington) had the inspiration to create a wine for Furman.”

Kennington approached school officials, who thought it timely since Furman will mark its bicentennial in 2026.

“At Kennington Family Winery, each wine tells a story,” Kennington said. “With Bonhomie, we invite Furman alumni, students and friends to celebrate their memories and milestones — past, present, and future.”

There are two varieties. The Cabernet Sauvignon is a full-bodied red with aromas of cassis, black currant and cedar and notes of black olives, mocha and subtle spice, Furman said. The Sauvignon Blanc is a light-bodied white with notes of citrus, mango and passionfruit.

College adjacent wine labels seem to be something of a trend, but most often associated with a school viticulture and enology program, many of them in California.

The University of California Davis earlier this year began selling wine made by students, staff and faculty from nearby Napa Valley and Yolo County grapes.

“We’ve probably been making some wine since our inception in 1880,” Ben Montpetit, the chair of UC Davis’s enology and viticulture department, told Wine Enthusiast.

Fresno State was the first university in California when it started selling commercially produced wines in 1997. Horsehill Vineyards is a collaboration between Cal Poly Pomona and South Coast Winery.

Cornell University sells wine from grapes grown in the Finger Lakes region of New York. They have bachelor and doctorate degrees in viticulture as well as online courses in wine.

Furman doesn’t plan to develop winemaking courses, Velasquez said.

This story was originally published October 22, 2025 at 6:00 AM.