Golden, rolling hills lined with grapevines that seem to go on forever, romantic picnics, marvelous wines, smooth jazz and firelight—it all sounds like a fairytale, but it’s not! It’s our own local gem practically in our backyard!
Arrington Vineyards (AV) in Arrington, Tenn., has been a special place for me for a while. I can’t help but share this little slice of Heaven. AV was founded in 2005 by four men, including country music singer Kix Brooks and winemaker Kip Summers. They offer 14 varieties of wines, and when you go for your free tasting, you can pick eight to try. I picked four white, four red and a bonus dessert wine.
Aaron Long was our presenter and possessed vast knowledge, conquering every question I fired at him. The AV 2008 Chardonnay is aged in all French oak that gives it the vanilla nose, and the finish is tart with nectarine in the mouth feel. It sells for $22.
I detected a bit of gooseberry in the 2009 Viognier and the aroma was crisp and citrusy. It had a medium finish and is aerated for a honey feel.
Stag’s White is my favorite AV white. It’s a dry blend of Vidal Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Traminette, Viognier, Riesling and Muscat Blanc. I got a pineapple and coriander in the nose that led into a beautifully balanced soft apple taste. This wine definitely has a lot going on, but it’s a symphony to the senses. It’s quite affordable too, at only $20.
The last white was a Riesling (the juice from Yakima Valley, Wash.). Grapefruit and lime contrasted with a residual sweetness in this wine. I thought it had quite a lingering finish. AV gets its juices and some grapes from five places—Sonoma, Lodine and Napa Valley in California, and Red Mountain Valley and Yakima Valley in Washington. Everything else is grown on the vineyard.
I loved the Red Fox Red! It’s a blend of Chianti, Pinot Noir and Sangiovese grapes. It’s the best-selling of the winery. I got a very dry, almost lacking aroma, but as soon as I sipped, an explosion went off in my mouth! It had a massive mouth feel with distinguishable characteristics on each part of my palate. Black tea is prevalent in this wine and is used in a lot of the reds. I tasted strawberry, black plum and pepper. Red Fox finished quickly but with a flash of sweetness.
The 2008 Merlot is 5 percent Cabernet and had cranberry in the aroma. The mouth was an interesting mixture of clove and coffee—again, more black tea. This Merlot had a long, dry finish.
The 2007 Syrah was pretty similar to the Merlot. There was more black tea in the aroma followed by spices, blackberry jam and mocha in the taste.
The bonus dessert wine was raspberry. At first, I wasn’t too ecstatic about sweet raspberry wine, but then Aaron pulled the chocolate out and all was well with the world again. The vineyard offers Cocoa Tree Chocolates and now, CAO Cigars. One can also order their picnic items from a local eatery. We had the dark chocolate, which was bitter and married perfectly with sweet raspberry.
The tasting was neat but the best part of the place is the atmosphere. On any given night, there may be a bonfire or an acoustic guitar. From April until November, AV offers Music in the Vines in the courtyard. There are fireplaces and heated decks for the colder months. This place has a little something for everyone, whether as a couple, a family or just a group of friends. Bring your favorite cheeses, breads and chocolates and sit back with a glass of wine to take pleasure in the sunset. It doesn’t cost anything to participate in the tastings. Just pick your favorite and buy a bottle that they’ll open for you to enjoy!
Hurry out to Arrington Vineyards to Eat, Drink and Be Merry before it gets too cold! For more information, visit arringtonvineyards.com.
