Williamson County: Arrington Vineyards AROUND WILLIAMSON COUNTY Discover one of Williamson County’s newest treasures… Arrington Vineyards & Winery (on the south side) By Will Jordan The drive heading east on Hwy 96 away from Franklin becomes more rural as it nears Arrington, a community that has long been a hub for Williamson County farmers. The soil is rich for corn, soybean and (at one time) big tobacco. Recently, a different type of cultivator has moved into the community – one who hopes to use similar formulas to grow a unique crop. Through rolling hills and past picturesque farmland sits Arrington Vineyards & Winery, situated on more than 75 acres of fertile valley and limestone hillsides. A large iron gate swings open to a scene that is reminiscent of Tuscany or the north of France. Just past two enormous wine barrels and up a winding, narrow road lies the vineyard’s tasting lodge, a unique structure built from rustic timbers and Tennessee fieldstone. It affords views of Williamson County’s countryside and wooded landscape that give this part of the country its reputation for verdant beauty. Inside the lodge is a balance of elegance and rustic charm, with wine bottles on floor-to-ceiling shelves, a large fireplace, a small gift shop area and, most importantly, the tasting station, where folks are encouraged to taste the bouquets of each of Arrington’s 12 wines. Arrington Vineyards’ wines cover the entire range of flavors from the medium-bodied Stag’s White, a “dry white wine with aromatic notes of green tea and fresh flowers” to the sweet Riesling 2005 with, “green apple, lemon and grapefruit flavors” to the Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, “a classic Cabernet with black currant, coffee and smoky vanilla notes” to ever-sweet and fruity Raspberry dessert wine. Dreaming big, executing with precision Arrington Vineyards opened in June with wine tastings and live acoustic jazz. Patrons are able to purchase bottles inside and then take them, with crackers and cheese from the store, outside to enjoy anywhere on the property. “It’s an experience that can’t be duplicated anywhere in Williamson County,” says Christel Foley, business manager at Arrington Vineyards. “It’s absolutely beautiful out here and a perfect place for people who love wine but also for the whole family.” Underneath the elegance, Arrington Vineyards has a very casual, comfortable, family owned feel to it. The owners eat, tell old stories and inside jokes, laugh and drink wine together. “We don’t really have business titles here,” says Chris Prothro, whose business card has a blank space after his name. “It’s more like a family,” adds his wife Shelly. The two men responsible for this idea are Kip Summers and Fred Mindermann who started experimenting with various grapevines. In 2001, they planted a research vineyard in Brentwood called Liberty Hill Vineyard. They both realized the potential of grape growing and wine making in Tennessee and pursued a dream of establishing Williamson County’s first commercial vineyard winery. Fred met country singer Kix Brooks at Liberty United Methodist Church and shared his winery vineyard dream. Soon after, Brooks joined in as the third partner. “This thing really fell into my lap,” Brooks says through his immaculately bristled moustache under the shade of his token black cowboy hat. “I met Kip through Fred at church and tried some of his wine and was very impressed. It was very apparent he knew what he was doing. Instead of sweet Tennessee wine, Kip’s was more ‘Napa-ish’ and had a nice variety of flavors. I think there’s a very sophisticated, cosmopolitan demographic here, yet it’s not snobbish. They do know the difference in what’s pretty good wine and what’s really good wine. I think our holds up to anybody’s.” Summers agrees. “This is the largest winery vineyard in Tennessee and the first and only winery in Williamson County,” Summers says. “We’re proud of that.” Spending 15 years in the field, Summers says he knows all the other winery owners in Tennessee and wants them all to do well. “We don’t see them as competition,” he says. “We all benefit one another and want everyone to do well.” “Everybody comes to Kip for advice,” Chris Prothro adds. “He knows his stuff.” A plan for the future The Easter freeze, this summer’s heat wave and the drought stilted the growth of the fruit on the grape vines, but it didn’t slow down the process of wine making for Arrington Vineyard. “We purchase many of our grapes from other grape growers anyway,” Foley says. “All our wine is made here, but we don’t have enough land to grow enough grapes to make all of our wine, so the freeze and droughts haven’t set us back.” Aside from the grapes, every other process is done on the property, from de-stemming to crushing, pressing, fermenting, bottling, aging and finally selling their wines. In the future, Summers hopes to be able to use some of their own grown grapes as well as those bought elsewhere. He has been farming grapes for 15 years in Tennessee and says that the land here is as good for grape growth as anywhere else. “The climate and the soil here are actually perfect for growing grapes, and typically we have enough rain to sustain crops, but this year has not been typical,” he says, adding that they decided to start small and possibly add a larger tasting facility and more vineyards in the next year or so. “Typically our seasons are well defined, and our winters are not too cold. The limestone in the soil is also beneficial,” Summers explains. “The notable rolling hillsides shed off any excessive rainfall. Middle Tennessee is a similar environment to Tuscany with its warm summer climate.” With its picturesque location and atypical experience, Arrington Vineyards has already become a tourist attraction. In fact, the State of Tennessee’s department of tourism is helping to promote it. With the addition of Arrington Vineyards, Tennessee’s diverse attractions have really put the state on the map for tourist destinations, said Susan Hinchcliff Whitaker, commissioner of Department of Tourist Development for the State of Tennessee, who was at the vineyard shooting a promotional ad at the vineyard for the state. “It’s a perfect fit for Williamson County, because some love the hustle and bustle of Franklin’s Main Street or Cool Springs, but there are some who just want to hit the country back roads and enjoy Tennessee’s rural areas.” “Arrington Vineyards is something special to this area,” says Whitaker. “It offers an elegant yet casual experience in a wonderfully rural setting.