July 25, 2019

Arrington Vineyard

I’ve been to Arrington before, a couple of years ago.  I wasn’t impressed at the time.  The server I had admittedly knew very little about the wines and didn’t really like wine himself (although he was from California).  Not the best way to start off with a potential wine customer.

There was a red wine I enjoyed (aged in Tennessee whiskey barrels).  I was able to arrange my trip to Nashville this year in a way that we could make a stop at the winery.

First off, the drive to the winery alone is absolutely stunning.  You feel like you’re wandering through the countryside outside of Franklin.  Lots of farmland, farmhouses, and pasture. 

The winery itself had some improvement from the last visit.  The girls pouring the wines were happy, excited to talk about the wine, and very knowledgeable.  They were able to tell me what wines were made from Tennessee grapes, which ones were grapes brought in from Washington State (also super cool), and the percentages of local to import.  Nice.

I tried one sparkling along with several whites and reds.  I liked the whites better overall.  Both dessert wines were amazing.  Honeysuckle is a Gewurztraminer dessert wine that is splendid.  It isn’t too sweet, has some complex flavors, and sits very nicely on the palate. 

Encore, their port, is just as flavorful and easy to drink.

A special note is the 10^th Anniversary Special Edition KB10-16.  A Cab made in the European style, it’s worth the extra to taste.  It’s very nice, I’d love to try it with ribeye on the grill.

On some weekends, Arrington does music in on the grounds.  You’re encouraged to bring a picnic, purchase a bottle of wine, and enjoy the concert.  I’m generally in Nashville at the wrong time of year for that (no one wants to sit outside when it’s still 85 at 11:30pm); but I might make a special trip back up there this fall.  The wine is good and the ambiance is unmatched.