Our next stop on the Route de Vin was Sand Creek Vineyard. This is the newest of the wineries in the area, and is family owned like most others. It was established in 2002, but the tasting room did not open until October of 2008. The outdoor patio is very large and comes complete with a few fire pits for those colder evenings during the winter months. For the summer, there are fans under the veranda.
It's located less than a tenth of a mile down the road from Twin Oaks, so it should have been easy to find. Unfortunately, we missed their very well hidden sign and drove a few miles out of the way. When we did find the turn off, it takes you a dirt road up the hill and into dense forest.
The large double doors lead into the tasting room which is filled with a large, stone bar. All of the furniture inside is over-sized so that various groups can sit together. The ceilings are also extremely high and contain an impressive cupola.
Along with our wine tasting, we also tried a wine margarita. This was something that none of us had ever heard of before! With four different flavors available, there was something for everyone's taste. Jean and I each ordered a small one to try after our tasting - it was delicious! Mine was a little sweeter and a tad stronger than a regular margarita. Apparently they are easy to make at home as well. Just combine your margarita mix with your favorite wine and blend!
For our actual wine tasting, we tried the Dry Chardonel, Late Harvest Chardonel, Becky's Blush, and the Plank Road Red. All of them were above average wines, but the Chardonel was probably my favorite. I loved the green apples and apricot flavors. It's definitely a great summer wine. Becky's Blush and Plank Road Red are their two most popular offerings.
While we were standing at the bar doing our tastings, we got to talking to the owner. We told him that Tony and I are originally from South Louisiana. He pointed out the memorabilia that had been signed by the guys on Axe Men during a recent visit. A good friend of his builds boats for them, so he stopped by with them while they were in town picking up a new boat. He also pulled out a bottle of a special wine that isn't on the tasting menu so that Tony and Jean could sample. I'm not a fan of red wine, so I passed. It was the Chambourcin pictured above. He had produced this wine several years ago, but just opened the barrel of it a few weeks ago. It only made six cases and it is a one time deal. Both of them absolutely died over the taste. Tony said that it is hands down the best wine that he's ever had!
After tasting it, it was decided that they would purchase a bottle to share over dinner at our house one night. A few minutes after the first bottle was purchased, it was decided that a second one was definitely needed! Tony and Jean did enjoy one bottle of it this past Monday evening, and declared it just as good as their first tasting. Tony cooked a lovely chicken and red sauce pasta dish while we enjoyed some quality reality TV show watching time!
I found it highly entertaining that the owner autographed both bottles.
View from our seats on the deck.
This was located in a heavily wooded area, so I was a little surprised not to see any deer or elk that populate the area. Maybe next time! Also, for the second winery in a row, we saw little children running around. I have to admit that before seeing it at Twin Oaks, it had never occurred to me that some people might bring their kids with them to the winery. Apparently it is a quite popular around here. The kids run around the grounds while the adults enjoy wine and snacks on the deck. Who knew that a winery could be a family activity...
Next up - The adventure of Charleville Winery and Saline Creek!
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