In the center of a tiny town an hour east of Charlotte lies an establishment unique for the area. Elizabeth Schafer, an interior designer and Chef Jeff Oliver have delved into the winemaking industry in an area not renown for wineries. The shop is lovely, featuring a bar made of old restored wood and finished to a high shine by Jeff. There are tables and chairs positioned in the room and adorable lights made by Elizabeth from mason jars. The artwork on the wall features nudes drawn by Elizabeth when she was in design school, a bold yet classy touch which I am sure opens many a sleepy, Southern eye. There are currently 6 featured wines that one may taste for $5.00. Included in the tasting is a stemless wine glass etched with the cellar's name. On the day of my visit, there were no bottles of Protective Covenants ( Amarone),nor were there any samples nor bottles of Antebellum (Cabernet Franc). They were sold out, which is impressive for a new business! The Protective Covenants is the driest of the wines, made from Italian grapes. Needs TLC (Malbec) is rich and jammy, my favorite of the reds. Guardian Angel (Chardonnay blend) is a dry white reminiscent of peaches, apricots and pear. Six Pillars (Bergamais) is a chilled red featuring cherries and plums. It reminded me of Beaujolais Nouveau. White Dog (Riesling) surprised and delighted me, as I am not typically a Riesling fan. It has a crisp dryness which is not overly sweet. All of the wines were inspired by and named in honor of the couple's 19th century home. Elizabeth designed the labels, which feature a drawing of the house. So, if you want to try some good wine, see some nude artwork and hear about the legends of an old house, I encourage you to pay them a visit. With plans to turn the historic home into a winery, I can only see this getting better and better. Cheers!
In the center of a tiny town an hour east of Charlotte lies an establishment unique for the area. Elizabeth Schafer, an interior designer and Chef Jeff Oliver have delved into the winemaking industry in an area not renown for wineries. The shop is lovely, featuring a bar made of old restored wood and finished to a high shine by Jeff. There are tables and chairs positioned in the room and adorable lights made by Elizabeth from mason jars. The artwork on the wall features nudes drawn by Elizabeth when she was in design school, a bold yet classy touch which I am sure opens many a sleepy, Southern eye. There are currently 6 featured wines that one may taste for $5.00. Included in the tasting is a stemless wine glass etched with the cellar's name. On the day of my visit, there were no bottles of Protective Covenants ( Amarone),nor were there any samples nor bottles of Antebellum (Cabernet Franc). They were sold out, which is impressive for a new business! The Protective Covenants is the driest of the wines, made from Italian grapes. Needs TLC (Malbec) is rich and jammy, my favorite of the reds. Guardian Angel (Chardonnay blend) is a dry white reminiscent of peaches, apricots and pear. Six Pillars (Bergamais) is a chilled red featuring cherries and plums. It reminded me of Beaujolais Nouveau. White Dog (Riesling) surprised and delighted me, as I am not typically a Riesling fan. It has a crisp dryness which is not overly sweet. All of the wines were inspired by and named in honor of the couple's 19th century home. Elizabeth designed the labels, which feature a drawing of the house. So, if you want to try some good wine, see some nude artwork and hear about the legends of an old house, I encourage you to pay them a visit. With plans to turn the historic home into a winery, I can only see this getting better and better. Cheers!
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