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 Heavy Medals for Grassy Creek Wines!
We
received 4 awards for 4 wines that we sent to the Dixie Classic Fair -
Mid-Atlantic Southeastern Wine Competition. There were 600 plus
entries this year. And the winners are:
Gold for our 2007 Red Barn
Blend and 2008 Barbara, Silver for our 2007
Chambourcin, and Bronze for 2009 Ruby Slippers!
Grassy Creek Vineyard & Winery featured
on North Carolina Weekend!
Grassy Creek Vineyard & Winery was honored
to be featured on UNC TV's syndicated TV show, North Carolina Weekend!
We are proud to present the four-and-a-half minute clip highlighting the
winery, our wines, Grassy Creek, and the Klondike Cabins below:
Follow Grassy Creek Vineyard & Winery on
Facebook.
A Son's Story: Grassy Creek
Grassy Creek Vineyard & Winery is my family
owned business, with many fond memories. I remember traveling down the shop-filled
North Bridge Street on my way there. As we finally turned left onto Klondike
Road, I could see open spaces, trees, ponds, a creek, and many rolling hills.
On my left I saw acres of grapevines while on the right there are acres
of tobacco plants. Once we turned left onto a dirt road, I was finally there.
As I entered the property, I instantly saw
many beautiful grapevines, ponds, woods, and rolling hills. There was a
white barn and a red barn. Our neighbors were horse riders, so I always
had the pleasure of seeing horses and hearing their roaring neighs. Occasionally
I would have to put up with the delightful smell of fresh horse droppings.
Just past the horses was our white barn. It had two tall silos behind it
until we cut them down last year. Inside the white barn were many things.
My family's red four-wheeler and my green Kawasaki KLX125 dirt bike were
both kept there. The vineyard was the best place imaginable to ride it with
all of the hills, ditches, and massive jumps. One of the best parts about
riding my dirt bike there were the awesome trails through the woods. If
there wasn't a trail, my dad and I made one. I still remember the rush of
adrenaline when I sped my bike at 55 miles per hour and the feeling of cold
wind in my face. One of my most fond memories of riding my dirt bike was
when I tried to cross the creek for the first time so that I could get to
the trails in the woods. I got stuck on a rock and the bike toppled over
on its side, causing me to get soaking wet. I was freezing for the rest
of the day because that occurred during the winter. The most joyous feeling
I have had while riding my dirt bike at my vineyard was when I cleared the
tabletop. At the vineyard we also have cabins for rent. One of the cabins
has a back porch but it serves as a 15 foot long tabletop and after many
attempts, I finally cleared. The feeling of rejoicing as well as fear shot
through my body, as I knew I would make it. I was in mid-air and if anything
went wrong, I could have been dead.
The white barn was also where we kept all of
our un-bottled wine. It was in barrels and large five hundred or one thousand
gallon tanks. The wine was kept there until it was finally ready to be bottled.
Every once in a while, after harvest, there would be a large "tub" full
of grape juice, sitting in the middle of the room fermenting. The smell
of wine filled the barn, downstairs and upstairs. However, upstairs was
not wine. Upstairs was where things were stored, there were bags of grow
tubes, nets for the vines that kept birds and deer away, and extra chairs,
tables, and tents for different events. I will never forget the insane party
that my sister had for Halloween in the top floor of the white barn two
years ago. The decorations and light effects that my dad and I had set up
were absolutely amazing. The sound system was also astounding and the music
that was played got everyone on their feet and dancing. It was quite a thrilling
experience, as it was my first real dance.
The white barn is one thing, but the actual
vineyard surpasses it by miles. The vineyard is exceedingly beautiful with
its perfectly parallel rows, running along the curves in the hills. Harvest
was one of my favorite times in the vineyard. I usually ended up with the
fun job of either driving the four-wheeler with a small open trailer to
pick up full buckets of grapes and dropping off new ones to people that
needed them, or I was the one handling the buckets. I love stealing a grape
every once in a while and eating it. The sweet, juicy grape tastes outstanding,
and the feeling of the sticky grape juice running down my arm after I take
a bite is spine-chilling. One of the few bad things about the vineyard was
the briars. When I worked in the vineyard and I didn't wear long pants,
I would either get stuck with a briar or stung by a bee. Another bad thing
about the vineyard was getting sunburned. The feeling of a burning on the
back of your neck and nose was the absolute worst. On the other hand, everything
was amazing about the vineyard, whenever you weren't slaving in it for hours
in the hot sun.
Then there is the red barn. This used to be
an old horse barn but my family had it renovated to use it; it's now our
tasting room and it looks amazing. There is a massive stone fireplace that
was made out of rocks from our own creek, known as Grassy Creek, which is
partially why our vineyard and winery got the name Grassy Creek Vineyard
& Winery. There are two deer heads hanging on the wall with massive horns
that my dad's partner - Jim - shot while hunting. They seem to look right
at me as I walk through the door as if they hadn't been shot yet. Then you
turn to the left and there are racks of multiple wine bottles. On the other
side is a small bar that can be used as a stage when we have events with
entertainment. All in all, the red barn is a gorgeous place.
Finally there are the cabins. These are wooden
log cabins that have horsehair as cement to hold all of the logs together.
These are truly remarkable. There are many dead animals hanging on the wall
like trophies because the log cabins use to be used as hunting lodges. Now
they are used for rent and for big events. One of the most popular event
at the cabins are weddings. There are so many weddings at our cabins because
the land is truly stunning. With a perfect view of our lake, and the immense
dam, it makes breathtaking scenery.
The Grassy Creek Vineyard & Winery is one of
the places that I have spent the most time at as a child. I have many memories,
both good and bad, as well as stories from others' fond times there. The
vineyard isn't only a place for work and wine, but also many fun events.
I wish I could spend every day there.
-- Austin Rice
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