Hear the sound of the Whippoorwill

By: Janet Kynard,  It Happens in Alabama, janet@ItHappensinAlabama.com  

I have found a wonderful Alabama hidden gem that is in the process of making a big name for itself.  Whippoorwill Vineyards, located in Notasulga, Alabama is a family owned and operated vineyard where every part of the operation is done by hand; from harvesting, bottling, corking and sealing, to putting the bottle in the box. The southern hospitality is second to none. I spent two and a half hours with Amy Ledbetter, one of the owners and enjoyed every second.

 

Whippoorwill is the only vineyard in southeastern Alabama and is very easy to get to. It’s just 40 minutes from Montgomery and 20 minutes from Auburn. While I was there, a couple from Texas called for directions, which were passing through our state and there were visits from several locals. My favorite visitor had to be the guy that knew nothing about wine but wanted to do something nice for his wife who is a stay at home mom. For you guys out there, this is a great place to send your wife for a ladies day out. In addition to the great wines, they also sell local cheeses. One they make themselves that is loaded with wonderful flavors and a goat cheese that is made just up the road, in addition to jewelry, displays for your wine bottles and other unique items. The lady from Texas bought a cute wire high heeled shoe as a gift for a friend back home to display her wine.

 

I am a dry red wine drinker and their line of red wine is wonderful. I really enjoyed the fact that each has a distinct flavor. They are not just a shade off of the one before, but a real difference that makes each one very memorable. I went with the Cynthiana made from a red bunch grape, also known as the” Cabernet of the South”. It is dry, without being too dry, and has a wonderful fruity flavor. For my husband, Steve, I bought the Confederate Rose which is sweet and made from the red muscadine, and the bronze scuppernong. The flavor of this one reminds me of picking scuppernongs off my sister’s vines on a warm summer day. During the harvesting season, you can even pick your own fruit for $1.00 per pound. 

There is still more to the Whippoorwill’ story. Whippoorwill is under a new pilot program with the Alabama state-owned liquor stores (ABC). ABC stores normally do not sell wine. You do have some new Skinny Girl wines that are owned by the Beam Company that are making their way to some shelves. Alabama has a three-tiered system required for alcoholic beverages – manufacturer – state - seller. Our local wineries have only been able to sell their wine to people who visit the wineries and most do not generate enough volume for a distributor to work with them. There is a bill in the Legislature that would allow the vineyards to self-distribute, but Mac Gibson, administrator with the ABC Board, is against this, saying that it protects the consumer. Under this pilot program Whippoorwill Vineyards is the only winery selling their products through ABC at 15 liquor stores, temporarily, as a way to build demand for their wines. In my opinion, if we can see this as a successful program and build that demand, it will open up a new line of distribution for other wineries in our state. 

 

I’ll keep an eye on the progress of this program for you and keep you up to date. In the mean time, click this link for a list of the ABC stores that are selling the wine or better yet, go on down and see Amy, Vicky, Chad and Tim for your very own wine and cheese tasting. It is well worth the trip.