It
all started as a glance at an article in a Progressive
Farmer’s magazine. A
glance then turned into an idea, an idea put
into actions. Tim
Watkins started it all. He then presented his
idea to Chad Ledbetter and then in no time it
started. The
planning, the discussions, and budgeting were
put into motion. Bobby Watkin's land
was cultivated and the blacksmith shop occupied,
which is now the winery, after several additions. Muscadines
were ordered and planted in the winter of 2005. The irrigation
system was installed with the shear determination
of good friend, Mike Bush the summer of 2006. Then
everyone realized that a name was needed for
the vineyard. After weeks of going over names,
the guys in the vineyard were working as always.
It was dusk and the sound of whippoorwills were
in the background. Bobby said “Whippoorwill Vineyards” and
from then on the name was never an issue. The name was loved
because it is so fitting for our little piece
of heaven on earth.
Little
by little more varieties of muscadines have
been added while still working on the winery
itself. At Whippoorwill Vineyards, the muscadine harvest
is typically at its peek in mid-to-late September.
On Highway 14 just before you turn onto County
Road 31, you will see the beautiful pecan orchard,
which consists of over 360 trees which produce hand-harvested “cracked
pecans” in
the months of October, November and December
in our gift shop.
About Muscadines
The
muscadine - Muscadines (vitis rotundifolia) are
native to the Southeastern United States and
thrive on the heat and humidity common to the
region. Muscadines are known for producing high
levels Resveratrol,
an antioxidant that
blocks the effects of unstable molecules that
occur naturally in the human body called free
radicals. Free radicals are known to cause cell
damage and have been linked to heart disease,
stroke, signs of aging, and certain types of
cancers and macular degeneration of the eye.
For this reason, Muscadine grapes are currently
being sought after as a renewable source for Resveratrol and
have been deemed nature's healthiest grape.
Muscadines are best known for their extraordinary
flavor, high sugar content, and unusually thick
outer skins. A single 1-cup serving of muscadine
grapes would more than double the average person’s antioxidant
intake! That positions Muscadines and Scuppernongs
as the elite among a list of powerful antioxidant foods that includes
blueberries, pomegranate, blackberries, cranberries and raspberries.
Wine is the perfect host for preserving the unprecedented levels of
antioxidants found in Muscadines, Scuppernongs and blueberries. By
preventing oxygen exposure, the antioxidant compounds
are protected from disintegration by CO2.
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Our Expansive and Well-Nutured Vineyards |
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Hand Preparing the Muscadines |
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Nature's
Healthiest Grape |
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