It was a rainy day from the start — not a dramatic downpour, just that steady mountain mist that lingers. We weren’t in a rush. After a warm hotel breakfast, we made our way to Burntshirt Vineyards, just outside Hendersonville.
Unlike the mountaintop vineyards we’d been visiting, Burntshirt was tucked down in the valley — easy to miss if you weren’t looking. But what it lacked in elevation, it made up for in story.
The name comes from an old Appalachian tradition: farmers would literally burn their shirts in the fields to bless the land before planting. That same spirit inspired Lemuel and Sandra Oates to plant their first vines in 2009 on Burntshirt Mountain. They expanded into Sugarloaf Valley in 2011 and opened the winery and tasting room in 2013. Today, their wines are 100% estate-grown from both vineyards — all within the Crest of the Blue Ridge AVA.
We stayed dry inside the tasting room and tried a flight of four reds: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Meritage, and our favorite — the Merlot Reserve. We brought home bottles of the Cab Sav and Merlot, plus a t-shirt from the gift shop, because… of course.
From there, we headed to Sierra Nevada Brewery in nearby Mills River.
We had booked one of their guided brewery tours, which gave us a look behind the scenes — massive tanks, clean lines, smart sustainability. At the end, they poured us a tasting of several beers, complete with stories behind each one.
Afterward, we grabbed a table on the upstairs deck — fully covered and the perfect place to settle in. Total bonus: we ran into an old friend from Florence, Randy Deaton, who works at the brewery. He caught us up on the seasonal releases and helped us track down the Pale Bock and peach beer, both hard to find outside the taproom. We bought a case of each to bring home.
We took turns eating pizza and salad, stayed dry under the shelter, and just enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere. We weren’t really drinking much — just soaking it all in. The live band played on and off, adjusting around the storm, and one of the musicians somehow managed to play multiple instruments at once. It was one of those unexpected moments that ends up being a highlight.
Eventually, full and happy — and fully stocked with beer — we headed home for the night.
One more (half) day to go.
Happiness is Possible 