Treehouse Vineyards…and Wine-a-Ritas

I’ve been away. Did you notice?

I didn’t think so.

Last week I was vacationing  at Myrtle Beach (plenty of posts to come from that), but then headed west to Monroe, North Carolina, home of Treehouse Vineyards.

At first, I thought perhaps the GPS had led us astray. We were headed through town, into subdivisions…not out in the country like I expected. But there it was at last, a nice storefront with the Treehouse Vineyards logo blazed across it, a large (and very high) rustic treehouse next door.

I was scared, y’all. The treehouse I saw looked a bit, well, scary. More like a really lucky child’s treehouse, perfect for camping out, but not for a relaxing night away. Fun, but not LOTS of FUN. And man, was it high in the sky. I envisioned little Seven falling to his death, limb by limb.

But I was mistaken. OUR treehouse(pictured above) was just down the lane, through the field, and around the pond. It was air conditioned, two story, complete with a tiny kitchenette and bath, pull out sofa, and a loft with queen sized bed. Fully furnished, and while very small (we’re thinking 10 x 12), it was perfectly functional. We’ve been wanting to build one on my father’s hunting property about an hour away, so that we have a cozy little weekend retreat – and this treehouse gave us so much inspiration.

We sat out on the deck under the limbs late at night, drinking wine and enjoying the moment…it was a wonderful way to spend an evening. It was perfect, and later that night, the bed was SO comfy…even with a 3 year old kicker between us!

The next morning (after sleeping in til a whopping 10am), we checked out and settled in for a fantastic wine tasting with the owners of the vineyard. Let me preface this by saying I did not expect much. Tiny vineyard, and I don’t even like wine. I’m not a good drinker, and I really don’t enjoy it.

This wine blew me away. It tastes just like grapes! I hadn’t had Muscadine wine before, so perhaps that’s the missing link. I loved it! They had 6 varieties – 2 reds, a blush, and 3 whites. The stories behind the names were enchanting and real, and to have the owners there to tell those stories was such a treat. They obviously love what they do…and they do it ALL. The grow the grapes, pick them, press them, ferment them…bottle them. Cork them and label them. All. We were treated to a behind the scenes tour to see the bottling facility – just a small building (maybe a two car garage in size) – where they do it all from start to finish. They expect to bottle 1000 cases this year, so, a good size but certainly not a huge operation. When I opened a bottle here last night I envisioned the owners teenage son placing the label on the bottle…quaint and endearing…and probably true!

I could fill you in on the qualities of each of the wines, but honestly, I’m no wine connoisseur. And I highly suggest that you go there yourself to check the place out, if you are in driving distance, whether to stay overnight or just for a tasting. You’ll love it as much or more than I do I bet! One of my favorite surprises, though, I HAVE to share with you. I suppose you could make this out of other wines and ciders, but the Treehouse Vineyard wines were MADE for this tasty treat…

The Wine-a-Rita.

No joke. Wine-a-Rita. This delicious concoction is a blend of mostly frozen Muscadine cider and Sunset Hill Red Wine. It couldn’t be easier to make yourself, just pour some of each into a freezer bag (we really like a half and half mix, though you can make it as strong as you like), place it in the freezer for about 3 hours, and then treat yourself to a wine slushie.

It’s a grown-up good time.

And this is coming from someone who doesn’t like wine.

For more information on Treehouse Vineyards, you can check out their website here, and their Facebook page here. I was not compensated for this post in any way, I purchased a Groupon a few months back that allowed me a one night stay, wine tasting and free bottle of wine. And no one forced me to walk out of there with a half case of wine to take home. 🙂

Hope everyone is having a great week, and thanks for excusing my lack of recent posts! Stay tuned for some upcoming giveaways I think you’ll love!