around williamson county are Kip Summers and Fred Mindermann S t o r y a n d P h o t o g r a p h y b y W i l l J o r d a n who started experimenting with various grapevines. In 2001, they planted a research vineyard in Brentwood called Liberty Hill Vineyard. They both realized the potential DiscoverDiscover oneone ofof WilliamsonWilliamson CCounty’sounty’s nenewwestest treasures…treasures… of growing and making in Ten- nessee and pursued a dream of establish- ing Williamson County’s first commercial vineyard winery. Fred met country singer Kix Brooks at Liberty United Methodist Arrington Church and shared his winery vineyard Arrington dream. Soon after, Brooks joined in as the third partner. “This thing really fell into my lap,” Brooks says through his immaculately bristled VineyardsVineyards moustache under the shade of his token black cowboy hat. “I met Kip through Fred at church and tried some of his wine and was very impressed. It was very apparent he && WineryWinery knew what he was doing. Instead of sweet Tennessee wine, Kip’s was more ‘Napa-ish’ (on(on thethe southsouth side)side) and had a nice variety of flavors. I think there’s a very sophisticated, cosmopolitan he drive heading east on Hwy demographic here, yet it’s not snobbish. 96 away from Franklin becomes They do know the differ- “We don’t see them as competition,” he more rural as it nears Arrington, ence in what’s pretty good says. “We all benefit one another and want Ta community that has long been a hub for wine and what’s really good everyone to do well.” Williamson County farmers. The soil is wine. I think our holds up “Everybody comes to Kip for advice,” rich for corn, soybean and (at one time) big to anybody’s.” Chris Prothro adds. “He knows his stuff.” tobacco. Recently, a different type of culti- Summers agrees. vator has moved into the community – one 2005, “a classic Cab- “This is the largest winery A plan for the future who hopes to use similar formulas to grow ernet with black currant, coffee and smoky vineyard in Tennessee and The Easter freeze, this summer’s heat a unique crop. vanilla notes” to ever-sweet and fruity the first and only winery in wave and the drought stilted the growth Through rolling hills and past pictur- Raspberry dessert wine. Williamson County,” Sum- of the fruit on the grape vines, but it didn’t esque farmland sits Arrington Vineyards mers says. “We’re proud of slow down the process of wine making for & Winery, situated on more than 75 acres Dreaming big, that.” Arrington Vineyard. of fertile valley and limestone hillsides. A executing with precision Spending 15 years in “We purchase many of our from large iron gate swings open to a scene that Arrington Vineyards opened in June the field, Summers says he other grape growers anyway,” Foley says. is reminiscent of Tuscany or the north of with wine tastings and live acoustic jazz. knows all the other winery “All our wine is made here, but we don’t France. Just past two enormous wine bar- Patrons are able to purchase bottles inside owners in Tennessee and have enough land to grow enough grapes rels and up a winding, narrow road lies the and then take them, with crackers and wants them all to do well. continued on page 40 vineyard’s tasting lodge, a unique structure cheese from the store, outside to enjoy any- built from rustic timbers and Tennessee where on the property. fieldstone. It affords views of Williamson “It’s an experience that can’t be duplicat- County’s countryside and wooded land- ed anywhere in Williamson County,” says scape that give this part of the country its Christel Foley, business manager at Ar- reputation for verdant beauty. rington Vineyards. “It’s absolutely beautiful Inside the lodge is a balance of elegance out here and a perfect place for people who and rustic charm, with wine bottles on love wine but also for the whole family.” floor-to-ceiling shelves, a large fireplace, a Underneath the elegance, Arrington small gift shop area and, most importantly, Vineyards has a very casual, comfortable, the tasting station, where folks are encour- family owned feel to it. The owners eat, aged to taste the bouquets of each of Ar- tell old stories and inside jokes, laugh and rington’s 12 . drink wine together. Arrington Vineyards’ wines cover the “We don’t really have business titles entire range of flavors from the medium- here,” says Chris Prothro, whose business bodied Stag’s White, a “dry white wine with card has a blank space after his name. aromatic notes of green tea and fresh flow- “It’s more like a family,” adds his wife ers” to the sweet 2005 with, “green Shelly. apple, lemon and grapefruit flavors” to the The two men responsible for this idea

d d 38 Southern Exposure Magazine www.southernexposuremagazine.com October/November 2007 Southern Exposure Magazine 39 around williamson county salon speak C o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 3 9 B y G a v e n S m i t h , O w n e r o f S t u d i o G a v e n

a tourist attraction. In fact, the State of Tennessee’s department of tourism is helping to promote it. With the addition of Arrington Vineyards, Tennessee’s diverse attractions have really put the state on the map for tourist desti- The Big Bang! nations, said Susan Hinchcliff Whitaker, commissioner of Depart- ment of Tourist Development for the State of Tennessee, who was at the vineyard shooting a promotional ad at the vineyard for the ow that summer has slowly come to a close and we enter fall, clients state. “It’s a perfect fit for Williamson County, because some love the frequently ask me for advice on freshening up their ’do. hustle and bustle of Franklin’s Main There are many super cute trendy looks out there. But what matters Street or Cool Springs, but there are Nis finding the right look for you – does the ’do need to fit the busy lifestyle of a some who just want to hit the coun- domestic engineer, the gym rat, or the career woman who can’t have hair falling to make all of our wine, so the freeze and try back roads and enjoy Tennessee’s in and around her face all day? droughts haven’t set us back.” rural areas.” These challenges come to mind when someone has gotten an over-layered cut Aside from the grapes, every other pro- “Arrington Vineyards is some- that takes away the fast shampoo/blow dry/get out the door process. And those cess is done on the property, from de-stem- thing special to this area,” says happen often. The length that you saw in the magazine that was “so cute” prevents ming to crushing, pressing, fermenting, bot- Whitaker. “It offers an elegant yet you from getting all of your hair back in a ponytail. OUCH. It’s a painful way to tling, aging and finally selling their wines. In casual experience in a wonderfully d realize how much you really enjoyed your once-so-simple look. the future, Summers hopes to be able to use rural setting.” Today’s looks are simple, but fun. As you know, I am the color guy, so I enjoy some of their own grown grapes as well as changing the color, hue or tone of the hair with each season (and with their re- those bought elsewhere. He has been farm- spective fashion trends). What if you don’t wear color? Try adding some fringe ing grapes for 15 years in Tennessee and says in. Fringe is a new name for long bangs, and it’s a great way to add some zip to a that the land here is as good for grape growth zapped-out look. as anywhere else. As you can see in the photo, you can add some soft, long fringe to make a one-length cut or slightly layered look. The look in the photo “The climate and the soil here are actually perfect has been curling-ironed a bit to add softness and dimension throughout. I like this for fall and winter. It has a feel of “Hey, I can be fun.” You for growing grapes, and typically we have enough rain can also make this particular look softer by leaving the fringe area longer so it has more of a swept over feel. For example, make it longer to sustain crops, but this year has not been typical,” he toward the corners of the eye, and you will inspire a nice lift to your face and a great deal of softness (even on ponytail days). says, adding that they decided to start small and pos- Hot Tip: All faces have a high and low side. If you make your part sibly add a larger tasting facility and more vineyards on the lower side of your face, it will balance and minimize the un- in the next year or so. “Typically our seasons are well evenness. defined, and our winters are not too cold. The lime- stone in the soil is also beneficial,” Summers explains. Emmy Night “The notable rolling hillsides shed off any excessive Just had to mention my two favorite looks from the Emmys. First rainfall. Middle Tennessee is a similar environment off, we had the gorgeous Rebecca Romijn from Ugly Betty. Her pale to Tuscany with its warm summer climate.” pink lips and soft, pinned-up curls were a MAJOR trend of the night. With its picturesque location and atypical expe- It is a super-easy look. After you curl your locks, roll up the under- rience, Arrington Vineyards has already become neath long hair and pin it in close to the head. There you go – soft, fabulous and simple. Then we had Katherine Heigl fromGrey’s Anatomy wearing a beau- tiful, easy chignon and bold red lips. There you go gals, why make it difficult? A chignon has been around for as long as we and our grand- mothers can remember. Set it off with some fabulous earrings and you’re on the way out the door! d

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d d 40 Southern Exposure Magazine www.southernexposuremagazine.com October/November 2007 Southern Exposure Magazine 41