HISTORY

"Dedication and determination involves making the space to let young ideas take hold; every vine was once a seed and every company was once an idea."

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.