An Evening At Addison Farms Vineyard

A couple weeks back, Mike and I were invited to a night out at Addison Farms Vineyard to shoot some photos for marketing purposes. We were promised good company, good wine, and killer views -- and boy howdy did they deliver on all three!

In the interest of complete transparency, prior to the photo shoot I had never heard of Addison Farms Vineyard. For someone who could put Asheville and wine on her Mount Rushmore of life loves, I was really excited to see what it was all about.

We headed out down Leicester Highway farther than I've ever traveled down that particular stretch of road. Just as we reached a point I deemed "out there," the traffic dwindled, the stop lights disappeared, and the views got unbelievably beautiful. The drive became part of the experience -- a happy "ahhh" as we settled in for a relaxing evening sipping wine among God's rolling green hills.

Complete transparency 2.0: it was H-O-T! Like, 78 degrees or something way too close to 80 to be wearing leather and OTK boots. Guess who didn't care -- this girl! For several reasons. One, the stylist in me felt pretty strongly about bringing a fall vineyard vibe via weathered leather, heathered knits, and a grosgrain ribbon accent. Two, 'round late September, a girl is just about chomping at the bit to break out her boots and favorite blanket cape.

We brought Harlow along for the ride, taking her off-road in her BOB while we roamed the grounds (seriously, it's the best stroller and on my list of baby registry essentials ICYMI). She loves exploring new places and socializing -- yes, I'm talking about my nine month old LOL! She was SO happy! I was hoping we could squeeze in a few pics with her, so I dressed her in a new outfit from Janie + Jack that she got during our vacation to Hilton Head. I know it reads more Bastille Day than mountain harvest, but I just couldn't help it! And let's be honest: it's really allll about that sweet, perfect smile. We ended up with lots of amazing photos of the three of us, but I don't want to post all of them now in case we use one for our Christmas cards.

After we wrapped shooting outside, we headed in to sample more of Addison Farms' wines and get to know the owners, Jeff and Dianne. Y'all, not only are they the sweetest, but their story of how they became vintners is the kind of tale that warms the heart. Back in the 1930s, Jeff's family acquired the 50+ acre property as farmland. In order to keep it in the family, Jeff and Dianne returned to their roots and opened the vineyard and winery. So when you see 'Coming Home' Cabernet on the tasting menu, it means something. Little details like that give me the warm fuzzies.

This was the kind of night that was hard to say goodbye to. If it weren't for our baby's bedtime, we could've spent hours sipping wine in rocking chairs, looking out over the vineyard and the valley under a clear, starry sky. I swear I'm not trying to wax poetic or anything -- it was really that amazing. We're already planning on going back when the leaves reach their peak. Of course, I don't need colorful leaves to lure me towards a wine tasting!

Thanks so much to Addison Farms Vineyard for asking us to take part in such a wonderful evening! For my third and final totally transparent remark, they did not ask me to post about my experience in any way. I just wanted to share what a great time we had, and to try and spread the word about their amazing property! I do know they host weddings, and as someone who felt super strongly about getting married with a mountain view, this place would kill. Just my two cents.

Also, major, major props to Anastasiia Ostapovich of Anastasiia Photography for the amazing photos!

xxBrooke