Black Ankle
Owners Ed and Sarah purchased Black Ankle Vineyard in May of 2002. At that point they were not only passionate and excited about wine but well educated after attending a number of seminars and conferences, and also reading as much content as possible. 22 acres of grapes were planted over the following two years and the first harvest was in 2006. After aging and bottling, they were ready to open to the public in the fall of 2008. If you have been to this winery, you'll know how visually stunning it is. I have always referred to it as architecturally impressive. Once you park and start to walk down the hill, over their newly renovated bridge, you'll note how interesting this property is right away. They refer to it as "an historic farmhouse nestled in a valley between two beautiful hills with expansive views of the mountains from the top." You'll also appreciate the various options you can choose from when you visit. On a nice day you can do a tasting or sit at one of their tables on the patio outside. Inside they have a long, circular bar for an indoor wine tasting while standing, or tables where you can sit and relax while enjoying your wine. Friday nights they are open until 9pm with food trucks and live music and on Sundays they do a brunch. They seem to offer pretty extensive benefits to their members, boasting perks like second Saturday tastings, vertical library and barrel tastings and access to wines not yet released in addition to complimentary tastings and discounts on the wine. Our most recent visit to this winery was in early January 2024. We did a tasting at the inside bar with one of their very knowledgeable staff. It included a nice bright white blend, Piedmont, some vertical pours of their most recent Bordeaux style blends, Slate and finished with a lovely port style, Terra Dulce IX. When other people talk about this winery, they refer to it as a "game changer winery" known for its very complex reds, old world style, and how impressive it was that they started winning awards for their wines immediately upon releasing their first vintages. Pay them a visit to see what all the hype is about.
