US: Local Wineries Emerge as a Growing Presence in Alabama’s Wine Industry

(ThePlainsman) - The term “wine country” is not often associated with Alabama’s humid climate and terrain, but two vineyards in the Auburn area are quickly making a name for themselves in the state’s emerging wine scene. Whippoorwill Vineyards in Notasulga and Hodges Vineyard and Winery in Camp Hill are both members of the exclusive Alabama Wine Trail, which recognizes 13 of Alabama’s most respected wineries.

Tim Watkins, owner and operator of Whippoorwill Vineyards, said his love for producing wine began at an early age.

“I’ve been making wine since I was in high school,” Watkins said. “It started as a competition between me and my dad. We had some vines in the backyard, and we would always fight over which vines made the best fruit. It was just always a fun competition.”

Watkins said he became consumed with the desire to further his wine production business and began thinking about transitioning into a larger operation.

“After we started losing some of our older vines, we decided to plant some new vines, and then a few vines turned into a lot of vines,” Watkins said.

After planting most of their vineyard in 2005 and allowing the grapes to be cultivated and fully matured for wine production for a few years, Whippoorwill became a fully functioning winery in December 2009. They now boast a 15-acre vineyard with enough variety of grapes to produce at least 11 types of wine, ranging from sweet to dry and everything in between.

“We have three types of white wine and several reds. We also make two blush wines as well as a blackberry and a strawberry wine,” Watkins said.