Following an afternoon of hiking over the stone outcrops of the Rocky Face Mountain Recreation Area we were ready to kick back and eat our picnic lunch with some North Carolina wine. We chose Daveste Vineyards in Iredell County from a random search on the iPhone and were glad we did.
Inside Daveste’s rustic tasting room and art gallery we discovered a unique beer pairing experience was being offered, as well as, wine tasting.
We met a delightful young man with learning challenges and autism named Carson. His pickle business sprang from a school project and he was hosting a “Craft Beer and Pickle Pairing” event with his parents to showcase his passion for pickles and boost sales.
Daveste’s small batches of beer are made in nearby Troutman. The five-flight sampler pared German Hefeweizen with Bread & Butter Pickles, Blonde Honey Ale with Sweet Heat Pickles, Amber Ale with Sweet Dill Pickles, New England IPA with Spicy Dill Pickles and Oatmeal Porter with Kosher Dill Pickles. We set up the taste test and enjoyed the selections immensely. Our favorites were the Bread and Butter Pickles and we purchased a jar from Carson. The Oatmeal Porter won my best beer choice. All the offerings were delicious and our first experience marrying pucker makers and brewskis.
Ann was our hostess for wine tasting and also a wealth of information about the winery and area attractions. We sampled the white, Rkatsiteli 2017 made from Ukrainian grapes that are only offered by three wineries in the United States. It was remarkable. We brought home Daveste’s Viognier white and a bottle of Chardonnay.
We enjoyed the Silhouette red wine with our lunch when we finally got around to eating. Daveste has a covered pavilion with fireplace that looks out on a pond and waterfall on their manicured grounds. It made a superb setting to sit back and reflect on a great day.