According to Abigail Peters

Hey, I’m Abby, and this blog’s all about my beloved hometown (Hint, hint: amazing cherries, wine, and beautiful sunrises over farmland and ranches)! Everyone says I’ve always been precocious and have never been able to keep my opinions to myself. Now that I’m 21, I’m even worse.

Wined Us Up and Watch Us Go!

If there’s one thing you can say about Cherry Valley, it’s that we offer a variety for the sinful palate. On one side of us, we’ve got (ahem, alleged) moonshine from way up in the mountains. On the slow road down from the summit, the discerning drinker can sample the area’s local apple and cherry ciders as well as delectably crafted beers. Then, on the other side of CV, where the farmlands stretch into infinity, we’ve got fine wines that are only growing in stature and reputation.

As spring gets sprung, let’s give welcome to another enticing offering!

A new and somewhat unconventional winery is coming to town, and it’s very close to the ever-expanding work campus for Full Circle Technologies. Climax Vineyards is a small, independent operation run by the brother-sister team of Mark and Mattie Hollister, whose titillating branding is raising eyebrows all over the place. Although this daring duo claims that the name of their winery refers to the mountainous peaks that rise above Cherry Valley, the oo-la-la logo of a man nibbling a woman’s ear while her lips part in ecstasy says otherwise. According to Mattie Hollister, the wines will be as “unpretentious as Cherry Valley itself.” They’ll be affordable, and they’ll pair well with everyday food.

Even if you’re one of the naysayers who is solidly on the side of keeping CV away from tony trends and hipster hooey, how can you argue with that? Quinn Maxwell, Climax Vineyards’ contractor, even tells me that this joint will be “comfortable. A place to hang out when you get tired of beer.”

Maxwell also hints that the property will boast an unfussy tasting room where alt country bands will play every weekend, a fountain-lined patio studded with willow trees, walking trails along the creek, and a garden featuring local artwork from Craftsman’s Row. In the near future, you can even get together with friends for a grape stomp or a wedding — the first of which will be for our own Zach Hamilton and Mandy Burnett at the end of next month!

Whether or not you’re gaga for the grape, leave your comments below. What do you think about Climax’s take on the wine scene — distasteful or delightful? And are we slipping farther down the slope to becoming just another superficial trendy town, or is the quality of life here in CV improving by leaps and bounds with every new business addition?

Let me know, and, as always …

Cherry Dreams and Smiles,

Abby