Jean K.
Yelp
My "Visit Clarksville Tennessee 2015" guide listed Beachaven Winery as the #2 attraction in Clarksville. Okay, I'm game since it's only a couple of miles away and I've already driven over a curb with the rental car without getting a flat. This is not the Finger Lakes wine country that I know and love but let's go ahead and see what they have that makes them #2 in the Clarksville, Tennessee visitor guide.
My first impression left me wondering: where's the rest of the vineyard? I was expecting rows of grapevines as far as the eye could see and maybe some hills overlooking a lake or a small town. Instead, a short distance away I could see cars and trucks whizzing by on the expressway. Although the vineyard is on the smallish side, it does include several varieties of grapes including Concord which is used in their top selling wine. I had to remind myself that this is Tennessee and having a winery of this size in Clarksville is rather remarkable.
I was warmly greeted inside where I saw a small bar for tastings and several displays with wine for sale. Plenty of gift items in the store and charming decor. It's a cute little wine shop that's certainly worthy of a visit if you're in the area. I didn't taste any of the wines because I was driving solo and remember, I ran over a curb earlier.
The winery hosts Jazz on the Lawn events in the summer which attract about 2k visitors. The area includes picnic tables and is well shaded. I imagine it's a cozy, intimate venue and probably a fun date night.
If you do stop in, I would definitely recommend a tour. My guide was very informative and I was able to see the temperature controlled areas, the laboratory, and the beautiful barrel artwork.
The artwork was probably the highlight of my tour. The barrel ends are hand-carved by Claus "Dutch" Mann who is a 92 year old WWII veteran currently working on his 68th barrel carving. The wine is aged for approximately 18 months in the barrels and when it is ready for bottling, the top of the barrel with Dutch's handiwork is sliced off, varnished, then placed on display.
Overall, I enjoyed the winery and tour. It is a wonderful place to check out if you happen to be in the Clarksville area.