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Fables & Feathers Winery: a dual-generation owned vineyard in Bedford County formerly known as White Rock.
Wine has been a long-standing passion in the Luedtke family. Beginning as purely avid vino connoisseurs, one day Tom (the father) decided to try his hand at viticulture - despite the harsh Illinois climate they called home at the time. His first crop of grapes was the ubiquitous Concord, and then soon after he planted the hearty Marquette - a hybrid grape bred to withstand cold winters. As his experiment slowly turned into success over the years, (first with growing the grapes, then with learning to produce tasty drinkable wine) he was hooked!
Fast forward to the year of COVID when son Adam and his wife Genny were looking for both a lifestyle change and to find a more temperate climate in which to raise their young family. Sharing a love of all things wine, the two couples joined forces and decided to embark together on the adventure of owning a vineyard.
Each family member has a unique gift that they bring to the business and together form a well-rounded management team/labor force. When interviewing Genny for this article, she admits that her favorite task at the winery might just be helping to come up with the bi-monthly wine and truffle pairing they offer. It's a tough job - but somebody's got to do it!
The fanciful name represents the family as a whole: the “fables” come from the propensity of the menfolk to spin the family lore around the table at holiday gatherings. The “feathers” are in honor of the women's love of birds! In fact, one of their feathered family members who recently passed (Sadie) has a few wines named in her memory.
A visit to Fables and Feathers is a family friendly experience. For the beer lovers in your group, they offer a growing selection that is brewed in-house and rotates often. There is ample seating both indoors and out. Games are piled high for kids of all ages. The grounds (and the indoor space, on a slow day) are dog friendly as well! You'll often find a local food truck parked outside for all your dining needs, but when there isn't one onsite, they encourage you to bring your own picnic to enjoy.
Follow F&F on Facebook for the latest updates on hours of operation, food truck schedules, and events this summer! A couple to note:
May 21st is the 1 year anniversary celebration of their tasting room being open
Starting May 29th, the Sunshine Band will be performing at the winery the last Sunday of each month
So plan a visit out to Fables and Feathers this spring and enjoy getting to know Tom, Pam, Adam, and Genny. They'll be the ones pouring your wines - and also the ones working among the vines!
If you need a recommendation of where to start, their favorite pours are:
Tom : Sadie's White | Dry blend of Vidal Blanc and Viognier
Pam: Sadie's Red | Dry blend of 7 different varietals
Adam: Aesop's Red | Dry red that is an estate grown blend of Cab Franc and Merlot
Genny: Rkatsiteli | Sweet white
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