Looking to get away on a fun trip close to home this fall? Nestled in the natural beauty of Hampshire, Tennessee is Amber Falls Winery & Cellars, located approximately 50 miles from downtown Franklin. Owned by husband-and-wife duo Tim and Judy
Zaunbrecher—who moved to Tennessee roughly 20 years ago from southern Louisiana—the couple did not have plans for a winery when they initially purchased the land.
“They bought the property originally to do a retreat center type of thing where people could come and learn about doing mission work and get hooked up with some missions that they were interested in doing work with,” explains their son, Gabe Zaunbrecher.
After meeting some friends at church who owned a winery, the Zaunbrechers changed course and decided to use their land to open a winery as well. Gabe moved to Tennessee a few years after his parents to oversee the day-to-day workings of the winery, and his two sisters help out a bit with tasks like events and grant writing.
The winery, located in the woods to provide a secluded escape in nature, gets its name from a small cascading waterfall on the back of the property. “Our vineyard is chemical free - no Roundup, no fungicides or pesticides or stuff like that, chemical wise,” he says. A composting method is used instead.
Their wine is produced onsite and can be enjoyed right on the property. Zaunbrecher says visitors coming out on a weekday can experience a nice, quiet, relaxing day and “do a tasting and go sit outside to enjoy the serene views and fresh air.” On
weekends from April through October, the winery has live music and a series of rotating local food trucks, as well as other events.
For those who want to turn a trip to Amber Falls into a weekend getaway, the winery also offers the opportunity to book a stay at their charming guest cottage. The refurbished single-bedroom accommodation is over a century old and features a king-size bed, full kitchen, fireplace, and back patio. “You can rent it anywhere from a night to a month, if you want,” says Zaunbrecher. The winery also is a member of Harvest Hosts, a membership that lets RVers camp overnight on their property.
In addition to traditional wine offerings, Amber Falls features its own special variations, as well. “We do have a few quite unique products, one of which is our Cajunfest wine, which is a kind of sweet red with Cajun spices infused into it,” shares Zaunbrecher. He explains that what started out as a novelty wine, created for the family's annual Cajunfest, quickly turned into one of their most beloved wines. “We also have something called Wine TeaZer that is a unique product. It's a wine and tea, kind of our answer to the hard iced teas,” he explains of the product, which they describe as “when wine meets Southern charm” and comes in blackberry or peach flavors.
If you’re not able to regularly make it out to the winery, Amber Falls Winery & Cellars have even brought their wines to Nashville by replicating the tasting experience with a tasting room and gift shop at the Opry Mills Mall, which offers a similar experience to the winery in Hampshire, just without the wine production facilities.
A quarterly wine subscription service allows customers in the United States to select wines to be sent straight to their doorstep. “It’s nice for people that are looking to kind of have a somewhat steady flow of wine coming in,” he says. “Our wine club is a little bit unique in that. We don't choose the wine for you. You choose what wine you want. If you want different wine every quarter, you can do that.”
For those looking to add a special touch to a wedding reception, anniversary party, holiday party, or corporate event, Amber Falls can create custom private labels for 10 or more cases with a special message or graphic. AmberFallsWinery.com