The ridge above Hampshire was meant to hold a Christian retreat center. Tim and Judy Zaunbrecher bought the land in 2003 for that purpose, but the retreat never came together, so they planted grapevines instead, starting with Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc in 2005. Several thousand more vines followed over the next three years, and in 2008 the tasting room opened in the underground cellar where you taste today.
The winery says visitors from every state and many other countries have made the trip since then, and the reason becomes clear once you reach this ridge in Lewis County, about four miles off the Natchez Trace Parkway.
On our Amber Falls Winery tours, we give you the chauffeur and the vehicle for the full round trip between Nashville and Hampshire, while the winery’s own staff pours all the tastings and leads any tour of the vineyard and cellar.
Since 2019, Amber Falls has poured its wines at a tasting room inside Opry Mills, so you could sample them right in Nashville. The Opry Mills stop is handy for a quick taste after a day in town, but it cannot pour the view, and some things only exist up on this hill:
Your route follows I-65 to exit 46, then US 412 west around Columbia, and Hampshire lies within half an hour of town. The final turn onto Ridgetop Road comes just after the Lewis County sign and is easy to miss, which is one more detail our chauffeur looks after. Lunch in Columbia’s historic downtown, just off the route and near the James K. Polk house, makes a simple stop for us to add.
The list covers a lot of ground. A tasting can move through reds, whites, and rosés, from dry to sweet, and finish with a fruit wine or a dessert wine, depending on what you like. Some bottles start with grapes grown right here, while others use fruit from other wine regions, and several have won international awards.
A wedding, an anniversary, or a company gift can carry a custom label, since the winery runs a private labeling program. Our chauffeurs leave the wine advice to the experts downstairs and simply hold the car door when you come back up the stairs.
Many first-time visitors put off a winery trip because they are not sure what to order or how a tasting works, and you are in good company if that sounds familiar. Amber Falls is a friendly place to learn.
Walk-ins are welcome when space allows, and wine by the glass is available during open hours, so you can carry a glass out to a picnic table on the hill. The tasting team can point you toward a favorite, whether you lean toward a dry red or something sweeter, so you can find your own taste one sip at a time. Booking ahead is wise for private tastings and for any visit at a busy time, and the winery recommends it.
As for us, if one tasting leaves you curious, Keg Springs Winery sits about ten minutes away, and Natchez Hills Vineyard is close by too, so we can turn the afternoon into a short loop of all three before heading home.
Choose the outing that sounds most like yours, and our fleet has the vehicle to match:
Weddings, meetings, and other large events have their own spaces here, since the winery rents out an indoor meeting room, several covered pavilions, and a wooded event space, and it quotes current rates by phone. After you book your space, tell us the final headcount, and we will size the transportation to match. Our passengers leave their honest verdicts on Google reviews, and a quick read will tell you what to expect on the day.
Pick a date, count heads, and send both our way. We then line up our tours to Amber Falls Winery with the winery’s hours, which run as late as 8 p.m. on warm-season Saturdays and wrap up around 5 p.m. in winter. Younger guests are welcome aboard and at the winery, but only those 21 and over with ID can taste or buy wine.
Questions are welcome at (615) 942-1033 or info@whiskeytrailtours.com, and a short form on our site reaches the same people.
Tour distilleries, wineries, breweries and the city of Nashville in a private chauffeured vehicle, for groups of 2 to 56.
