Located on Church Street in the small village of Rural Retreat, right off of Interstate 81 in Wythe County. The winery was founded in 2008 by owners Scott and Linda Mecimore, who planted a vineyard at 3,000 feet altitude nearby and also purchased the former Dye’s Vineyard & Winery, an hour away in Honaker, near Wytheville.
Wines. Tier III. Rural Retreat features Cabernet Sauvignon, Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and Vidal Blanc under their own label, and have retained the Dye’s label for a Riesling, and a Red Steuben-based “Heart of Appalachia.” The winery does not participate in wine competitions. For the most part reviews of the wines tend to be negative, especially of the older wines.
Setting. The winery doubles as a small, pleasant café, a good alternative for lunch to the fast-food otherwise available along this stretch of I-81. There is a deli with consistently-praised sandwiches which also offers catering. Owners are very pleasant and welcoming. A two-bedroom suite is available for rent for those exploring the area.
Stories. The Settlers Museum of Southwest Virginia. In nearby Atkins, Virginia, a 10-15 drive from the café at Rural Retreat Winery, the Settlers Museum was founded in 1987, and is a nonprofit institution located on U.S. Forest Service land. The purpose of the museum is to tell the story of the people who settled the mountainous southwest corner of Virginia and how its unique culture was developed. The museum is on a nearly 100-acre old farm, and includes an 1890s schoolhouse. The Migration Story of the people who came to these mountains in the mid-1700s is told through a series of displays in the Visitor’s Center. This is a tale of two-groups, the Scotch-Irish and the Germans, who carved their farms from the wilderness and formed the mountain culture.