Brew with a View:
Located a brief 15-minute drive from the heart of Charlottesville, Carter Mountain Orchard boasts of apple picking, locally made cider, and incredible views of the hillside and distant Appalachian Mountains.
The drive up to Carter Mountain Orchard is windy and a little precarious. It’s fully paved, but the turns are tight, and there are some moments of wondering whether you’ll make it through without hitting the oncoming traffic. It’s delightfully wooded and opens up to the expansive vineyard and massively accommodating parking lot.
Carter Mountain Orchard has started a clever way of regulating the population who enters the premises. You are required to order a ticket online for a three-hour time span: 9:00am-12:00pm, 12:00pm-3:00pm, or 3:00pm-6:00pm. Monday through Thursday, the ticket is merely a formality as there is no entry fee. However, Friday through Sunday, the ticket fee is about $9.00 per person.
Even more clever is the management of labor – people pay to pick their own apples! However, that is only optional. You’re not required to pay the $20 for apple picking if you choose. I chose to abstain for this initial activity, if only to save the money and still have the ability to take in the view. The one grand feature that makes Carter Mountain Orchard stand out above others is the view. Wow! Talk about breathtaking. It’s a view that you can’t even believe is real.
The view is the centerpiece of the patio, which is located behind the Bold Rock distribution area and covered in picnic benches. It’s on the backside of the country store, which has its own plethora of picked apples, gourds, and even woven baskets from Africa (surprising, right?). The sweet, decadent smell of the homemade donuts assaulted my senses… and actually teased me enough to consider indulging. I don’t have a sweet tooth, but this was reminiscent of fried dough at the fair. It smelled that rich.
I’ll give the Bold Rock distribution area their due credit. I was torn between two beverages, and the bartenders let me sample them right then and there so I could make my final choice. It’s all hard cider, and normally – I don’t do Bold Rock. Sorry, I’m a classic IPA beer snob. I’ll admit it. But it was a refreshing choice, plus it was nice knowing that apples from the Charlottesville area were used in the making of these hard ciders. When in Rome, as they say!
Specifically, I went for the IPA Cider, which is sweeter and more fruit-forward than I expected. It’s also lighter in ABV at 4.9%. My second choice I decided to take To-Go, since the ABV was significantly higher at 7.9%. I still had another stop, plus an hour’s ride home. Better to play it safer than sorry.
The big win here is that this is very family friendly for both adults and children. It’s outdoorsy, the view is incredible, and you can sit and recharge with a refreshing brew or snack. People of all ages congregated here. A group of young twenty-something goths were at the table next to me. There were young children chasing each other in the lower grassy area that was otherwise left unoccupied. It doesn’t matter if you are old or young, there is a place for you here. Even if it’s just for a short while.
But for the time being, I got to just sit and take in the trees, the Appalachian Mountains, and its surrounding hills. And for a few minutes, I felt a bit of peace. Just watch out for the stink bugs and sweat bees. They’ll come say hello!
At the end of my visit, I felt like I had to buy a donut and a small bag of apples (I didn’t need 10 lbs). Unfortunately, I missed my chance – the line was so long, I didn’t have the time and patience to wait. I’ll have to return and bring home some goodies next time. It was time to check out a pop-up winery!
Visit Carter Mountain:
Open Monday-Sunday: 9:00am-5:00pm.
1435 Carters Mountain Trail, Charlottesville, VA 22902
http://cartermountainorchard.com/
Elle Christine Travels 