Mill Spring Monday: Overmountain Vineyards — A Family Farm Worth Slowing Down For
Last Thursday, I drove out to Overmountain Vineyards in Tryon to pick blueberries. I didn't go with any grand plan — just an itch to be outside and do something with my hands that wasn't typing. What I got was an hour of quiet, repetitive, genuinely meditative work: reach, twist, drop in the bucket, repeat. No notifications. No client deadlines. Just the foothills and the berries. I came home and turned the haul into a cobbler, and the whole afternoon felt like proof that slow can still be productive — it just doesn't look like a to-do list.
That's the spirit behind this week's Mill Spring Monday feature.
Three Generations, One Farm
Overmountain Vineyards started when Frank and Lita Lilly bought the land back in 1990. They began planting Cabernet Sauvignon in 2000, and over the next four years added four more varieties. In 2007, Frank enrolled in the Viticulture & Enology program at Surry Community College, studying for two years — including time working under Lee Griffin of Rockhouse Vineyards, one of North Carolina's early wine-industry trailblazers.
Today, the winemaking has passed to their daughter, Sofia Lilly. She grew up on the farm, has been part of every vintage since the first, and is a graduate of Western Carolina University with degrees in Biology and English. She's also a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. And the family thread continues with granddaughter Hailie, who spent nine years in Napa Valley before coming home to manage the tasting room.
What They're Growing
The estate is planted with five vinifera varieties — Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Petit Manseng — crafted in a French style with a focus on estate-grown fruit. The tasting room looks out over the Tryon foothills, and the farm regularly hosts food trucks and live music throughout the season.
Pick Your Own Blueberries
If you're craving your own slow-down moment, their U-Pick Blueberry Patch is open Thursday through Saturday, 7:30am to noon. Pre-picked baskets are also available by calling ahead. It's the kind of thing that's easy to skip on a busy week — and exactly the kind of thing worth making time for anyway.
Overmountain Vineyards is located at 2012 Sandy Plains Rd., Tryon, NC. You can find their event calendar and reservations at overmountainvineyards.com.
Mill Spring Monday is a weekly feature from Smithwick Communications, spotlighting the people and places that make western North Carolina worth slowing down for. Want your business featured — or need help telling your own story? Let's talk.
