Are you looking for a unique experience in Nevada? Then do not miss the opportunity to taste premium wines and spirits made from Nevada’s first estate Churchill vineyard and Frey Ranch Distillery.
Churchill Vineyards is located on the historic Frey Ranch in Churchill County, Nevada. At 4,000ft above sea level, this beautiful county is a high desert region providing cool nights and warm days. These drastic temperature differences produce intricate flavors and delicate aromas for flavorful, well balanced wines. Churchill Vineyards is currently the only Nevada winery producing Nevada grown, produced, and bottled (estate) white wines. A limited supply of this unique product appeals to wine collectors and connoisseurs from all over the United States.
Colby P. Frey, Churchill Vineyards’ winemaker, is a young fifth generation Nevada farmer. Through his knowledge of farming, and from past generations farming the same fertile ground, Colby has succeeding in growing European Vinifera grapes and producing premium wines in Northern Nevada. He is very fortunate to have worked with several experienced winemakers from all over the country, and has had the opportunity to be featured as a guest speaker at several prominent wine seminars. Churchill Vineyards maintains a list of Nevada retailers where their wines and brandy can be purchased.
Frey Ranch Distillery, one of the nation’s only Estate Distilleries, is the state’s first commercial estate distillery, growing grains for, distilling, and malting gin, vodka, and bourbon. Truly a grain-to-glass operation, the scenic Frey Ranch is open for tours and tastings on Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. Reservations are recommended.
Experience the Frey’s Adventure
Drive about an hour east of Reno and you will stumble upon the small agricultural community of Fallon. If you continue south for another 10 miles, you’ll find one of the best kept secrets in Churchill County: a world-class winery and distillery. Here, you’ll drive up the picturesque tree-lined drive to Frey Ranch, home of Churchill Vineyards and Frey Ranch Estate Distillery.
Colby Frey’s adventure actually starts long before he was actually born, even before Nevada was a state. His great-great-great grandfather owned some of the first deeded land in Nevada. Frey is a 5th generation Nevada farmer. The land first settled by him is now called Ranch One in Genoa, Nevada’s first establishment.
So, with quite the affinity for farming, he had an urge to start an incredible distillery. With over 1,200 acres of fertile farm ground that produces the highest quality of grains available, Frey wanted to share them with the world through an incredible product. His dreams started to become a reality in 2006 when he received permission from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to start distilling! Later in 2013, a state law passed which allowed him to commercially sell the product.
Frey’s ground-to-glass operation is not only unique to Nevada, but also to the country in general. One hundred percent of the grains used for Vodka, Gin and Whiskey come straight from the fields. They store the grains in his grandpa’s old silos and mill them on site too; on an average day you can find Frey on a tractor planting, tilling or harvesting. Frey loves to have control of the entire process and just wouldn’t have it any other way. He even designed the distillery building and his still from Vendome Copper & Brass Works [out of Louisville, KY] was custom-built to the specifications…a project that came to a head after two years in the making!
The vodka was released in October 2014 and has received rave reviews. It was made with a combination of four different grains: corn, wheat, barley and rye…a characteristic that is far from typical with other vodkas. This quality makes it distinctive in itself, making the flavors much more complex, delivering a creamy mouth feel.
Hosting tours and tastings on Saturdays from Noon to 4 p.m., you will be lavishly treated to a complimentary tasting and a genuinely unparalleled experience. With wine tasting at Churchill Vineyards as well as spirit sampling at Frey Ranch Estate Distillery, this is a true standalone experience in the Silver State, and is something that should be at the top of the list when trekking Nevada’s magnificent countryside.
For more information please visit, www.travelnevada.com
