Flat Rock – National Rosé Day (June 10th) brings the release of Marked Tree Vineyard’s two newest Rosé wines. The La Vie en Rosé Festival is being held this weekend in Flat Rock. This is an annual Art, Music, and Wine festival held to celebrate their latest bottles of light, refreshing summer wine. It commences on National Rosé day. The idyllic setting overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains allows visitors to hear melodic music as they view a beautiful sunset, looking out to the stars and the moon. 2023 will be the third year for this festival! This year’s festival is open daily on June 10th and 11th to the public at no charge; however, some events happening on the property are ticketed.
The two refreshing wines that are being introduced were named after the vineyard dogs—Ellie Mae Rose and Chloe. Ellie Mae is an off-dry Rosé made with our Vidal Blanc and Cab Franc. The Chloe Rosé is a dry blend of Lemberger and Muscat. This blend is first made with the Lemberger using the Saignée (French word for “To Bleed”) method, where a portion of free run juice does come in contact with the grape skins for color. Both Ellie Mae and Chloe Rosé come from vines planted in 2016 on the Pisgah Block of the vineyard.
A special commemorative stemless glass will be sold that day for $8.00 with both Ellie Mae and Chloe on the glass! There will be two options for tasting over the festival weekend that run every hour opposite of one another. One hour is a walking tour and tasting, and the next is a chocolate and wine tasting. You can explore a variety of Marked Tree wines as they are paired with local chocolate truffles made by Van’s Chocolates of Hendersonville! Taste new release wines, including the 2022 Chloé Rosé! Tickets are $35 per person, and the price includes a La Vie en Rosé souvenir stemless glass, four chocolate truffles, and pairings! Tickets are available for pre-purchase and day of the festival. Time slots are limited to 40 guests per time slot.
The festival brings together artists with an Artist Village, as a fundraiser for the Arts Council of Henderson County, which will be open from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Some of the artists that will be present are Alan Gottheim, Diane Dean, Applewood Crafters, M Rathsack/Dancing Potter, June Vengoechea, Jorie Browder, Crystal Miller, Christina Becker, Walt Covington, Amy Casteel, Deb Bryant, Erica Bailey, Kate Stockman, Lyndsey Simpson, 8 Petals, and others. Many styles of artists will be represented.
On June 10th at 6:30 pm, the Hendersonville Youth Symphony will present a concert. For the ticket price of $45, you can enjoy a beautiful sunset over the Blue Ridge Mountains as you listen to the Symphony Youth String Quartet with Sean Maccaroni and Alexis Rubianes on violin and RoKem Bayne on the viola and Aiden Chacon on the cello. This will be followed by the Hendersonville Symphony’s Viola Duet with Daphne Bickley and Cameron Rehberg, playing Bach, Schumann, and other composers, including an American folk hymn. A portion of these ticket sales goes to the Hendersonville Symphony. The rain date is Sunday, June 11th. Tickets are available online at Markedtreevineyard.com then go to the “Vineyard Happenings” page.
In addition, there will be a Plein Air Painting Class given by Gary Cooley for both days, which require ticketing. Cooley primarily works in oil and displays his art at the Flat Rock Gallery in Hendersonville. Each day will start with a demonstration and instruction from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. After lunch, the students paint from 1:00 pm until 5:00 pm. He noted, “Last year, it was a small class of approximately 6, and many of the students had certainly improved after the two days.” Supplies are not provided, so each artist is responsible for bringing their own easel and art supplies. For additional information or questions, contact Hannah at hannah@markedtreevineyard.com.
Henderson County was named an American Viticultural Area in 2019, designating Henderson County’s wine region, known as the Crest of the Blue Ridge, as a federally recognized location for wine grape production. Guests can learn more about the blossoming Henderson wine country and the thriving artist community. A portion of all ticket sales goes to the Arts Council. In addition, there will be a silent auction and a fashion show with a DJ and runway. 100% of the proceeds go to the Arts Council.
Marked Tree Vineyard
Marked Tree Vineyard at 623 Deep Gap Road is Flat Rock’s first winery and is a boutique vineyard located at an elevation of 2,300 feet on the Eastern Continental Divide. It is located between Mt. Pisgah and Tryon Peak in Flat Rock, North Carolina, in the AVA Crest of the Blue Ridge, Henderson County. The Vineyard’s grape varietals were selected to thrive in this region’s rocky, sandy, loam soil and the cool mountainous climate of this area. Some grape varietals from other regions will not ripen in this mountainous climate. Marked Tree has selected Vinifera and French hybrid vines that will ripen and produce the sugars, tannins, colors, and flavors to create a superior glass of wine on the Eastern Continental Divide. 2022 will be their fifth vintage.
The Vineyard offers 10 wine varieties made with European vinifera and French-American hybrid grapes in a picturesque setting, surrounded by panoramic views. These include Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Grüner Veltliner, Chardonel, and Vidal Blanc. The Chardonel won Best Hybrid Wine in the NC Fine Wines Competition. In addition, Marked Tree Vineyard has a satellite tasting room in downtown Asheville at 14 Aston Street, just off Biltmore Avenue. The latest rosés to be unveiled will be offered there on Rosé Day as well. The Asheville tasting room is open Monday through Thursday 2-8 pm, Friday-Saturday 1-9 pm, and Sunday 1-7 pm.