City Lifestyle

Want to start a publication?

Learn More

Featured Article

Three Star Vineyard & Orchard

Wine, Friends, and more!

Article by Jasmin Garrard

Photography by Chastity Barton

Originally published in Aiken City Lifestyle

It all started with a plot of land that soon turned into the largest growers and shippers of muscadine and scuppernong grapes in South Carolina. Ann Hutchins and her husband bought the farm in 1992 and sold it to their son eleven years ago. Three Star has been in the family for 30 years now and is a family-owned, women-run business – the entire staff is women and it is managed and run by women. The vineyard was wholesale only for about 28 years until their loyal customers encouraged them to open up their building as a tasting room and a place to enjoy their wine with friends. Thus leading Three Star to expand. They converted their original cooler and breezeway into a tasting room large enough for the largest of gatherings. Meanwhile, the vineyard spans over 175 acres of grapes, muscadines, and scuppernongs. Everything is hand-picked, hand-packed, and grown by hand, there is no machinery involved. 

Three Star Vineyard seeks to encourage and empower local businesses, especially those owned by women. With Three Star not being a winery, they ship off their grapes to local partners in South Carolina to make wine out of Three Star’s berries. Three Star opened a gift shop in August of 2019 that is filled with products created by women-owned businesses. Their approach is to treat their employees and customers like family. They have a wide variety of loyal patrons due to their amazing customer service and quality products. 

Three Star Vineyard & Orchard is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. They offer wine tastings, hand-crafted in-house wine slushies, wines and beers, non-alcoholic drinks as well as light food options. Three Star entertains baby showers, bridal showers, birthdays, and anniversaries during the day as well as having the option to rent for private parties during the night. The vineyard is open for rental venues for private events. Food Truck Friday Nights happen every last Friday of the month, April through October, with great entertainment from bands scheduled and yummy food trucks. Gates open at 6 pm and the event starts around 6:30 pm. When you go, make sure you try their new Fudgesicle wine slushie. It tastes like a chocolate frosty!

Next time you are looking for something to do on a Friday night, Three Star Vineyard and Orchard would love to have your family join them for Food Truck Friday on the last Friday of every month!

  • Their giftshop is filled with goodies from local women-owned businesses.
  • You have to try their hand-crafted wine slushies. They are fantastic!

Businesses featured in this article