Wineries, Breweries and Distilleries Near Center Hill Lake

DelMonaco Winery & Vineyards

600 Lance Drive · Baxter

A broad, visitor-friendly winery experience with tastings, vineyard grounds, patios, events, scheduled winery tours and an on-site Bistro. The Bistro makes it practical to combine a tasting and a meal without adding another stop to the day.

• Best for: couples, celebrations and first-time wine visitors
• Expect: tasting options, flights, bottles, vineyard time and food from DelMonaco's Bistro
• Plan: check current Bistro hours and menu, and confirm tour availability before driving

Official site ↗ · Google directions ↗

Northfield Vineyards

515 Ray Cemetery Road · Sparta

A family-owned Upper Cumberland Wine Trail stop on a five-generation farm, with Tennessee wines ranging from familiar varietals to muscadine and fruit-forward bottles. The country setting and gift shop make this a smaller, more local alternative to DelMonaco.

• Best for: local flavor, relaxed browsing and regional wines
• Expect: wine, gifts and a less formal vineyard stop
• Plan: check hours and events before driving

Official trail listing ↗ · Google directions ↗

Short Mountain Distillery

8280 Short Mountain Road · Woodbury

A small-batch distillery on a working farm, rooted in Cannon County moonshine and whiskey history. Tours and tastings make this the strongest spirits-focused excursion from Center Hill Lake.

• Best for: whiskey fans, history and a rural Tennessee drive
• Expect: spirits, a production story and changing tour options
• Plan: verify hours and reserve the experience in advance

Official site ↗ · Google directions ↗

Calfkiller Brewing Company

1839 Blue Springs Road · Sparta

A small-batch brewery known for characterful ales and a shady, relaxed beer-garden setting along the Calfkiller River. It is the most distinctive brewery outing to pair with a Sparta day.

• Best for: craft-beer fans, outdoor seating and an unhurried stop
• Expect: rotating house beers and a rustic destination atmosphere
• Plan: verify taproom hours before making the drive

Official site ↗ · Google directions ↗

Red Silo Brewing Company

118 West 1st Street · Cookeville

A downtown Cookeville craft brewery with a broad tap list and an easy, walkable setting near restaurants and the courthouse square. It works well as the anchor for an evening in town.

• Best for: a casual downtown beer and nearby dinner
• Expect: house-made beer, seasonal choices and a social taproom
• Plan: check the current menu and opening hours

Official site ↗ · Google directions ↗

Dream Country Brewing

105 South Walnut Avenue · Cookeville

A Cookeville brewery bringing Old World beer styles into the Upper Cumberland, with locally sourced, foraged and farm-grown flavors appearing across a changing menu.

• Best for: curious beer drinkers and locally rooted flavors
• Expect: a warm industrial taproom and a changing beer menu
• Plan: confirm the day’s schedule; hours vary by weekday

Official site ↗ · Google directions ↗

The vineyard afternoon

1. Have a slow breakfast.
2. Make DelMonaco the tasting or scheduled-tour anchor.
3. Choose an early dinner from Tony’s dining guide.
4. Return before sunset instead of stacking another stop.

The Calfkiller–Northfield loop

1. Check both venues’ hours first.
2. Choose Northfield or Calfkiller as the main tasting.
3. Add lunch and plenty of water in Sparta.
4. Use a designated driver and take bottles or a growler home for later.

The downtown Cookeville beer day

1. Start with a proper meal in Cookeville.
2. Choose Red Silo or Dream Country as the anchor.
3. If visiting both, keep pours small and walk between downtown stops where practical.
4. Let the designated driver set the departure time.

Whiskey and Woodbury

1. Reserve Short Mountain first.
2. Add Woodbury’s square, coffee or antiques.
3. Keep the distillery as the only alcohol stop.
4. Return to the lake for a quiet evening.

• Choose the driver before the first pour. Rural ride-share coverage can be limited and should not be assumed.
• Do not combine tasting with boating, swimming, cliff jumping or driving unfamiliar lake roads.
• Eat first, drink water and treat tasting pours as tastings. Buying a bottle for later is often the better move.
• Everyone tasting must be 21 or older with valid identification. Check each venue’s current guest and child policies directly.
• Reconfirm hours the morning of the trip. Small operators change schedules for events, production and private bookings.

Cellar 53 in Brush Creek may appear in older wine-trail searches, but its visitor information has said the tasting room is closed and asks visitors not to enter except for arranged wine pickup. Tony’s Guide does not recommend it as a tasting stop unless the winery announces that public visits have resumed.

This guide was checked against the businesses’ own information and the regional wine-trail listing. Prices, hours, tasting formats, tours and guest policies remain the operators’ responsibility.

• DelMonaco Winery & Vineyards — official visitor, tasting and event information.
• Northfield Vineyards — Upper Cumberland Wine Trail listing, location and published visitor information.
• Short Mountain Distillery — official tour, tasting and farm information.
• Calfkiller Brewing Company — official brewery information.
• Red Silo Brewing Company — official taproom information and hours.
• Dream Country Brewing — official location, hours and current offerings.
• Cellar 53 Winery — check the winery’s current visitor notice before considering a stop.
• Upper Cumberland Wine Trail — regional winery network and planning context.

Verification rule: check the operator’s website or contact the business on the morning of the trip. A directory listing or old social post is not enough evidence that a rural tasting room is open.

Bring local flavor home

Use the sourcing-local guide

Choose lunch or dinner by mood

Use the dining guide

Turn it into a couples weekend

Use the romantic-getaway guide