Fair Game Beverage Company

Fair Game Beverage Company, like the ingredients of its wines and spirits, grew from the soil of Chatham County. The vintners and distillers that founded the company loved North Carolina's agricultural flavor and wanted to create beverages that showcased the unique local grapes and other crops. They craft their dry Two Step white from a blend heavy in Haw River Valley seyval blanc grapes, and sweeten their county fair-style cordial, Tipper, with scuppernong grapes. They grow sorghum, a long grass similar to sugar cane, in-house, then ferment and distill it into a rum-like cane spirit.

They also make fortified wines, halting the fermentation process at the height of flavor by introducing a bit of brandy into the mix. The tradition began as a way to make wines endure long travels across oceans in oaken barrels, but these days the casks and bottles don't have nearly so far to travel. Rather, the distillers suggest just dragging them out to the front porch to share with a friend or two while enjoying a gentle breeze, the sway of a rocking chair, and the sight of the sun's jealous stare.