13. Watts Branch

The section of Route 76 on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains is also known as the Monticello American Viticulture Area, which designates thirty distinctive varieties of grapes used in making wine. The name, Monticello, recognizes that Thomas Jefferson shaped the first efforts to make wine in this region in the decades before and after the American revolution. Watts Branch, which flows down the northeastern slope of Calf Mountain and intersects with Route 76 north of Crozet, is just one of many creeks and streams in the Appalachian region that contribute to the natural conditions ideal for winemaking. In recent decades, cideries, breweries, and distilleries have further expanded the production of various forms of alcohol and now serve as tourist destinations vital to the Virginia economy. Yet the history of alcohol in Virginia is more complicated than simply an expansion in cultivation and marketing. An exploration of key moments in the years since the American Revolution illustrates how alcohol became a contested space with particular implications for the relationship between individuals, communities, and the state. This episode is connected to the section where Watts Branch crosses Route 76, about 210 miles from Yorktown, the starting point for the westbound route, and 340 miles from the Kentucky border, where eastbound riders enter Virginia.