Three Wives Distillery
Vernon and Toni Wright turn grains grown on their family farm into freshly distilled spirits.
For nearly 200 years, Vernon and Toni Wright’s family has raised corn, cattle and quarter horses at Hill High, a 400-acre Virginia Century Farm located on the outskirts of Winchester. In September, the couple found a new way to steward the land and its bounty by opening Three Wives Distillery, where they turn homegrown grains into bourbon, whiskey, vodka, moonshine, brandy and rum.
“I’m using all my [own] corn, wheat and rye,” Vernon says. “And the company where I’m getting my barrels from [is] going to make barrels out of my oaks.”
The distillery’s name is a nod to the unconventional love story of Carl King Wright, Vernon’s great-grandfather, who lived his entire life on the farm. Born in 1874, the farmer turned the Wright family tree into something of a maze by marrying three Brumback sisters — one after another — and twice becoming his own brother-in-law.
Carl and his first wife, Maude, tied the knot in 1909. She died at the young age of 27, and was, shares Toni, “the love of [Carl’s] life.” Next came Lela, the mother of Vernon’s grandfather, in 1918. She passed in 1936, once again leaving Carl a widower. Then along came Anna, whom the farmer married in 1939. She survived Carl when he died in 1955.
Vernon has found that distillery patrons “love to hear a good story” like the tale of the three wives as much as they love sippin’ homegrown hooch.
Visit Three Wives during the warmer months to enjoy tasty spirits from a rocker on the expansive patio, then plan a return trip for fall to explore the farm’s pumpkin patch, haunted house and corn maze.
The story above first appeared in our March / April 2026 issue. For more like it subscribe today or log in with your active BRC+ Membership. Thank you for your support!