CC Farms
A little taste of Napa with a Texas flair near Possum Kingdom Lake
Story by Steve Nussbaum
When Andrew Chevalier and D.R. Couch left the pace of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex behind in 2023, they weren’t chasing a polished vineyard dream with manicured rows and luxury tasting rooms.
What they found instead was a collection of weathered 120-year-old barns, dirt floors and no electricity, and a vision that slowly took shape around authenticity, hospitality and a love for gathering people together.
That vision of a rustic winery, event venue and restaurant experience built upon a love of Texas and their community has become one of the newest and most talked-about destinations near Possum Kingdom Lake.
Couch’s connection to the region stretches back decades. His family had roots in Breckenridge nearly 40 years ago, and camping trips around Possum Kingdom had long been a part of his life outside the city.
“We always ended up at PK,” Couch said. “The lake was always there.”
Andrew Chevalier and D.R. Couch, owners of CC Farms near Breckenridge, Texas.
The couple moved from Fort Worth in 2023 searching for a quieter lifestyle and a place to build something meaningful together. At the time, they were sitting on the tailgate of a truck, looking at aging barns and kicking around ideas about what to do with them.
One of the structures they saw had once been a chicken barn, while the others were filled with debris and showed decades of neglect. Anybody else probably would have torn them down, but Chevalier and Couch saw character and opportunity instead. Their project, which officially began in October 2023, opened in April of last year after nearly 18 months of work.
Rather than erase the past, they leaned into it. The original barn roofs remain intact – “they were a little leaky,” Chevalier jokingly said – and many of the windows and other on-site materials were repurposed for new uses. The dirt and board floors were preserved, and the structures were moved into place and rebuilt while maintaining as much of their original character as possible.
“There was no electricity,” Couch said. “The floors were original, and these barns are more than 120 years old.”
The property now blends rustic elegance with Texas charm. The indoor gathering areas serve as venues for brides and wedding parties, while outdoor arbors and event spaces overlook the countryside.
The venue has already been the site for events with as many as 200 guests, with the main dining area –which also serves as the event space –and a new patio serving as the perfect spots for a nice meal or wine tasting.
The property blends rustic elegance with Texas charm. The outdoor arbors and event spaces overlook the countryside, while indoor gathering areas serve as venues for brides and wedding parties.
Adjacent to the revitalized structures is a beautiful space for an outdoor ceremony, and an old prairie house nearby was stripped down to the studs and transformed into an Airbnb-style retreat that can accommodate four guests.
Chevalier, whose full-time career is in aviation as a vice president of airport operations for Contour Airlines, spent years traveling throughout the United States and the Caribbean region. Along the way, he and Couch developed a passion for food and wine, as well as the culture surrounding both.
“We see people as guests, not customers,” Chevalier said.
That philosophy shaped the winery right from the start.
The venue already has 18 weddings booked for this summer.
Couch, whose background includes real estate and banking, brought his lifelong love of cooking to the winery, and much of the menu’s inspiration comes from rustic, country-style meals he learned from family traditions, with influences ranging from Martha Stewart to Julia Child.
Because wine was always going to be the focus of the couple’s business venture, the kitchen never was intended to become a full restaurant, but strong demand quickly changed that. Fresh ingredients, elevated comfort food and themed dining experiences began drawing guests from across the region.
The winery’s themed dinners have become one of the venue’s signature attractions. Events typically attract between 60 and 75 guests, and the meals treat diners’ palates to culinary experiences from around the world, from rustic Parisian evenings to Italian-inspired celebrations, complete with imported décor and details sourced directly from Europe.
The next featured culinary experience, scheduled for June, will shine the spotlight on Greece.
“We want to share our travels with people locally,” Couch said.
That combination of destination-inspired experiences in a deeply rural Texas setting has resonated strongly with guests looking for something different from a traditional winery or steakhouse atmosphere.
The winery currently offers five wines – including reds, whites and rosés – with four additional wines scheduled to launch in June at an average price of around $28 per bottle.
For now, the grapes are sourced primarily from the Texas High Plains, but planting already is underway for the winery’s own vineyard. After soil samples were analyzed, the results came back showing nearly perfect elements for grape growing. The month of May marked the beginning of that process, though patience is part of the business.
“It’s a two-year process,” Couch said.
The production and bottling operation is based in Comfort, Texas, where Chevalier and Couch work closely with viticulture specialists, including vineyard designer Fritz Westover, to create wines that stay true to Texas.
“We want to stay true to the state,” Chevalier said.
The response to their venture has exceeded their expectations, despite its recent opening. Most of the winery’s growth has come through word of mouth, in addition to bridal shows in Dallas, regional media exposure that includes coverage from KTAB-TV, and a growing reputation across the Possum Kingdom area. The venue already has 18 weddings booked for this summer.
Still, both owners continue balancing full-time careers while growing the business together. Their long-term plans include expanding the restaurant, finding the right chef to elevate the culinary offerings, and building experiences that feel personal rather than corporate.
The couple’s own story began online in 2020. Chevalier and Couch married in Las Vegas in 2023 in a ceremony inspired by country music star Dolly Parton’s style and spirit, which was fitting for two people who have never been afraid to do things their own way.
Chevalier and Couch said the local support from Breckenridge has been incredible, and they actively support local volunteer fire departments, which they credited with helping them on more than one occasion. They also have contributed proceeds toward tornado recovery efforts in the area.
A group of women from Possum Kingdom Lake recently explored the offerings of CC Farms, each awarding a 5-star rating for their visit.
Pictured left to right: Kim Nussbaum, Teresa Kidwell, Sherri Dobbelaer, Cathy Bender, Linda Hemberger, Barbara Vinson, Jamie Rogers, Sheila Carter, Shannon Morris, Christine Folkes, Wendy Farquhar, Patty Poulos and Melanie Deen.
“People have seen what we’re about,” Couch said.
With their business rooted in Texas spirit less than 30 minutes from Possum Kingdom Lake, what they’re building is becoming more than just a winery.
