North Carolina Wineries
 

Does anyone have a recommendation for their favorite NC/Southwest VA winery?

While the kids are at summer camp at Ridgecrest this year, DH and I are taking 2 weeks to explore the Blue Ridge Mountains. I have looked online at tourism web pages but thought I would ask somebody who had 1st hand knowledge.

We don't want to drive too far. We'll leave the Asheville area on a Sunday to get to one central place for 4-6 days and then head over to Valle Crucis for the rest of our stay. Any trips that we take will be day trips, some hiking, maybe a few wineries.

Any suggestions? Thanks

If you google for NC wineries you'll find a great map. I have no idea where my bookmark for it is now. There is a very good winery near Saluda, just south of Asheville. And the "main" wineries are near Elkin--Shelton.
I might head south on the Parkway for a while, maybe go to Cashiers area and then go to Valle Crucis. I know that doesn't do SW VA. You could do the same--go north to Peaks of Otter or such and then go south to the Shelton Vineyard area.

The Yadkin Valley Wineries offer some interesting choices. www.yvwt.com
I am not a great resource on wines (beer drinker), but friends who are say Round Peak is one of the best. Shelton is very attractive, has great outdoor concerts and a nice restaurant (also a very nice gift shop).
If your interests include history, consider a stop in Winston-Salem, the Old Salem district. www.oldsalem.org Winston-Salem also has an excellent arts area (6th and Trade), great restaurants, and some very good shopping.
If you enjoyed the Andy Griffith show go up to Mt.Airy, the real Mayberry. www.visitmayberry.com
My favorite winery restaurant is the Black Dog at Chateau Morrisette near Meadows of Dan, Virginia.
Do you like spas? If so, consider Secret Garden in Weaverville, NC about a ten minute drive from Asheville. Have lunch at Well Bred Cafe or Stoney Knob and the skin treatments provided by Secret Garden for a lovely day in North Carolina.
Enjoy your visit, it is a beautiful state.

I'll give you my personal favorites right now. I've visited all in the past 6 months outside of the one in Va. which would be Villa Appalachia (Italian varietals). Just down across the road from it better known neighbor Chateau Morrisette (which you should drive right by). In NC try & time your trip to be in Elkin for lunch at the Elkin Creek Vineyard (www.elkinmill.com). This doesn't even show up on a lot of maps yet. The food & wine are great. Grassy Creek is also fairly new & not too far. (www.grassycreekvineyard.com). Others I would suggest include Raffaldini (also Italian varietals), Round Peak (right off I77 @ exit 100 , I think), Raylen & Hanover Park. Ones I would avoid -Shelton & Childress (due to costs, crowds & not very good wine) although Shelton does have a great location & cheese shop. Both have grown too fast & are releasing wines well before they are mature, to meet demand. I would also avoid Chateau Laurinda (quite possibly the worst wine to ever touch my lips & there have been plenty) & Black Wolf. Make sure you stop by the Mast Farm Inn + they serve a great dinner. You can stay there as well. I agree w/cmcfongs comments as well, except I'd pick my afore-mentioned restaurant over the Black Dog.

Thanks all, we are wrapping up our stay at the Mast Farm Inn- I can't wait to stay there! I'll do some homework and see what will work for us.

We were just in West Jefferson and it wasn't all that great. HOWEVER, if you get over that way, visit Avery County Cheese. There is a tasting room for one of the local wineries in downtown W. Jefferson but we didn't stop in. Most of the Yadkin Valley wineries are to the east of I-77 and not terribly convenient to Valle Crucis, a couple hours away.

www.ncwine.org
www.virginiawines.org

Enjoy the Mast Farm Inn. I've eaten at their restaurant several times, but haven't stayed there yet. Be sure to report back and let us know about the trip - Inn and wineries both!

The little cabins at the Mast Farm are great for a splurge...Enjoy.

Brutforce has given you good advice. Do not miss Villa Appalachia. They make great red wines patterned after big bold Italian Reds. Very Good indeed!!

Skip Chateau Morrisette. The wines were mediocre at best and the restaurant was overpriced for what they had to offer.

Mast Farm Inn would be a great place to stay and or have dinner.

ttt for LEster

I'm with cmcfong ... love Chateau Morrisette. Valle Crucis will not be very convenient to the Yadkin Valley wineries. Shelton's would be a very nice place for lunch and a tour. I'd plan for a 2-3 days in Winston-Salem, seeing Old Salem, and do a tour of the wineries in the area. I know the Winston Marriott offers a wine tour package for the area. The Mast Farm Inn is one of my favorite places ... that area is really pretty. You can't go wrong traveling through the areas, I would just not confine myself to two lodgings ... I'd spread it out to a few nights here and there in order to enjoy a variety of places.

To avoid conflicting info, it may be best to tell us what type of wine drinkers you are. (?) You are getting good advice but from two differing viewpoints. Those that favor traditional 'sweeter' NC/Va. wines (ie. Seyval Blanc, Scuppernong, Muscadine) v. those that favor more historically defined 'old world' (Chardonnay, Cabernet, etc.) wines.

I thought only Episcopals went on winery tours.

Lester - you find this yet ?

What is the name of the winery near Saluda? Thanks, Nancy

The closest winery to Saluda that I can think of is in Tryon. Rockhouse, I think. I've not been there so I can not comment on the wines.

topping for updates, new info. Since the wine industry has continued to grow in NC, any new places we need to try ?

Yes, it is RockHouse, and their wine is EXcellent. Over toward Winston and the Yadkin, the Childress vineyards are truly beautiful, and the wine quite good. Much better than Shelton, in my opinion. There is another one near I77--begins with "R", and has an Italian name. Very nice also. There are about 10 wineries in that area.

Raffaldini is the one you are thinking of, they do a good job w/Italian varietals.

Dobbins Creek is a newer winery that is making some good wines. http://wine.appellationamerica.com/w...wan-Creek.html