Dispatches from NC Wine Country

Reflections on a few recent vineyard visits in celebration of NC Wine Month

My little nameless Toyota Tacoma has been putting in work lately driving out to as many wineries as we can. It’s NC Wine Month, so I figure it’s time to share some thoughts on those I have visited.

I’ll be totally transparent up top and tell you that I’ll probably never shit talk on this Substack. North Carolina wineries have a tough enough row to hoe, and the Noble Grape is about exploring and promoting NC wine. The good news is that I haven’t had any truly bad experiences. Have I had some that were better than others? Sure. Are there certain things that get me really excited and some that make me roll my eyes? Definitely. Ask me about them offline. 

For now, here are some highlights from a few stops during my adventures through this beautiful wine region.

Addison Farms Vineyard | Leicester, NC 

Full disclosure, as of about a couple weeks ago, I work here. You can find me in the tasting room on the weekends, and I’m loving it. If you’re looking for a personal tasting, this is the place to go. AF is unlike any NC winery I’ve been to in the sense that most people who visit make scheduled appointments for guided tastings. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to work there. I like getting to take my time sharing the wine and having a genuine conversation (if you want—I can also pour the wines and chill). 

You can definitely just grab a glass of wine and enjoy the view if that’s what you’re feeling. And what a view?! We have a more limited range of wines by the glass because it’s so small, but there is something for everyone. Word on the street is that more wines will be released soon. 

If you want to know more about the wine, come see me! And/or read what I wrote about their piquette.

Euda Wine | Old Fort, NC

Euda Wine opened in Old Fort a few months ago, and it has already established itself as a great addition to the community. It’s conveniently located in downtown Old Fort, right off I-40. The wines are really excellent, especially the sparkling wines. 

In my opinion, Euda is one of the most exciting wineries in the region because they place a heavy focus on sustainability and transparency. I especially appreciate this explanation of how they choose grapes to work with:

“We will always prioritize working with varietals that are adapted best to our regional climate. You might not always recognize the grapes we are working with, but we promise the wines they make are quality, or else we wouldn’t work with them.”

Highly recommend a visit. 

Marked Tree Vineyard | Flat Rock, NC

Marked Tree Vineyard stands out as one of the most beautiful wineries I’ve been to. And that’s saying something because all of these vineyards are gorgeous. The tasting room is open and airy with a sort of clean industrial feel that somehow compliments the natural beauty all around it. It’s on top of a hill overlooking rows of grapevines, and its namesake white oak towers above the walkway to the tasting room. 

All the wines were great. Even the wines I didn’t personally care for were clearly well made. 

One fact I wrote in my notebook was that ⅓ of their 12 vineyard acres are planted with Vidal Blanc. Vidal Blanc is a hybrid grape—meaning it has some native North American genetics and, therefore, is better adapted to growing in this region. I appreciate that they shared this information about their vineyard and took the time to explain hybrids. The more we can familiarize consumers with hybrid grapes, the better (my long-winded thoughts on this here).

In general, the staff were the most impressive part of the experience here. The person who led our tasting knew her stuff, and we interacted with a couple others who were also knowledgeable. It seemed like Marked Tree invests in their staff, which is a sign I look out for when choosing what businesses to support.

Sawyer Springs Vineyard & Winery | Hendersonville, NC

Sawyer Springs is, in some ways, a foil to a place like Marked Tree. Whereas Marked Tree feels polished and professional, Sawyer Springs feels organic and casual. Neither is better, just different. Both are warm and inviting, but in their own unique way.

Sawyer Springs reminded me of my great grandmother’s house. She had a big back porch and sunroom that we used in all seasons. Sitting on wrought iron furniture with floral print cushions, I could see her apple tree and a half-acre vegetable garden that sloped down toward the pond we used to fish in. The space was deeply cared for, but never fussed over. That’s what Sawyer Springs feels like—down to the cushions.

We were welcomed in the winery like family. Based on overheard conversations, almost everyone else who sat down were regular visitors. It definitely had more of a local spot vibe than other vineyards, which tend to be geared toward tourists.

As far as the wines, the Malvasia Bianco was the highlight for me. They’re the only NC winery I’ve seen growing this grape, and it was delicious. The owner, Paul, stopped by our table to tell us all about the wine and even poured a taste of a new one he has in the works. He clearly takes a lot of pride in what he produces and the atmosphere of the winery. Rightfully so.

More to come

As of this writing, there are five more wineries on my list to write up. At my current rate, I’ll add more by the time you read this. I hope to write about them all eventually.

P.S.

Shout out to

Kara Daly

of

Wine Is Confusing

for being a top-notch study buddy as we learn about our home region. 

P.P.S.

I am open to name ideas for my truck.