North Carolina Wineries

I was born and raised in Western North Carolina in the beautiful city of Asheville, North Carolina. I went to college and married there, and have lived in Florida ever since. When I left Asheville in 1982, the Biltmore House had just opened their first winery. On a recent trip home, I discovered what a wine mecca the state of North Carolina is becoming.

Most of the wineries are located in the Central Region or North Central Hill country. Summers are mild here and rain is plentiful, making for an ideal grape growing area. Unlike the Napa or Sonoma areas of California, the wineries are more spread out. You can drive past 20 wineries in a couple of hours in Sonoma. It would take an entire day to visit the wineries in any area in North Carolina. The largest concentration seems to be located in the North Central mountain area, above Boone and nearer the Virginia state line. The majority of these wineries off of Interstate 77.

There are very few wineries in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I suppose it is because winters can be rather harsh in the Smokey Mountains. There are really only two wineries in the area surrounding Asheville, but the best known is the Biltmore Estate Wine Company. The winery is actually located on the Biltmore Estate itself. The winery is open year round from 11 a.m to 7 p.m., opening an hour later on Sundays. Winter hours may vary , so be sure to call before visiting. The web site is www.biltmore.com, or you can call at 1-800-543-2961. Be sure and check out the Vanderbilt Mansion while you are at the estates.

Another winery I would recommend is the Banner Elk Winery outside of Banner Elk, N.C. it is located about an hour and a half out of Asheville and sits on the Virginia Border. In order to get to the winery, one has to drive through the beautiful mountainside, past Boone and the ski slopes to get to Banner Elk. The drive alone is worth the trip. The winery is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. for wine tasting and purchases.