Tryon Foothills – NC Wine Guys

The proposed Tryon Foothills AVA will be North Carolina’s seventh AVA located in the eastern two thirds of Polk County including the community of Tryon.

A Brief History of the Tryon Foothills

The name Tryon Foothills was chosen since the area has been referred to “Tryon Foothills” for many years. The area sits at the foothills of the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains and starting in the 1890s to as late as the 1940s, the area was well known for being a grape growing region.

The Isothermal Belt, a climatic zone, of Polk and neighboring Rutherford County contributed to moderating temperatures. According to the AVA petition, this feature “along with well-drained mountain slopes, southern hillside exposure, and deep, rocky soils provides an ideal terroir” for grape growing. The famous “Tyron Grapes” were sold to travelers at the local train station in Tryon and were so famous that they were featured on menus at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.

As rail travel declined and California continued its viticulture expansion, the Tryon vineyards declined and disappeared. Then in 1991, Lee Griffin and his wife, Marsha Cassedy, planted a small vineyard for their personal use. It was very successful, so it was expanded to 10 acres and was known as Rockhouse Vineyard until it closed in 2020. In 1998, Joe and Jeanne Mize planted a 30 acre vineyard in the Green Creek community of Polk County. Other vineyards followed with 5 currently growing in the proposed Tryon Foothills AVA.

Per the petition, the proposed Tryon Foothills AVA “is in the low mountains and rolling hills of the Inner Piedmont of Western North Carolina.” The Blue Ridge Escarpment rises steeply to the west of the AVA. Areas east and south see elevations that gradually decrease. The growing season averages between 200 and 210 days. Annual precipitation is higher than regions to the south, northeast, and northwest but lower than the region west of the AVA.

Quick Facts

Name: Tryon Foothills

Petitioners: Cory Lillberg and Joseph Forrest on behalf of Vineyard and Winery Operators of Polk County, NC

Effective Date: TBD – Accepted as perfect by the TTB on 8/31/2021

Square Miles: 176

Counties within boundaries: Eastern Two-Thirds of Polk County, NC – east of the Blue Ridge Escarpment

Geography: Elevation ranges from 712 ft to over 1656 ft with average elevation of 988 ft

Climate: The average annual temperature is 59.2 degrees with a growing season that averages 200 – 210 days.

More to consider

The Tyron Foothills area is a wonderful tourist destination that’s often less busy than other parts of the state, although has been changing in recent years. The region is producing some outstanding wines including wonderful Petit Manseng, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon sees the largest planting followed closely by Merlot. In addition to wine, the Tyron International Equestrian Center provides many events throughout the year. Be sure to go visit the Tryon Foothills and see for yourself.