NC Wine Month 2014

Sep

2014

Daveste Rkatsiteli — Wine Review

To finish up our last wine review of the North Carolina Wine & Grape Month, we decided to finish with one of the oldest grape varietals known to man-kind, Rkatsiteli. The Daveste Rkatsiteli from Davesté Vineyards, is one of only a handful of vineyards in the US that grow and produce a wine from the grape. Rkatsiteli is a grape originating from Georgia (the country, not the state) where it is a fairly common grape. The grape reportedly dates back to 3000 B.C. making it one of the oldest grapes that have been cultivated for wine making purposes. The pale skinned grape produces a white wine ranging from dry to sweet. Some European countries even produce Port, Sherry, and dessert style wines from the same grape. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Hanover Park Mourvèdre — Wine Review

Tonight’s wine comes from a winery that we’ve already reviewed, but we wanted to review another wine from them as our last one was more of a dessert wine. For dinner we had grilled lamb meat balls, which is what we normally have when we are opening a bottle of Hanover Park Mourvèdre. It is also known as Monastrell and is usually a darker wine with heavy tannins and an earthy complex profile. The wine is common in France, however it is often found in red blends of both French and Spanish origin, usually blended with Grenache and Syrah.

Continue reading →

Sep

2014

High Country Wineries — Winery Reviews

Today we traveled to the High Country Wineries of North Carolina to visit three unique wineries, each with stunning vistas and delightful wines. The wineries, Linville Falls Winery, Grandfather Vineyard, and Banner Elk Winery, are located in the western North Carolina mountain area nestled in with the ski resorts and smaller mountain towns. The journey to get there is full of winding roads, steep inclines and fantastic views. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Junius Lindsay Roussanne — Wine Review

Tonight we decided to open a bottle of something very familiar, the Junius Lindsay Roussanne from Junius Lindsay Vineyard. Roussanne is typically found in many French white blends, especially those produced in the Rhône style. As a straight varietal wine it makes for a unique wine, making it a refreshing option from the run of the mill white wines. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

2005 Hutton Cabernet Franc — Wine Review

This evening we decided to open another red to enjoy with dinner. We decided to go back to the Cab Franc, this time we selected the 2005 Hutton Vineyards Cabernet Franc. This is one of their first releases as they first planted grapes in 2002. The time in the bottle has allowed the wine to develop into a smooth and velvety wine, full of character and charm while keeping a mild profile.

Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Brandon Hills Raptor Red — Wine Review

Tonight we decided to opt for another Yadkin Valley red blend, this time from Brandon Hills Vineyard. The Raptor Red is their premier red blend wine that features a different raptor from vintage to vintage. The current vintage is the 2008 which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Viognier. The story behind the name is one of true adoration for nature. The winery partners with the Carolina Raptor Center and features one of their birds of prey on the bottle. A part of the proceeds goes back to the Raptor Center to help fund a good cause. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Cellar 4201 Warrior Red — Wine Review

Rain, rain go away! But at least it makes the choice of red, white or rosé easier. Tonight we went for the Warrior Red from Cellar 4201 Vineyard. This red doesn’t disappoint. It’s a full-bodied red, but it’s not over the top. The well-balanced nature makes it perfect to pair with food or to enjoy on its own. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Laurel Gray Cabernet Franc — Wine Review

It’s cold and raining again today! That means we get to open a bottle of red wine and enjoy a nice warming dinner. Tonight we decided on the award-winning Laurel Gray Cabernet Franc from Laurel Gray Vineyards. This wine received double gold at the NC State Wine Competition and a bronze at the INDY International Wine Competition.

Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Parker Binns Rosé — Wine Review

A couple of weekends ago we visited a few of the wineries in the Western North Carolina Wine Trail. Among those wineries is Parker Binns. We’ve reviewed the winery before, but tonight we are going to focus on our dinner accompaniment, the Parker Binns Rosé of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Medaloni Cellars — Winery Review

Medaloni Cellars is a small winery on Shallowford Rd in Lewisville, NC. The winery is just outside of Winston-Salem and makes for a nice detour when you’re on the road. Medaloni has around 22 acres of land which is positioned on a very hilly plot, perfect for growing grapes. The wine trail offers visitors a chance to walk around the property and takes you through the vineyard and past some of the cabins they offer for rent. The business concept at Medaloni is simple, offer great quality wine in a relaxed atmosphere. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Carolina Heritage Blueberry Wine — Wine Review

Ten more days left in our September wine month challenge! Today we took a slightly different approach to our wine. Usually we pair our wines with dinner and go from there. However, we will be eating out this evening to celebrate a friend’s birthday and we were unsure if the restaurant offers North Carolina Wines. To make sure we have our wine of the day covered, we decided to have a small glass of the Carolina Heritage Blueberry Wine from Carolina Heritage Vineyards to help pass the afternoon. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Stony Knoll Viognier — Wine Review

Arrrgh, it is Talk Like a Pirate Day! Although we should have celebrated with rum, we wanted to keep our NC Wine streak going. This evening we decided to keep it in the Yadkin Valley and went for the Stony Knoll Viognier from Stony Knoll Vineyards. This light white wine was a welcome addition to our grilled shrimp dinner.

Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Hanover Park Port Hanover — Wine Review

Perhaps one of the best ways to draw an evening to a close is with a glass of Port. Port Hanover, made by Hanover Park, is one of the few wineries in North Carolina to bottle and sell fortified wines. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Cypress Bend Malbec — Wine Review

Tonight we ate out at a local pizza restaurant, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying some great North Carolina wine. When we got home, we decided to unwind with a bottle of the 2011 Cypress Bend Malbec.

Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Huffman Fire Side Red — Wine Review

The weather today was horribly uncooperative with major thunderstorms and heavy showers for most of the late afternoon and evening. The solution to bad weather: red wine. Instead of going for a lighter more delicate white, we decided to open a nice red and cook inside (we really didn’t have much choice in the cooking arrangement as grilling was out of the question). Tonight’s wine is the Huffman Fire Side Red from Huffman Vineyards in Richlands, North Carolina. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Olde Mill Silver Pines — Wine Review

We’re half way through the month; 15 days down, 15 more to go! To celebrate our half way marker (and to go with dinner) we opened up a bottle of the Olde Mill Silver Pines white wine. This white wine is mostly a Pinot Gris, so we decided to pair it with a stuffed pork chop and roasted potatoes. The flavors balanced nicely off each other and made for a nice light meal. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Divine Llama Traminette Divine — Wine Review

After visiting two wineries this afternoon, we decided it was time to move on from crackers and settle on an actual dinner to enjoy some North Carolina wine. We made our way home from the south-east part of the Yadkin Valley so we could fix up some sweet potato gnocchi and grilled salmon. The wine we selected for the evening was the 2010 Traminette Divine from Divine Llama.

Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Baker Chardonnay — Wine Review

Tonight we revisited one of our favorites; the Baker Chardonnay from Baker Buffalo Creek Vineyard. We were visiting friends out, so we packed our standby bottle as we knew it would be a crowd pleaser.

Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Jones von Drehle Petit Manseng — Wine Review

Tonight’s wine caused us a bit of a problem. We weren’t sure which glass we should use to fully enjoy this unique wine. I would hesitate to say we are glass “snobs”, but we definitely know that the glass has a major impact on the wine. We ended up going through three different options before finally settling on the fourth (it ended up being the Syrah glass). If you don’t have a Syrah, you shouldn’t worry. The Jones von Drehle Petit Manseng is one wine that will not disappoint, regardless of the glass you use. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Dobbins Creek Rosé — Wine Review

Dinner this evening proved an interesting challenge for the wine pairing. On the menu was a honey Sriracha fried chicken with cheddar waffles. This was a somewhat last-minute menu swap, so I was hoping that the Dobbins Creek Rosé would pair nicely. And it did, quite nicely.

Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Elkin Creek Chardonnay — Wine Review

One third of the way through! Tonight we opened a bottle of the Elkin Creek Chardonnay from Elkin Creek Vineyard. This Chardonnay is so rich and creamy, I mistakenly thought it was finished in oak and pulled out the wrong glasses for the wine. After quickly reading up on the wine, we realized it was 100% stainless steel (I was shocked, Joe had a lingering suspicion), and we changed glasses. While the wine wasn’t bad out of the oaked Chardonnay glasses, it was remarkably better and the flavors were more concentrated out of the stainless Chardonnay/Viognier glasses. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Silver Fork Merlot — Wine Review

Tonight’s wine took us by a bit of a surprise. The Silver Fork Merlot can definitely change one’s opinion that the east coast doesn’t produce good Merlot. Normally when you think of Merlot, you imagine a big bold red wine with a complex yet robust profile and distinctive characteristics. Typically, you would be right. This particular bottle of the 2012 Merlot from Silver Fork is anything but “typical”. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

McRitchie Muscat Blanc — Wine Review

Tonight’s feature is the McRitchie Muscat Blanc. It comes from a small winery in the Yadkin Valley, McRitchie Winery and Ciderworks. McRitchie has a small vineyard on property but works with other local farmers to source their grapes for their wide variety of wines. They are a small-scale winery, selling mainly out of their tasting room but they are expanding as their following grows. In addition to wines, they also produce a few ciders made from local apples (and this fall, they will have a pear cider too). Continue reading →

Sep

2014

White Wines from Native Vines and Adagio Vineyards — Wine Review

Sundays are a special day in our house. Not only is it the end of the weekend, but it’s also a day where our good friend Susan can join us in our wine adventures. After a quick trip to the local winery nearby, we came back to enjoy a nice dinner out on the patio accompanied by two delicious North Carolina wines; the Native Vines Sauvignon Blanc and the Adagio Vivace. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Misty Creek Cabernet Sauvignon — Wine Review

On a Friday night, one of the first priorities is to relax after a long week of work. Among other things, that means a bottle of wine that is familiar, reliable and oh so good. To fulfill all requirements of a relaxing Friday night, we decided to invite over a few friends, make some black bean and sweet potato quesadillas, and we opened a bottle of the 2006 Misty Creek Cabernet Sauvignon. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Weathervane Ionosphere — Wine Review

Although things were a little rushed today, we were still able to unwind this evening with a delightful wine from Weathervane Winery. Weathervane offers an ample selection of the sweeter wines as well as vinifera. Their wines have a large following and for good reason. Their motto is “wines without the attitude” and they hold true to that image. Tonight we enjoyed the Weathervane Ionosphere. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Raylen Viognier — Wine Review

Continuing with our Yadkin Valley streak, we opened a bottle of the 2012 Raylen Viognier, from Raylen Vineyards. For those not familiar with Viognier, it is a white grape that produces a wine across a wide spectrum ranging from bright and acidic to mellow and tropical. No matter what style Viognier you are having, they will all be very aromatic with notable characteristics. Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Chatham Hill Cabernet Franc — Wine Review

Tonight’s feature is another Yadkin Valley selection; the 2009 Chatham Hill Cabernet Franc from Chatham Hill Winery. This dark red wine is rich with dark fruit flavors and a nice balance of tannins and smoke. We decided to pair it with a barbecue pork chop, baked sweet potato and corn on the cob. The dark flavors of the wine really complimented the charred sweetness of the pork.

Continue reading →

Sep

2014

Shelton Dry Riesling — Wine Review

To kick off the NC Wine and Grape month, we decided to start with the Shelton Dry Riesling from Shelton Vineyards. This full bodied white displays characteristics that are typical of a cool-climate Riesling without having to venture to the colder regions of the country. Continue reading →

One of our favorite North Carolina Wine regions to visit is the area just south of Asheville surrounding Hendersonville, NC. There you’ll find 7 unique wineries and vineyards each with a distinctive setting. This region also hosts an American Viticulture Area known as the Crest of the Blue Ridge, Henderson County. We recently had the opportunity to make a quick visit to Hendersonville back in February 2024. The team at Visit Hendersonville arranged our visit. Our recent trip had us visiting four of the seven vineyards, staying in a cozy farmhouse rental, and enjoying dinner in downtown Hendersonville.

Downtown Hendersonville, Credit Sam Dean

Hendersonville is an easy drive from most cities within North Carolina. With the exception of the coast, you’re looking at about 2 hours for Charlotte or Winston-Salem and Greensboro, and up to 4 hours from the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill. It’s also an easy trip for out of state visitors, starting at just 1 hour from Greenville, South Carolina, 2 hours from Knoxville, Tennessee, and about 4 hours from Roanoke, Virginia.

When we arrived in Hendersonville, we had ample time before our check in, so we decided to stop in at Sawyer Springs Vineyard. This was our first time at Sawyer Springs and it was a great stop. At the time of this post, they offer a table side wine tasting or a wine flight to explore on your own. We decided on the wine tasting. They specialize in small batch wines that are crafted from fun or unusual grape varietals that you don’t find very easily.

Check in time was approaching so we made our way to the farmhouse rental where we stayed for the night. The Wallace House was originally built in the 1800s and completely renovated in 2019. This five bedroom and two bath house sleeps 12 people and is an excellent location for your next visit. The Wallace house is on the vineyard and orchard property of Saint Paul Farms which produces wines for Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards and ciders for Appalachian Ridge Artisan Ciders.

After checking in to the Wallace House, we met with Alan Ward of Saint Paul Farms to interview him for our March 2024 episode of Cork Talk! Alan talked to us about his family’s history in the area, why he got interested in growing grapes and apples, and all that he’s doing to try and improve the quality of North Carolina Wine and North Carolina Cider. After wrapping up the interview, we walked over to the tasting room for a quick wine tasting before dinner. We didn’t get a chance to visit the cider tasting room, but we’ve been in the past. It’s always fun and worth a trip!

Welcome to Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards

We wrapped up our tasting and made the quick drive into downtown to enjoy dinner at Postero Restaurant on North Main Street. Postero specializes in well crafted New American Cuisine fusing different cultures, local ingredients, and a love for food that makes this restaurant a must. While you’re in their dining room, take a look around in the corners and be sure to look up. You might just find one of the 20+ dinosaur figurines that are hidden throughout the building. This tradition started out as a small prank with and quickly ballooned into a feature of the restaurant.

After dinner we made our way back to the Wallace House (stopping for a quick ice cream at the Celtic Creamery). When we got back, we enjoyed the peace and quiet and tucked in for the evening.

Saturday brought with it another fun day of wine tastings. We started at Burntshirt Vineyards, only 4 minutes from our farmhouse at Saint Paul Farms. There we started with an interview for our May 2024 episode of Cork Talk with VP of Operations, Jeff Plack. Jeff talked us through the history and property at Burntshirt Vineyards and explained how he got into the wine business. Right after that, we enjoyed lunch at the on-site restaurant and wine bar, the Vintners Table. They offer thoughtful menu of food selections from small plates to larger sandwiches and entrees. If you’re not interested in food, you can still enjoy a tasting flight or wine by the glass or bottle. It’s a great setting to enjoy some wine and food and just relax.

Inside the Vintners Table at Burntshirt Vineyards

After finishing up our official tour, we had a little time before we needed to head back home, so we stopped in for a tasting at Marked Tree Vineyards. Marked Tree is only 7 minutes from Burntshirt Vineyards so we figured since we were in the neighborhood we needed to stop by. There we enjoyed an excellent tasting with lovely mountain views.

We wish we could have stayed longer and visited the other vineyards in the area, but we had to make it back home to check in on our cat Sami. Plus this way we have another excuse to make it back to Hendersonville very soon.

Below are some wine highlights from the vineyards we visited:

Wellington from Sawyer Springs – This Malvasia Bianca was light and delicate with floral notes and a grassy undertone all supported by bright and clean acids.

Centennial Farm Heritage from Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards – This Riesling has pear and lemon zest with that classic delicate petrol note. It was nicely balanced between citrus and mineral rich notes.

Vidal Blanc from Burntshirt Vineyards – This is a great wine that sits nicely between a Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc. It is grassy with lemon and lime zest with ample acids.

Reserve Chardonnel from Marked Tree Vineyards – This is a great alternative to a chardonnay. It is deep and golden with juicy acids and a toasty oak profile. It is super smooth with an overall note of vanilla and apples.

Special thanks to:

Alan Ward at Saint Paul Farms
Jeff Plack at Burntshirt Vineyards
Hailey at Marked Tree Vineyards
Becca at Postero
Leah Hughes King, Craig Distl, and Michelle Owens at Visit Hendersonville

Sponsored by Visit Hendersonville, https://visithendersonvillenc.org

Origins

According to the Cab Franc Day website, Cabernet Franc is believed to have been established in the Libournais region of southwest France sometime in the 17^th century, when Cardinal Richelieu transported cuttings of the vine to the Loire Valley. December 4th is the anniversary of Cardinal Richelieu’s death which is why we celebrate Cab Franc Day on that date.

Plantings Around the World

In addition to its native Basque region in France, Cab Franc is planted elsewhere in France in Bordeaux and most famously in the Loire Valley. There are also significant plantings in the Italy, Spain, Chile, and the US.

Cabernet Franc has gained a large footing on the East Coast of the US. It’s popular in the Finger Lakes and on Long Island in New York as well as Virginia. Cab Franc continues to gain footing in North Carolina as well. It’s one of our favorite varieties and pairs wonderful with North Carolina BBQ, either Lexington-Style or Eastern-Style.

In North Carolina

One of the largest planting of Cabernet Franc in North Carolina is the six acres at RayLen Vineyards in Mocksville. We reached out to winemaker Steve Shepard for some thoughts on growing Cab Franc in the Yadkin Valley of North Carolina. Steve tell us, “Cab Franc has been a work horse for us in that we utilize it in many ways.”

Steve goes on to tell us that RayLen’s vineyard is planted with 3 of the highest rated French clones, 214, 327, and 312. He gave us more detailed information on each clone:

Clone 214 is known to express raspberry and violet flavors and recommended not to exceed more than 50% of the planting.

Clone 327 recommended not to exceed 30% of the planting as it produces structured and powerful wines. Our block is 52% clone 214 and 48% clone 327. The fruit from these clones are used to produce Cab Franc varietal, and in blends Carolinius, Category 5, Eagle Select.

Clone 312 is known as a higher yielding than average so it sets the stage for a Rose. Our Cab Franc Rose is produced from this block, clone 312.

RayLen 2018 Cabernet Franc

Steve mentions that “Generally, Cab Franc in the vineyard preforms better than most other vinifera reds.” It is more tolerant of heat, wet and disease. In the winery, on bountiful years, Steve is able to separate the clones throughout the aging process before he establishes the final blend. He says, “It’s interesting to note the unique characteristics of each and how they knit together.”

In addition to RayLen’s Cabernet Franc varietal, Cab Franc based blends, and Cab Franc rosé, there are many other delightful Cabernet Francs in the state. Just a few of our favorites include (but not limited to) Cab Francs from Jones von Drehle Vineyards and Winery, Laurel Gray Vineyards, South Creek Vineyards and Winery, Hanover Park Vineyard, Burntshirt Vineyards, and Childress Vineyards.

Do you have a favorite Cabernet Franc? How are you celebrating?

#CabFrancDay #CabernetFrancDay #InTheWineLight

The Latest Episode of Cork Talk:

Closing Content

Closing Content

Closing content

Closing Content

Closing Content

Closing Content

Closing Content

Closing Content

Closing Content

Closing Content

Closing Content

Quick Facts

Name: Appalachian High Country

Name

Shared with Georgia

Quick Facts

Name: Upper Hiwassee Highlands

Quick Facts

Name: Haw River Valley

Quick Facts

Name: Swan Creek

Closing Content

Quick Facts

Name: Yadkin Valley

Closing Content

Closing Content

Origins

Parent Grape

Plantings Around the World

In North Carolina

Browse All Posts by Category

Other Sections