{"id":12202,"date":"2025-07-13T17:14:01","date_gmt":"2025-07-13T21:14:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ncwineguys.com\/?page_id=12202"},"modified":"2025-07-13T17:16:52","modified_gmt":"2025-07-13T21:16:52","slug":"tryon-foothills","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/ncwineguys.com\/index.php\/north-carolina-wine\/tryon-foothills\/","title":{"rendered":"Tryon Foothills"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Brief History of the Tryon Foothills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The name Tryon Foothills was chosen since the area has been referred to \u201cTryon Foothills\u201d for many years.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Isothermal Belt, a climatic zone, of Polk and neighboring Rutherford County contributed to moderating temperatures.\u00a0 According to the AVA petition, this feature \u201calong with well-drained mountain slopes, southern hillside exposure, and deep, rocky soils provides an ideal terroir\u201d\u00a0for grape growing.\u00a0The famous \u201cTyron Grapes\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As rail travel declined and California continued its viticulture expansion, the Tryon vineyards declined and disappeared.\u00a0Then in 1991, Lee Griffin and his wife, Marsha Cassedy, planted a small vineyard for their personal use.\u00a0It was very successful, so it was expanded to 10 acres and was known as Rockhouse Vineyard until it closed in 2020.\u00a0In 1998, Joe and Jeanne Mize planted a 30 acre vineyard in the Green Creek community of Polk County.\u00a0Other vineyards followed with 5 currently growing in the proposed Tryon Foothills AVA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Per the petition, the proposed Tryon Foothills AVA \u201cis in the low mountains and rolling hills of the Inner Piedmont of Western North Carolina.\u201d 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Proposed Tryon Foothills AVA in Polk County, NC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Mountain Brook Vineyards<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Overmountain Vineyards<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Parker-Binns Vineyards<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Quick Facts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Name: \u00a0Tryon Foothills<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Petitioners:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Cory Lillberg and Joseph Forrest on behalf of Vineyard and Winery Operators of Polk County, NC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Effective Date:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0TBD \u2013 Accepted as perfect by the TTB on 8\/31\/2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Square Miles:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0176<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Counties within boundaries:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Eastern Two-Thirds of Polk County, NC \u2013 east of the Blue Ridge Escarpment<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Geography:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Elevation ranges from 712 ft to over 1656 ft with average elevation of 988 ft<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climate:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0The average annual temperature is 59.2 degrees with a growing season that averages 200 \u2013 210 days.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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More to consider <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Tyron Foothills area is a wonderful tourist destination that\u2019s often less busy than other parts of the state, although has been changing in recent years.\u00a0 The region is producing some outstanding wines including wonderful Petit Manseng, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Sauvignon.\u00a0 Cabernet Sauvignon sees the largest planting followed closely by Merlot.\u00a0 In addition to wine, the\u00a0Tyron International Equestrian Center<\/a>\u00a0provides many events throughout the year.\u00a0 Be sure to go visit the Tryon Foothills and see for yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent Episodes of Cork Talk about this AVA<\/h4>\n\n\n\n