NC Wine Time

Did you know that North Carolina is home to nearly 200 wineries across 3 growing regions? It has 5 AVAs and 5 wine trails. I had the pleasure of visiting last weekend — May also happens to be NC wine month!

North Carolina is the only place in the world where every type of grape is grown, which means you’ll undoubtably find something to enjoy. North Carolina is also home to America’s oldest cultivated grapevine, the Mothervine. It has been producing muscadine grapes since before the discovery in 1584.

Wineries

The first winery we visited was Round Peak Vineyards. Round Peak was founded in 2000 and they currently have 13 acres under vine: Chardonnay, Nebbiolo, Montepulciano, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Manseng, Tannat, Vidal Blanc, and Norton. All of their wine is estate grown and they make a small production of 1,000-2,000 cases.

Round Peak offers two flight options: dry and sweet. A wine flight includes 6 wines and a stemless glass ($15). You can also up level your tasting with a Riedel Tasting, it includes the 6 wines and a stemless Riedel Swirl glass ($20). They also have the Riedel Tasting for Two which incudes two Riedel Tastings and a bottle of any wine ($55). We tasted through their Dry Wine Flight and fell in love with their red wines. Some that stood out were their 2014 Montepulciano, 2012 Nebbiolo, and their 2018 Tannat. We also really enjoyed their Stainless Steel Cabernet Franc.

Not only does Round Peak produce wine, but they also produce beer (Skull Camp Beer) — there is bound to be something for everyone. If you are looking for a place to stay, Round Peak also has two cabins on their property with killer views right near the vineyard!

Our next stop was Serre Vineyards. Serre, which rhymes with stair, translates to greenhouse in French. Serre was just founded in 2020 and they bring you an elevated North Carolina wine experience with their amazing rustic-farmhouse tasting room. They currently work with Round Peak Vineyards to make their wine.

Serre offers a traditional tasting ($20/$16) of ten wines with or without their souvenir Riedel glass. If flights are more your style, they offer those too! Some of our favorites included their Knockout Rose, Cabernet Franc, and The Early Blend. If you come hungry, Serre partnered with State of Graze and offer small and large charcuterie snack packs. We enjoyed a glass of wine and a small charcuterie pack while enjoying the gorgeous view!

Old North State Winery was founded in 2002 and has evolved into one of the larger wineries in North Carolina. They are located right in the heart of Mount Airy. Not only can you enjoy Old North State wine but you can also enjoy wines from around the world.

This urban wine bar offers standard tastings at the bar: five for $12 and eight for $20. You can also enjoy a wine flight for $15. This option includes three half glasses of your choice. We had a wonderful tasting at the bar sampling their dry wines. Our favorite was the Restless Soul which was a blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Come hungry, they have a full menu full of delicious eats. We enjoyed the Rare Seared Yellowfin Tuna for an app and the Seared Swordfish and Sea Scallops for dinner. We paired our meal with a bottle of Pedroncelli, Pinot Noir.

Mount Airy, North Carolina

Mount Airy is a small North Carolina town which just so happens to be the birthplace of TV star Andy Griffith. This cute town has plenty of boutiques and antique shops for everyone to enjoy, not to mention some of the Mayberry memorabilia from the Andy Griffith Show! If you have time to explore here are a few places to check out:

Uncorked in Mayberry is an adorable wine bar. I enjoyed a delicious glass of Sauvignon Blanc and perused their wine selection.
Mi Casa on Main is just the spot to enjoy brunch. They have mimosa flights as well as one of the best garnished bloody marry’s I have ever had. Their portions are huge and the food is flavorful and delicious.

Cheers, Paige