We recently joined other influencers touring wineries in Western North Carolina’s Crest of the Blue Ridge AVA. It was our first visit to the area since it became one of the state’s wine destinations, and we were not disappointed with what we experienced and tasted there. Crest of the Blue Ridge lists seven vineyards, all within a short drive of Hendersonville, Flat Rock and Mills River.
We heard many stories of people in professional careers making a return to a long-time family farm and others looking for a new path in the wine industry.
The AVA is known for its elevations – 2,000-3,000 feet – and it straddles the Eastern Continental Divide. The climate here is known for warm days during the growing season and cooler nights, producing some very fine Vinifera and French American hybrid wines. One grower said this area has, “the most diverse climate in the world.”
Souther Williams Vineyard
Owners Ken Parker and Angela Adams named their winery Souther Williams to honor Ken’s grandparents, Carrie Southern and JK Williams. They opened their tasting room in 2015 on a family farm, and planted vines on the property in 2016. Their goal was to plant varietals that were not commonly grown in the area, such as Grüner Veltliner, Blaufränkisch (also known as Lemberger) and Saperavi.
This vineyard was established in 2015, on a family farm dating back to the 1800s. Of nearly 10,000 acres in what was Hooper’s Valley, 35 acres of the original farm remain. Eight are planted in vines, with plans to expand to five more.
We were treated to the sip and hike experience, walking through the vineyards (with one really tough hill to climb), stopping to refill our glasses along the way. One of the stops was at an old springhouse, used by early residents for refrigeration.
The tasting room is open during the warmer months to allow mountain breezes to cool guests. Outside, there are lots of Adirondack chairs overlooking the nearby vines. If you don’t want to stray too far from the tasting room, there are several Airbnb properties onsite where you can spend a few nights.
St. Paul’s Mountain Vineyards and Appalachian Ridge Cidery
St. Paul’s Mountain Vineyards and Appalachian Ridge Cidery share the same property and owner Alan Ward, one of nine generations to farm this land. There are two tasting rooms located just across the road from each other, and both include large, open patios overlooking the vineyards. On weekends, there is live music.
Both European varietals and hybrids grow here, along with 14 varieties of apples for cider making in this area that is also known for its apple production. The cider varieties are more frost tolerant than some apple varieties. After exploring cider production in Normandy, France, Ward and his apple consultant Marvin Owings decided to plant several Normandy varieties of apples to use in cider production.
Winemaker Kelly Rivera has created some outstanding ciders and wines, including Appalachian Ridge Sugarloaf Mountain Cider, one of three winners of this year’s Governor’s Cup for North Carolina wines. Rivera came to North Carolina from Texas during COVID, looking for an East Coast winery to call home.
Marked Tree Vineyards
The modern tasting room of Marked Tree Vineyards sits atop a hill, just yards away from a lone chimney known as the “ghost house.” The winery was a long-time dream of owners Tim Parks and Lance Hiatt, who left professional careers to follow their dream of owning a winery in 2015.
Tim led us on a stroll through the vineyard, sharing information about their grapes, cultivation practices, soils and climate. At an elevation of 2,300 feet and situated on the Eastern Continental Divide, the site drains well and benefits from winds that protect vines from disease.
We were treated to brunch here and also tasted a variety of wines, including several that earned recognition in the NC Fine Wines competition.
The name of the vineyard comes from the Native American practice of bending trees to mark paths through the woods. It is symbolic of the owners choosing their own path in the wine industry.
“What you see isn’t where it started,” Tim told us. “This started as a napkin and a dream in Walla Walla, Washington.”
Stone Ashe Vineyards
Craig and Tina Little, owners of Stone Ashe Vineyards, planted vines in 2015, with trellises running straight up a hill near the entrance to the tasting room and dropping away from the site in the back. Craig Little was looking for a vineyard site in Virginia, but he decided on land in North Carolina instead. The tasting room includes quite a bit of outdoor space and stunning views of the mountains.
We were greeted with a glass of 2022 Riesling. We also tasted their 2021 Sauvignon Blanc and 2020 Coppedge Hill, a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot.
Gradually, the venture has become a family affair, with their two sons working in the vineyards, helping develop sustainable practices that enhance the quality of the wines. One son said he had told his father he would work on the farm for a year, but he enjoyed the work and decided to stay.
A highlight of the visit was getting a Kubota ride to the top of the vineyard to see the expanse of the site, then riding back down the hill, right between the vines. Not quite a rollercoaster experience, but pretty close.
Point Lookout Vineyards
The Point Lookout name reflects the experience you’ll have “looking out” from the 3,000 foot elevation vineyard and winery across the mountains, including stunning views of nearby Sugarloaf Mountain. Owner Mike Jackson had a chain of coffee shops in Charlotte before deciding in 2015 to return to his family farm to start a vineyard.
Jackson took our group to the highest point of the vineyard, to look over the estate, where his family once grew apples. The tasting room, which opened in 2018, is expansive and rustic, with lots of open and outdoor space. An underground barrel serves as a naturally cool event space and barrel aging room.
Point Lookout opened their tasting bar to us, and I tried the barrel-fermented Chardonnay, Petit Verdot and Javin, a nod to Jackson’s experience in the coffee business, a semi-sweet wine with notes of coffee and chocolate.
We ended our long day with a delicious dinner of barbecue and vegetables at Point Lookout, watching the sunset over the mountains. Perfect!
Tarheel Taps & Corks 