Story: Annie Tackett

North Carolina always has been a beautiful part of the country, with stunning beaches and rolling farmlands, to the scenic foothills and mountains of the Appalachian ranges. Well known for tobacco, NASCAR, and college football, wine wasn’t something that I really thought of when I came to visit North Carolina recently. What I found was a rich history of native American grape species muscadine and scuppernong that formed the past structure of the North Carolina wine industry while providing inspiration to new talented winemakers creating the future for wine in the Tar Heel State.

Native American Grapes

Scuppernong grapevines were named after the river in North Carolina where the grapes were found growing wild. They are the first grape cultivated in the United States and also the official fruit of the state of North Carolina. As a native American grape they are well adapted to the high humidity and heat of the south, as their thick grape-skins help protect from fungal disease while also providing high amounts of antioxidants.

North Carolina Sangiovese grapes during veraison

North Carolina is home to the oldest cultivated grape vine in the nation: an estimated 400 to 500-year-old scuppernong vine in Manteo on Roanoke Island called “The Mothervine.” There is a long history of grape growing in North Carolina that dates back to the colonial days. It is believed that Sir Walter Raleigh himself, the man who started the Roanoke Island colony between 1584-1589, is responsible for the discovery of the scuppernong vine. In the centuries that would follow this grape’s discovery, the wine industry in North Carolina blossomed, and by the turn of the 20th century 25 different wineries practiced their trade across this great state. Led by the smash success of the Virginia Dare label, a Scuppernong based wine, North Carolina would become one of the top wine-producing regions in the country. The state would soon start to go dry however, with Prohibition completely shutting the wine industry down and all attention suddenly diverted to bootlegging moonshine from wine bottles to mason jars.

North Carolina Wine Industry

It has taken some time for North Carolina to rebuild their wine industry, but today the focus has turned to producing both native Muscadine, and European Vitis vinifera varietals. There are currently 186 wineries with over 525 individually owned vineyards on 2,300 acres in existence. By 2003 the first American Viticultural Area was established in Yadkin Valley with its proximity to the Yadkin River allowing many different grape varieties to thrive in soils once planted primarily to tobacco. Today there are 5 AVA’s in North Carolina. Though these AVA’s are currently only regional designations, it’d be wise to keep them in mind, since some wineries do import their grapes from other states/regions.

Being a sommelier in North Carolina and not being able to elaborate at length about the beautiful wine made here had me feeling a bit guilty. A friend recommended that I should check out Assorted Table, a local fine wine shop in Charlotte that features a great selection of North Carolina wine. My biggest surprise was the range of varietals that are grown in North Carolina. I never expected to find among them Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Vermentino, and Viognier, just to name a few.

The view at Jones von Drehle Vineyards & Winery

North Carolina Wine Tasting

One of the wineries featured here was Jones von Drehle, with their estate vineyard and winery located about an hour and a half drive north of Charlotte. The two founding couples of the winery are in-laws, and they began their journey in 2007 when they found the perfect location for a vineyard in Thurmond, North Carolina. Their desire is to create European-styled wines from their 30-acre estate vineyard in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. They have won multiple awards for their wines, including ‘Best Rosé’ in North Carolina for the past 3 years at the N.C. Fine Wine festival. I brought home a few of their selections, including their 2017 Tempranillo and Dulcimer Rosé made from Mourvèdre. The Tempranillo is ruby colored with a garnet rim and is aged in French oak for 30 months. I assume that this wine saw mostly used barrels, as the oak is highly integrated and not overpowering in the least. On the nose spice and cedar are center stage, but the fruit shines on the palate, with notes of dried cherry, plum and enticing dusty tannins.

Raffaldini Vineyards caught my attention because of their focus on Italian varietals. They currently feature Vermentino, Sangiovese, Sagrantino, Montelpuciano, and Petit Verdot, all of which are grown on their sprawling 102 acre estate. As I tend to be drawn to red wines, especially Italian varietals, I was not left disappointed in the least. I tasted a line-up of their most popular reds and the Bella Misto was the wine that won me over. The Bella Misto roughly translates from Italian to “Beautiful Mix” and is a blend of all their estate grapes. This wine is a crowd pleaser for sure! The ripe fruit and savory herbs blended with smoky oak and a harmoniously vibrant acidity, keeping me coming back for more.

Appassimento Method

One of the challenges for North Carolina winemakers is the abundance of rainfall in the region. Raffaldini Vineyards has implemented the Appassimento Method in the winemaking process to cope with the excessive water. This process is an ancient Italian method of dehydrating grapes on drying racks that encourages airflow around the grapes. In addition to the complexity and depth of flavor which the Appassimento method lends to the wine, it also reduces the overall water weight by 20-30%. Raffaldini Vineyards count among one of the few wineries in the United States that utilize this method and have even begun to dry their white grapes as well.

I am so excited about the bright future of North Carolina wine! The state’s wines have taken me by surprise, and I know the wineries and winemakers will only continue to hone their craft. Now maybe some of my wine friends will come and visit here with the lure of great wine and beautiful scenery.

All photos courtesy of Annie Tackett