For a printable checklist of these wineries, click here.
Ever taken a trip to Biltmore Estate and wished you could move in? Well, you can. Kind of. Take a tour of Biltmore’s winery and vineyard, explore the grounds, then venture back to the elegant Inn at Biltmore and live like a Vanderbilt for the night.
1 Lodge Street, Asheville, NC 28803
(800) 411-3812, biltmore.com/winery
Bring a blanket to this winery in the shadow of Grandfather Mountain, buy a bottle of wine to share with your sweetheart, and snuggle up in an Adirondack chair on the banks of the rushing Watauga River — or by the patio firepit.
225 Vineyard Lane, Banner Elk, NC 28604
(828) 963-2400, grandfathervineyard.com
Bundle up for a peaceful walk around the lake at one of the largest vineyards on the East Coast. Then, enjoy dinner and drinks at the on-site restaurant, Harvest Grill.
286 Cabernet Lane, Dobson, NC 27017
(336) 366-4724, sheltonvineyards.com
Explore a historic gristmill on the property and then relax in the creekside tasting room before retiring to your private cabin. And pssst … if you visit on a Sunday, there’s brick-oven pizza.
318 Elkin Creek Mill Road, Elkin, NC 28621
(336) 526-5119, elkincreekvineyard.com
Ooh and ahh at jaw-dropping panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the log cabin-style tasting room, then sip by the outdoor firepit as the sky lights up at sunset.
408 Appleola Road, Hendersonville, NC 28792
(828) 808-8923, pointlookoutvineyards.com
As you stroll the grounds of this seaside farm and winery, keep an eye out for migratory swans and snow geese among the vines.
7005 Caratoke Highway, Jarvisburg, NC 27947
(252) 491-2387, sanctuaryvineyards.com
For a sweet escape with a bird’s-eye view of a vineyard, bring your wine up to a cozy cabin, high in the trees.
301 Bay Street, Monroe, NC 28112
(704) 283-4208, treehousevineyards.com
Settle in at the in-house farm-to- table restaurant and soak in your surroundings: a historic hardware store built in 1890, with original pressed-tin ceilings and solid oak floors.
308 North Main Street, Mount Airy, NC 27030
(336) 789-9463, oldnorthstatewinery.com
Keep warm around the firepit as you snack on cheese and crackers, sip wine, and marvel at a truly incredible view of the iconic pinnacle of Pilot Mountain.
1162 Bradley Road, Pinnacle, NC 27043
(828) 400-9533, pilotmtnvineyards.com
You’ll be transported to the heart of old- world Italy — no passport required — at this stunning Tuscan-style stone and terra-cotta villa, which overlooks 42 acres of vineyards and distant mountains.
450 Groce Road, Ronda, NC 28670
(336) 835-9463, raffaldini.com
Dinner, drinks, and dancing? Check. Enjoy food truck fare and muscadine wine while listening to live music in a heated outdoor tent during “Jazzy Fridays” at this winery overlooking sweeping farmland by the Lumber River.
21904 Riverton Road, Wagram, NC 28396
(910) 369-0411, cypressbendvineyards.com
Cook, read, learn, and celebrate what North Carolina has to offer this month.
Our editor in chief reminisces on her first special-occasion restaurant experience in North Carolina.
In Pitt County, a luthier’s handcrafted guitars are sometimes discolored or full of knots; some are shaped liked snakes or shotguns. Each instrument’s story starts with the wood used to make it. And while the past may have left its scars, beauty can be found in the sights and sounds of art.
The Roanoke begins in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia and travels more than 400 miles before emptying into Albemarle Sound, linking countless lives along the way. Follow along as a native son traces the river’s path through northeastern North Carolina, sharing stories of the Roanoke he knows and loves.
