Shallow Ford Wine Trail
Brandon Hills Vineyard, Hanover Park Vineyard, Misty Creek Farm & Vineyards, Medaloni Cellars
This trail is located just west of Winston-Salem. Bring a picnic to eat on the deck at Brandon Hills; sample wine on the porch of an 1897 farmhouse-turned-tasting room at Hanover Park; try the award-winning Chardonnay — and maybe meet some friendly winery pups — at Misty Creek; and settle into the Adirondack chairs and gather ’round the firepit at Medaloni.
Southern Gateway Wine Trail
Childress Vineyards, Native Vines Winery, Junius Lindsay Vineyard, Weathervane Winery
These wineries are located around Lexington — a plus if you have a hankering for barbecue as well as vino. Take a tour of Childress, a winery owned by NASCAR team owner Richard Childress; try an award-winning Cabernet Franc at the country’s first Native American-owned winery, Native Vines; stroll the picturesque grounds at Junius Lindsay; and listen to live music at Weathervane.
Yadkin River Wine Trail
Flint Hill Vineyards, Divine Llama Vineyards, Cellar 4201, RagApple Lassie Vineyards, Sanders Ridge Winery
This trail follows the Yadkin River. Explore the grounds at Flint Hill, a designated Century Farm; meet fuzzy friends at Divine Llama, where a herd of 60 llamas grazes among the grapes; sip Sangiovese at Cellar 4201; sample a selection of Ashe County Cheese at RagApple Lassie, a family tobacco farm-turned-vineyard; and take a peek at the organic vegetable garden at Sanders Ridge.
There are dozens of wineries in the Yadkin Valley. For more itinerary ideas, visit ncwine.org/winetrails.
Why does this Haywood County town have some of the cleanest water in the state? It’s the result of the community’s efforts to keep the forests in its watershed pristine.
The spectacular views in North Carolina’s High Country aren’t just inspiration for writers, painters, and sculptors. Those landscapes — the rugged gray face of Grandfather Mountain, the vibrant fall leaves, the deep green meadows — are brushstrokes on Earth’s own canvas.
The sprawling vineyards and wide-open skies that stretch for miles across seven North Carolina counties offer relaxing getaways — not to mention some of the state’s finest wines — for Sunday drivers aching to escape the rush of city life.
Nothing lasts forever — and that’s what makes many of our cherished moments so special.
