In the early days of Cypress Bend Vineyards, Jazzy Fridays were just that — musicians playing jazz in the vineyard’s tank room. But the intimate event grew over the years and today as many as 500 guests flock to the vineyard for beach tunes and a dance floor. For co-founder Tina White, wine and live music go hand in hand.
Scotland County offers its own escape into wine country, no plane ticket required. Photography courtesy of Cypress Bend Vineyards
The Wagram business takes pride in the wines it makes from native grapes, carving out its own distinct style from traditional muscadine wines. “Muscadine is known as a sweet wine, but that’s not the way it comes out of the tank. It comes out dry,” White says, who started the business with her late husband, Dan, in the early 2000s. “When we took over making our wines, we decided we had to do something different.” Take the Catherine, for instance, a bold — but not heady — semi-sweet white wine that complements toe-tapping and socializing particularly well.
That’s the sort of fun North Carolina wine threads together. From Norlina to Emerald Isle, read on for six more wineries that offer fresh ways to elevate the drink in your glass.
Discover Muscadine wineries across the coastal plain. Explore the NC Wine producers directory to find nearby tasting rooms, plan your route, and uncover hidden gems. Your next favorite winery is closer than you think.
Pump the brakes for a refreshing stop in Rose Hill. Photography courtesy of Duplin Winery
Duplin Winery’s owners didn’t plan to make wine when they decided to grow muscadines 50 years ago. It was the 1970s, and brothers Dave Sr. and Dan Fussell had planted 10 acres of grapes, enticed by the promise of fetching $350 per ton at market.
Four years into the venture, their vines were laden with fruit and the price of grapes dropped by almost a half. In a move to cut their losses, the brothers decided to turn their grapes into wine. Now, Duplin Winery is the largest producer of muscadine wines in the world.
Known for its nectar-like libations, Duplin’s best seller, Carolina Red, fits right into the profile. This silky, crowd-pleasing blend of late harvest muscadines has even become a standout ingredient in flavorful meals, according to Jonathan Fussell, Dave Sr.’s son and co-owner of the vineyard.
In fact, many of Duplin’s wines play an active role in seasoning the dishes at the winery’s Rose Hill Bistro. In one favorite recipe, the winery’s Magnolia, a three-time winner of the NC Muscadine Cup, is used as a marinade for chicken. The sugar and alcohol both tenderize and infuse the meat with flavor. Once grilled, the chicken is topped with a sauce made with Carolina Red jelly and a touch more wine for a sumptuous finish.
Gain a new appreciation for the drink in your glass as you sip Hinnant Family Vineyards’ Electric Pelican and stroll past rows of muscadine vines. Photography courtesy of Hinnant Family Vineyards
Hinnant Family Vineyards in Pine Level, tasting room manager Ashley Nichols is especially fond of the Electric Pelican, a semi-sweet blend of pink Catawba and Carlos grapes. The pink Catawba variety, another grape native to North America, balances the Carlos — a white muscadine — with bright acidity. “It’s sweet in the beginning and acidic at the end,” she says.
Pour a glass of Southern Pink to try more of Hinnant Family Vineyards’ muscadine blends. Photography courtesy of Hinnant Family Vineyards
Unlike the heavier sweetness often associated with traditional muscadine wines, Nichols says that Electric Pelican offers a lighter, brighter flavor that pairs beautifully with steamed shrimp and oysters. Served chilled, it’s ideal for sipping on warm summer afternoons while enjoying fresh seafood from food trucks on the vineyard patio.
Although Hinnant Family Vineyards sits about two hours from the coast, food trucks regularly bring coastal flavors to the Johnston County tasting room. Each March, the vineyard hosts an oyster roast, and this fall, the Harvest Festival will feature steamed oysters and shrimp for the first time.
In addition to sweet and semi-dry muscadine wines, Seven Springs Farm and Vineyard also makes Bordeaux-style wines, such as merlot and cabernet sauvignon. Photography courtesy of Seven Springs Farm and Vineyard
Named for the seven naturally formed springs on its property, Seven Springs Farm and Vineyard in Warren County produces muscadine along with European-style wines. One of their popular muscadine wines, Ridgeway Passion, takes its name from nearby Ridgeway, a town renowned for its sweet cantaloupes. The sweet white wine highlights the flavors of the Carlos muscadine grape and captures its intoxicating fragrance.
Elevates the tasting experience with regular live music events and special happenings at Seven Springs. Photography courtesy of Seven Springs Farm and Vineyard
Need a pairing idea? Try eastern North Carolina barbecue. The wine’s sweetness cuts through the rich pulled pork and melds with the vinegary sauce for a sweet-and-sour combination. Visitors can experience the pairing firsthand at the vineyard’s BBQ, Blues & Brews event on July 25, where music, wine, and food combine for a fun day outdoors.
Rising over the Currituck Sound to the east, the morning sun warms the rows of vines at Sanctuary Vineyards. photograph by Jason Dowdy
On a Vineyard Voyage to Sanctuary Vineyards, you’ll depart from Duck by boat and cruise across the Currituck Sound to reach the mainland.
Once on land, the tour continues aboard an open-air 4×4 safari truck. Travel through wetlands and farmland to reach your destination — the award-winning Jarvisburg winery and vineyards, where syrah, tempranillo, and viognier grapes laden the rows of vines.
Swing by the tasting room at Sanctuary Vineyards to try their collection of award-winning red and white wines. photograph by Brooke Mayo Photographers
Your tour takes you behind the scenes at the vineyard, where you’ll indulge in a personalized wine sampling and a walk through the grape vines. Sanctuary’s best-selling Wild Pony White blends chardonnel, chardonnay, pinot gris, sauvignon blanc, and viognier grapes and tastes as crisp and refreshing as the breeze off the sound.
At Going Coastal Wine, a tasting room perched along the causeway between Morehead City and Atlantic Beach, visitors can sip beside the water with a lightly chilled glass of Beach Red as boats drift across the sound. At sunset, the view becomes even more memorable as streaks of orange and pink settle across the horizon.
The tasting room serves wines from Hendersonville’s Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards, including Queen, a lighter-bodied Bordeaux blend well suited for warm afternoons by the water. “It’s a fruit-forward red that’s only oaked for six months,” Barbara Walker says, part of the mother-daughter team behind Going Coastal Wine. The result is an easy-drinking red with enough brightness to enjoy after a day on the beach.
Going Coastal also pours North Carolina craft beers, Appalachian Ridge hard ciders, sangria, and colorful mimosas. During the hottest months, visitors keep cool with frozen wine drinks and wine floats — red wine poured over raspberry sorbet — while lingering outdoors to catch the evening breeze off the water.
Complement your tasting experience with a customizable cheese and charcuterie board. Photography courtesy of Mountain Brook Vineyards
The Tryon-based Mountain Brook Vineyards has found a second home in Emerald Isle with its family- and dog-friendly tasting room. Just a short stroll from the beach, the relaxed space offers a full selection of wines alongside fruity sangrias and frosé, a frozen wine slushie made with the vineyard’s chardonnay or its top-selling Allin, a lighter red blend with notes of cherry, pomegranate, and raspberry.
Children can cool off with alcohol-free slushies while adults linger over chilled glasses before heading toward the shore. On warm afternoons, visitors often carry their drinks beachside, where salty air and the sound of crashing waves pair naturally with a frosty frosé and a walk in the sand.
Ready for a toast? Click here to learn more about where to find muscadine wines and more in North Carolina and all the ways you can enjoy them.
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