It’s no longer an oxymoron to refer to “fine wines from the South.” Think real wine made from the abundant grapevine Vitis vinifera, like chardonnay, viognier and cabernet.
Granted, it’s taken the South a while to be able to offer respectable wines from their own vineyards. Two centuries ago, Thomas Jefferson tried in vain. After sipping his way through the esteemed wine-producing regions of France, Italy and Germany while serving as the American minister to the court of Louis XVI, he brought home cuttings to his Monticello estate, thinking the hills and soil outside Charlottesville, Virginia, were similar to European vineyards. If only he had known about replanting on American rootstock that’s more resistant to native pests.
Credit modern enology and more than a little passion for the South’s success. The best wineries in three Southern states in particular—Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia—are located in the undulating hills just east of the Blue Ridge mountains, a “shadow” that protects the region from extreme cold, and where the elevation keeps the worst summer heat away. And with a lot of hard work and money invested, their bottles keep winning awards and fans.
It’s easy to get hooked on visiting the South’s boutique wineries and those with huge tasting rooms. With all the essentials of a great road trip—scenic byways, charming places to stay, good food—you also get the chance to sample some wines only available at their source. You’d think you were in Napa if it weren’t for the Southern accents.
Virginia
Just as Jefferson thought, Monticello is great for grapes—with help from modern agricultural techniques. As Virginia’s largest “wine trail,” Monticello is home to 21 wineries in and around the greater Charlottesville area that are open to visitors.
Up the snaky Constitution Highway (Hwy. 20), a gorgeous drive, the first stop is Barboursville Vineyards. Jefferson designed its grand mansion featuring his signature architectural detail, an octagon, in the shape of the drawing room. The house burned in 1884, but its charred ruins lend a romantic dignity to the vineyard. A country inn now nestles beside it, and there’s an acclaimed restaurant, Palladio.
As in many wine regions, here you have to think global but drink local. This vineyard is owned by Italy’s Zonin family. Gianni Zonin fell in love with the property while on vacation in 1976 with his wife. Italian standbys like pinot grigio, barbera and sangiovese are among the European varietals planted on 142 of the estate’s 830 acres. Luca Paschina, who moved from Italy’s Piemonte to Virginia’s Piedmont, is Barboursville’s winemaker.
Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard is the pet project of socialite/philanthropist Patricia Kluge and her husband William Moses, who hired one of the most internationally respected winemakers, Michel Rolland, as consultant. Any tasting should include a sample of the New World Red Bordeaux-style blend. Kluge’s 3,000 acres are dotted with vineyards and a “housing” development (each estate has its own vineyard). Dominating the Farm Shop are gourmet foods to go, gorgeous pastries, artisanal cheeses and delectable jams made from fruits grown on the estate.
Down more country roads to the cozy village of Crozet (pronounced cro-ZAY) is King Family Vineyards, founded in 1999 by a farming couple from Texas with University of Virginia ties. The flat area adjacent to the tasting room/winery is a polo field where David King can drum up a match most summer Sundays. You can watch from their wrap-around porch or cozy up to the fireplace with complimentary tastings of their Roseland, a blend of chardonnay and viognier that made me wish for crabmeat in butter. Their spicy cabernet franc is likewise a winner. Winemaker Michael Shaps has also bottled a merlot in his name.
Veritas Winery is, in a word, mesmerizing. The elegant tasting room offers comfy leather sofas and a fireplace, while a covered porch, gazebo and picnic tables all overlook the vineyard. There’s bistro food available. The vines and wine are a family affair, tended by former neurologist Andrew Hodson, his wife Patricia and daughter Emily Pelton, who holds a master’s of enology from Virginia Tech. Emily’s Kenmar white won the Women Winemakers’ Judges’ Choice Award at the 2007 National Women’s Wine Competition. The petit verdot is their star red varietal. Mousseux is their highly rated sparkling wine nursed along by Claude Thibaut, a renowned consultant from France’s Champagne region.
Elsewhere, along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Milepost 171, look for Château Morrisette and stop in to taste their delightful “Dog” wines; you’re likely to meet Lucky, a reminder of why some proceeds from the winery’s sales go to train service dogs. Villa Appalaccia grows Italian varietals and offers olive oil brought back from the owners’ second home in Tuscany. Both have lovely tasting rooms and interesting wines.
North Carolina
Since 2000, North Carolina has more than doubled the amount of land used to grow grapes. Most of the 55 wineries embrace the concept of agritourism with gusto.
Off Interstate 77 at Dobson is Shelton Vineyards in Yadkin Valley, the state’s first American Viticultural Area (AVA) appellation. They’ve made strides with their Estate Chardonnay, a delightful riesling and a well-rounded cabernet sauvignon.
This former dairy farm has over 200 acres planted with European varietals, making it one of the largest vineyards on the East Coast. It’s hard not to be impressed with the seemingly endless rows of trellised vines and wind turbines, as well as the huge, beautifully built winery. Gravity flow moves the wine, and American, French and Hungarian oak barrels are stored Old World–style. The Harvest Grill offers bistro-style lunch and dinner, with a deck overlooking the vineyards. There’s a concert series near the willow-lined stream during the summer, and a new hotel nearby.
One of the smallest wineries in Yadkin Valley is Elkin Creek Vineyard. Its restaurant, The Kitchen, turns out paninis, pizza and braised meats from its brick, wood-fired oven to pair with the winery’s barbera, pinot grigio and chardonnay. Across the creek a neighbor rents cabins for overnight stays.
Near Yadkinville, at Hanover Park Vineyard, Amy Helton runs the tasting room in a tiny farmhouse (ca. 1897). She and husband Michael were art teachers, and you can admire their labels graced with his talents. The 2005 viognier has scents of citrus and honeysuckle and chardonnay aged in Hungarian oak. All of the winery’s reds, including a robust mourvedre and a Bordeaux blend, are barrel-aged for at least three years in used oak that imparts just a subtle flavor.
Following the river nearby, Westbend Vineyards produced the first North Carolina wines to be taken seriously. They began growing grapes for others in 1972, then planted European varietals for their own wines and released their first bottle in 1990. Noted wine critic Robert Parker has praised past vintages of their chardonnay, their seyval and a “spicy, herbal cassis and chocolate-scented and flavored cabernet sauvignon.”
In just a few years, NASCAR legend Richard Childress has raced to the forefront of North Carolina’s wine scene. Seems he sipped his way through California while on breaks from the racetracks, then decided to give winemaking a spin back home in Lexington. Childress Vineyards looks like a huge, Tuscan villa rising from 65 acres of gravelly clay soil planted with nine European varietals. The winery boasts a bistro, banquet facilities and an elegant tasting room where tours begin. The Childress 2004 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon finished first in its pairing during a recent blind tasting that pitted seven North Carolina wines against seven from California, Italy and Germany, all matched by varietal and all but one by price.
Near the Blue Ridge Parkway, you can tour the nation’s largest private residence and then the winery at Biltmore Estate in Asheville. Most of the grapes used are grown on the estate, with a French winemaker at the helm. Their sparkling blanc de blanc is excellent.
Georgia
North Georgia’s Dahlonega Highlands has terra rosa Georgia soil, made of decaying granite and red clay, with “Tallapoosa Cobbly” in some spots that resembles the large stones found in the Rhône Valley. With an elevation at 1,700 feet or more, the air stays cooler during the day, and steep slopes provide good drainage.
Frogtown Cellars is one of several wineries near the beginning of the Appalachian Trail and the gold rush town of Dahlonega, using a tri-level gravity flow system to turn out winning marsanne, rousanne and chardonnay. The spacious tasting room and bistro (weekends only) offer sublime mountain vistas.
Three Sisters Vineyards and Winery sits just up the hill with a view of its namesake mountain trio. French barrels provide subtle flavors for their chardonnay, while their French American hybrid, vidal blanc, is stored in stainless steel to create a crisp white with apple flavors. The winery hosts the Georgia Wine Country Festival in June.
BlackStock Vineyards features an Appalachian-style lodge with a three-sided stovepipe fireplace, where you can sip their viognier, nebbiolo or sangiovese while enjoying great views of the Blue Ridge. There’s a small deli with baked goods, too. Wolf Mountain Vineyards is another worthy stop in the Frogtown district.
Swing up to the steep, rocky hills of Rabun County to Tiger Mountain Vineyards and taste the floral, peachy yet firm petit manseng and their soft and fruity cabernet franc.
You might just want to book a stay at the elegant Château Élan Winery & Resort near Braselton. The classic French chateau houses the winery, a bistro, a fine restaurant, a wine market, the tasting room as well as a luxurious spa. There’s also a cooking school. The wines have been recognized by Wine Spectator magazine.
The Long and Wine-ing Road
VIRGINIA
Barboursville Vineyards
540-832-3824
King Family Vineyards
434-823-7800
Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard
434-984-4855
Veritas Winery
540-456-8000
Château Morrisette
540-593-2865
Villa Appalaccia
540-593-3100
NORTH CAROLINA
Shelton Vineyards
336-366-4724
Elkin Creek Vineyard
336-526-5119
Hanover Park Vineyard
336-463-2875
Westbend Vineyards
336-945-5032
Childress Vineyards
336-236-9463
Biltmore Estate
800-624-1575
GEORGIA
Frogtown Cellars
706-865-0687
Three Sisters Vineyards and Winery
706-865-9463
BlackStock Vineyards & Winery
706-219-2789
Wolf Mountain Vineyards
706-867-9862
Tiger Mountain Vineyards
706-782-4777
Château Élan Winery & Resort
800-233-9463
Jefferson’s Legacy
Thanks to Thomas Jefferson’s efforts, Virginia is considered the birthplace of American wine. If you’re planning a visit, first stop by www.monticellowinetrail.org.
Street Smarts
We know you’ve heard it before, but it bears repeating: Please, don’t drink and drive. We hope you find this story helpful, but we also hope you’ll do the right thing as you’re enjoying the fruit of the vine.—Ed.
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