McRitchie Winery and Ciderworks
Thurmond, N.C.

Sean McRitchie grew up in the vineyards of Oregon and Washington. His father was a winemaker, and Sean was determined to have a winery of his own someday. He traveled to a variety of global wine regions to learn viticulture and winemaking. Sean and his wife Patricia opened their winery in 2006. McRitchie makes an award-winning hard cider as well as a few noteworthy wines. The Ring of Fire is a merlot and sangiovese blend that is balanced all around; the sparkling rosé is refreshing, subtle. Stretch your comfort zone and sip on either the Fallingwater White (vidal blanc grape) or the petit manseng. The tasting room is open Friday – Sunday from 12 – 5 p.m. Pack a picnic lunch or a few snacks – no food is available.

Jones Von Drehle
Thurmond, N.C.  

The owners are the Jones family and the Von Drehle family. The winery opened in 2007. I distinctly remember tasting their viognier at Heirloom restaurant around 2012, and was very impressed with the quality.  This award-winning winery has 30 acres planted in vitis vinifera grapes. The rock stars are viognier, cabernet franc, and unoaked chardonnay. No outside food allowed. RSVPs highly recommended. They discourage groups of 7 or more. Tasting room: Wednesday – Saturday from 11 a.m.-5 p..m; Sunday 12-5 p.m. They have a concert series through October. Check their website for more details. Stone Mountain State Park is 10 minutes away if you want to work off your tasting before you move on to your next visit.

Raffaldini Vineyards
Ronda, N.C.

A view of Raffaldini’s vineyards in the fall. Photo by Thomas Salley

The Raffaldini heritage can be traced back to the time of Virgil. Their ancestors have farmed in Mantua, Italy for centuries. This is one of the most beautiful wineries in the state. The grapes are mostly Italian based, such as sangiovese, sagrantino, and vermentino. These grapes have adapted well to the climate in Ronda. Tastings are for groups of 8 or less; reservations recommended. Raffaldini offers vineyard tours by reservation. You can bring a picnic spread if you eat outside – they offer prepackaged deli food such as cheese plates, charcuterie, crackers, and sandwiches. Young children and dogs are not allowed. Hours: Monday, Wednesday – Saturday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday 12-5 p.m.. They have a Fiesta Italiana the third week of September with music, food, and wine.

Laurel Gray
Hamptonville, N.C.

The Myers family have farmed these 152 acres since 1773, growing produce and tobacco. The switch to growing grapes allowed the Myers to build a legacy that could be passed on to their children. The tasting room opened in 2003. They grow a variety of vitis vinifera. I have enjoyed their viognier, petit verdot, and pinot gris. They have a rotating roster of food trucks on their property most Saturdays and Sundays – check the website. They also make and sell a variety of marinades and dressings; their Artisan Vinaigrette is always in my pantry as it is tasty on hearty salads or grilled vegetables.

I recommend that you limit the number of wineries that you visit to three. If you taste three to four wines, at the end of three tastings you will have consumed 18 – 24 ounces, just shy of a full bottle of wine. If you want to stay overnight in this region, there is a Hampton Inn in Elkin, or cottages and B&Bs sprinkled around the area. It is about 1.5 hours from Charlotte to the Yadkin/Swan Valley wine region.

 The opportunity to stay overnight would facilitate a second day of wine tasting. You can start your day with a hearty brunch at Harvest Grill on the Shelton Vineyards property. The food is very good, and there is a lot of variety. The winery tours and tastings vary in price, and reservations are highly recommended. The wine store at Shelton has some lovely wine-themed products that could be thoughtful gifts for your wine-loving friends, or a treat for your home wine bar. 

Shelton Vineyards
Dobson, N.C.

Charlie and Ed Shelton were raised in Surry County and Mt. Airy, and became prominent leaders in Charlotte real estate development and construction. They were leaders in assisting with transition from tobacco farming to grape growing in Surry County. They have about 200 acres under vine, and were instrumental in having the first AVA approved in North Carolina, the Yadkin Valley American Viticultural Area. The Shelton winery is the largest family-owned winery in North Carolina. The sparkling wines are well made, and I have always been a fan of their riesling. Open daily.