Quick History of North Carolina Wines

Many out-of-state visitors to North Carolina expect NC wines to simply be overly sweet or lacking in complexity. This is a myth. North Carolina has a plethora of amazing producers and a storied past in winemaking. Keep reading to learn more about the history of wine in North Carolina.

Early Cultivation of North Carolina Wine

Known as the Mothervine, cultivation of a massive scuppernong vine began around 1584 on Roanoke Island near Manteo. This massive grapevine is likely the oldest in all of North Carolina and is thought to have been planted by either Croatan Native Americans or settlers of the Lost Colony of Roanoke.

The “Mothervine” is called that because it is thought to be the mother of all scuppernong grape vines. Fast forward to the beginning of the 20th century, and you have a state that is leading the nation in wine production, producing sweet muscadine-based wines.

Prohibition and Resurgence

As prohibition was enacted, the wine industry fell apart throughout the country, including in North Carolina. Over the last 20 years, winemaking in North Carolina has made a huge resurgence, with several winemaking regions developing new techniques, refined planting choices and moving away from the sweet wines of the early days of North Carolina wine.

Even with such a short history when it comes to winemaking, North Carolina producers have built something incredibly special.

North Carolina Wine Regions

North Carolina is home to five American Viticulture Areas or AVA’s. These are designated wine-grape growing areas throughout the US. They include:

Yadkin Valley
Swan Creek
Haw River Valley
Upper Hiwassee Highlands
Appalachian High Country

In addition to the five traditional AVAs, there are parts of the southern mountains of North Carolina that have come together under the Crest of the Blue Ridge AVA pending approval.

Top North Carolina Wineries

Banner Elk Winery

Set in the high country of North Carolina, Banner Elk Winery began its operations in 2005. They produce excellent wines that reflect the unique characteristics of the Blue Ridge Mountains while planting vineyards with French-American and American varieties of grapes.

Raffaldini Vineyards

One of the most well-known Wineries in North Carolina, Raffaldini is a 102-acre estate backdropped by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. They offer a variety of bold, dry reds and delicate, complex white wines, all made from authentic Italian varietals.

Biltmore Winery

A lovely vineyard and winery are located on the grounds of one of the largest estates in the United States. In the 1970s, The Biltmore Winery converted a portion of the Biltmore Estate's grounds into a ground-breaking winery. They effectively established how we view North Carolina wine and have since grown to be a well-known brand.

The expansive Biltmore Estate includes a tour of the winery and a wine tasting as part of the admission price. There is an additional ticket that allows you access to a behind-the-scenes tour of the winery if you would prefer a more specialized experience.

Metro Wines - Your Ticket to Incredible Wine in Asheville, NC

Look no further than Metro Wines if you're looking for a premier, locally-owned wine store! We offer a wide range of unique wines that are hard to find, as well as wines from regional producers. We are available to assist you in selecting the perfect wine for any meal or event.

We always have wine specialists on staff who can respond to your inquiries, offer suggestions, and coordinate with your caterer or event coordinator.

We provide a wide range of events and tastings in addition to our large wine selection. We host social events, scheduled tastings, and wine seminars each month. For information on upcoming events, weekly tastings, and special occasions, keep an eye on our website.

Visit MetroWines to add to your collection, and browse our online store while you're there. We look forward to serving you!