North Carolina wineries fill the Appalachian Valley
and dot the countryside throughout the state. The rural
nature of North Carolina and the general abundance of
sun and warm weather in many areas makes North Carolina
an ideal place to grow grapes for wine and for tourists
to spend time tasting and purchasing the wine. North Carolina
wine is making a name for itself throughout the world
of wine, making North Carolina winery tours an increasingly
popular way to spend a North
Carolina vacation. Wineries North Carolina typically
plant grapes for Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah,
Chardonnay and a few other white wines. Thanks to the
temperatures of parts of North Carolina, North Carolina
wineries tend to be free from the limitations of colder
areas.
One trend throughout North Carolina wineries that travelers won’t usually find in the Napa Valley is the idea of wineries that are also restaurants. For travelers planning an entire vacation around North Carolina wine tours, this is a great way to try some wine and also grab some food. The Bistro Restaurant at Dublin Winery in Rose Hill is a great example of one such setup. This North Carolina winery serves salads, steaks and burgers alongside the wines they create right onsite. There is also a separate winery with free wine-tasting available in an attached building. Check this North Carolina winery out during the day or at night for a great dinner.
One of the most popular wineries North Carolina offers in the city of Asheville is the Biltmore Estate Winery. Open year round, the Biltmore also combines the taste of North Carolina wine with delicious food (all organic) at its attached restaurant. Not only does the Biltmore Estate make great wine onsite, but almost all of the food presented in their cozy restaurant is grown out back in their own garden. This winery is also open all year and accommodates free wine tasting during the day (beginning at 11am and continuing until 4pm).
While these are only a few of the many North Carolina wineries found throughout the state, in general travelers can expect wineries to remain open for tasting throughout the year. The atmosphere of restaurants and good food lends itself to winter fun as well as summer fun, making North Carolina winery vacations possible all year long. Wine tours can be booked from most major cities, and are particularly prevalent in Asheville, Greensboro and Charlotte. Wineries in North Carolina also almost never charge for wine tasting, so feel free to leave your cash in the car and simply bring along a credit card for those big wine bottle purchases.
