According to a news release from the French Broad Vignerons, 14 commercial wineries in the region have joined the effort to increase the public perception of regional wines, to make regional wines more available to the public, and to increase wine, cider and cheese tourism.
The wineries are mostly boutique wineries with relatively limited production. Regardless of size, all the wineries are producers of medal-winning wines showcasing North Carolina vineyards and fruit, the release states.
Access to the wineries may be accomplished by personal tours by car or by using one or all of the three wine trail tours established by the French Broad Vignerons and The Trolley Company of Hendersonville. In mid-July wine tours will begin to 10 wineries on three distinct wine trails — Catawba Valley Wine Trail, Elevations Wine Trail and the Gourmet Wine Trail. All tours originate at the Westgate Regional Shopping Center in Asheville.
The Gourmet Trail features a light French meal at the Fontaine Vineyard prepared by a well-known French chef, a taste of an award-winning hard cider at St. Paul Mountain Vineyard, and a regional cheese service will be offered at the Addison Farms Winery featuring regional cheeses provided by The Cheese Shop of Asheville. Five wines will be tasted at each winery.
The Elevations Trail celebrates the diversity of the mountains and the foothills. Some of the vineyards on this trail are located at an altitude of over 3,000 feet, while others are at 2,000 and 1,000. Wineries include Mountain Brook, Parker-Binns and Burntshirt. Five wines will be sampled at each winery. An artisan cheese service will be offered at the Parker-Binns Winery.
The Catawba Valley Wine Trail explores four wineries in the area around Morganton. The wineries include, South Creek, Belle Nicho, Silver Fork and Lake James. On most days, there is is a good chance tourists will able to speak to the winemaker while tasting five wines at each location. An artisan cheese service will be offered at the Silver Fork Winery featuring regional cheeses provided by The Cheese Shop of Asheville.
Tickets and information are available using links on frenchbroadvignerons.org and thetrolleycompany.com websites. Tickets are available exclusively through localwineevents.com. Tours are also listed and linked at ExploreAsheville.com. Award-winning wines will be featured throughout the tour.
The following 14 wineries are commercial members of the French Broad Vignerons:
Addison Farms Winery, Leicester
Biltmore Wines, Asheville
Burntshirt Vineyards, Hendersonville
Fontaine Vineyards, Marshall
Jones von Drehle, Thurmond
Lake James Cellars, Glen Alpine
Mountain Brook Vineyards, Tryon
Parker-Binns Vineyard, Mill Spring
Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards, Hendersonville
Belle Nicho Winery, Nebo
Silver Fork Winery and Vineyard, Morganton
South Creek Vineyards and Winery, Nebo
Treehouse Vineyards, Monroe
WoodMill, Vale
Jones von Drehle and Fontaine Vineyards are the latest members to join French Broad Vignerons.
Railroad wine tour
The organization also has established the MacNeil Uncorked Wine Experience jointly with the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad. Wines of the French Broad Vignerons wineries are poured exclusively on the MacNeill Uncorked.
This experience includes seven wines, a three-course dinner, and a four-hour train trip through the Great Smoky Mountains to the Nantahala Gorge or Dillsboro.
Passengers ride in the luxurious MacNeill Dining Car that is fully restored to its 1940s and ’50s elegance. Because of public demand, two additional trips were scheduled, bringing the total number of trips to five. Four of the trips have sold out, but there are seats left on the Nov. 28 event. Tickets are available at www.gsmr.com
To learn more about the French Broad Vignerons, please visit www.FrenchBroadVignerons.org or their blog: www.FrenchBroadVignerons.Blogspot.com
North Carolina has 218 licensed wineries (including 24 cider makers) and more than 450 commercial vineyards that contributed over $1.2 billion to the state economy in 2009 and provided more than 5,400 jobs.
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