Halfway Between Asheville And Greenville Is A Hidden Blue Ridge Mountain Wine Region With Unmatched Beauty

A hidden mountain wine region between Asheville, North Carolina and Greenville, South Carolina is raising eyebrows among oenophiles (or wine connoisseurs) for complex vintages crafted from grapes common in Europe, as well as wine crafted from French-American hybrid grapes and some grapes that are native to the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Tarheel state. The small, mountainous wine-growing district, officially recognized as the Crest of the Blue Ridge Henderson County American Viticultural Area in 2019, consists of seven wineries as of 2024, and, while still small at just 215 square miles, it is producing several varieties of wine and attracting more and more wine-centric tourists to this special part of Appalachia.

The designation of the "new" AVA in North Carolina adds to the growing appeal of wine and wine tourism across the area, from this breathtaking Virginia destination that blends award-winning wines with centuries of history, south to the Blue Ridge foothills in northern Georgia where the term "wine country" is taking on a whole new meaning in the American Southeast. Indeed, an enthusiastic wine tourist could craft an impressive weeklong tour from Georgia north to Virginia, and a stop in Hendersonville, North Carolina, would put them right in the middle of this fledgling AVA that shows lots of promise.

Vinifera are common grapes grown throughout Europe, and they're a "staple" grape in the Crest of the Blue Ridge AVA, as well. But vintners in the AVA, which is only about an hour and 45-minute drive from Charlotte, are constantly experimenting, and trying other varieties of grapes, including some native to the region, as they produce wines ranging from red cabernets and sweet Rieslings and even chardonnays. One vineyard, the Stone Ashe Vineyard, sits at 2,700 feet above sea level among fields planted with vines cloned from Bordeaux in France. Stone Ashe specializes in dry wines made from the Bordeaux grapes.

Other vineyards in the AVA aren't just leaning on grapes for their delightful wine creations. Point Lookout Vineyard and World's Edge Meadery, as the name would suggest, produces 11 dry and semi-sweet wines ranging from a dry Riesling to its own rosé, as well as six varieties of mead made from regional honey. Still other vineyards in the AVA, like the Sawyer Springs Vineyard, are small, family-owned operations that produce small batches of wine from grapes that take advantage of the Appalachian terroir that features elevation and slope changes that occur within a climate zone that's not too hot and not too cold. This, the vintners say, allows the vines to focus on the grapes, instead of the vine itself growing too quickly. This environment is common throughout Appalachia, including in Georgia's wine country at this underrated mountain getaway.

Honest-to-goodness oenophiles — or just plain, old wine-curious tourists — can craft a delightful day-long tour of the Crest of the Blue Ridge Wine Trail. There are several transportation options, ranging from The Trolley Company that can cater to a large group of visitors, to the more intimate Regal Ride that incorporates a swank Mercedes Sprinter into visits to North Carolina's wine country. For a more immersive experience of the wineries, Burnt Shirt Vineyards offers lodging options so guests can sample the wines and then stay for a night or two to take in the full vineyard experience.

And, amid the hardwood forest and rolling Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, the best time to visit is likely spring or fall. Every May, Hendersonville celebrates the area's vineyards and orchards with its annual Cider, Wine and Dine weekend, which is planned for May 2-4, 2025. Another great time to visit the Crest of the Blue Ridge AVA is in October, when the oaks and hickories of Appalachia start to turn colors and sport deep red and bright orange hues. In fact, one of America's most underrated fall foliage destinations is a North Carolina mountain town. Regardless of the time of year, this relatively young AVA is officially on the wine-making radar, and, with its many varieties of wine stemming from its commitment to traditional European vinifera, it's definitely worth a visit. Make it a day. Make it a weekend. Make it a prominent stop on a larger, more involved wine tour of Appalachia. The region is gaining influence in wine circles, and rightly so.