HAPPY HOLIDAYS! from The Weekend Winers

Virginia Winery Growth IS Nonstop

Virginia has added 7 more wineries to their map since last week bringing the total number of wineries in that state to 187. Congratulations! Visit the link to check their map to find the new additions.
http://www.virginiawine.org/wineries

Virginia Winery Numbers Grow At A Record Pace

Virginia has added 14 Wineries in less than two months to bring their state total to 180.
http://www.virginiawine.org/

North Carolina Wine Industry Continues To Grow; State Map Now at 102

Everyone please welcome another new winery to the state map!

Cauble Creek Vineyard
Salisbury, NC
http://www.caublecreekvineyard.com/

North Carolina Adds 2 Wineries To The Map; Total Now Stands At 101

Please welcome and visit North Carolina's two newest additions.

Starrlight Mead
Pittsboro, NC
http://starrlightmead.com/

Olde Mill Vineyards
Mt. Airy, NC
http://www.oldemillvineyards.com/

2010 Christmas Wine Tour, November 26-December 31. Five Wineries

Flint Hill Vineyards
http://www.flinthillvineyards.com/

Sanders Ridge Winery & Vineyard
http://www.sandersridge.com/

Cellar 4201
http://www.cellar4201.com/

Divine Llama Vineyard
http://www.divinellamavineyards.com/

Rag Apple Lassie Vineyards

Virginia Winery's now 166

Virgina added another winery to the state map to bring the total to 166.

A Change of Pace; The Ant and the Grasshopper

In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest."Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?" "I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same.""Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; we have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing, every day, corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer.Then the Grasshopper knew... It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.

Davesté Vineyard and Art Gallery

Davesté Vineyard and Art Gallery, http://www.daveste.com/ located in Troutman, North Carolina, has the honor of being the first winery to be established in Iredell County.

A beautiful tranquil spot set on 52 acres of country side, this winery is the brainchild of David and Ester DeFur. They began the vineyard in 2005 with the winery opening in 2008. David, the dav of Daveste,’ had ancestry in the wine business as his grandfather had owned a winery in Providence in the country of Georgia. Ester, the este of Daveste,’ is an artist and has her studio on the grounds as well. An artwork is chosen each year to adorn the bottles of wine as the featured label.

The well appointed tasting room and art gallery offers rocking chairs on the large wrap around porch perfect for relaxing, The walls inside are adorned with works by North Carolina artists. The paintings and prints are for sale, in addition to a large variety of wine. The day we stopped by we were greeted by the winery’s tasting room and marketing manager, Ms. Stevie Frye. Following a long career in the spirits business, Ms. Frye was hired by the DeFurs in time to oversee the opening of the winery.

 Extremely knowledgeable and welcoming, she shared the story of Daveste’ with us while taking us through a tasting of their signature wines. Tastings are $5.00 and include the logo glass. Wine by the glass is also available.

Outside we found a pond, hiking trails, large outdoor picnic area, and exquisite patio.
The patio is home to the signature event, Thirsty Thursdays which features music and munches. There is no charge to attend the event and wine, snack plates, bottled water and sodas are available for sale. Art events are planned regularly at Mrs. DeFur’s studio. You can find all the happenings listed on the events section http://www.daveste.com/scripts/eventPg.cfm of Daveste’s website.

Bywayandvine route: From Greensboro Hwy 158 SW to Mocksville then Hwy 601S to pick up Hwy 801S. Go through the towns of Cooleemee and Woodleaf turn right onto Hwy 70W/801; cross under I40 and grab a left onto Hwy 21/115S. One in Troutman look for Talley St on your right; when you come to a Y in the road go left onto Lytton Rd, you will see the winery by then.

This is not the quickest way, but as you know our choice is the most peaceful and scenic route. Just as a side note, the winery is very close to Lake Norman if any are interested in visiting the lake.

Davesté Vineyards
155 Lytton Rd
Troutman, NC 28166
704-528-3882

Hours of operation:
Weds-Fri. 11am-6pm
Sat. 10am-6pm
Sun. 1pm-6pm

Please visit one of our facebook pages to view our complete photo album of Davesté Vineyards. They are Byway and Vine or The Weekend Winers, Byway and Vine.

Elk Creek Vineyards in Owenton, KY

From time to time The Weekend Winers travel outside our comfort states of NC and VA to visit special wineries that come highly recommended by one of our fans or friends. Such was the case for our visit to the Elk Creek Vineyards http://www.elkcreekvineyards.com/located in Owenton, KY; which is about forty-five minutes north of Lexington off I-75. Of the fifty plus wineries in the state, Elk Creek is the largest. The winery is part of a much larger Elk Creek resort organization, which consists of the Elk Creek Lodge, Hunt Club, four retail tasting room locations, and the winery and vineyards.

Garden Gate Vineyards

 The phrases “mom and pop” and “down home feel” may not be terms some would prefer used when describing their winery. After all, aren’t wineries all about swirling, sniffing and sophistication? Well, maybe for some, but for Bob and Sonya Whitaker, it is about a down home feel for their mom and pop winery, Garden Gate Vineyards, http://gardengatevineyards.net/index.html

Rock of Ages Winery and Vineyard

Keith Moore gives new meaning to the term “multi-tasking.” While he and his wife, Kim, were running their business, Hard Rock Marble and Tile in Hillsborough, NC, http://www.hardrockmarble.com/
 Keith managed to obtain an education on wine making from Surry Community College and open a winery. Rock of Ages Winery & Vineyard  http://www.rockofageswinery.com/index.html opened in 2006 in Hurdle Mills, NC; Keith Moore’s boyhood home. Situated in beautiful Person County between Roxboro and Hillsborough, this quiet and quaint town appears unchanged by time with a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Pet Friendly Winery & Vineyard List

For those of you with pets check out our Pet Friendly list on our "Your Journeys"page http://bywayandvineyourjourneys.blogspot.com/ which we will always be updating.
Please add any wineries or vineyards that you know of in our comments.

Duplin Winery

Heading out from Greensboro we stopped off at Duplin Winery and Vineyard, the oldest and largest winery in North Carolina. Traveling on I 40 South out of Raleigh, the winery is hard to miss. A series of high quality billboards point the way along I40 and the directions are well marked off the interstate as well. In addition to Duplin Wine Cellars, Rose Hill is also home to the “World’s Largest Frying Pan.”

New North Carolina Wineries and Vineyards in June 2010

According to http://www.visitncwine.com/ map the wineries below are new additions for June.


Stop by and say hello. Please do not forget to tell them you heard about them first from “The Weekend Winers.”

Locklear Vineyard and Winery: http://www.locklearwinery.com/

Maxton, NC

Slightly Askew Winery: http://www.slightlyaskewwines.com/

Elkin, NC

Stephens Vineyard and Winery: http://www.stephensvineyardandwinery.com/

Lumberton, NC

Weeksville Vineyards & Cellars: http://www.weeksvillevineyards.com/Home_Page.php
Elizabeth City, NC

Pet Friendly Wineries and Vineyards

We are adding a new section to our website Pet Friendly Wineries and Vineyards. Since both our family's, many of our fans, and friends are pet owners; we wanted to start to list those wineries and vineyards which considered themselves pet friendly.
We have had several emails asking us which of the locations we have visited allow pets; so we thought important considering many pet owners enjoy wine that it would be something important to add to out site.
Look for this new feature on our "Your Journeys"page starting next week.

Flint Hill Vineyards

Thursday, June 17th, I had the pleasure to visit Flint Hill Vineyards. http://www.flinthillvineyards.com/index.html I began in Winston-Salem by following Old Reynolda Road out of town where it turns into Highway 67. The drive was short through picturesque scenery. Turning right off 67 onto Flint Hill Road, I was pleasantly surprised to find the scenery even more enjoyable. I knew I was there when I spotted the beautifully restored yellow Victorian styled farmhouse on the right.

Divine Llama Vineyards

On Thursday, June 17th, I headed out on the byways to East Bent, NC. My journey started in Oak Ridge, NC on Hwy 150 W to Kernersville, NC. There I took Hwy 66N through Winston-Salem, crossing Hwy 52 and turning right onto Hwy 67 (Reynolda Rd.) Folks, this is a very calming and scenic way to avoid the interstates.
After about 5 miles on 67 the sign for Divine Llama Vineyard

http://www.divinellamavineyards.com/home.html appeared on my right at the turn into their driveway.

Salute! Wine Festival, Winston-Salem

Well, this is terribly late, and apologies are in order. We had some rotten luck with our video gear, and lost a great deal of footage (namely, interviews with winemakers) of this year's Salute! wine festival in downtown Winston-Salem.

Horizen Cellars

Our trip to Horizon Cellars this past Friday was a true adventure of the byways.  Located off of Old US Hwy 421south of Siler City; our decision to begin the journey on the same route out of Greensboro was just beautiful. It is a great drive past sites of yesteryear's mixed with lush farmlands; we may have seen a total of 10 vehicles during the drive. Once at our destination of Vineyard Ridge Road, we turned right off of Old US Hwy 421 to begin our descent up the ridge. As we wandered through the forest on the gravel road; we were struck by how dense the foliage was just a mile or so outside of Siler City. At the crest we found the winery nestled in the middle of it all.

Cloer Family Vineyards Grand Opening Friday June 4th

We would like all that have a interest in NC wine to come out this weekend for their GRAND OPENING; Friday June 4th all the fun begins at noon till 5pm, Saturday 11am-5pm.

Tell them you heard about it first from The Weekend Winers

The North Carolina Wine Festival at Tanglewood Park

The festival had a very large turn out with many having great fun in the sun as you can see by the photos I have taken.

Salute! A North Carolina Wine Celebration

This past weekend The Weekend Winers dropped in the 5th annual Salute! Wine Celebration sponsored by BB and T in downtown Winston-Salem. Although the weather was threatening rain; during our visit it was very pleasant.
 Winston Salem blocked off about three blocks in the heart of downtown for this event.

A Conversation with Brandon Hills Vineyard

Part of the fun of this year's Yadkin Valley Wine Festival was plain old conversation. We had a great talk with the owners of Brandon Hills Vineyard of Yadkinville. Here's a video sample:

2010 Yadkin Valley Wine Festival

It's tough to find a better combination. The 2010 Yadkin Valley Wine Festival had everything going for it: 30 wineries, thousands of people, live music and perfect weather.

Website and Blog Have new looks

We are in the process of improving our website and blog so as to better serve your needs. Let us know if you like our changes.

Brandon Hills Vineyard

Continuing on the Shallow Ford Wine Trail we happened upon a new addition to the North Carolina wine scene, Brandon Hills Vineyard. Located just south of Yadkinville on Brandon Hills Road this winery has yet to celebrate a first birthday. Brandon Hills is also part of the Yadkin Valley Vine Trail.

Cellar 4201

When you hear the word “cellar”, it’s natural to think of a dim, cool, underground room that Midwesterners use when they’re hiding from tornadoes. “Cellar 4201” in East Bend, NC, on the other hand, could not be more different. 

Sanders Ridge Vineyards and Winery

When John Benjamin Shore first farmed the original 800 acres of this land near Booneville, NC in 1847, it's a good bet that he never imagined what Sanders Ridge would become. The land has been in the Shore family for more than 163 years. Owner Neil Shore (John Benjamin's great great grandson) is the fifth generation of Shore farmers to work this land, and has taken steps to make sure he's not the last one.

New Website

The Weekend Winers have now have a website http://www.bywayandvine.com/

Misty Creek Vineyards

As April began, we happened upon Misty Creek Vineyards while traveling the magnificent rolling byways of Davie County. This fine establishment is the labor of love of the Nichols family, all of whom we had the pleasure to meet and spend a bit of time with one day last week. The Winery is new to the area.  It's just wrapping up its first birthday and is part of both the Yadkin Valley and the Shallow Ford Wine Trail.

Childress Vineyards

Childress Vineyards near Lexington, NC is without a doubt, a Weekend Winer’s Shangra La. It may not be the oldest or largest winemaker in the state, but it is expansive and exquisite. When standing in the middle of its 70-plus acres of vines looking at the main building on the horizon, you’ll swear you’re in the middle of the Napa or Sonoma Valleys. Step inside the impeccable main building, and you’ll swear you’re in Tuscany. Then say hello to the staff greeting you with smiles all around, and you’ll know you’re in the warm embrace of friendly North Carolina. It is a stunner.

Uwharrie Winery and Vineyard

When you find yourself on the trail, you like to think your destination makes the trip worthwhile.  The four wineries of the Uwharrie Mountain Wine Trail do not disapoint; and Uwharrie Vineyard in Albemarle, NC was our trail destination this past week.

Old Stone Winery and Vineyard

On a beautiful Sunday, it was time again for another Weekend Winers adventure.  This time, the destination was south of Greensboro down I-85 toward Charlotte on Hwy 52. We were headed for Salisbury, NC to visit Old Stone Winery, one of North Carolina’s oldest wineries; operating for more than 10 years. About six miles down 52 from the I85/52 interchange you will find the Old Stone storefront about 100 feet off the road.

If you've traveled around and visit many of the wineries, don't hesitate to stop.  This is truly a classic case of "you can't judge a book by its cover".

Westbend Vineyards

This past Thursday, we visited one of the oldest wineries in North Carolina just outside of Winston-Salem; Westbend Vinyards. This place has been in operation since 1988 and had vines "cropped" or planted for wine, as we understand it, since 1977.  Westbend's operators have more than 65 acres of land, a wonderful outdoor area, ample parking, and patrons can reserve the facilities for special events like weddings. Inside you'll find a very nice tasting bar up front, with a bistro style area for sitting in the back. 

Wolfe Wines

Wolfe Wines in Snow Camp, NC was this week’s destination, nestled south of Snow Camp on Snow Camp Road.  This one year old winery was quite a surprise.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Mrs. Wolfe as she poured a wide variety of wines for me. I learned about her growing up in Burlington with an itch to live a more rural life.  It all combined with an interest in home wine making that she shared with her husband. Establishment of Wolfe Wines became a calling. 

Autumn Creek Vineyards

This week, we dropped in on a delightful place in Mayodan area of Rockingham County by the name of Autumn Creek Vineyard. Autumn Creek is about six miles west of Hwy 220 on just off of NC Hwy 770. We had no trouble finding this inviting location as it was marked by a variety of signs along our way. We selected a scenic route that took us through the downtown areas of both Madison and Mayodan, NC. If you have the time both of these quaint areas are indeed worth the trip; a true tribute to a byway adventure.

GlenMarie Winery

Our next stop was GlenMarie Winery located a few miles off the beaten path in Alamance County. This is an intimate and charming place where Glendale and Joyce Marie Dickey live and work. Operating from a room off of their home one enters a cozy and friendly tasting room.
We were greeted by Marie, our host, and resident wine server; who along with much knowledge about their wine provided much information on NC wine history.

The Grove Winery & Vineyards

This week’s destination is also in the Haw River Valley; located north of Gibsonville, NC. Once again, the decision was made to stay on the back roads rather than enjoying the pleasures of traveling on I-40. Coming from Raleigh, meandering the byways to Hwy 87 North, then left on Osceola Rd which becomes Osceola - Ossipee Rd; finally, a right on Brooks Bridge Rd. After a short trip down this road you arrive at a great little place: The Grove Winery and Vineyards.

Benjamin Vineyards and Winery

As a Valentines Day treat my wife and I took a short trip to the Benjamin Vineyard and Winery part of the Haw River Trail. On such a beautiful day coming from Greensboro, North Carolina we meandered down Hwy 87 after leaving I 40 east then grabbed Swepsonville-Saxapahaw Road which was rich with North Carolina scenery. Once in Saxapahaw we took a left on Jordon Dr. then a right on Church across the bridge for a left on Whitney Lane.

 The wineries was easy to locate right off of Whitney; as we entered we saw a very nice patio with ample seating overlooking the wineries vineyards.

 
Inside we found a very intimate tasting room and gift shop enviroment illuminatedby two skylights. During this particular weekend, it was the final day of a Murder Mystery Dinner which was set to take place that evening; combining dinner with a play in the wineries barrel room.

Stonefield Cellars

You might expect visiting a North Carolina vineyard and winery in the middle of one of the coldest and snowiest winters in recorded history would be a chilly experience. Not so; not when the location is Stonefield Cellars in Stokesdale.

The Winery at Iron Gate Farm

Yesterday our travels took us to Alamance County by way of NC highways 87 through rustic Caswell County and then south on highway 119. It was a bit of visual treat considering the warm blend of rough hewn Victorian homes and full renovations along the way. Many of the homes on the route were quite striking.