South Creek Winery

The NC Summer of 2013 seems like one of the rainiest seasons I’ve ever experienced.  So, it’s always good to have a nice indoor backup plan for the weekend.  On this trip a friend and I were out for a little girl’s day road trip on another one of those overcast days with the possibility of rain.  Luckily right up the road from Hickory, NC is an enchanting winery called South Creek.

We found the place pretty easy to navigate from the interstate.  Only a few turns off I-40 and you’re there.  When we arrived at the large sign indicating the entrance we were overcome with the charm of the countryside setting.  The long gravel driveway is bordered on one side with a white picket fence and a lush forest on the other.  As we continued up the road the wooded area changed to vineyard and on the left there was a red, rustic horse barn which was decorated with an avant-garde grape mural.  The traditional barn with a modern painting might seem strange but the two flows naturally.  The vineyard was vast and seems to overtake the property from both sides as we resumed our drive.  Only a few seconds later we had arrived at our destination.

The tasting room to our surprise was a charismatic, yellow, Renaissance style farmhouse.  It was by far the most darling winery location I’ve visited to date.  There is an enormous wood parquet patio deck that surrounds the entrance to the tasting room.  This courtyard area has many table and chair sets with umbrellas for enjoying the outdoors.  It is also nicely landscaped with plenty of trees for extra shade coverage, seasonal flowers that were in bloom and neat yard trinkets that added to the appeal.  They also had a tented area setup outside for a musician that had yet to arrive.

Continuing indoors we found a quaint tasting bar space.  It was barely noon yet they were already entertaining many couples.  One of the owners, Mary Rowley, spoke to us right away inviting us up to the bar.  She gave us our tasting list and explained the types of tastings they offer.  We were in for the long haul so we did the full tasting.  This allowed us to try 7 types of the dry Bordeaux style wines they produce.  The first 2 were both Chardonnay, one was aged in a stainless steel vat while the other in an oak barrel.  This type of tasting is pretty unique because you’re able to appreciate the extra details the winemaker performs; such as, aging the product longer or the use of different types of containers for aging.  After sampling both of the delicious dry white wines we moved on to the dry reds. 

Many of their reds have won international honors.  I remember Mary telling us “we’ve got world class wine and we’ve got the metals to prove it” and they do!  They have countless metals displayed right above the tasting bar and you can taste the rich, fine quality in every sip.  The 2010 Cabernet Franc Reserve was one of my favorites.  The description states “this wine is velvet in your mouth” and I couldn’t think of a better way to describe it.  With hints of cherry, clove, blackberry, and a touch of chocolate it flows down your throat with such ease and leaves your taste buds wanting more.

We finished our tasting and purchased a glass to drink.  Unfortunately, it was pretty muggy outside but we were happy the rain had held off.  We both chose a chilled Chardonnay in hopes it would cool us off.  By this time the musician had already started so we took a few seats on the deck.  Her smooth mellow guitar music mixed with her cool soothing voice relaxed our souls.  We may have been in heaven for a moment or two.  The deck is a perfect place to waste away.  The views are outstanding, the wine amazing, and the music pacifying.  We could have stayed all day. 

After a few tunes Mary’s husband Jim came out to give us a tour of the winemaking facility.  He was very pleasant like Mary and just as proud of their product.  I would be too considering they’ve got a world-class operation right here in NC.  It’s something that makes me delighted because I am a North Carolinian.  The Rowley’s have a business that would give Italian or French wineries a run for their money! 

We were so glad we visited South Creek Winery.  The experience was truly enlightening and peaceful.  Our plan is to be back soon!  If you can’t make it to try South Creek Winery’s extraordinary wines in person you can purchase them online via their website.  Bottle purchases will run you $14.50 and up.  However, if you are able to visit South Creek Winery you won’t be disappointed they are open Wednesday through Saturday 11am to 5pm and Sunday 1pm to 5pm.

Visit South Creek Winery online at:  www.southcreekwinery.com

If you have visited this or another winery here in NC and would like to share your story, or offer suggestions for my next trip, please email it to natasha3911@aol.com.

Natasha Stiles is a freelance photographer and writer who enjoys wine and travel; her additional winery trips can be found at:  www.ncwine-downweekend.blogspot.com

Connect with NC Wine-Down Weekend on Facebook at:  www.facebook.com/NCWineDownWeekend

Island Winery

On this journey I ventured outside of my usual North Carolina winery during a family vacation.  Anywhere I visit I always look for the local wineries because you never know what you’ll stumble upon.  Hilton Head Island in South Carolina is well known as one of the best vacation spots on the East Coast however it also has a really great winery! 

Island Winery is located in a business common area where you wouldn’t think of finding a winery.  However, the location alone speaks nothing of the delightfulness you’ll find inside the little off-white building with a royal blue awning.  The outside of the entrance is decorated with tropical type plants that seem to thrive in the warm, humid island climate.  When you walk into the building a charming wind chime plays a melody to let the hostess know a visitor has arrived.

Greeted within a few seconds is what I call great customer service and that’s what my husband and I received.  We were immediately both given a list of their extensive wines that included descriptions and pricing for each.  We were directed toward a chalk blackboard located right behind the wine tasting stand.  This showed popular selections such as a wine flight they offer, their award winning wine list, and a featured wine, just to name a few.

Since I did some research online ahead of time I knew we were going to share their $10 wine flight, especially since it’s notably marked as the “best kept secret on HHI”.  Now the trouble was picking only 3 wines.  I asked our barista Nancy which were the 3 most popular wines.  Without hesitation she replied the 2010 Sangiovese, Southern Passion, and Peach on the Beach.  We were sold!  She rang us up and told us to make ourselves comfortable in the seated area and she would bring our selections and nibbles shortly.  So we made our way into the sitting space.

This half of Island Winery is dedicated to wine barrel aging, production, and pub tables with stools.  It’s not a fancy area but we loved what they’ve done with it.  The wine barrels are stacked on shelves and you can see behind them where the wine production is accomplished.  There is over a handful of tall pub tables in this area that they’ve created out of wine barrels with wooden tops.  The tops of the tables are cleanly decorated with the labels they use for their wines.  A variety of wood finished stools are placed around each table.  However, everything seems to work harmoniously together. 

Within minutes of sitting Nancy came to our attention with our selections.  Our wine flight came with 3 full glasses of wine and a light snack.  And like a good hostess should, she brought our beverages first.  On the napkins placed under each glass of wine she skillfully wrote the name of each wine.  Using our wine guide provided to us earlier we were able to navigate our tasting from dry to sweet wines.  We started with our 2010 Sangiovese first because it was the only dry wine we acquired.  It was an absolutely tasty red.  No wonder its award winning!  

Before we were even half way done with the first glass Nancy was back with our cheese and cracker plate.  The food plate looked amazing!  It was enough food for 2 people to have a really nice lunch.  It included 3 different kinds of cheeses, a variety of fruit, gourmet crackers, and a Hershey Kiss a piece.  Needless to say we felt like we got our money’s worth.

Nancy stayed and chatted with us after she brought us our food.  She told us about the owners who are from, and were in, New Jersey at the time of our visit.  They had come to Hilton Head on a vacation and saw the island was lacking a winery.  The couple already had an accomplished winery in their home state and their success carried over to Island Winery.  The winery opened New Year’s Day 2006 and has kept the island hopping ever since then.

Our barista left us to enjoy our 2 other wines and we appreciated the time to sit, reflect, and talk.  Both the Southern Passion and Peach on the Beach were light, fruity, and crisp.  The Southern Passion had a hint of spice that was similar to sangria.  We didn’t find a single feature in any of the wines we didn’t like.  They were undeniably perfect!

We finished our refreshments and thanked Nancy for her hospitality before we departed.  Island Winery has so much to offer we were glad we stopped in.  If a wine flight isn’t your desire they have many additional offerings like their free tastings and other social sipping experiences available at a fee.  Bottles purchases at Island Winery start at $16 and go up to $28 a piece, their hours of operation are Monday through Saturday 12:30-5:30pm. 

Visit Island Winery online at:  www.islandwinery.com

If you have visited this or another winery here in NC and would like to share your story, or offer suggestions for my next trip, please email it to natasha3911@aol.com.

Natasha Stiles is a freelance photographer and writer who enjoys wine and travel; her additional winery trips can be found at:  www.ncwine-downweekend.blogspot.com

Addison Farms Vineyard

My husband and I were in Asheville, NC for the weekend to celebrate his birthday.  I did a little research to see what wineries are in the area.  Of course there's the prestigious Biltmore, but I wanted to save that trip for Christmas so we could see the holiday lights and decor.  Also, to visit the Biltmore winery you must purchase an admission ticket and it’s a pretty hefty price.  So I moved on to the next closest stop which was Addison Farms Winery in Leicester, NC, about 30 minutes away. 

While driving out to my ensuing winery stop I realized that traveling to each of these wine-makers is a great way to see the state that I’m from.  I’ve lived here all my life yet there are still so many places to explore right here in my home state.  On our drive we saw, rural farmlands and beautiful countryside.  My husband was a little leery when arrived at our destination.  The road to the tasting room is gravel and up a hill.  He was contemplating turning around if the road worsened, as his car is much nicer than my own and might drag.  However, once you get over the first hill it’s all smooth sailing. 

We parked right at the tasting room.  It might be called a room but it should have been called a tasting cabin and I mean a nice cabin!  There was a stone fireplace outside with lovely covered patio seating.  The exterior was mostly wooden with some accents of red and grey siding.  A stone path, which matched the fireplace, leads you to the door.  Surrounding the cabin I saw breathtaking views of the neighboring mountains and the 4.5 acre vineyard.

We got out of the car and walked toward the entrance and we were warmly greeted by Sam the dog and unofficial mascot.  He looks exactly like your stereotypical farm dog with a great personality to match.  Jeff Frisbee, owner and winemaker, wasn’t too far behind him.  Jeff is a respectable businessman and the type of guy that doesn’t mind putting in a hard day’s work.  He and his family own and operate Addison Farms.  Those 4.5 acres are no joke.  There’s a lot that goes into maintaining a successful grape harvest.

Jeff gave us a tour of the facilities and told the history behind what we saw.  He explained that the property was previously tobacco crop and cow pasture when his grandfather Addison was alive, hints the winery’s name AddisonFarms.  However, his grandparents weren’t wine drinkers.  The vineyard idea came to him and his wife in 2000, while on a trip in Barcelona.  When Jeff was laid off in 2009 his dream became a reality with the planting of their first grapevines.  As the vines grew so did the Frisbee Family vision.  In 2012, they opened the tasting room to the public. 

The tour continued indoors into the striking tasting center.  When we walked in we were overcome with a smell of new pine.  The wood flooring shined with natural light that the multitude of windows allowed in.  We explored the building and found much open space.  The section to the left has a stone fireplace that mirrors the exterior one.  There were scenic mountainous paintings on the walls with double sofa seating.  Other than that it was pretty undeveloped.  The section to the right features a wooden tasting bar with stone top.  It’s a standing bar with the same type of art on the walls.  The simplistic theme was continued in this area, as well. 

We did a tasting of the wines Addison Farms has to offer.  All the wines are your more customary dry wines.  They all had a common melody of flavor which tied them together.  Jeff offered descriptions and recommended pairing for each.  One of our favorites was the Coming Home, Cabernet Sauvignon.  This is the first wine the vineyard has produced with their grapes alone.  It was spicy, yet sweet with hints of cherry.  With 10 acres forecasted they hope to have more wines that consist of domestic fruit alone in the future.

Leaving that day, we felt like we made a friend.  Jeff Frisbee was a wonderful person to meet and we hope the best for his business.  Next time you’re in Asheville, or the surrounding area, stop in and see what Addison Farms Vineyard is all about.  A tasting will run you $8 but you get a fine, logo etched souvenir glass to take home.  Bottle purchases start at $13 and go up to $24.  Addison Farms is open to the public Saturday noon to 5pm, Sunday 1pm-5pm, and weekdays by appointment only.

Visit Addison Farms Vineyard online at:  www.addisonfarms.net

If have you visited this or another winery here in NC and would like to share your story, or offer suggestions for my next trip, please email it to natasha3911@aol.com.