Five Star Wineries
Silver Fork, located just off of I-40 in Morganton, NC, at 1200 feet in elevation, is a great winery with fantastic views of the southern Blue Ridge Mountains (known as the South Mountains). The wines are good to excellent, if a little on the pricey side. The wedding pavilion makes this a great wedding venue, regardless of weather or time of year.
You must visit BurntShirt Vineyards- a 27 acre winery with excellent wines, a shopping experience to delight the senses, and a beautiful all-around venue. We call it a “quiet” winery because
Located just off of I-40, midway between Statesville and Winston-Salem (in Mocksville, NC), is RayLen, a great winery started by Joe and Joyce Neely, with excellent wines. You enter through gently rolling hills of vines until you see the large villa building, where tastings are conducted, and a 4,000 square foot covered pavilion, which is a great setting for weddings and events.
This is the largest family owned winery in North Carolina, and perhaps the largest vineyard on the east coast, located just off I-77 in the Yadkin Valley. The vineyards you drive through are extensive, and then you arrive at a beautiful, serene setting, with a creek and a lake meandering through the property. Also present is the Harvest Grill (an excellent full-service restaurant), a separate wine tasting and shopping building, and an additional venue for concerts, weddings, and other special occasions.
Biltmore Winery is the most visited winery in America. Biltmore is located on the grounds of the famous Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina, built by George Vanderbilt in the late 1800’s, which today is the largest privately owned house in the country. The winery is located on the grounds of the estate, a couple of miles from the iconic House, in the Antler Village, which is a neat collection of restaurants and wine tasting areas.
The beautiful stonework and iron gate entrance tells you that the details of this winery have been well thought out. Starting with the rolling green vineyards, the road climbs to the large stone villa, which feels like the classic wineries of Napa and Sonoma. But this is the brainchild of Richard Childress, NASCAR race driver, who is a native of California.
In the heart of the Yadkin River Valley lies Raffaldini. As you approach, your eyes are drawn to the grand Tuscan style villa, high on the ridgeline in the distance.
