The smell of food wafting in the air, the sound of upbeat rhythms from the white-canopied bandstand, and the taste of North Carolina wine await on the lush green expanse known as Symphony Park. Welcome to The Great Grapes Wine, Arts & Food Festival in Charlotte, North Carolina, an all day consumer tasting where North Carolina wines are showcased against a backdrop of cooking demos, food booths, crafts and the laid-back music of jazz and blues.
The white tents dot the park-like setting and although the ground is soggy from a few days of heavy rain, it does not dampen the spirits of wine lovers making their way across the manicured lawn, to buy local artwork, grab a bite to eat and sample the fruit of the vine. Eager tasters line up in front of the tents of nineteen participating North Carolina wineries pouring at Great Grapes Festival, chatting with the owners and winemakers about their vineyards and their wines, and most hail from the AVA (American Viticulture Area) known as Piedmont, North Carolina. The rich clay soil of Piedmont, where tobacco was the cash crop for so many years, now produces a variety of grapes from Chardonnay to Cabernet and Mourvedre to Muscadine – the staple of North Carolina grape growers.
Muscadine, though often maligned, is an integral part of the history of wine in this region. The abundant muscadine grape fueled the early growth of the wine trade centuries ago. The earliest accounts of wild grapes in North Carolina came from explorers in the 16th century and 100 years later colonists remarked on the profusion of muscadine varieties, and made them into wine.
The perfumed air of the native scuppernong grape, a muscadine variety, enchanted centuries of winemakers in North Carolina history. A key figure was Sidney Weller who wrote pivotal articles on viticulture, encouraging every able citizen to grow the prolific grape, and whose Medoc Vineyards led the country in wine production in 1840. Later Paul Garrett, the businessman who turned winemaking into a profitable venture, took his wines to the Paris Exposition and returned with medals attesting to the success of Carolina viticulture.
In spite of early success, devastating losses plagued the North Carolina wine industry over the years, causing this once thriving wine region to rebuild twice in the last two centuries. Consider that in 1800, over 25 working wineries flourished in the area, but as recently as 1970, only two wineries still existed in North Carolina. The Civil War destroyed the land and vineyards, bringing the industry to its knees. And the subsequent suppression by Northern leaders killed any hope of revitalization until the early 1900’s, when the industry showed signs of resurgence, only to collapse again in the 1930’s under the force of Prohibition.
Today North Carolina winemakers predict steady growth, with over 45 wineries in existence. Even so, by industry standards the Piedmont, North Carolina AVA is still very young, and many of the local wineries are less than 5 years old. Muscadine is still produced by many winemakers, but the noble “vitis vinifera” (European vines) dominate the vineyards, and below are a few of the festival wines and participating wineries that are uniquely North Carolina.
At Rag Apple Lassie Vineyards, in Boonville, the cow jumped over the moon, or perhaps it just sat there, sipping a glass of wine. This whimsical Holstein (for you city-slickers, a Holstein is a black and white cow) is the namesake for the winery and was once the boyhood “Grand Champion” of winery-owner Frank Hobson. Frank and his wife Jenna work with winemaker Linda King, to produce award-winning varietals, and are one of the few wineries outside of California ever selected as finalist for “Best New US Winery” by The Wine Appreciation Guild in San Francisco. The 2003 Chardonnay is pleasing, with fragrant fruit and light acidity, for a mellow glass of wine with regional appeal. The Cabernet exhibits currant and berry with a hint of vanilla and a smooth finish for its youth.
With the skies darkening under threat of rain, I head to Black Wolf Vineyards tent for a chat with owner Dana Theis. Established in 1991, Black Wolf is one of the older wineries in Yadkin Valley, producing varietals ranging from Chardonnay to Pinot Noir. The challenges of growing the finicky grape in a humid Southern climate are not lost on Dana but Black Wolf. He does a good job, though, producing a wine with a nose of violets and perfume, and a taste of cherry and earth. It is young, but shows some promise.
The rain never materializes so I continue to Old North State Vineyards for a taste of 38 Vines poured by Pam Draughn, one of the friendly cooperative growers. The Old North State Winery is a co-op of 38 growers (hence the name “38 Vines”), and growers haul their grapes into Mount Airy to crush in the historical building located downtown, holding the claim to fame as the only winery in Mount Airy. The co-op farming concept is not new, but is certainly applied in a fresh way in Mt. Airy, allowing many smaller growers to contribute to a wine and reap the benefits. In addition to their grower-friendly co-op, Old North State Vineyards has a unique way of giving back to the community. For every bottle of 38 Vines “Autumn Leaf” Rose sold, $1 of the proceeds goes to Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer research. A pink wine, of course, with a pink capsule, and inspired by a cancer survivor who works in the 38 Vines tasting room, the 2003 38 Vines “Autumn Leaf” is a semi sweet Rosé, refreshing with a slightly effervescent quality.
Around the corner at Round Peak Winery, two couples form a partnership born out of a passion for wine. The husband and wife team George and Susan Little are full of smiles and conversation today, explaining their focus on Italian varietals due to the similar climates in the two Piedmonts of Italy and North Carolina. Along with their partners, Janet and Lee Martin, they have done a lovely job of producing some tasty Sangiovese with deep color and just enough acidity to balance the fruit, and claim to be the first to produce a Nebbiolo from the rich Carolina clay.
Heading out of the gates, I stop once more, drawn by the long lines at the Chatham Hill Winery tent. The 14th bonded winery in the state is only 6 years old and the first in the Raleigh area. Chatham Hill produces an award-winning Viognier, recommended to me by more than a few locals, but not on the list of wines for this event. However, the friendly staff is pouring a mild mannered Merlot that is very drinkable, alongside the 2002 Cabernet, with deep berry fruit; though tight and very young, the Cab shows promise, as my last taste on this regional wine adventure.
The long line of enthusiastic guests entering midway through the festival day proves the wine tasting will be going strong well into the evening. With a glint of sunshine breaking through the clouds, a new band tuning up for the next performance, and an abundance of North Carolina wine to taste, the Great Grapes Wine, Food and Music festival is just getting underway. North Carolina wines are young, but if new developments in state shipping legislation and wine distribution laws pave the way for rapid growth in the region it will stimulate this thriving new AVA, and with great grapes, good weather and a little luck, North Carolina may become a serious contender on the American wine scene in the next decade.
Selected North Carolina Wines and Wineries
Rag Apple Lassie Vineyards
3820 Rockford Road
Boonville, NC 27011
336-367-6000
www.ragapplelassie.com
2003 Chardonnay $15
2003 Cabernet $16
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Black Wolf Vineyards
283 Vineyard Lane (Off Hwy 601)
Dobson, NC 27017
www.blackwolfvineyards.com
Tel: (336) 374-2532
2003 Chardonnay $12
2004 Pinot Noir $12
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Old North State Winery
“38 Vines”
308 North Main Street
Mount Airy, NC 27030
Tel: (336) 789-9463
www.38vines.com
38 Vines “Autumn Leaf” Rose $9.99
38 Vines “Starlight White” Muscadine - $8.99
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Round Peak Vineyards
765 Round Peak Church Road
Mt. Airy, NC 27030
Tel: 336-352-5595
www.roundpeak.com
2003 Nebbiolo $20
2002 Sangiovese $16
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Chatham Hill Winery
3500 Gateway Center Blvd #200
Morrisville, NC 27560
Tel: (919) 380-7135
www.chathamhillwine.com
2003 Viognier $18 (tasted independently)
2002 Cabernet Sauvignon $15
