Parker-Binns Estates and Mountain Brook Vineyards

I've written previously about a number of different wineries nearby, including the Overmountain Vineyard and the Green Creek Winery. Near these two, there are two others that recently opened. The one closest to Overmountain is Mountain Brook Vineyard, a small winery (possibly the smallest you've ever seen) housed in an old two story house. Although it's small, they've won several awards in the short time they've been in business. 


Just a few miles from there is a really impressive winery called Parker-Binns Estates. It's a beautiful landscape with a small farm, flower garden and two wood fired ovens where the owners cook pizza for their guests. 

 

Rockhouse Vineyards and Overmountain Vineyards

My wife and I recently had an opportunity to swing by a couple of local wineries. The Rockhouse Vineyards was first on our list. Actually it was the only one on our list.  Although tiny, they offer some really nice selections. We especially enjoyed the Cab Franc and the Meritage which we learned is a Bordeaux style red made in places other than the Bordeaux region. (Only wines produced in Bordeaux can officially be called a Bordeaux.) All of their wines are fermented in oak barrels.

Before leaving the owner suggested we stop by a place up the street that opened so recently that it isn't currently listed in any of the NC Wine promotional material and we were certainly glad we did. The Overmountain Winery specializes in white wines, all of which are fermented in steel barrels to give their wines a crisper finish.

Both are located on beautiful property in the hills near Tryon, NC. While exiting the Rockhouse property, we were met by several turkeys which we later learned are quite a nuisance to vintners because they knock the grapes off the vines and then eat them. (Seem to be a lot of turkeys around this year. I see them a couple times a month somewhere.)


These wineries are within rock throwing distance of Green Creek Winery which I've mentioned previously so you could easily make an afternoon of wine tasting in the area.

Distance from downtown Greenville: 48-55 miles.


Rockhouse Vineyards

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Overmountain Winery

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Green Creek Winery

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Green Creek Winery 4th Annual Anniversary Celebration

From the Green Creek Winery:

September 5, 2009

10am - 6pm

Green Creek Winery will be hosting our 4th annual Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, September 5th from 10:00am to 6:00pm. Free admission and parking, live music, local art and crafts vendors, a Blessing of the Harvest, a rose workshop (Easy Rose Care by Paul Zimmerman of Ashdown Roses at 11:00am and 2:00pm), a chance to win prizes if you dress up like Lucille Ball, and everyone is invited to stomp grapes.

Wine will be for sale by the glass or the bottle. For this anniversary there will be a 20% discount on all cases - September 5th ONLY. Great food will be available for purchase.

Don't forget your lawn chairs and blankets. No pets or coolers please.

Three Wineries

The following three wineries are located a short distance from the town of Abingdon. They are all small and fairly young but each has a nice selection.

Corey Ippolito Winery and Bed & Breakfast. My favorite of the three.
Location

Right down the street is Countryside Vineyards & Winery. They also sell homebrew supplies.
Location





Closer to Abingdon, is the Abingdon Winery.
Location

Distance from downtown Greenville: 143-

Green Creek Winery

Green Creek Winery is a nice little winery located in Columbus, NC (near Landrum, SC). Even though they've only been in business since 2005, they've already established an international reputation by creating a variety of wine that is made nowhere else in the world. They call it Chardonnay Rosso. Here's a description of it from Wine Spectator:

A winery in North Carolina has taken the idea of mixing white wine with red wine a bit literally. Instead of drinking the two over the course of a night, Green Creek winery in Polk County is producing a red Chardonnay. "It's very red," said winery cofounder Alvin Pack of his inaugural 2006 Chardonnay Rosso. "And it's very fruity." Green Creek, a newcomer to the wine world, was looking to come up with a "different kind of wine," not unlike a white Zinfandel or white Merlot … only in reverse. In the case of Chardonnay Rosso, the Chardonnay juice gets tinted with the skins of Chamborcin, a hybrid red grape. Pack chose Chamborcin after "a lot of research" and said the grape, when made as a single-varietal red, is "heavily colored." Therefore, a little of the skins go a long way for changing the color of the Chardonnay. While the Chamborcin influence is muted, it's definitely still there...



Distance from downtown Greenville: 48 miles.


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Shelton Vineyards

If you've ever tasted wine from the Biltmore Estate (or any other east coast wine) then you may have come to the conclusion that East Coast wine isn't worth the overpriced bottle it's packaged in. Well Shelton is one exception. Located in the Yadkin Valley, they are the largest winery in North Carolina with 200 acres of vineyards. The Yadkin Valley is home to about 20 different wineries. It's a beautiful area of North Carolina and the drive itself is worth the trip. Shelton offers a tasting of five wines for five dollars and you get to keep the glass. They also offer winery tours.



Distance from downtown Greenville: 185 miles


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Victoria Valley Vineyards

Over the last decade, the Blue Ridge Mountain range has quietly become a home to dozens and dozens of wineries. The highest concentration of Carolina vineyards can be found in the Yadkin Valley. Sadly though most of these east coast wines leave much to be desired and in addition are over-priced. Knowing this, my wife and I didn't expect much when we stumbled across the Victoria Valley Vineyards, but we were pleasantly surprised. We tasted 12 different wines and found them all to be quite good.

They also serve lunch and dinner and host various local musical acts.

Distance from downtown Greenville: 29 miles


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