North Carolina Wine Has a 400-Year History — and a Fast-Growing Future

When someone mentions up-and-coming wine regions, the Texas Hill Country or New York’s Finger Lakes may spring to mind. But in the last decade, North Carolina has become an enticing destination for winemakers and wine lovers alike. 

Since the early 2000s, the state’s wine scene has grown from a few dozen wineries to more than 200. Emerging vintners have faced North Carolina’s reputation for saccharine muscadine wines head-on. They’ve established the Tar Heel State as a flavor all its own. 

North Carolina is home to more than 400 vineyards and seven American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). In 2003, the Yadkin Valley was established as the state’s first AVA, and it now includes more than 45 wineries within 45 minutes of Winston-Salem. It serves as an ideal base for wine-sampling travelers.

History of North Carolina wine

While North Carolina’s wine scene has been somewhat under-the-radar, its viticulture roots date to pre-colonial America. Muscadine is widely believed to be the first native grape cultivated in North America. Its origins trace back to the Mother Vine, a scuppernong grapevine estimated to be at least 400 years old, located on North Carolina’s Roanoke Island.

“Most people don't realize North Carolina was the largest wine-producing state, not only by volume, but by sales in the United States up until 1908,” says JW Ray, owner of JOLO Winery and Vineyards in Pilot Mountain, North Carolina, and Rayson Winery and Vineyards in Mocksville, North Carolina. 

During that time, a North Carolina muscadine wine, Virginia Dare, was the most popular bottling in the country. That was before North Carolina became the first Southern state to prohibit alcohol, and many of the region’s vines were torn out. Even after Prohibition ended in the state in 1935, its wine industry was slow to bounce back. It wasn’t until the 1950s that the first post-Prohibition winery opened.

What differentiates North Carolina wine?

One of the reasons that North Carolina’s wine scene is so varied is the state’s topographic diversity. “It lends itself so much to different wines,” says Becky Muhlenberg, president of the North Carolina Wine Growers Association. The state breaks down into three regions: the rocky terrain of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west, the clay soil of the Piedmont region in the center, and the sandy Coastal Plain along the Atlantic Ocean to the east. 

The cooler climate in the west lends itself to European vinifera like Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc, while the moderately hot, humid weather along the Atlantic coast is better for the state’s native muscadine.

“Everyone's experimenting [here],” says Muhlenberg. “Everyone thinks, ‘Oh, we're in the South. Everything is sweet.’ But it’s not.” That assumption didn’t happen overnight, though. North Carolina’s native muscadine grapes have a reputation for intensely sugary flavors. The belief is even less surprising when you consider that one of the area’s oldest and most widely available wine producers, Duplin Winery, is synonymous with sweet wines.

Now, a new generation of winemakers is looking beyond the muscadine’s often-contentious past to test what the native grapes can do. Despite decades of work at wineries in California, Erik Martella, of Erik Martella Wines, first encountered muscadine after he moved to North Carolina. Rather than shy away from the grape, Martella leaned into his background in food science to try something new. 

“I thought it'd be awfully interesting to see what those grapes might be able to do if you applied more of a traditional fine wine-making process to them,” says Martella. “Accept them for what they are and not try to force them to be something different, but also see what beyond the traditional sweet style they can produce.” 

The result is a collection that captures the classic, musky aroma of muscadine wines without the treacly taste many have come to expect. 

The future of North Carolina wine

Martella isn’t the region’s lone winemaking transplant. Vintners and wine lovers alike have moved to North Carolina and influenced its wine industry. For many new winemakers, the process is a balancing act between creating a quality product and turning North Carolina’s wineries into destinations beyond their individual tasting rooms.

“No one's ever going to say, ‘I'm not going to Napa because there are too many wineries,’” says Jay Raffaldini, owner of Raffaldini Vineyards in Ronda, North Carolina. “That's why you go to Napa.” 

Raffaldini specializes in Italian-style wines, with the majority being dry red varietals, something he says is unusual for the region. Even though he produces different styles than his peers, Raffaldini is focused on fostering community and helping to build North Carolina as a wine destination.

Wines to try

2023 Raffaldini Vineyards Vermentino Rovere ($26)

While Raffaldini Vineyards produces notable reds, its Vermentino Rovere is a wonderfully aromatic white aged for an additional 16 months in oak barrels. Tropical notes of ripe melon, pineapple, guava, orange peel, and passion fruit make for a complex and full-bodied experience. Fun fact: A previous vintage of this wine (the 2008 Vermentino) was gifted to Italian President Giorgio Napolitano by President Barack Obama in advance of the G-8 summit in 2009.

2023 Erik Martella Wines Stockinette ($37.50)

Martella’s interest in chemical experimentation permeates every step of the winemaking process. This varietal wine is created using carbonic maceration, where uncrushed grapes are held in carbon dioxide for several days until the grapes’ enzymes begin to ferment. Expect fruit-forward notes of raspberry and tart cherry, with an acid-driven finish that pairs well with ham or prime rib.

2022 JOLO Vineyards Pilot Fog ($99)

This award-winning, estate-grown red blend has become a fan favorite for JOLO. The concentrated blend is well-balanced, with polished yet firm tannins and aromas of dark cherries and plum alongside vanilla bean and shaved chocolate. Pilot Fog is aged exclusively in 100% new American Oak barrels, which gives it a bold and complex flavor.

2019 Childress Vineyards Reserve Merlot ($40)

Opened in 2004, Childress Vineyards in Lexington, North Carolina, was born out of NASCAR legend Richard Childress’ appreciation for wine. Today, winemaker Mark Friszolowski has won more than 750 awards for the vineyards for varietal offerings like the 2019 Reserve Merlot. This medium-bodied wine boasts smooth tannins with Bing cherry, chocolate, and coffee flavors.