High Country Winter Wines

Festive Spirits of the Season From the Vine and Orchard to You By Steve York

Winter is back, and so are those fortified dessert wine with bright notes ries and blackberries makes this sweet, tasty High Country seasonal of vanilla cream and ripe apple char- ruby red wine a perfect pairing with wines. Specialty blends, classic fruit fa- acter. Also there’s Beary Black, a port- charcuterie boards and buttery desserts. vorites, and of course those extra celebra- style with bold flavors and aromas of Just up the road in Avery County is tory fortified wines and ciders are on tap, chocolate, plum and ripe blackberries. Banner Elk Winery and Villa, on Deer artfully labeled and ready to light up sea- Finally, they suggest their Duncan Hol- Run off Hwy 194 just outside of downsonal gifting and joyful gatherings. low, another port-style wine with bold town Banner Elk. General Manager Pat From Watauga Lake Winery in fig, chocolate and cinnamon flavors. All tie Greene started off her list with their cheers! nearby Tennessee, to Grandfather Mountain Vineyard & Winery in Foscoe, NC, to Banner Elk Winery and Villa just outside Banner Elk, all the way down highway 221 to Linville Falls Winery & Christmas Tree Farm, our High Country A.V.A. (American Viticultural Area) wineries have become the home of preferred wines and the cheerful destinations for seasonal visitors. So, let’s hit the High Country Wine Trail and check out what’s awaiting wine lovers this year… Starting first at historic Watauga have a little extra “kick” to warm up your winter. Back on Watauga County turf, Nicole Tatum of Grandfather Vineyard & Winery is boasting about their raspberry cider, a dry and sweet, lightly carbonated treat full of apples and raspberries. Next on the list is the Chardonel, a semi-sweet hybrid Chardonnay and Seyval Blanc grape wine with vanilla, banana flambe’, yellow apples, honeysuckle and cream soda. Another fun choice is their Sparkling River White crafted from locally grown Vidal Blanc grapes with pineapBanner Elk White Reserve. It’s a semidry made from Columbard and Seyval Blanc grapes creating a mellow blend of fragrances courtesy of its sweet pear and golden apple highlights. Her next selection is their High Country Rosé. It’s an estate-grown semi-dry rosé blending red Steuben and golden Muscat grapes with notes of fresh strawberry, peach and white cranberry; it makes a great pairing with your seasonal turkey meal. For a bold twist, it’s their rare and decadent French-American hybrid Marechal Foch. This unusual grape is the result of Lake Winery & pastoral Villa Nove ple, honeydew melon and mango—the successfully grafted currents and red berVineyards in equally historic Butler, first of their carbonated sweet wines. ries onto a grape vine to produce a red Tennessee, Linda and Wayne Gay are And, lastly comes their classic Black & recommending their Beary Apple, a Blue. A blend of Appalachian blueber- Continued on next page

wine of intense flavor and deep color. And then there’s Petit Syrah, a big-bodied, dry red wine that boasts of plum, blackberry, currant and black cherry that is aged for 10 months on French oak to give it a full, smooth flavor with excellent depth. Now head down Hwy 221 south to Tuscan-style Linville Falls Winery and Choose & Cut Christmas Tree Farm. Three generations of the Jack Wiseman Family have been growing grapes, making wine and hosting winery visitors since opening its doors in 2012. And they’re continuously adding new wines to their bounty. An always seasonal favorite is their special, authentic Cherry Bounce with the added taste of cinnamon and fortified with apple brandy. Speaking of brandy, their Brandy Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon is a hearty, dry red with notes of tobacco, oak and vanilla, aged in French oak barrels for two years and an additional six months in American brandy barrels. Their Red Barn Blend (named after the historic red barn below the winery) is a dry red with rustic notes of tart cherry and spice. And brand new to their Club Members’ offerings is Wiseman’s View, an authentic Appalachian High Country dessert style Noiret, complete with a backstory of the breathtaking Wiseman’s View overlook facing picturesque Table Rock and Linville Gorge. Once again this season, our own High Country A.V.A. wineries have decked the halls with bottles bright just in time for winter festivities. Beginning with the surge of Christmas tree trekkers wine! and running all through our snow-clad ski season, wine lovers from throughout the southeast and beyond look forward to spending time in these magical Blue Ridge Mountains and tasting the many award-winning varieties that our wineries feature. Despite the disruptions to normal life and holiday gatherings that have come with recent health concerns, our wineries have been operating under current guidelines and continuing to offer on-site and online customers a rich selection of wines and festive ambiance. So, as you plan your seasonal outings and gifting, our area wineries are ready with warm hearts, warm hearths and a true spirit of wonder and joy. Season’s greetings to you from all High Country A.V.A. wineries. 96— Winter 2020/21 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE