Destination Vacation: Hendersonville, NC a hot spot for wineries
HENDERSONVILLE, NC. (WJHL) – There are seven wineries scattered throughout Henderson County, North Carolina all with one thing in common: each vineyard owner believes the region is the next hotspot for winemaking.
“People are putting a lot of effort and intent into making really reputable wines and putting North Carolina on the map. We see this as the next frontier of where wine is being made and where viticulture is progressing and advancing,” said Heath Little, Stone Ashe Vineyards employee.
Stone Ashe Vineyards is one of the seven spots open for business. Stone Ashe officially opened its doors to the public summer 2020. The idea started as something to do in retirement, a group of friends who enjoy wine spearheaded the vision.
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The property was found in 2013 with grapes planted in 2016.
Opening during the pandemic was difficult for any business, but Stone Ashe is thriving. The winery offers eight Bordeaux-style wines and a cozy atmosphere.
“We wanted something a little more upscale. That was what we enjoy when we go to wineries, so that’s what we went for,” said Tina Little, owner of Stone Ashe Vineyards.
While Stone Ashe has established itself in the local wine community, expansion never ends. Tina Little said they’re currently working on adding a production facility on-site that will designate them as a fully estate-grown winery, as well as offer opportunities for visitors.
“We hope to start an educational series that will likely be monthly on a Saturday afternoon where we will actually teach people about wines,” said Tina Little.
Expanding seems to be a common theme for established wineries in Hendersonville. Marked Tree Vineyards is also in the process of building a production facility.
Marked Tree opened in the spring 2020 and bases its business model on the wineries in Napa.
“We do a guided style tasting, so we do five one-ounce pours and bring them out to you one at a time. We walk you through the wine and the process. It’s a great way to learn about wine and the property and ask any questions you may have,” said Marked Tree Vineyards Executive Assistant Halle Scaturl.
Scaturl said they offer eight different varietals, all grown on the property. She said there are a few things she loves about working there.
“The interaction with customers is incredible. Also seeing the vines go from a dormant state in January to producing the wine you see in a bottle is really an incredible process,” Scaturl said.
Marked Tree also offers people the chance to become a part of its harvest each year, picking grapes for the wine right from the vine themselves.
There will also be a community festival hosted by Marked Tree from June 6-9 centered around rosé.
One of the first wineries to call Henderson County home is Point Lookout. The site is a former apple farm turned vineyard that’s been in the same family for over 90 years.
The views from the tasting room were the motivation behind the name. The slogan for the winery is “30-mile views, even longer memories.”
“It’s a great place just to come to enjoy great wine and mead, but in the end, it’s about enjoying each other and we treasure that,” said Michael Jackson, owner of Point Lookout Vineyards.
Point Lookout offers anywhere between 12 to 14 wines and a dozen meads. Jackson said they are the only winery in the county that makes and sells their mead.
“Mead is honey wine,” Jackson said. “It starts with fermented honey. We have regular honey fermented and then we do things like add flavors and fruits like peaches, ginger, chamomile, we even do one with Chai Tea.”
Point Lookout opened to the public in July 2018, but the vineyard itself traces back to 2008.
Jackson said they also act as an event venue, hosting an array of weddings and other life celebrations.
Burntshirt Vineyards sets itself apart from the rest with a full restaurant on-site called Vintner’s Table. It was an idea in the works for quite some time that finally became a reality a year and a half ago.
“It was very important that our guests got a culinary experience, and we’re able to do wine pairings along with local foods like chicken salad sandwiches while also offering prime rib and things of that nature so everyone can enjoy at their own leisure,” said Amanda Brooke Andrews, Burntshirt Vineyards general manager.
Along with a variety of delicious dishes, Burntshirt offers a wide array of wines.
“We have 26 total wines over 34 total acres. Almost all the grapes we have on the property are produced on the property. We hardly have anything brought in and we’re very proud of this,” said Burntshirt Vineyards tasting room manager Benjamin Todtenhagen.
Burntshirt also has an Airbnb rental cottage on the property.
All of the aforementioned wineries have won various awards, which speaks to the quality of the wine being served. The owners of the vineyards attribute their success to the soil in the region.
“The soil and the climate in this region are very unique,” Heath Little said. “We like to say there’s a parallel to Bordeaux between the climate and the micro-climate here. We have a good range of our highs 80 to 85 degrees and lows of 60 to 65 degrees.”
Other wineries in Henderson County include Souther Williams Vineyard, Sawyer Springs Vineyard, and Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards.
For more information on what’s offered in Henderson County, click here.
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