Wine Country
Around Asheville

South Slope, Asheville • 0 min

Located in the South Slope brewery district, Pleb sources grapes from across NC and Virginia and works with 26 grape varieties – including things you won’t find elsewhere in the Southeast like Catawba, Aromella, and Maréchal Foch. The converted warehouse space is lively, the kitchen is solid, and the prices are reasonable. Easy to combine with a brewery crawl through the neighborhood.

Downtown Asheville • 0 min

If you’re into natural wine, this is your stop in Asheville. Wild and native yeast fermentations, minimal intervention across both wine and cider. The results include pét-nats, orange wines, and barrel-aged creations that are genuinely interesting. The downtown tasting bar has a bottle shop attached. This one produces something specifically Asheville that you won’t find anywhere else.

West Asheville • 5 min

Technically a cidery but included because their dry ciders are more interesting than a lot of what passes for wine closer to town. They source apples from old mountain orchards and the results are genuinely complex. The taproom is welcoming, the staff is knowledgeable, and the location pairs well with a West Asheville dinner afterward.

Downtown Asheville • 0 min

The best independent wine shop in the city. The staff knows natural wine well and pours things you’d struggle to find elsewhere in the Southeast. Regular tasting events are worth checking the calendar for. Good starting point if you want to understand what the region’s serious wine drinkers are actually drinking before you drive out to the vineyards.

Leicester, NC • 17 miles NW • ~25 min

A four-generation family farm that’s been working this land since 1937. They planted their first vines in 2009 and now have six acres of Cab Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot, and Petit Manseng at 2,250–2,300 ft elevation. The views are near-360 degrees and the rocking chairs on the porch are genuinely hard to leave. One of the best-kept winery secrets close to Asheville. Reservations recommended for guided tastings.

Arden, NC • 12 min south • (+ downtown tasting room at Aloft Hotel)

A family operation growing Vidal Blanc, Chambourcin, and French-American hybrids on site. The hilltop fire pit and vineyard views make this one of the more atmospheric spots close to Asheville. They also run a tasting room in the Aloft Hotel downtown if you want to try before making the drive. The dry reds are the highlights – particularly strong for a small operation.

Black Mountain, NC • 20 min east

Black Mountain is a solid day trip from Asheville on its own – walkable downtown, craft shops, good lunch spots. The vineyard extends the afternoon. Small estate operation, comfortable patio with mountain views. Pair a visit here with lunch in the town and you have a good half-day without a long drive.

Fletcher, NC • 22 min south

Opened in 2022 on a 35-acre farm that’s been in the family for over 200 years. One of the most unusual wine lists in the area – they grow Grüner Veltliner, Saperavi, Blaufränkisch, Rkatsiteli, and Traminette alongside more familiar varieties. Weekend live music and food trucks. They also offer Hike and Sip tours. Worth visiting specifically for the grape variety lineup; these aren’t wines you’ll find at most NC wineries.

Hendersonville, NC • 35 min south • 2,700 ft elevation

The tasting room sits on a mountain bluff at 2,700 feet, surrounded by vineyards planted with vines cloned from Bordeaux. They opened their own on-site winemaking facility in late 2024 – so everything here is now made start-to-finish from estate fruit. The Riesling and Cab Franc are the ones people keep coming back for. One of the best pure winery experiences in Henderson County. 21+ only.

Hendersonville, NC • 32 min south

Henderson County’s first vineyard and winery, established in 2008. The stone fireplace tasting room is one of the cozier spots in the region for colder months. Their Chestnut Gap red blend is what locals recommend. The Rieslings are strong too. A cidery (Appalachian Ridge) is within a minute’s walk for variety. Live music on weekends, food trucks in season, full lineup of 10–12 wines.

Hendersonville, NC • 28 min • (also Chimney Rock location)

Growing grapes seriously since 2007 on 300 acres. The 10,000+ sq ft winery has a barrel room with chandeliers that give it a European chateau feel. Merlot blends and Viognier are the strengths. The Chimney Rock satellite tasting room has a patio with a view of Hickory Nut Falls – worth visiting if you’re doing Chimney Rock State Park anyway. Two locations make a Henderson County day easier to build.

Hendersonville, NC • 30 min south • 2,200 ft elevation

Panoramic views toward Tryon from 2,200 feet, plus mead alongside the wine which gives the lineup variety. Cab Franc, Merlot, and Chardonnay are the main varieties. The patio fills up on weekends – go early or reserve. One of the most photographed spots in the Henderson County wine circuit. Dogs welcome on the grounds.

Hendersonville, NC • 35 min south

One of the newer additions to the Henderson County wine scene, and it looks the part – the property has the feel of a working farm, because it is. Small-batch estate wines, relaxed atmosphere, and good mountain views from the outdoor seating. Worth including in a Henderson County loop, especially if you want a spot that isn’t yet as trafficked as the bigger names nearby.

Tryon, NC • 55 min southeast

The farthest stop on this list and one of the most rewarding. They grow Cab Franc, Sangiovese, Petit Manseng, Petit Verdot, and even a dry Muscadine. Their Rosé of Sangiovese is one of the best wines made in North Carolina – the white Port is rare enough to be worth trying on its own. Luxury villas on site if you want to turn it into an overnight. Worth the drive as a standalone destination.

Mill Spring, NC • 50 min southeast

A multi-generation family farm that added a winery and never tried to be anything else. Estate Cab Franc, Chardonnay, Cab Sauvignon, Merlot, Chambourcin, Petit Manseng, and Muscat – all grown here. Relaxed atmosphere, good upper-vineyard views, and it doesn’t get the tour bus traffic that Overmountain sometimes does. Pair it with Overmountain for a full Polk County afternoon.

Tryon, NC • 55 min southeast

75 acres with indoor and outdoor seating, no reservations needed for a glass or flight on the lawn. The sweeping view across rolling hills and vineyard rows is the main draw – it photographs well, but it also just feels good to sit in. Their Zinfandel has gotten particularly strong reviews. One of the best-value experiences in the Tryon loop.

Columbus, NC • 55 min southeast

The most distinctive property in the Tryon loop. There’s an actual Russian Orthodox chapel on the grounds – transported and reconstructed here – which makes this one of the more unusual winery visits in the South. Estate Cab Sauvignon, Merlot, Cab Franc, and a signature blend called Maestro. Italian Renaissance farmhouse feel, outdoor deck, and a story to tell afterward.

Morganton, NC • ~1 hour east via I-40 • Near Lake James

A tucked-away property near Lake James that rewards visitors who make the effort. Their Four Dog Blend and Cab Franc have built a following among people who do wine loops east of Asheville. It’s small inside, but the surrounded-by-mountains setting makes up for it. Combine with Lake James State Park for a hiking and wine day. South Creek Winery is also in this corridor if you want a two-stop east circuit.

Elkin, NC • ~2.5 hours east • Yadkin Valley AVA

The Yadkin Valley is NC’s main wine appellation, and if you have a full free day with wine as the primary goal, the drive east is worth it. Richland Creek is a consistently solid estate winery in the heart of the AVA, with Viognier and Barbera that outperform their price. Combine with RagApple Lassie or Elkin Creek for a proper wine country day. This is what NC wine looks like at its most established.