NC Wine Regions

 


The Appalachian Mountains formed mostly by the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. The Blue Ridge Mountains separate the Piedmont from the Mountain region. Other ranges in the Mountain region include the Bald, Balsam, Black, Brushy, Great Smoky, Iron, Pisgah, Stone, and Unaka. All of these ranges are part of the larger Appalachian Mountains, possibly the oldest mountains in the United States.

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The Piedmont is the middle region of the state, located between the Coastal Plain and the Mountain regions. Piedmont is a French word meaning "foot of the mountain." The Piedmont Triad (or simply the Triad) is a north-central region of the U.S. state of North Carolina that consists of the area within and surrounding the three major cities of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point.

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The Coastal Plain is the largest geographic area of the state, and covers roughly 45% of North Carolina. The Coastal Plain begins along the fall line, a line of hills which stretch from the Sandhills region along the South Carolina border, through Fayetteville, then Raleigh, and finally through Henderson, North Carolina near the Virginia border.

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American Viticultural Areas (AVA)

 

Appalachian High Country
Wine lovers have something special to celebrate this holiday season – North Carolina added a fifth AVA. The Appalachian High Country AVA officially became the latest AVA on Oct. 28. The Appalachian High Country AVA is a large 2,400-square-mile area spanning eight counties and three states. Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell and Watauga counties are included, as well as Carter and Johnson counties in Tennessee, and Grayson County, Virginia. A total of 21 vineyards and 10 wineries are currently included in the AVA, with an additional eight vineyards planned in the near future.

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Haw River Valley
The Haw River Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) officially became the third federally granted appellation in North Carolina on April 29, 2009, joining the Yadkin Valley AVA and the Swan Creek AVA inside the Yadkin Valley. The Haw River Valley AVA covers the northern, central portion of the state with approximately 868 sq. miles (555,508 acres). It encompasses Alamance County and portions of Caswell, Chatham, Guilford, Orange, and Rockingham counties.

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Swan Creek
The Swan Creek AVA is an American Viticultural Area located in the northwestern portion of North Carolina, in the Piedmont region. The appellation is distinguished by its loamy soil with schist and mica. Established 27 May 2008, it is the second AVA to be established in North Carolina. It is a sub-appellation of the Yadkin Valley AVA.

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Upper Hiwassee Highlands
The Upper Hiwassee Highlands AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes land in three counties of northern Georgia and two counties of western North Carolina. It is located near the southern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains and includes portions of the Georgia counties of Fannin, Towns, and Union and of the North Carolina counties of Cherokee and Clay.

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Yadkin Valley
The Yadkin Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes land in seven counties of northwestern North Carolina. The AVA encompasses an area of approximately 1,400,000 acres (5,666 km2) in the Yadkin River valley. The Yadkin Valley AVA includes all of Wilkes, Surry, and Yadkin counties, and parts of Davie, Davidson, Forsyth and Stokes counties. Yadkin Valley is home to more than three dozen wineries. The Yadkin Valley area is in the piedmont and foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. One of the most recognizable landmarks in the AVA is Pilot Mountain.

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Crest of the Blue Ridge
The designation will establish approximately 215-square miles as Crest of the Blue Ridge Henderson County AVA. The area has 14 commercial vineyards over 70 acres, with several existing vineyards planning to expand by a combined 55 additional acres in the next 5 years. AgHC indicates Henderson County has at least four more wineries on track to open over the next couple of years and in addition, the County has three hard cider producers. Geographically the area straddles the Blue Ridge Escarpment and the Blue Ridge Plateau, which are separated by the Eastern Continental Divide, also known as the Crest of the Blue Ridge. Attaching Henderson County to the name specifically identifies the area.

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