Screw it Wine – Issue 3

Around the Vine

A new competition in North Carolina is out to help to promote mead, ciders; winery gains national attention on Veterans Day P3

The Need for Mead

Durham’s Honeygirl Meadery has been making a name for itself. Find out more about this growing meadery P4

Marked Tree Vineyard

Partners Tim Parks and Lance Hiatt of Marked Tree Vineyard in Flat Rock are winning awards in their first year. ............................... P6

Women in Wine

In this issue, Screw it Wine shines a spotlight on the New Jersey native Jennifer Foulides of Silver Fork Winery in Morganton. .............................. P9

Rosé all Day

It’s Rosé season, so Screw it Wine takes a brief look at this pink drink with recipes and reviews. P10

Vitis House’s Doreen Colondres

COVER STORY: Raleigh’s Doreen Colondres has led a colorful life around food and wine, and now’s she’s bringing it to life inside Vitis House. P12

Food/Wine Pairings

Coronato’s Teddy Diggs and Amanda Orser of Littler in Durham pair meals with wines from Piccione and Hanover Park vineyards P16

Brief History of NC Wine

Screw it Wine didn’t want to write a book, so instead, you’ll find the Cliffs Notes of the history behind NC wines and their AVAs P18

Music in the Vines

Not one, or two, but three! Yes, in this issue of Screw it Wine, we take a look at three musicians riding the waves to local success .................... P20

Across State Lines

Winemaker Sam Lando has led an exciting life – from his early days at big wineries to producing some of California’s best Pinot Noir .................. P22

Editorial

Wine competitions bring home lots of awards to many local wineries, but the question is, are they getting too many awards? .............................. P25

COVER PHOTO: Linda Nguyen c/o Tabletop Media Group

A ROUND THE VINE

HOPE ILLUSTRATIONS

South Carolina wine bloggers created a new competition to help promote mead, ciders and fruit wines in N.C.

Cider, mead shine in new NC competition

The inaugural North Carolina Mead-Cider-Fruit (MCF) Wine Competition, which took place May 24 at The Lodge in Flat Rock, announced a total of 27 medal winners.

“The NC Fine Wines Competition promotes the state’s vinifera and hybrid wines, while the North Carolina Muscadine Association promotes the state’s muscadine wines,” says JenNis Beverage Marketing co-owner Dennis Turner. “We wanted to create an event to promote and raise awareness of North Carolina commercially produced Meads, Ciders and Fruit Wines.”

The MCF competition was sponsored by the North Carolina Wine and Grape Council, Raleigh’s Beer Law Center, a division of Matheson & Associates, and the custom chauffeured wine and beer tours, Van in Black.

The judging for the competition was broken into two categories: Mead and Cider/Fruit Wine. Judging the mead was Mike Tripka, owner and mead maker of Bee Town Mead and Cider in Bluffton, South Carolina. Tripka is an award-winning mead maker and a certified BJCP mead judge. He is also President of the Domras Cup in Savannah, Georgia.

Another judge for the mead category was Brian Daughhetee, owner and mead maker at Wandering Bard Meadery in Greenville, South Carolina. Daughhetee has been homebrewing for over 30 years and is BJCP certified. And Chris Frey, who has served nine years on the Brewers Association’s Board of Directors and a certified beer and mead judge.

Judging the ciders was Chuck Blethen, owner of Jewel of the Blue Ridge Vineyard and Orchard in North Carolina. Blethen is an experienced and certified competition judge, author and former president of the French Broad Vignerons.

Other cider judges included award-winning cider maker John Macomson of Fat Ass Heifer Cider in Campobello, South Carolina, and Derrick Cannon, owner of Distinct Cider Room in Greenville, South Carolina.

Rounding up the judging for the competition, JenNis Marketing enlisted the duties of Triangle Around Town and Screw it Wine’s Dathan Kazsuk and Jennifer Primrose and Juliana Tripka with Bee-Town Mead and Cider as media/people’s choice judges.

“We are pleased with the overall execution of the event. We loved the venue, and we are thrilled with the quality of judges for our inaugural MCF,” Turner says. Through our persistence and marketing efforts, we hope to generate greater overall participation in the years to come, notably in the Fruit Wine category.”

Below is a list of the Best in Show and People’s Choice winners:

x Best in Show Mead: Dark Horse, Moonjoy Meadery, Lenoir;

x Best in Show Cider: Stayman, GoodRoad CiderWorks, Charlotte;

x Best in Show Fruit Wine: Blackberry, Twisted Vine Winery, Lenoir;

x People’s Choice Mead: Autumn, Keeper’s Cut Meadery, Marion;

x People’s Choice Cider: Area 61, Twisted Vine Winery, Lenoir; and

x People’s Choice Fruit Wine: Blackberry, Parker-Binns Vineyards, Mill Spring.

To see the full list of winners, go to trianglearoundtown.com.

Dobson winery gets air time on Fox News

The veteran-owned winery, Haze Gray Vineyards, received national exposure last month when Neil Cavuto of Fox News talked to Dean and Becky Muhlenberg about their winery’s veteran theme. “We were honored to appear on Fox News,” said Becky Muhlenberg.

“The segment was centered on small businesses surviving the pandemic. We were featured because we are Veteran-owned and operated and that we are supporting hiring Veterans.”

Since the interview, the winery has received quite a bit of support across the country, thanking them for what they do.

NOW OPEN

Winery opens new hall for food pairings and events

Jones von Drehle hosted its Sip & Savor inside its recently built Chloe Hall. The once annual event will now become a monthly celebration as the winery plans to bring in a new chef each month with different themes each time.

For the inaugural event inside Chloe Hall, JvD teamed up with chef Justin Pinch of WinstonSalem’s Cleave & Cork for a pairing that focused on the lighter wines of the summer. The event featured six wines and six specially crafted meals that together “tease the tongue and delight the senses.”

Be sure to follow the winery for upcoming events.

TRIANGLE AROUND TOWN

Jones von Drehle’s Chloe Hall is officially open for events.

THE NEED FOR MEAD

honeygirl meadery

Explain how you got interested in making mead and how that led to you starting your own business? I started homebrewing beer when I first moved to Durham, North Carolina, as a way to make new friends in my new town. I got interested in making mead after the first time I tried mead at a meadery in Homer, Alaska, while on vacation. I was captivated by the connection of mead to honeybees, honey, and flowers. So after tasting it, I started to make mead at a homebrewing scale exclusively.

At what point in your career did you decide to take mead making into a fulltime business? After homebrewing for several years, in 2012, I decided to put one of my meads into the NC State Fair amateur winemaking competition. To my surprise and delight, it took a ribbon. My friends had all praised the meads over the years, but that ribbon gave me a little bit of external validation, and I started to think that I might want to open a little meadery. For the next year or so, I researched the commercial aspects of mead making, took some science and advanced winemaking courses, and put together a business plan.

There are so many different types of mead, depending on what goes into the honey and water. Tell us your favorite mead style. We love all styles! We love to ferment with added whole fruits, mostly focused on North Carolina fruit from local farmers. We make

and age our traditional meads for extended periods and have a growing barrel program as well.

Do you get your honey locally? We purchase local honey whenever possible and have used one local apiary since the beginning of the meadery. We also buy honey from honey brokers to explore different honey types, such as orange blossom and avocado blossom. Honey is expensive, and we only work with true-source certified suppliers to get the best quality. Part of our mission is to raise awareness about honeybees and the challenges they face. One thing we recommend that everyone can do is to plant more local wildflowers and consider converting grassy yards into wildflower habitats. This helps provide forage for honeybees.

Speaking of honeybees. Have you thought about the meadery having its own apiary? We have backyard bees but would need hundreds of hives for the amount of honey we use each year. We prefer to support other beekeepers and small to medium apiaries by buying honey from them.

Where do you get your fruit for meads such as Melomels? Do you find it locally, and do you prefer whole fruit or puree? We prefer to work with whole fruits and ferment the fruit with the honey for our melomels. We source a majority of our fruit from local farmers

105 HOOD STREET, SUITE #6, DURHAM HONEYGIRLMEADERY.COM

GENERAL INFORMATION

Owner: Diane Currier

Pet Friendly: Outdoors only

Year founded: 2014

First mead bottled: Hibiscus Lemonthyme Mead

Most popular mead sold at meadery: Varies seasonally. Spiced Apple Cyser in the Fall and Lavender in the summer

Online ordering: Yes, curbside and shipping Tastings: Currently serving flights of 4 meads

Cost per tasting: $12

Average bottle price range: $12 to $28

Other beverages sold: No

Tours: Yes, Saturdays during non Covid times Meads produced: Over 30 flavors, so far

Ship to: AK, AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, LA, MA, MD, ME, MN, MO, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, SC, TN, TX, VA, WI, WV and WY

Local retailers: Roughly 40 local retailers

Serves food: No

Food trucks: Occasionally Live music: No

and hand process the fruit ourselves. We also purchase frozen fruit if it’s not available locally and use some juices as well.

How do you explain to people who don’t drink mead that not all mead is sweet? Especially in a state where it’s known for Muscadine, which is a sweet-style grape. There is a lot of education that happens in our Tasting Room when customers come to visit! Since mead is a relatively new beverage in the NC craft scene, part of the Honeygirl experience is enlightening customers about this new product they are trying. We explain that we ferment with honey instead of grapes and that mead has a wide range from dry to sweet, just like (grape-based) wine does. We tend to focus on the dry to the semi-sweet range at Honeygirl Meadery.

Honey is a lot heavier than grape juice; how do you go about getting honey into your fermentation tank and getting your honey to mix with water? Yes, honey is heavy, about 12 pounds per gallon. Our large batches (400-gallon batch size) take up to 1,200 pounds of honey. We mix the honey in a sanitized container, one honey bucket at a time, adding filtered water, and stirring by hand using a food-grade mixing paddle. Then we use a pump to transfer the honey-water mixture into the tank, and use the pump to continue mixing the batch in the tank.

Talk about the rise of mead in the past ten

PHOTOS

Q&A with Honeygirl’s Diane Currier

years. This beverage is getting more attention than ever before. Do you think this number will continue to grow in the state? We were the fourth meadery in NC in 2014, so NC’s growth rate matches that of the country. There are so many angles to approach and enjoy mead that contributes to its popularity. The growth of craft beverages in general, increased interest in glutenfree, and the continued interest in knowing where your food and beverages come from have all contributed to the growth and interest in mead.

Some people think of Renaissance Fairs, fantasy books, Game of Thrones, and D&D when they think of mead. Is that accurate? Did you partake in any of those mentioned above? Yes, certainly, the history of mead and its portrayal in popular culture also contribute to its popularity. There are a lot of great meaderies out there that embrace this theme.

Wine is wine. Beer is beer. Cider is cider. How do you feel when people describe mead as honey wine and not a mead to describe the drink? Discover mead and call it what you will! It’s an amazing beverage and incredibly versatile. It can be carbonated like beer and cider, made with adjuncts like beer and cider, made like wine, or even fortified with distilled spirits.

Is it easier to convince wine or beer drinkers to try mead? In our travels, we see more beer drinkers open to the opportunity to try mead than wine drinkers. Actually, we don’t see a big difference between wine and beer drinkers and their interest in mead. The mead drinking audience

seems open to trying new things. They tend to like craft beverages in general, they care about the ingredients and the process, and the craft of fermentation.

One of the largest mead competitions in the world is the Mazer Cup in Colorado. Have you entered your mead in the competition? If so, have you won any awards for your mead? Yes, as the world’s largest mead-only international competition Mazer Cup is highly anticipated and very competitive. Unlike some other wine competitions, only one gold, one silver, and one bronze medal are awarded in each style. We have entered the Mazer Cup for several years, and we have won twice: a Silver Medal for our Orange Blossom Mead in 2019 and a Silver Medal for our Wildwood oak-aged mead in 2018.

Do any mead makers here in the state or elsewhere influence what you are doing today? Dana Acker and the team at Windsor Run Winery –Dana is one of the mead pioneers in NC. He helped me immensely as I developed my commercial processes, especially with issues related to fining, filtering and managing fermentations. Ben and Becky Starr of Starrlight Mead - I reached out to Ben and Becky before opening. They have been incredibly generous since our first meeting. I volunteered to help Ben with bottling. He allowed me to assist in any aspects of production I was interested in.

Outside of North Carolina, who do you think is creating excellent mead? Heidrun Meadery, Haymaker Meadery, Lost Cause Meadery, Charm City Meadery, and Black Heath Meadery.

ABOUT THE MEAD MAKER

DIANE CURRIER

Birthplace: Born in Ohio, grew up in Winston-Salem, North Carolina Education: University of Virginia Years making mead: 12+ Family: Partner and two cats

Favorite author: Barbara Kingsolver

Favorite movie: Not a movie, but I could watch Parks and Recreation over and over and laugh every time Favorite vacation spot: North Carolina mountains

What were some of your greatest achievements in the past year? Winning Our State Made In NC award.

What has been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced while making mead? I started Honeygirl Meadery totally on my own. The biggest challenges were during the early years as I struggled to manage the multiple demands of a start-up and hone my mead making craft at the same time. We have grown organically, investing back in the business each year to add equipment and improve our processes. So much more is possible, thanks to the added talents of our amazing team.

When not making mead, what do you do to relax? Hiking, kayaking and being in nature.

Durham’s Honeygirl Meadery produces over 40 different flavors of mead and ships to 34 states.

Marked Tree Vineyard

For Tim Parks, the love for the vine was just part of a family vacation. While others packed up the camping gear and headed off to Yosemite National Park or the Grand Canyon – the Parks were off to indulge in wines in the Willamette, Napa and Virginia’s Shenandoah valleys.

While living in Atlanta, Parks, who had a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains, first discovered the small, boutique-style wineries. While many small wineries exist worldwide, Parks was accustomed to the larger wineries producing 350,000 cases per year.

After seeing some of these smaller wineries, Parks started to believe that he could do this as well.

“We started to see kind of small, very specialized wineries that were only producing around 3,000 cases per year,” Parks says.

One of those wineries Parks visited in 2009 was Crane Creek Vineyards that resides in North Georgia on the Dahlonega Plateau. Long regarded as the “Heart of Georgia Wine Country,” it was during this time that the next step was being formulated.

“We started looking for property in 2009,” Parks says. “We were looking here and in the Georgia mountains, simultaneously. Our agent here in Asheville thought we were crazy because we would come up here every weekend and make her show us a property.”

After looking at hundreds of properties from 20092015, Parks and his partner Lance Hiatt were coming close to a location. “We look north of Asheville, south

of Asheville, west of Asheville,” Parks says. “There were several things that we had to click off the box to make sure that we were going to be successful.”

Some of those criteria included close proximity to other wineries and an area where they could partner with other wineries and be a part of a wine trail. And, of course, produce excellent wine at an elevation of at least 2,100 feet where grapes will ripen and thrive.

Parks gives the reigns over to Hiatt regarding soil, elevation, and much-related grape knowledge.

“I’ve been an architect for 20-plus years, and I just kind of wanted to do something different,” Hiatt says. “I had always loved growing things and being outside. It seemed like a natural progression to start up a vineyard.”

Hiatt understands that not everyone who grow things, and loves being outside becomes a grape farmer – but it was something he wanted to do. And he made it happen.

Studying at Surry Community College’s Viticulture and Enology program, Hiatt spent time around 20-plus grape varietals and tested what would grow well at the elevation they reside in Flat Rock. Hiatt explains that he could view places such as Burntshirt Vineyards and Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards to see how their grapes have adapted over the years.

Helping Tim and Lance along the way was Hiatt’s professor at Surry, Joseph Geller, who they brought in as a consultant. “He’s the one who helped layout our blocks of wine. He was the one who chose our varietals as well,” Parks says.

The trio learned what to do and not to do, including

Enjoy wines in luxury both inside and outside at Marked Tree Vineyard.

having south- and west-facing blocks of land. They also wanted to do a little more experimentation in growing grapes that grow well in their climate, American-style hybrids and the popular old-world Vinifera.

A visit to Marked Tree Vineyards will let guests experience varietals such as Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Vidal Blanc, Chardonel, Lemberger and Grüner Veltliner.

“We wanted to have a different perspective on what we grow and ripen here in Western Carolina because many folks grow Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot,” Parks says.

As many winemakers and wine drinkers know here in North Carolina, varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot can grow here – but they don’t always ripen. That can lead to some very muted and reprehensible wines.

“A lot of times, people will grow Merlot, some years it is successful, and some years it is not because of the cold,” Hiatt says. Cold and harvesting too soon can really play a harmful on the overall taste of these grapes. That will sometimes lead to wineries making an abundance of Rosé the year those varietals lack.

“We really want to experiment with some things that would be unique to us and let the other wineries still do what they do,” Parks says. “We’ve been very happy with our results.”

Although you can’t rule Marked Tree ever producing these varietals, Hiatt sounds more interested in working with hybrids like Chardonel and Vidal Blanc. “They’ve been amazing grapes to work with,” he says. “They both are very high producers and make very high-quality wine.”

One of the least popular grown grape varietals in North Carolina happens to be Lemberger or Blaufränkisch – a grape both Parks and Hiatt are very high on.

“It’s very similar to a Petit Verdot,” Hiatt says. “We let the wine sit on the skins for extended maceration, trying to extract all the color.”

A glass of Lemberger or Blaufränkisch tends to be a very fruit-forward wine with lots of dark colors, and the duo is very excited about the upcoming 2019 release.

WINE, AWARDS AND DESIGN

Marked Tree reached out to Justin Taylor at Parker-Binns Vineyards to assist in helping produce the winery’s wine in conjunction with Hiatt. While most of the wines are made at Parker-Binns, Parks states a small facility is located onsite to create small batches of wine.

“We actually do have a small winery out here, where we can do four barrels. We call that the lab,” he says. “That’s where we made our first wine in 2017. We kind of experimented with our grapes the first year and gave it to our friends.”

With Taylor’s experience and Hiatt’s schooling, the duo has already put their foot down as one of the new wineries to watch in western Carolina.

“He and I work together really well,” Hiatt says. “He’s really amazing and not afraid to experiment with stuff.”

According to Hiatt, it’s been a learning process in working with different yeast strands to improve the quality of the wines. And it’s paid off. Earlier this year, the winery won two awards featured in the 2021 NC Fine Wines ShowCase Competition, as well as an award for its Grüner Veltliner.

“It’s been a learning process, especially the Grüner,” Hiatt says. “Our first Grüner was a beast. It’s just a tough grape to work with. We’re getting the right yeast and the right enzymes. That’s why the Grüner was best in his class this year.”

Parks is thrilled with the current selection but is also looking forward to a couple of fun projects in the works. “We wanted to do some special things,” he says. One is a collaboration wine with Parker-Binns Vineyards.

The collaboration will feature two barrels of each winery’s premier grapes. Parks and Hiatt provided Lemberger and Cabernet Franc, and Parker-Binns used its Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

“We’re going to call it ‘1,000 Feet Apart,’ because that’s the elevation between us,” Parks says. The wineries plan to release this in the fall and some other surprises, starting with its wine club members.

Besides the great tasting wines at Marked Tree, the other thing that stands out is the architectural design involved in the winery, inside and out. Hiatt, with his architectural background, admits he could have done the structure by himself but enlisted friends from Chicago and Atlanta to help with the concept.

“This is a 100 percent collaboration with all my friends,” he says. “We moved furniture around, trying to figure out where the best place to sit and have a glass of wine.”

And they succeeded, as there’s not a single table without a spectacular view of the vines and rolling hills when guests visit Marked Tree Vineyards.

WOMEN IN WINE

A SPOTLIGHT ON THE WOMEN IN THE WINE INDUSTRY

Her love for chemistry became passion for wine

The story of Silver Fork’s Jennifer Foulides starts approximately 628 miles north of Morganton, North Carolina, in the small town of Newton, New Jersey. With similar aesthetics to the winery’s home base, this Sussex County town is where Foulides love for chemistry was born.

Throughout her schooling, Foulides was fond of math and science, especially chemistry. Her love for chemistry led to a career in chemical engineering – but as she points out, it didn’t last that long. “Two years went by, and I found out that chemical engineering had very little to do with lab chemistry,” Foulides says.

She then graduated from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and went into sales. “With many grads from large engineering schools, the powers that be push you into big chemical factories,” she says. That led to a job with Rosemont Measurements, where she sold process control equipment. “I got away from chemistry, and more toward the sales aspect because it was money-driven,” Foulides states. Eventually, she started working for Computer Associates as a global account director.

Foulides was still fond of the chemistry involved in the winemaking process and had many friends in the industry – one of them being Marco Borghese of Castello di Borghese in Long Island. Foulides, along with her husband Ed, were both looking for a career change.

As she says, the couple were both making good money back in 2009 but had nothing

to show for it. “We had a second chance of creating a new career and life plan,” she says. “Both Ed’s children were grown up, so nothing was tying us to stay in New York, and we desperately wanted to leave Manhattan.”

The couple decided to pack up and make a road trip along the East Coast. In the back of both their minds, they already had a couple of ideas in mind – to either start up a winery or open a doggy daycare business.

The road trip featured stops in Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, but it was a trip up through Asheville at Biltmore Estates that Foulides fell in love with North Carolina.

They spent time in the area to determine if western Carolina is where they wanted to call their new home. While enjoying the area’s scenic views, Foulides met the previous owner of Silver Fork, Larry Kehoe. At the time, Silver Fork was just a vineyard selling its grapes to local wineries such as Lake James Cellars, South Creek Vineyards and RayLen.

Jennifer and Ed became apprentices for Kehoe as he prepared them to take over the vineyard and produce their wines and eventually build a tasting room. What started as 2.5 acres of vines has now expanded to roughly 7 acres and produces wines such as its Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin, Merlot and several blends.

“This got me back to the land, but also to my true passion, which is chemistry.”

– Dathan Kazsuk

SHINING

Jennifer Foulides (top) of Silver Fork Winery enjoys spending time out in the vines.

SILVER FORK WINERY

Jennifer Foulides Silver Fork Winery Morganton, NC

ROSE ALL DAY

Rosé wines can be both fun and complex S

ummertime is the perfect time to enjoy a glass of rosé wine. It’s flirty and fun, versatile and food-friendly. Great for a day at the pool or the beach.

This wine is perfect for the newbie wine drinker just learning the many grape varietals and where this pink drink fits in. Rosé wines are typically associated with sweet zinfandels, but not all rosé wines are sweet; some are dry or off-dry, while some are even sparkling.

Rosé wines are produced using different black grape varieties or a blend with white grape varieties, each adding its flavor and color intensity.

Four of the most popular grape varieties used when producing a rosé wine are Grenache, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese and Syrah, each offering its unique flavor profile.

From fruit-forward aromas to bursts of red fruits or even the peppery side of Syrah, these grapes each add its characteristics and flavors. But how is a rosé made?

Rosé wines are produced in varying ways; direct pressing, short maceration or blending. Direct pressing involves pressing black grapes to extract the juice and take the skins off quickly. The juice is then fermented like white wine producing a beautiful pale pink color light in body. Another method is short macerations where the fruit is crushed, spends a little maceration time on the skins before pressing. The amount of time will determine the intensity of color and flavor of the wine. The last method is simply blending, where red wine is blended with white wine.

While most wine-making regions produce rosé wines, France may be the first that comes to mind. The Provence region in France leads in the production

of French rosé. Distinct grape varieties in this region include Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault and Mourvèdre. Of course, one cannot mention France without including the Loire Valley, where rosé wines also flourish. This region comprises blends of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

In North Carolina, wineries such as Hanover Park Vineyard in Yadkinville focus on French-style wines and produce The Pearl, a dry rosé, with a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

Other European countries dabbling in the pink drink are Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Slovenia and even Greece. For a taste of Greece right here in North Carolina, Kefi Vineyards and Winery in Monroe, specializing in Greek wines, has its first rosé wine made from its Aglianico grapes coming soon.

Primarily known for White Zinfandel, California winemakers created this style as a mistake back in the 1970s. Unfortunately, due to poor marketing in the 1980s, this wine was given a bad reputation by being marketed as a sweet, cheap wine. However, today’s White Zinfandel is easy-drinking, versatile, dry and modern.

Lastly, the sparkling rosé – this pink drink is fun, great for celebratory events, or just relaxing on the porch swing. These wines can be produced using short maceration or blending methods. Stone Ashe Vineyards in Hendersonville has on its tasting menu the 2019 Bubbly Provençal Rosé, which is a blend of 90 percent Sangiovese and 10 percent Merlot, while Piccione Vineyards in Ronda has its 2019 Rospira, another dry sparkling rosé.

– Jennifer Primrose

THE

DAYS

OF SWINE AND ROSES

Looking for a fun new way to experience Rosé wines? We’ve come up with one. Try pairing the pink and fruity taste of Rosé with the diverse flavors of pork. A Rosé wine could be a great pairing with BBQ pork or many other pork dishes, but make sure the meat doesn’t overpower some of those delicate wines. Look for full-bodied Rosé wines to pair with a meal, such as Grenache, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese or Chianti or some of the Rosé wines with multiple varietals blended together. Check out some of our dishes that paired well with the wine styles above.

BONELESS PORK RIBS WITH CAJUN RUB SPICES AND DEEP RIVER BREWING COMPANY SOUR CHERRY ALE SAUCE

SUMMER SPINACH SALAD WITH SALAMI, BACON AND A ORANGE VINAIGRETTE

ROSE FUN FACTS

It seemed that the beer world was hopping on the “Rosé All Day” craze by producing its own rosé style beers not too long ago. But check your nearest bottle shop, and you’ll see that hasn’t been the case in the past couple of years.

SUMMER ROSE PICKS

Here’s a few fun North Carolina Rosé wines we suggest you pick up this summer!

1. Did you know that Rosé wine was initially founded around 7000 BC? Both red and white wines came thousands of years later.

2. Rosé wines aren’t just for the summertime. It is an excellent aperitif or dinner wine that pairs well with virtually anything.

3. Rosé wines shouldn’t be aged and are best consumed while still fresh. You’ll want to drink your bottle of Rosé within 2 to 3 years after its release date.

4. Most Rosé wines are made from red grape varieties but sometimes will include some white wine juice. This style of wine is fermented, similar to white wine, and is best served chilled like white wines.

5. That pink color you see when you drink a Rosé wine comes from letting the red wine skins remain in contact with the juice. The longer the reds are in touch with the liquid, the darker the color. Skins can stay with the juice anywhere from a few hours to 2 to 3 days.

6. Rosé wines are not Blush wines. Don’t be confused. Rosé wines are dry, while most Blush wines will be semi-sweet in taste.

7. Know thy names. Did you know that a Rosé is called Rosato in Italy, and in Spain, it’s called Rosado? In France and here in the U.S., we call it Rosé.

Like other businesses, breweries also keep up with the latest trends, such as hard seltzers, which is the current craze. With the rise of seltzers, something had to go to the waste side, which appears to be the rosé-themed beers. While the trend of rosé beers hit its pinnacle in 2019, we saw some still come to the occasion in early 2020. Still, this past summer, maybe due to the pandemic, you saw fewer breweries offering those pink-tinted brews.

Back then, you had some big names in the brewing industry produce pink beers, such as California’s Firestone Walker, who released Rosalie.

Another success story back in 2019 was with Cincinnati’s Rhinegeist Brewery, which canned Bubbles, a rosé ale, and Little Bubs, a session rosé ale.

Closer to home, Asheville’s Green Man Brewery released its Persian Dry Rosé back in July of 2019 – which derived from its head brewery trying a can of Rosalie.

And in Raleigh, Lonerider Brewery has released its first rosé themed beer with Petal to the Metal. The wheat-style beer is brewed with sweet orange peel, Hibiscus petals and white grape juice and is a light and refreshing 4.8 percent ABV.

While we see this trend dying down like the shortlived BRUT IPA, it’s always a nice beer to sip while trying to keep cool in those warm Carolina summers.

Sanctuary Vineyards

Frothin’ Fizzy Dry Rosé

You know when you pour this wine with its delicate pink hue and slight fizzing that you are in for a nice treat. This dry rosé wine has a pleasant tingle of strawberry and bing cherries on the nose with subtle hints of baking spice on the finish. This is a perfect summertime wine to enjoy with light dishes such as watermelon salad or goat cheese.

JARVISBURG, NC

Stone Ashe Vineyards

2019 Bubbly Rosé

This bubbly rosé is made using Sangiovese (90 percent) and Merlot (10 percent). The wine has a nice effervescent with subtle hints of white peaches, raspberries and ripe strawberries. The wine has a crisp and dry finish and a mouth-watering acidity that compliments the fruit. Bubbly Rosé is created in the dry Provençal-style with refined minerality.

CAROLINA’S BEST PINK WINES THROUGH THE YEARS

Are you looking for the best Rosé in North Carolina? Look no further than the North Carolina Fine Wine Awards, which has been awarding the best Rosé wines since 2017. Here’s a look at the top Rosé up to 2021.

Z 2017: Jones von Drehle Vineyards’ 2015 Rosa Dia

Z 2018: Jones von Drehle Vineyards’ 2016 Rosa Dia

Z 2019: Jones von Drehle Vineyards’ 2017 Rosa Dia

Z 2020: Herrera Vineyards’ Rosé 2018

Z 2021: Marked Tree Vineyard’s 2020 Chloé Rosé

what once was a smash is now fading away - maybe?

HENDERSONVILLE, NC

INTERNATIONAL CELEB FINDS SUCCESS IN WINE SCHOOL

INTERVIEW WITH DOREEN COLONDRES OF RALEIGH’S VITIS HOUSE

BY DATHAN KAZSUK & JENNIFER PRIMROSE

Doreen Colondres is the creator of The Kitchen Doesn’t Bite and an author and founder of Raleigh’s Vitis House. In this educational center, her love for wine and food shines. But what is Colondres’ story? How did she get this passion for outstanding cuisine and a desire for wine? Screw it Wine was searching for answers, so it reached out to Colondres to determine how she got to where she is now. Just what came first? The wine or the food?

I will say the food came first. There’s no wine connoisseur in my family. My family was always more into beer and whiskey. I will say, Puerto Rico is very famous for whiskey with fresh coconut water, and there was always fresh coconuts in our house.

That was like a family thing, but they were not too much into wine. I started cooking when I was nine. My family, they were so passionate about food. I never realized what

was a normal life for us. My grandma was my nanny while my parents were working. We used to have like 30 different ingredients in the backyard garden, so it was always like a celebration for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I helped my mom prepare a dish that she never made for me. And I was like, “you know what? I want to help you from Monday through Thursday from now on.” And she was like, “Deal.” So, I started learning, and every recipe was my recipe. I never copied my grandma or my mom. I was always inspired or putting together different stuff. And bringing to the table something different all the time.

Let’s fast forward now to your time in marketing. You started at a very young age, correct? I started really young – working when I was maybe 14. I began doing partials and promotions to promote grocery stores and different products. So I was always into food. And then, I studied marketing, and I worked

in the food industry. I was really young, around 21 to 22 years old, developing flavors for Frito Lay and creating recipes and marketing for PepsiCo, Yum Brands: Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and KFC.

And that was really fun. But it was like, definitely not me. And one day, I created the brand “The Kitchen Doesn’t Bite.” By that time, I was already living in Miami. And I was like, I’m gonna do it. It started with a conversation with friends. My friend said, “You are what you eat. You can’t always eat processed food. You need to cook more often.” Then a friend said, “why don’t you do this on TV.” And I did.

So that led to you getting a job with Univision and the Fox network? Yes. I began doing endorsements for different brands, developing recipes and traveling all over the world, promoting the traditional food of other countries. I partnered in Spain, Israel, Italy and Greece. Visiting all these different countries, I learned about their food and wine. So I can say that I studied in more than 10 countries.

I then got a great deal with Fox networks, and at some point, I was hosting three cooking shows for 16 different countries in Spanish. So that was really fun. The cities were in Argentina, and I was living three months in Argentina filming like crazy, like 60 shows per month, and then going back home. So that was really fun.

So how did all these lead to you winding up in Raleigh, of all places? One of my clients is a pharmaceutical company. I was part of a campaign to increase awareness about obesity and diabetes. And they took me here to Raleigh to do a cooking show for the employees. A healthy cooking segment, and I fell in love with the city. I thought to myself, “I think I can live here.” By that time, I had my level three in wine. I will say that I always enjoyed wine.

I think I was like 21 and I was cooking in a house of a colleague. And I was cooking a veal stew, and I ended up adding a $500 bottle of wine, because I was clueless about what it was. I used it for my veal. I think that day I got into wine, to be honest.

So now you want to educate people, so we’re not dumping a $500 bottle of wine in a stew, correct? One thing that I’m very passionate about is education. My mom is an educator, and my sister is educated in the same field. And I always said, if I’m going to do this, I will learn the right way. So I started taking certifications. I remember the first certification was probably in 2000. I love challenges, and that was very challenging.

I love wine and tequila, but I’m not into spirits and cocktails. So I continued the path. And when I got my WSET level 3, I always thought about having a cooking school, and I thought this would be absolutely perfect for doing a wine school.

My first book was published by Penguin Random House, and I remember that they didn’t want a chapter about wine. I had to convince them because, for me, it was very important. And then a few years ago, I will say maybe six years ago, I did my first harvest in Bordeaux, which was really spectacular. I lived two years in Spain, and during that time, I spent a crazy amount of time in the wineries. So little by little, I learned a lot about wine while I was in the food industry.

You’ve traveled all around the world. Do you have a favorite place you studied where the wine was spectacular? That’s a tough one because every place has its charm. I truly love wines from Spain. I think those are my favorite. Although I absolutely love Greek wines, too. And of course, Italy and France. But every country has a gem. I will not have a problem living again in Spain or in Italy. So yes. I mean, I just love that culture.

But when I moved to Raleigh, I was getting that European vibe. Where people truly want to spend time doing something,

it doesn’t matter what it is. They love to enjoy life. They love to be outdoors. They love to mingle with people in the neighborhood or friends. And that’s something that you can’t find in big cities like Miami or New York. It’s really rare to see that, which caught my attention about Raleigh that people here genuinely enjoy their lives.

You came at a great time. The Triangle is a happening metro, but when we arrived in town 20-plus years ago from Michigan and California, it was a culture shock for the two of us. I know. I like it here now, and I hope it doesn’t change too much.

But you fell in love with Raleigh, and now you have Vitis House inside the Loading Dock. Were you thinking of this concept before moving here? I started thinking about it three years before I made it happened. And I had a few cities that caught my attention, such as San Antonio and San Juan. And then I saw Raleigh, and I was like, Oh my god, I think this is the better spot.

And yeah, the plan was always to start with food, not with wine. But I saw the opportunity in wine. And it was easier for me to push myself to make it happen in wine because of all the logistics. The idea was to have my own kitchen studio and be able to do the cooking classes.

From what we recall you telling us in the past, the Loading Dock was like a nice twist of faith finding the location. Tell us the story again. I was driving around the city on a free night, and to be honest, I was lost. And I just saw the spot. And I was like, Okay, I’m just gonna have a glass of wine in that restaurant. And I went to Hummingbird. It was funny because I was in the bar by myself, and a couple sitting next to me asked what I was drinking and why?

They were planning on ordering what I ordered. And I was like, Okay, I think this is a sign from the universe. We started talking about wine and the city and, and I mean, they shared a lot of information.

Tell us about the certifications and classes you offer at Vitis House for people who don’t know. We have three different

styles of classes right now, and soon a fourth one. I find most of the lessons I combined food and wine, these are fun, but you also learn. And those are generally like an hour and a half, two hours.

We’re also a program provider for WSET, the most prestigious wine school globally. They’re in 14 different languages and more than 70 countries. And I’m a program provider for all their programs. These programs are for wine lovers, wine collectors or people who work in the industry. These programs are all worldwide recognized. And we offer level one, level two and level three in wine, and we offer level one and two in spirits.

We recently expanded, adding the Wine Scholar Guilds. They offer masters for France, Italy and Spain wines.

You also feature workshops and classes on spirits, such as tequila and Saki. Raj is the instructor for the spirits. I’m level two in spirits, but I can’t teach level one unless I completed level three. Raj is at level three experience, so he teaches the calsses. There are only a few level three students in the U.S., and he’s one of them. He’s also an importer and distributor of tequila, so that’s why he has a license to pour the samples in class.

And classes have been in such demand, you opened a satellite office in WinstonSalem. We opened Winston-Salem in January. And now the plan is to open in Charlotte. So hopefully, we’re gonna start in Charlotte in August. If everything goes well.

One of your employees, Brianna, is a great teacher and instructor. How did you come to find her? I found her through Oceans South Imports. She was working at The Wine Feed in Durham. Steve from Ocean South Imports introduced me to Briana. He told me, off the record, that she wants to work as an educator and work full time. And then she approached me, and I was thinking about doing all the WSET level one and level two. To grow the business and focus on all the fun classes I wanted to create, I needed someone to help.

I’m glad she’s here because she’s absolutely amazing. So I’m really, really, really happy to have her on board. The baby’s growing. So definitely, now that I have Raj in spirits and Ali helping us as well. She’s a photographer and stylist and has helped me a lot with different aspects of the business.

You live here in North Carolina now. And NC wines have had this huge stigma that they’re all sweet Muscadine. Are

there any plans to teach classes on NC wines, the soil, and their challenges? Before I moved here, I never had a North Carolina wine. I got a lot of overall feedback, and I have to say it’s not what I’ve been experiencing so far, as far as them all being sweet. Many people are saying it’s sweet, but there is a lot of dry vinifera out there.

I don’t think it’s fair to compare. We can’t compare wines here to Greece, Italy, France, Spain or even Oregon. It is a different climate here, and it is very challenging. The beauty of North Carolina wine is to make good wine and know your challenges. There are a lot of grape varietals that are being produced here, like Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Negro Amaro.

We have some winemaking friends from California who say that as well about North Carolina wine. We aren’t going to be France or California, so find what grows well on our soil and develop that. As you said, Cabernet Franc does well here. So does Chambourcin, Norton, Petit Verdot and Petit Manseng. I agree. Totally agree.

As far as wine classes on North Carolina, I can’t wait to do that. I love to support local. One of the things that I was talking to Tabletop Media is about is a class for only North Carolina wines. So people can experience that and something that I would love to do soon, but I think students are not ready for it.

Hopefully, this summer, I would like to make trips to visit a few of these wineries. A day trip or stay the weekend. They do that in California, but hello, we can do that here!

It’s not quite the same, but be sure to let us know when you do these trips and classes, we would love to share our knowledge and experience on North Carolina wines with you and the students. Yes, that would be great. I know we’ll be able to collaborate in the future.

DOREEN PHOTOS C/O LINDA NGUYEN

FOOD AND WINE PAIRING

Pairing food and wine together is a balancing act – and when that perfect combo is achieved, your mouth will thank you.

CORONATO, CARRBORO PICCIONE VINEYARDS, RONDA

Suppli alla Romana

Suppli (Italianization of the French word surprise) are Italian snacks consisting of a breaded rice ball (generally risotto) stuffed with cheese. The treats are typical of Roman cuisine and can be found at any Roman Pizzeria. Originally, suppli consisted of tomato rice with chicken giblets with buffalo milk mozzarella stuffed into the center before being breaded and fried.

INGREDIENTS

3 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. butter

1/2 cut onion, finely chopped

2 cups risotto rice (such as Arborio) Kosher salt

1 cup white wine

2 cups water mixed with 2 cups pureed tomatoes, heated

1 fresh bay leaf

1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated

6 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into small, bite size pieces

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs Canola oil for frying

STEP-BY-STEP

• For the Risotto: In a pot, bring the water and tomato mixture to a simmer over medium heat.

• Meanwhile, heat the oil and butter in a heavy saucepan. Add the onions and cook until they are translucent. Add the bay leaf and rice and stir until it is well coated with the butter and oil mixture.

• Add the white wine and stir continually over medium heat until it is completely absorbed.

• Start to add 1 cup of hot broth and tomato mixture, stirring as it is absorbed. Continue this manner, adding ladles full of hot tomato water, and stirring continuously for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the rice is cooked but remains slightly firm to the teeth.

• Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the grated Parmigiano cheese. Refrigerate the risotto, covered, for 8 hours or overnight.

• For the Suppli: Place the flour, beaten egg, and breadcrumbs in 3 separate bowls. Pinch a tablespoon or more of the cooked and chilled risotto rice and press it into a flat shape on the palm of your hand. Put a small piece of the mozzarella cheese in the center and fold the rice around the center to make a stuffed ball. Keep the cheese in the center of the rice ball so that none is exposed on the exterior.

• After all of your rice balls have been stuffed, it is time to bread them. Dip a rice ball in the flour, covering all sides thoroughly. Gently shake off any excess flour. Dip the floured ball in the egg to become coated and let any excess egg drip

“We are pairing our fun and delicious Suppli Romana with the Piccione Vineyards Sangiovese. This terrific representation of Sangiovese is extremely versatile with food but classically pairs with tomato sauce. The relatively high acidity and moderate tannins also work well with a bit of richness. So I choose to pair them with Coronato’s very popular Suppli alla Romana.”

– Teddy Diggs, Coronato

off. Then lay it in the bread crumbs, and scoop some over to cover the top. Press down gently, then lift from the bowl and set aside.

• Fry rice balls at 350 degrees in either a deep-sided pot or a deep

fryer for approximately 3.5 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown.

• Allow the Suppli to cool for a couple of minutes before serving them (Caution, the center will be hot).

PHOTO BY CAROLINA STAMEY

FOOD AND WINE PAIRING

Pairing food and wine together is a balancing act – and when that perfect combo is achieved, your mouth will thank you.

LITTLER, DURHAM HANOVER PARK VINEYARD, YADKINVILLE

Beef Bourguignon Shepheard’s Pie

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SHORT RIBS

4 pounds boneless short ribs

1 large carrot, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 medium size yellow onion, peeled and cut into 8 pieces

2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 head of garlic, cut in half

3 fresh bay leaves

6 springs fresh thyme

2 cups red wine

8 cups beef stock, or enough to cover the top of the short ribs in pan

1 tablespoon tomato paste

FOR THE SAUCE

1 small onion, peeled and cut into 8 pieces

4 large shallots, peeled and sliced into 1-inch rounds

2 fresh bay leaves

1 tablespoon whole coriander

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup red wine

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Short rib braising liquid, strained

FOR THE MASHERS

4 pounds red skin potatoes, small to med.

1/2 pound butter

11/4 cup buttermilk

Salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE ROASTED VEGETABLES

11/2 pounds carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2inch dice

3/4 pound parsnips, peeled cut into 1/2inch dice

1 pound cipollini onions, peeled, halved and cut in wedges

11/2 pounds cremini mushrooms, halved and cut in wedges

STEP-BY-STEP

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Season short ribs with salt and black pepper on all sides.

• Place a large saute pan on a burner and turn on high heat. Add olive oil to the pan until it is 1/4 inch deep. When oil is hot, place short ribs in the pan and sear both sides until they are a deep golden brown. You may have to do this in batches, so the pan is not overcrowded. Leave yourself enough space to move and flip the short ribs.

• Once the short ribs are seared, place them in a metal roasting pan in a single layer. Pour the oil out of the saute pan so there is enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add onions, carrots, and celery to the pan. Saute over medium-high heat until they have taken on some color.

• Drop the burner to medium-low and add tomato paste. Stir to combine with vegetables and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Add the vegetables to the roasting pan.

• Add red wine to saute pan over medium-low heat and stir to get all the golden brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add your beef stock and bring to a simmer over high heat. Pour liquid over short ribs in a roasting pan. Add bay leaves, fresh thyme, and garlic. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and put in the oven. Braise short ribs for three hours.

• Let short ribs cool in braising liquid. If doing this 1 - 2 days ahead of time, store short ribs refrigerated in the braising liquid.

TO FINISH AND ASSEMBLY THE DISH

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Starting with the sauce, remove short ribs from the roasting pan and leave them out at room temperature. If stored in the refrigerator, remove any solidified fat that is on the surface. Strain the braising liquid and discard solids. Let sit and remove any fat/oil that is on the surface with a ladle.

• Place a large saute pan on a burner and turn on high heat. Add olive oil to the pan until it is 1/4 inch deep. When oil is hot, place short ribs in the pan and sear both sides until they are a deep golden brown. You may have to do this in batches, so the pan is not overcrowded. Leave yourself enough space to move and flip the short ribs.

• Turn the burner down to low and add tomato paste and coriander seeds. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.

• Add flour and stir to coat the mixture in the pan. Cook four minutes, stirring often.

• Add red wine vinegar and red wine. Stir to combine. Raise heat to medium and reduce the liquid to the point that it is almost dry. Stir often and watch to make sure this doesn’t scorch.

• Add braising liquid and stir to

combine. Raise to medium-high heat. Stir often to prevent the bottom from burning until this comes to a boil. Once this comes up to a boil, turn down to a simmer and reduce by 2/3 (approximately 3 cups of sauce). Once reduced, turn the sauce off and strain out the solids. Season with salt and black pepper. Add thyme leaves and set them to the side.

• While the sauce is reducing, put potatoes in an appropriate-sized saucepan. Cover with cold water, add a large pinch of salt to the water, and place on a burner uncovered over high heat. When potatoes come to a boil, turn down to medium heat and cook until tender/easily pierced with a paring knife.

• Next, toss parsnips with olive oil to coat, salt, and black pepper. Spread on a sheet pan. Repeat the same process for the onions, mushrooms, and carrots. They all have different cooking times, so keep them separate. Place in preheated oven and roast approximately 10-12 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and set aside.

• When the potatoes are done, pour into a colander, and then place potatoes back in the pot. Add buttermilk and butter to the potatoes and mash with a potato masher. Continue mashing until thoroughly combined and most of the lumps are gone. This is a rustic mash, so it will not be completely smooth. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

• Using your hands, pull shortribs into bite-size pieces/small chunks. Place in a bowl and add all roasted vegetables and sauce. Stir to combine all ingredients.

• Place in individual serving ovenproof dishes or a 9x13 oven-safe casserole dish. Put mashers in a pastry bag (or large Ziploc bag with one of the corners cut off) and pipe mashers on top of the mixture in an even layer.

• Place in the 425 degrees F oven and bake until mashers are golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.

PHOTO BY CAROLINA STAMEY

Chef Amanda Orser selected her take on a shepherd’s pie to pair with Hanover Park’s Mourvedre because of the wines robust, bold and full-bodied fruit that goes perfectly with the hearty, earthy, red wine braised pie.

PHOTO BY LITTLER

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE

NORTH CAROLINA

WINE INDUSTRY

AND ITS AVAS

BY JENNIFER PRIMROSE

The wine industry in North Carolina dates back over 400 years when the theory emerged that John White and the Lost Colony first planted vines on the coast. At that same time, explorer Sir Walter Raleigh discovered the Mothervine on Roanoke Island. The Mothervine is considered the largest and oldest scuppernong vine globally and was the first grape cultivated in the United States in 1524 in the Cape Fear River Valley.

North Carolina’s first commercial winery was founded in 1835. Named Weller’s Vineyards after Sidney Weller, the winery later changed its name to Medoc Vineyards. By the turn of the century and before Prohibition, the state was home to 25 wineries and one of the nation’s most productive wine states.

After Prohibition, the industry struggled to see a resurgence until the early 1970s when Westbend Winery, located in Lewisville, became the first winery in North Carolina to grow and produce European grapes. In 1975, at the coast, Duplin Winery was established and today leads the world as the largest producer of muscadine wine. On the opposite side of the state, Biltmore Winery holds the title of the most visited winery in the mountains.

The North Carolina wine regions are divided into three distinct geographic areas; the Mountains, Piedmont and the Coast. Each produces wine conducive to the specific climate, elevation and soil for the region. Since the establishment of the Yadkin Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area) in 2002, the state has recently welcomed its sixth AVA with the Crest of the Blue Ridge in Henderson County. An AVA is a designated grape-growing region with distinct geographic features that differentiate it from surrounding areas.

NORTH CAROLINA WINE REGIONS, AVA’S AND WINE TRAILS

North Carolina’s climate is exemplary for both vinifera and hybrid varietals such as Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin, Petit Manseng, Traminette and more famous names Chardonnay and Merlot. These styles all make for some of the best wine tastings in North Carolina.

The North Carolina wine industry continues to thrive, attracting millions of tourists every year. According to the National Association of American Wineries, North Carolina wines rank eighth in the top 10 wine-producing states in 2018. And the wineries in North Carolina continue to soar. In 2020, the state had seven new wineries open between its mountains to the coastline.

Per the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, ncwine.org, there are 525 vineyards, 185 wineries, six AVA’s and five wine trails in the state. The industry was born in the Coastal region with the discovery of the Mothervine on Roanoke Island and the production of muscadine wine. Still, the industry has certainly migrated west into the Piedmont and the Mountains.

COASTAL REGION

The majority of the wines found in

Westbend Winery was the first commercial winery to produce Vitis Vinifera grapes in the state.

Biltmore Estate in Asheville in another one of the state’s largest producers of wine.

the Coastal region will be muscadine or scuppernong, which grows very well in this region’s climate. However, some wineries are also experimenting with producing vinifera style and growing European varietals at the coast. In Jarvisburg at the Outer Banks, Sanctuary Vineyards has found success with these varietals and has won several awards such as the NC Fine Wines and the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. However, it’s Duplin Winery that has put this region on the map.

PIEDMONT REGION

The Piedmont region in the middle of the state is the largest and is sometimes referred to as Piedmont East and Piedmont West. The area stretches from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Triangle. Home to the first and largest AVA in the state: Yadkin Valley. The region is also home to the Swan Creek AVA (a sub-appellation of the Yadkin Valley AVA) and the Haw River AVA. Grape varietals here are mostly the European-style vinifera, but some grow and produce muscadine and scuppernong.

The oldest winery in this region is Westbend Winery, established in 1972 by Jack and Lillian Kroustalis when they began planting the first vinifera grapevines in the Yadkin Valley. The winery has since sold and continues to grow to this day as a gathering place.

Childress Winery in Lexington is made famous by its owner, Richard Childress of NASCAR fame. At the same time, Shelton Winery has been pivotal in elevating this industry when brothers Charles and Ed Shelton were involved in the petitioning of the first American Viticultural Area in the state, the Yadkin Valley AVA.

MOUNTAIN REGION

The cooler climate and higher elevation in the Mountain region of North Carolina allow grape growers and winemakers to plant unique varietals and hybrids, producing such wines as Marechal Foch and Riesling. This region currently is home to three AVA’s: Upper Hiwassee Highlands, Appalachian High Country, and Crest of the Blue Ridge.

This region was once home to the smallest winery in America, Calaboose Cellars, an old jailhouse located in Andrews, which is now closed. In contrast, Biltmore Winery, located in Asheville, is the most wellknown winery and holds the record as the most visited winery due to the Biltmore House being a popular tourist destination.

NORTH CAROLINA’S SIX AVAS

The Yadkin Valley AVA is by far the state’s largest and oldest AVA which features roughly 40-plus wineries in its

confides. This AVA, established in 2003, encompasses over 1.4 million acres of land across seven counties in North Carolina. A bulk of those wineries lie within Surry, Wilkes and Yadkin counties.

Some of the wineries in the AVA include Childress Vineyards, Shelton Vineyards and the Chianti of the Carolina’s, Raffaldini Vineyards.

Overlying a small part of the Yadkin Valley AVA, is the Swan Creek AVA. This AVA is home to a total of 8 wineries which include Laurel Gray Vineyards and Piccione Vineyards, and stretches out to Wilkesboro with the addition of Stardust Cellars.

Between Greensboro and Chapel Hill, is the Haw River Valley AVA. This AVA is home to four wineries and one meadery. Established in the Spring of 2009, the Haw River Valley is roughly 868 square miles and occupies six counties, including Orange County. The elevation in this AVA ranges from 350 to 800 feet above sea level.

In the western outskirts of North Carolina, the Upper Hiwassee Highlands was established as an AVA back in August of 2014. This AVA is one of two in the state that shares its border with adjacent states. The AVA flows down into Georgia, where it is part of Bethelem, Blairsville and Hiwassee. But here in North Carolina, in the serene mountains, wineries include Nottely River Valley Vineyards and Valley River Vineyards.

Up north is the other North Carolina AVA that shares a border with two states – Virginia and Tennessee. The Appalachian High Country was officially put forth as an AVA in 2016, and here in North Carolina, it is

currently home to four wineries. Due to the cooler climate, you’ll find a mixture of hybrid and vinifera grapes growing in this AVA that ranges from Sevyal Blanc and Vidal Blanc to Riesling and small amounts of Pinot Noir.

The last and most recent area to become an official AVA is The Crest of the Blue Ridge, which became official in 2019. The Crest encompasses the entire town of Hendersonville, which has become a great tourist attraction if you’re looking for someplace other than Asheville.

SELECT WINE TRAILS

Whether they are official or unofficial, North Carolina has numerous wine trails to encounter some of the best wine tastings the state has to offer.

The Swan Creek Trail and surrounding area is home to seven wineries, all within a 20 mile stretch in the Yadkin Valley. These include Shadow Springs Vineyards, Windsor Run Cellars, Laurel Gray Vineyards, Dobbins Creek Vineyards, Piccione Vineyards, Midnight Magdalena and Raffaldini Vineyards and Winery.

While not quite a trail, head outside of Winston-Salem and hit up the wineries around Pilot Mountain and Mount Airy. This trail includes several new locations such as Golden Road Vineyards, Pilot Mountain Vineyards and Serre Vineyards. All of which opened to the public in late 2020. At the base of Pilot Mountain is JOLO Winery & Vineyards.

And just north of JOLO, less than 10 miles from the Virginia border, is Round Peak Vineyards. The winery, which also produces craft beer under the name Skull Camp.

The Yadkin Valley AVA has the largest amount of wineries in the state, which includes Raffaldini Vineyards, which focuses on Italian-themed wines.

MUSIC IN THE VINES

Wilkesboro Vibes Provide Musical Inspiration

BY KAREN ALLEY

From jam sessions on the front porch to the annual extravaganza of Merlefest, music is just a part of life for folks in Wilkes County. For Will Easter, Shay Martin Lovette and Nikki Morgan, the rolling beauty of the Brushy Mountains, rushing waters of the Yadkin River and laidback pace of life in Wilkesboro has served as inspiration, provided a place to hone their craft and given them a supportive community to showcase their art.

With live music venues opening back up this summer after a pandemic pause, all three have new music to share with fans and are excited to get back out performing.

SHAY MARTIN LOVETTE

A native of Wilkesboro, Shay Martin Lovette has been immersed in the roots-music culture of this community all his life. “I grew up going to Merlefest, and music played a big part of our life in my family,” Lovette says. His dad is also a songwriter, and the two of them will sit around and jam sometimes, trading tunes. “He’s been a big influence on me, probably the main reason why songwriting was a natural avenue for me to explore as a career,” Lovette says.

In the spring of 2020, just

Triangle Around Town LLC and Screw it Wine are big fans of local music – from country to bluegrass and alternative rock to metal and everything in between. So in the future, we will be turning “Music in the Vines,” into a new digital publication titled Spektrum Magazine, that will highlight the North Carolina music industry. If you are interested in having your band interviewed, music reviewed or find a place for affordable advertising, reach out to us at trianglearoundtown@gmail.com

as Shay was ready to release his second album, Scatter & Gather, the COVID-19 pandemic came along, bringing with it restrictions for live gatherings. “I was coming off a pretty successful year in 2019, having performed more than 100 shows around the Southeast,” Lovette says. ‘I really love performing and knew how important being in front of people would be in promoting this album, so I decided to wait it out.” The timing couldn’t be better, as Shay released the album in May, just as he gets ready to open for Mipso at some of the popular Chapel Hill band’s 2021 tour dates.

“I’ve been a huge fan since I first saw them at

Merlefest, and I’m excited to team up with them and get this opportunity to reach a wider audience with my new music,” Lovette says.

Fans of Shay’s story songs will enjoy the new characters and stories found in the 12 songs off his latest albums. “I read a lot of short stories, writers like Flannery O’Conner, John Cheever, and Ron Rash,” Lovette says. “I really admire how they pen the narrative and are able to use words in a way that makes such a big impact. I try to do that same thing with my songwriting.”

Place is just as much a character as any of the people created in Lovette’s songs. Gravel roads, sticky summer days and storm

clouds over the Blue Ridge Parkway create an atmosphere that will hook native North Carolinians and introduce those outside of the state to the haunting, magical beauty to be found here.

WHERE TO HEAR HIM

Follow Shay Martin Lovette on Spotify, or order his music at shaymartinlovette.com

UPCOMING SHOWS

• June 24: Historic Rural Hill, Huntersville, NC

• June 25: Orange County Speedway, Durham, NC

• June 26: Blue Ridge Music Center, Galax, VA

Shay Martin Lovette’s latest release Scatter & Gather is out now.

SHAY MARTIN LOVETTE

Acreative spirit, Nikki Morgan has done a lot of different things in her career, including acting and musical theater. But after about 10 years in that world, working hard to make it as an actor in Chicago, she had an epiphany. “I realized I really wanted to commit myself to music,” Morgan says. “I have always loved words and writing, and I decided to just take the plunge with writing songs. I realized at the time there was a lot that was ready to come out.”

Her love affair with words is a blessing to us all. Her debut album, 30 Something, released in August 2020, is full of poetic songs full of passion and raw emotion from an artist who is finding her way in life and is more than happy to bring us along with her.

While much of the work on 30 Something was done in Chicago, Morgan has spent the last year living near her family in Wilkes County. “I found myself needing some rejuvenation, and it felt right to come back here, where

my mom’s family is from,” Morgan says. “Wilkes County is such a beautiful place for me at this point in my life, and I’ve found myself making yet another transition creatively.”

Morgan is looking forward to getting back out performing in front of audiences this summer, with a few dates already booked in Chicago in

June and the promise of more in Winston-Salem in July.

“If you see I’m going to be playing somewhere, you’ll want to be there because Lord knows what will happen,” Nikki says. “We always have fun at my shows.”

WHERE TO HEAR HER Follow Nikki on Spotify, and purchase her album here: https://nikkimorgan. bandcamp.com/album/30something-the-first-draft

UPCOMING SHOWS

• June 19: Stardust Cellars, Wilkesboro

WILL EASTER

Will Easter moved to Wilkesboro after high school, but the area wasn’t much different than Stokes County, where he grew up in the small community of Pine Hall. He eventually made his way to Boone, where he studied recreation management at Appalachian State, but the music seemed to follow him no matter where he went.

“I grew up around music, on both sides of the family,”

Easter says. His dad’s family had a bluegrass band, the Easter Family, that toured around the Southeast, and his mom’s family was known locally for its gospel group. “It’s funny, when I was younger, I skipped children’s choir to go outside and play football, maybe as a way to be different and pave my own way in this family, but here I am now singing for a living.”

From Stokes to Wilkes to Watauga County, the bluegrass culture has played a big role in shaping Easter’s sound, but over the past few years, he’s forged his own way, creating a unique sound that combines a variety of genres into what some call “grunge grass.”

Easter just released a new album in March 2021, and the self-titled work includes nine new songs, many of them written during his years in Wilkes County when he was finding his way as an adult. “I’m really proud of what we put out on my latest album,” Easter says. “I feel I’ve grown as a musician, and this new album has a noticeable difference in sound from the first, maybe a little more rock and roll.”

WHERE TO HEAR HIM: Follow Will Easter on Spotify, or purchase his music at willeastermusic.com

UPCOMING SHOW

• June 25: Will Easter and the Nomads, SteamWorks, Madison

Nikki Morgan’s debut album came out in August of 2020.

NIKKI MORGAN

NIKKI MORGAN

ACROSS STATE LINES Lando Wines

Keeping Pinot Noir Great in California

With a degree in business management and marketing back in the 90s, it’s hard to believe that Sam Lando is today one of the premier producers of California Pinot Noir. But as he explains, his involvement in the world of wine came around six months before graduating college.

“Working at a winery was not even option A, B, C or even D,” he says. “Around that time, I was on my way to signing a contract as an entry-level junior ad executive in San Francisco.”

Some might call it destiny, some might say he just wanted fresh breath for his job interview, but Lando stopped at a grocery store in Rohnert Park, California, to buy some gum – and that was the day that changed his life forever.

It was there, inside the high-end grocery store, dressed in a 3-piece suit, that Lando ran into a friend he knew who he used to buy wine from while working in a restaurant. After a short conversation about taking a job in the corporate world, the man told Lando he might land him a career in the wine business.

“I met with this guy, and he laid out the first five years of my career. He wanted to put me back into school to learn viticulture and enology and then learn how to grow grapes and make wine,” Lando says.

But, as Lando puts it, “being a young, dumb kid just getting out of college,” what was the right career path he should take? The role of a junior ad executive was paying only $16,400 during that time with no benefits. And then the bomb was dropped. His future employer will not only pay for Lando’s schooling but offered him a starting salary of $36,000 with full benefits. His path was determined!

“North Carolina means a heck of a lot to me. It’s not only the wonderful people, great places and restaurateurs, but it’s also the southern hospitality that really goes over well with me.”

Sam and Jen Lando

That company was Allied Domecq, which before that was the Wine Alliance owned by Hiram Walker out of Canada.

Understanding the winemaking concepts, coupled with marketing and sales, Lando then landed a job at Beringer Wine Estates. After three years of assisting with buying other brands and wanting to have his personal winery, he wanted to work alongside some high-end wine producers, which led him to jobs at Williams-Selyem and Kosta Brown.

Fast forward to 2012, and with over 19 barrels in his home cellar, he finally decided it was time to make this official. “We were able to get this whole thing going, and it has been one hell of a roller coaster ride,” Lando says. “We’re embarking on our 10th harvest for Lando Wines right now, and I can’t believe how fast the time has gone.”

Classic Pinot’s produced from Lando are only released twice a year and at a minimal supply. Currently, there are only seven states in the U.S. that get small portions of Lando Wines – North Carolina being one of them.

“North Carolina means a heck of a lot to me. It’s not only the wonderful people, great places and restaurateurs, but it’s also the southern hospitality that really goes over well with me.”

Currently, Lando wines will be offering a total of four very limited

Pinot Noirs during 2021, which have spent anywhere between 11 and 17 months in new and neutral oak barrels.

But as a winery with no tasting room or vineyard, how does Lando make this perfection work to his advantage?

“Everything we do is capital intensive, especially if you’re trying to make luxury quality wines that are priced between $40 and $150,” Lando says. “I’ve gotten to know a lot of great grape growers. We work with 14 different vineyards, and it is a lot of time.” The amazing part of this collaboration is Lando has been working with all these vineyards for the last eight years, allowing him to know grape-growing tendencies over the years and the pressure points of the fruit on every block.

Once Lando Wines collects the grapes for his wines, he then takes them to a custom crush to help produce the final product. He says that he really had a hand in helping with the layout of the new facility.

“In my opinion, it is very hard to make high-quality wine if you’re just buying bulk grapes without having the knowledge behind these and knowing the full details and extraction as to what they are,” Lando says.

And that shows in the quality when you sample one of Lando Wines for the first time. From the Russian River Valley to the Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir ranges in taste. Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast typically comes from a cooler climate. “There’s a lot more natural tannins and more natural acid.”

And as for the Russian River wines, he says you’ll get a lot more blue and black fruit with hints of baking spices.

So it might be hard to find Lando Wines in the state, but here in Raleigh, one can usually find a bottle or two if you visit wine shops such as Taylor’s Wine Shop, Falls Village Wine and Beer and in Wake Forest at Wine and Beer 101. And Lando Wines can also be found in select bottle shops in Charlotte.

SAY WHAT?

What winemakers outside of NC are

saying about the state

“You can really grow some great grapes, the problem with the East Coast is you guys got that wonderful thing called humidity, and it’s a whole biological factor that creates a lot of bacteria. Without heavy use of chemicals, I have yet to see anybody mitigate that. Bacteria can screw up an entire vintage. Imagine a cluster of grapes, regardless of the varietal, those berries are touching each other. It’s creating a sweaty component, and if that happens you don’t have good airflow.”

– Sam Lando Owner, winemaker, Lando Wines

“North Carolina does have its challenges. I always say in the wine and grape world, the biggest decision you have is to find which varietal works on a specific site. And in North Carolina, I think many of the fine wine growers chased what we call the sexy varietals because it was popular and sold. That’s why I spend a lot of time trying to educate people on researching your soils and look at your climate. Let’s try to find something that’s going to work there and be fantastic.”

– Daniel Benton Owner, Winemaker, Croze, Smith & Wooton Winery

“When I think of North Carolina, even as a winemaker, and I know I shouldn’t, I think Duplin and Biltmore and the sweet wines. Because that’s what you see. These smaller wineries don’t get the distribution, so people don’t know about you. A person walking into a shop in Texas isn’t going to be asking for a Virginia or North Carolina wine. They’ll be asking for something from California, Oregon, Washington or New York. These places don’t have mass distribution, and it’s difficult.”

– Matthew Meyer Winemaker, Williamsburg Winery

Lando Wines are known for its Pinot Noir.

PHOTOS BY LANDO WINES

Benton

Meyer

Our unique 5,500 square-foot winery building is the perfect location for your private function or party. The event space and showroom is a mix of African and French in design while keeping to the building’s traditional roots as a furniture showplace. In addition to the indoor space, we have a large patio with a fireplace and fire pit, outdoor seating and a bar

READ BETWEEN THE VINES

Have something to voice about the wine industry? Send us a letter for consideration. Send your letter to us at trianglearoundtown@gmail.com, Attn: “Read Between the Vines.”

Does there need to be a change in judging wine?

Judging competitions can be a fun thing. It honestly means that the place hosting the event trust your opinion or your taste buds. It means you might have some clout in the industry. It might mean that you are part of the media, and your opinions influence the people around you.

During my years in the journalism field, I’ve been privileged enough to judge many competitions from food, beer, wine, ciders and spirits. I began my judging back in 2012, when I was asked to be one of the “celebrity” judges in the Got to Be NC Competition Dining Series: Fire in the Triangle.

For 16 competitions, I was on hand with two other judges, eating our way through battles that included Johnston County Ham, Lusty Monk Mustard, Butterball Turkey and even Sturgeon!

I’ve also been asked to judge several competitions during the Lucy Daniels’ Cooking for a Classic.

In doing these competitions, you do learn many things that make you go “hmmm.” For example, during the food competitions, the judges must stand up and say what they liked about each dish while being interviewed by the emcee. “I honestly loved the way the chef incorporated that hot mustard into the vanilla mousse.” No. Not really. But before the event occurs, we gather around and are told not to say anything negative about the dishes. Only find the positive.

I understand you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I also feel you need to be honest. Maybe that’s why I loved Simon Cowell so much when he was on American Idol. He was honest, and for the most part, it was to help you. Another one I always admired was Gordon Ramsey in Hell’s Kitchen. If you can’t take the heat, you best step out of the kitchen.

Beer was a lot different. I judged at the Hops for Hope charity event, which pairs local businesses with local breweries. There we were given a sheet that listed all the beers we were going to try. We drank. We rated. We turned in the sheets and waited to hear who won. No one told us to be kind. If you made a “bad” beer, you were probably dinged.

The same when I judged the Exotico Tequila regional competition a couple of years back at Watts & Ward cocktail lounge. Eight mixologists made their signature drink in front of the judges; they poured, we rated and selected a winner.

Last year both Jen and I were asked to be judges for the Palmetto Wine Competition in South Carolina. There we spat through a total of 76 wines, meads and ciders to select winners.

A total of eight of us, four per table, rated through each entry. We were given a rating sheet that I filled out, had to compare notes with the others at my table – one was a sommelier and another a level 3 WSET. In the beginning, we were asked to be honest and give feedback, but we had to keep all our scores within so many points.

Houston, we have a problem. You want me to be honest, but there were times during the judging I had to bump my points either up or down to keep within that “range.”

I honestly don’t know the best solution to award wines. I don’t like the “point” system that so many competitions want to use. Even though many say their competition doesn’t give out “participatory” awards, but it ends up 100 enter, and 98 get awards. That looks pretty participatory to me.

I look at some of the most significant awards in other industries, such as the Mazer Cup in the mead world or the Great American Beer Festival for beer. They pick a category such as a Dry Melomel or New England Style IPA, and they give away one gold, one silver and one bronze for that category.

I think a medal should mean something. Even in the Olympics – when Michael Phelps beats Ryan Lochte by .007 seconds, Lochte doesn’t get a gold medal as well because he was close.

Phelps was the best of the best because he won and has the medals to prove it. If this were in the wine world, everyone in competitive swimming would be walking out of the Olympics with a gold medal. That would diminish what a gold medal stands for.

Categories might be, in my opinion, the way to go here in North Carolina. Have the wineries that offer a Petit Manseng compete against each other in that same category – don’t lump it in with every white wine produced in the state.

Is having full-bodied wines such as a Chardonnay or Viognier with its soft characters and minerality going up against a Pinot Grigio or Gris fair? I don’t think so. But people do enjoy a good Pinot Grigio, so let those wines battle it out.

And as a judge, and maybe this does happen in some competitions, but don’t have them judge everything. Let those big red wine fanatics judge the red wines, and let the people who like the floral and bright acidic wines judge the white wines.

We all know that not everyone’s tastebuds and palate are the same, so maybe someone can come up with this – an idea I’ve been kicking around in my head for some time now.

An association of wine judges that their job is to fly around the U.S. and participate in these significant events. You have East Coast, Central and West Coast offices. Roughly 10-15 judges per region. When NC Fine Wines has its competition, they bring in as many of these judges as they want. When it’s time for Virginia’s Governors Cup, they do the same. Competition in the Finger Lakes – give them a call.

Now we have the same people doing the judging for wines up and down their region. You have the same tastebuds, and you eventually learn these people’s tastes and can respect their decision.

Even though I love and appreciate when I’m asked to take part in judging competitions, I still think there is a lot of work that needs to be done to give the wineries the respect they deserve. And to let the drinkers out there get that same respect.

You’d hate to go into a tasting room with dozens of medals on the wall and walk away shunning the wines.

The Swan Creek AVA, an American Viticultural Area, is located in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. An AVA is an area designated for grape-growing due to its climate, soil and elevation. North Carolina currently has six AVAs. Swan Creek was established in May 2008 as the second AVA with Yadkin Valley being the first. Swan Creek is a subappellation of the Yadkin Valley AVA.

However, the story of the Swan Creek AVA as a wine region began many millions of years ago, when a small landmass in the Southeastern corner of what would become the North American continent was thrust skyward thanks to geological forces.

To learn more about the story of how it all began, purchase a copy Triangle Around Town’s first e-book, The Wineries of Swan Creek. This e-book is an interactive guide for visiting each of these wineries with general information, tastings and membership costs.

Book features Dobbins Creek, Laurel Gray, Midnight Magdalena, Piccione, Raffaldini, Shadow Springs, Stardust Cellars and WIndsor Run Cellars.