By Jennifer Primrose | With more than 200 wineries and vineyards across the state, North Carolina has built a wine industry you can’t overlook—one of those being the…
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By Jennifer Primrose
Think you have to leave North Carolina to find wine country? Think again.
With more than 200 wineries and vineyards across the state, North Carolina has built a wine industry you can’t overlook. From the mountains to the coast, growers are working with an increasingly diverse range of grapes and winemakers are producing award-winning wines—while many wineries have become destinations in their own right.
One of the state’s most established wine regions is the Yadkin Valley, home to dozens of wineries and vineyards and North Carolina’s first federally recognized American Viticultural Area (AVA). Within that larger region, Wilkes County offers its own distinctive take on wine country: mountain scenery, rolling vineyards, intimate tasting rooms, destination-worthy estates, and plenty of reasons to linger.
And you don’t have to tackle every tasting room in one weekend. Start with a few that offer distinctly different experiences.
Exploring Wilkes County, One Glass at a Time
Jones von Drehle Vineyards & Winery is the kind of place that makes the term wine country feel entirely appropriate. The family-owned estate sits in the Blue Ridge foothills, surrounded by its vineyards and expansive mountain views, with estate-grown wines at the center of the experience. Those wines have earned recognition at competitions beyond North Carolina, bringing attention to Jones von Drehle well beyond the state’s borders.
But there is more happening here than tasting wine. The Stage, the winery’s outdoor music venue, brings live performances to the vineyard during the warmer months, making it possible to turn a wine tasting into an evening of music, scenery, and a glass of wine. On-site cabins let visitors extend the experience beyond an afternoon visit, giving them another reason to slow down and settle into the landscape.
Raffaldini Vineyards & Winery has been building its distinctly Italian identity in the Yadkin Valley for 25 years, and stepping onto the property can feel a little like being transported to Italy—without leaving North Carolina.
The estate is known for Italian varieties including Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Sagrantino, and Vermentino, with vineyards and a villa-style setting overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. Raffaldini also uses the traditional Italian Appassimento method, partially drying grapes to concentrate their flavors in select wines. Its wines have earned recognition well beyond North Carolina, while the annual Festa Italiana celebrates the winery’s Italian roots with food, music, and wine.
All of this creates the feeling that Raffaldini isn’t simply a place to stop for a glass of wine. It is a destination built around the food, wine, and culture that inspired it.
At Castello Barone, the experience is intentionally more intimate. The boutique winery in the Swan Creek AVA pairs estate-grown, hand-harvested wines with a tasting-room atmosphere built around hospitality, not rushing visitors through a lineup.
Owners Scott and Elizabeth Barone have made personal connection part of the experience. Guests are encouraged to ask questions, linger over a tasting, and get to know the people behind the bottles. Wine dinners, live music, and other events reinforce the feeling that this is a place to spend time—not simply check off a tasting.
And yes, accolades back up the wine. The winery’s lineup has earned competition recognition, including a Best in Class Double Gold for its sparkling rosé at the 2025 Southeast Regional Winemaker Challenge.
Sotrio Vineyards & Winery offers a slightly different way to spend an afternoon in wine country.
The family-owned winery produces Italian-inspired wines from varieties including Sangiovese, Montepulciano, and Sagrantino. But wine isn’t the only reason to stop.
Sotrio’s on-site microbrewery pours rotating craft beers, creating an easy crossover for groups with different tastes. Add live music, food trucks, family- and dog-friendly spaces, Blue Ridge views, and spectacular sunsets, and Sotrio feels less like a formal tasting appointment and more like a place to settle in for the afternoon.
Together, these four wineries showcase just how many ways there are to experience Wilkes County wine country.
Beyond these four wineries, Wilkes County offers even more ways to explore its wine and craft beverage scene.
Piccione Vineyards is one for the wine—and definitely the view. The estate focuses on estate-grown wines inspired by Italian and European traditions, while the Ronda setting delivers sweeping views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. La Collina adds a polished tasting room, event hall, library, courtyard, and underground barrel room, creating a destination that feels equally suited to lingering over a glass or simply taking in the scenery.
For those who want to turn a winery visit into an actual getaway, Roaring River Vineyards is worth a look. Set along the river in Traphill, the property combines award-winning wines, riverside dining, on-site accommodations, and RV sites. Its European-inspired Biergarten adds another reason to linger, with beer and casual bites in a setting that takes full advantage of the riverfront. It’s the kind of place where a wine tasting can easily turn into an overnight stay—and that’s exactly the point.
Elkin Creek Vineyard adds another layer of history and atmosphere to the region. Set around a restored 1896 grist mill, the property combines wine, a creekside setting, cabins, and its popular wood-fired pizza, creating an experience that feels relaxed and distinctly tied to the landscape. It’s another reminder that wine country in this part of the state is as much about the setting, the food, and the experience as what’s in the glass.
Jennifer is a freelance writer and co-founder of Triangle Around Town, an online publication covering wine, food, travel, and local experiences. Her writing focuses on the people and places that make a destination worth exploring. She is WSET Level 1 certified and serves on the local American Wine Society board.
