The Yadkin Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area that includes land in seven

counties A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

of northwestern

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

. The AVA encompasses an area of approximately in the

Yadkin River The Yadkin River is one of the longest rivers in North Carolina, flowing . It rises in the northwestern portion of the state near the Blue Ridge Parkway's Thunder Hill Overlook. Several parts of the river are impounded by dams for water, p ...

valley. The Yadkin Valley AVA includes all of Wilkes, Surry, and Yadkin counties, and parts of

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Davidson Davidson may refer to: * Davidson (name) * Clan Davidson, a Highland Scottish clan * Davidson Media Group * Davidson Seamount, undersea mountain southwest of Monterey, California, USA * Tyler Davidson Fountain, monument in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA * ...

Forsyth Forsyth may refer to: Places Oceania * Forsyth Island, Queensland, Australia, one of the West Wellesley Islands (aka Forsyth Islands) * Forsyth Island, Tasmania, Australia * Forsyth Island (New Zealand), in the outer Marlborough Sounds of South I ...

, and Stokes counties. Yadkin Valley is home to 45 wineries.

History

For decades, the area was a key

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

-growing region. However, as tobacco farming and cigarette manufacturing in the area declined, some

entrepreneur Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value. With this definition, entrepreneurship is viewed as change, generally entailing risk beyond what is normally encountered in starting a business, which may include other values t ...

s, including tobacco farmers, have turned to winemaking. The native grapes of this region of the southeastern United States include '' Vitis cordifolia'', ''Vitis labrusca'', ''Vitis aestivalis'', ''Vitis cinerea'', and ''Vitis rotundifolia'' (muscadine and scuppernong). Early attempts to grow the European wine grape, ''Vitis vinifera'', in the southeastern United States, including 18th century efforts by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello, Virginia, had mixed success. But in the past two to three decades, viticultural research has helped these grapes to survive the climate, soil, and pests of the region. Additionally, Surry Community College, located in Dobson, North Carolina, has served as a valuable community resource for this growing industry by offering certificate and degree programs in viticulture and enology. In 2005, Davidson County Community College formed a partnership with Surry Community College for the delivery of the viticulture and enology program/certifications in Davidson and Davie counties. In 2003, in an effort led by Charlie and Ed Shelton of Shelton Vineyards, the United States' Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives approved the new appellation for the region with the name Yadkin Valley AVA, allowing winemakers to bottle wines with a label indicating that the wine came from the Yadkin Valley. In 2005, there were 14 winery, wineries and of vineyards in the region. By 2013, there were 38 wineries operating in the Yadkin Valley. As of December 13, 2022, there were 45 wineries making wine in the Yadkin Valley.

Geography

The Yadkin Valley area is in the Piedmont (United States), piedmont and foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. One of the most recognizable landmarks in the AVA is Pilot Mountain (North Carolina), Pilot Mountain. The hardiness zone is mostly 7a and 7b, with 6b in some higher areas.

Travel

Decanter Magazine
' published a story about the Yadkin Valley region in October 2021. ''Southern Living'' Magazine published a feature story about the Yadkin Valley region in November 2007.

Local wine festivals

The Yadkin Valley Wine Festival is traditionally held the third Saturday in May at the Municipal Park in Elkin, North Carolina, Elkin. The Yadkin Valley Grape Festival is held the third Saturday in October in Yadkinville, North Carolina, Yadkinville. Prior to 2005, these wineries also participated in the North Carolina Wine Festival#2005 split, North Carolina Wine Festival. The Budbreak Wine and Craft Beer Festival is usually held in downtown Mount Airy, North Carolina on the first Saturday in May. *Yadkin Valley Wine Festival

Wineries

Adagio Vineyards

Brandon Hills VineyardCarolina Heritage

Cellar 4201
* Childress Vineyards
Curran AlexanderDivine LlamaDobbins Creek VineyardsDynamis Estate Wines

Elkin Creek VineyardFlint Hill

Golden Road Vineyards

Grassy Creek Vineyard & WineryHanover Park

Haze Gray VineyardsHerrera Vineyards

Hidden Vineyard

JOLO Winery & Vineyards

Jones von Drehle VineyardsJunius Lindsay

Laurel Gray Vineyards

Lazy Elm VineyardsMcRitchie Winery & CiderworksMedaloni CellarsMenaRick Vineyards

Midnight Magdalena VineyardsNative Vines Winery

Old North State WineryPiccione VineyardsPilot Mountain Vineyards
* Www.raffaldini.com, Raffaldini Vineyards
RagApple Lassie Winery

RayLen Winery and Vineyards

Roaring River VineyardsRound PeakSanders Ridge WinerySerre Vineyards

Shadow Springs Vineyard

Shelton VineyardsSlightly Askew Winery

Stardust Cellars

Stony Knoll VineyardsSurry CellarsWeathervane Winery

Windsor Run Cellars

References

External links

North Carolina Grape CouncilNC Fine WinesMap of all of the Yadkin Valley WineriesSurry Community College Department of Viticulure & EnologyYadkin Valley Wine Festival HomepageYadkin Valley Wine Trail - lists wineries, dining, lodging, ancillary visitor informationYadkin Valley Wine Country
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yadkin Valley Ava American Viticultural Areas Geography of Davidson County, North Carolina Geography of Davie County, North Carolina Geography of North Carolina Geography of Forsyth County, North Carolina Geography of Iredell County, North Carolina North Carolina wine Geography of Stokes County, North Carolina Geography of Surry County, North Carolina Geography of Wilkes County, North Carolina Geography of Yadkin County, North Carolina 2002 establishments in North Carolina