May 2ndMay is NC Wine Month!

Most wine lovers don’t think of North Carolina when they start looking for a bottle of good wine. But, if they’ve ever had one from there, they might.

In 1835, North Carolina opened its first winery, Medoc Vineyards. At the turn of the century, there were 25 wineries in the state, but they closed during Prohibition. Duplin Winery was the first modern one to open in 1975. Almost twenty years ago on a trip to North Carolina, we visited a few wineries. Since then the state has developed a wine industry that that includes 186 wineries and 2300 acres of of vineyards and is ranked 11th in the United States in wine production. Biltmore Estate Winery is one of the most visited wineries in the country.

One of our favorite wineries is Raffaldini Vineyards and Winery in Ronda, North Carolina. We first visited there in 2014 and fell in love with the place. We have visited there many times since then and have enjoyed many wines. It’s hard to choose your favorite from this winery that specializes in Italian style wines.

So wine lovers, I recommend that you give North Carolina a try. You definitely !won’t regret it and you might find yourself a new favorite spot!