By Carol Timblin
 High Country visitors who remember picking blueberries under the pinnacles of Beech Mountain can now visit the award-winning Banner Elk Winery & Blueberry Villa on the site of the old blueberry farm on the outskirts of Banner Elk.
The winery won a gold meal for its Banner Elk Foch and a silver medal for its chardonnay at the 2008 Blue Ridge Wine Festival last spring. In the first year of the winery’s operation (2006), its Cabernet Sauvignon captured a double gold medal and its Seyval Blanc and blueberry wine won bronze medals at the North Carolina State Fair and the Blue Ridge Wine Festival. Last year, the winery took four bronze medals at the state fair for its High Country Rose, Seyval Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Banner Elk White. The awards for the High Country Rose and Seyval Blanc were the highest given in those categories. The blueberry wine always flies off the shelf as soon as it is ready for sale.
“Every wine we have produced has won an award,” said Vintner Dick Wolfe, a chemical engineer who learned to make wine as a boy from Italian coal miners in his hometown of Beckley, West Virginia. “Winemaking is 75 percent science and 25 percent art. When the sugar in the grapes reaches 26 brix, they are perfect for making wine. The more natural sugar in the grapes the less processed sugar you have to add.”
While some vintners might question the wisdom of locating a vineyard at a 4,000-foot elevation, Wolfe says the region is ideal for growing grapes similar to those found in the Bordeaux and Burgundy regions of France. He has helped dozens of local farmers switch from growing burley tobacco to grapes and is considered the “Johnny Grapeseed of High Country grapes.”
“This year, we have 32 farmers growing about 40 acres of grapes,” said Wolfe. “We expect to harvest about 80 tons of grapes. It will be a banner year….Our Seyval Blanc grapes and Foch grapes make premier wines, and I believe we will be recognized for them.”
Wine-tastings are held at the Banner Elk Winery Wednesdays-Sundays, 12 noon to 6 pm at a charge of $5 per person. Visitors are also invited to purchase wine by the glass or bottle Fridays, 5-8 pm, and enjoy music and complimentary hors d’oeuvres. On Sundays visitors may bring a picnic to enjoy with their wine and the music.
 Wine tours are free for those who opt to spend the night in the luxurious villa, located on the property and operated by Dede Walton (Dick’s wife). The former children’s librarian said she enjoys inn keeping and being a part of the winery.
The villa (not yet AAA-rated) offers eight suites, each named for a different wine and elaborately decorated in the style of Tuscany. The spacious suites feature fireplaces and private decks overlooking the vineyard and the surrounding mountains.
A full complimentary breakfast is included in the overnight stay. Rates are $189-$289 per night, double occupancy, and guests who stay weeknights (Sunday-Thursday) receive a 20-percent discount. Some guests rent the entire villa, which can accommodate up to 16 guests, for a special event. Romance and relaxation packages are also available.
 Located at 135 Deer Run Lake just off Gwaltney Road, the villa has inside and outside games, catch-and-release fishing, and a chip-and-putt golf green. A brand new amphitheater opened this past summer.
There’s plenty to do in the surrounding area, including year-round activities at nearby Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain, plus cultural events at Lees-McRae College. The town’s newest attraction, the 1865 Banner House Museum is open through mid-October for guided tours that focus on the early settlers.
For more information on the winery and villa, contact your nearest AAA office, call 828-898-9090 or visit www.bannerelkwinery.com. For brochures on other area attractions, stop in at the Avery-Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce on Main Street, 828-898-8287, http://averycounty.com |
