North Carolina Wine History:  NC Embraces the Vine Again
But few states have as notable a wine history as North Carolina, one that stretches back to the 17th century, when the native scuppernong, a variety of muscadine grape, grew bountifully and supplied raw material for local wine. The first commercial endeavor, Medoc Vineyard, opened in 1835 and by the mid-19th century, North Carolina was the leading state in the union for wine production.

Still, California's potential was lurking, and Prohibition later intervened. Its impact in the South was particularly striking, as politicians urged counties to go dry and wine was seen not as an agricultural boon but, often enough, as a vice to be eradicated. Even today, some North Carolina wineries operate in dry counties, thanks to a state law that grants them a dispensation for wine sold on their premises.

For many North Carolinians, the sweet, fresh wines made from scuppernong and other muscadine grapes were part of local culture, and some wineries bottle both European varieties and the native wines. Others produce a second line of sweeter wines — including reds — tailored to the palates of local travelers who might enjoy visiting a winery more than drinking the drier wines made from European grapes. As vintners and culinarians alike will tell you, Southerners like their sugar, and these bottlings are designed, as one local wine booster put it, to be “sweet tea with a kick.”

From tobacco to vines
The state's modern industry is modest, but certainly growing with a bang. With 68 wineries, it ranked 10th in the nation for wine production last year, up from 25 wineries in 2002. Its first federal appellation, the Yadkin Valley AVA, was approved in February 2003, the seeds of an effort to establish itself as a serious winemaking region.

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With over 68 known Winery’s as of 3/2009 and nine (9) planned to open in 2009, TRT has the experience to tailor the ideal Wine Tour for you and your group. We work with any size groups.

Transportation Options for Scheduled & Booked Tours: 
6 to 12 people  --- 15 passenger Club Van
13 to 22 people --- Half Bus
23 to 44 people --- Bus
45 to 57 people --- Large Bus
Transportation Options for Custom Tours:
We will use any transportation you desire inclusive of all the options above plus limousines and party buses.

Tobacco Road Tours has partnered with Brown Paper Tickets: The USA's Leading Fair Trade Ticketing Company. To purchase Tour Tickets click here: You will leave the TRT website, however, your tour ticket purchase is guaranteed safe and secure: www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/18130

Call us to book a North Carolina Piedmont Winery Tour:
(919) 371-2653 or 2652
Email: TRTservice@tobaccoroadtours.com