A fast-rising Southern wine state: serious Yadkin Valley vinifera and the famous Biltmore Estate. Updated for 2026.
North Carolina is one of the South's most rewarding and fast-rising wine states, anchored by a serious vinifera region in the foothills of the Blue Ridge and crowned by one of the most-visited wineries in the country. The heart of it is the Yadkin Valley, recognized in 2003 as North Carolina's first American Viticultural Area, a rolling landscape northwest of Winston-Salem where a four-season climate and varied soils ripen European grapes, from Cabernet and Chardonnay to the Italian varieties that have become a regional signature. To the west, in the mountains at Asheville, the Biltmore Estate's winery draws huge crowds, while across the state's warm coastal plain, the native muscadine tradition runs deep. With more than a hundred wineries statewide and a quality reputation that keeps climbing, North Carolina pairs genuine wine with Southern hospitality and striking scenery.
Below are the North Carolina wineries we recommend most, from the famous Biltmore to the founding Shelton and the acclaimed, Italian-focused Raffaldini. Current as of October 2026.
One of America's most-visited wineries
On the grounds of the famous Biltmore Estate in Asheville, Biltmore Winery is one of the most-visited wineries in the United States, pairing an accessible, broad range of wines with the grandeur of America's largest home. A bucket-list destination and an easy introduction to North Carolina wine in the mountains.
Good to know: Tastings and tours; estate. Asheville.
Our tip: Pair a tasting with the estate; one of America's most-visited wineries.
The Yadkin Valley's founding force
Charlie and Ed Shelton led the push to establish the Yadkin Valley AVA, and their Dobson estate is one of the region's largest and most polished wineries, a scenic, well-regarded producer of European vinifera and the natural anchor of North Carolina's premier wine region.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Dobson / Yadkin Valley.
Our tip: Taste the vinifera at the Yadkin Valley's founding estate; scenic and polished.
Italian varieties, Tuscan villa
An acclaimed Swan Creek producer specializing in Italian grape varieties (Vermentino, Sangiovese, Montepulciano) and famed for its hilltop villa with views reminiscent of Tuscany, Raffaldini is one of North Carolina's most distinctive and celebrated wineries. A must-visit for its wines and its setting.
Good to know: Tastings; hilltop villa. Ronda / Swan Creek.
Our tip: Taste the Italian varieties at the Tuscan-style villa; distinctive and acclaimed.
A grand Lexington estate
Founded by NASCAR team owner Richard Childress, this large, handsome estate in Lexington pairs a broad range of wines with an elegant, Tuscan-inspired tasting room, one of North Carolina's most visited and polished wineries at the southern edge of the Yadkin Valley.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Lexington.
Our tip: Taste the broad range at a grand estate; polished and popular.
A scenic destination with dining
A polished estate on Pilot Mountain with a restaurant and acclaimed wines, JOLO pairs serious winemaking with a destination-dining experience and mountain views, one of the Yadkin Valley's most ambitious and popular modern wineries.
Good to know: Tastings and dining; estate. Pilot Mountain.
Our tip: Pair a tasting with dinner and the view; an ambitious, popular destination.
Serious Swan Creek vinifera
A quality-first family estate in the Swan Creek area, Jones von Drehle grows its own grapes and makes well-regarded European vinifera (notably Petit Verdot and other Bordeaux varieties), a serious, welcoming stop for drinkers seeking the Yadkin Valley at a high level.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Thurmond / Swan Creek.
Our tip: Taste the estate Bordeaux varieties; serious, quality-first Swan Creek vinifera.
A pioneering boutique estate
One of the Yadkin Valley's early boutique wineries, Hanover Park in Yadkinville is a small, quality-minded estate known for its Rhone and Bordeaux varieties and personal, down-to-earth style, a characterful stop that reflects the region's artisanal roots.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Yadkinville.
Our tip: Taste the Rhone and Bordeaux varieties; a pioneering boutique estate.
Wine, llamas, and views
A family estate in East Bend pairing estate-grown wines with a working llama farm and scenic valley views, Divine Llama is a fun, welcoming Yadkin Valley stop that captures the easygoing, agrarian charm of North Carolina wine country.
Good to know: Tastings; estate and llama farm. East Bend.
Our tip: Taste the estate wines and meet the llamas; a fun, scenic family stop.
North Carolina's wine country splits into two very different trips. The Yadkin Valley, about 40 minutes to an hour northwest of Winston-Salem (and roughly 80 miles east of Asheville), is the quality heart, a compact cluster of foothill estates, including the Swan Creek sub-AVA, where you can visit three or four wineries (Shelton, Raffaldini, JOLO, Jones von Drehle) in a scenic day. The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, in the western mountains, is a separate bucket-list destination best paired with a mountain getaway. Base yourself in Winston-Salem or the Elkin and Mount Airy area for the Yadkin Valley, plan three or four stops, and visit spring through fall; autumn harvest and foliage in the foothills are especially lovely, and weekends are busiest.
Do not conflate North Carolina's two wine experiences; the Yadkin Valley is a serious vinifera region, while Biltmore is a grand estate destination in the mountains hours away, so plan them separately. Do not overlook the Italian varieties, Raffaldini and others have made them a Yadkin Valley signature worth seeking out. And do not assume all North Carolina wine is sweet muscadine; while the coastal plain has that tradition, the foothills make serious dry European wine.
Which are the best wineries in North Carolina?
A well-rounded list spans the state: the famous Biltmore Winery in Asheville; and in the Yadkin Valley, the founding Shelton Vineyards, the acclaimed Italian-focused Raffaldini, the grand Childress, the dining-destination JOLO, the serious Jones von Drehle, the boutique Hanover Park, and the family-friendly Divine Llama. Together they capture North Carolina wine from a bucket-list estate to serious foothill vinifera.
What wine is North Carolina known for?
Two very different traditions. In the Yadkin Valley foothills, serious European vinifera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, and increasingly Italian varieties like Vermentino and Montepulciano (a regional signature led by Raffaldini). On the warm coastal plain, the native muscadine grape has a deep history, made into sweet wines. The state also has the famous Biltmore Winery in the mountains, so its range is unusually broad.
What is the Yadkin Valley?
The Yadkin Valley is North Carolina's premier wine region and its first AVA, recognized in 2003. In the rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge northwest of Winston-Salem, it has a four-season climate and varied soils that ripen European vinifera well, and it is home to most of the state's serious wineries, including those in the Swan Creek sub-AVA. Shelton Vineyards led the push for its official designation, and the region now has more than twenty wineries.
Is the Biltmore the most-visited winery in the United States?
Biltmore Winery, on the grounds of the famous Biltmore Estate in Asheville, is consistently cited as one of the most-visited wineries in the United States, drawing enormous crowds as part of the estate experience at America's largest home. Its scale and tourism make it North Carolina's best-known wine destination, though it sits in the western mountains, separate from the Yadkin Valley wine country to the east.
Where is North Carolina wine country and how do I visit?
Mainly in two areas. The Yadkin Valley, the quality heart, is about 40 minutes to an hour northwest of Winston-Salem in the Blue Ridge foothills, an easy base for touring several wineries in a day. The Biltmore Estate winery is in Asheville, in the western mountains roughly 80 miles west of the Yadkin Valley, best visited as part of a separate mountain trip. The warm coastal plain to the east has muscadine wineries as well.
Independent reviews, verified listings, and no pay-to-play.