The American wine industry has been growing over the last few decades. While wine is almost always associated with European roots, the American wine industry has gained a deserved reputation as a source of quality wines. With the diverse climatic and soil conditions within the United States, wine producing grapes are now thriving in many areas of the country.
Prolific Wineries
When most Americans think about locally produced wine they think about California. But to many people’s surprise, North Carolina has a robust wine industry that can match California’s “wine country” production. At the very basis of winemaking is a favorable climatic condition that allows for grape cultivation. This is the environment that has favored North Carolina mountain wineries for years.
North Carolina is becoming known as one of the core wine regions within the United States. The Banner Elk winery is a testament to that fact. As an established American winery, “the High Country’s original winery”, the Banner Elk winery has been responsible for the development of numerous award winning wines.
The winery offers tours or private retreats in luxury accommodations nestled within the most beautiful scenery imaginable. Established in 2005, Banner Elk Winery uses traditional winemaking techniques to produce wines reflective of the unique characteristics of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This is because the grapes used for processing are all locally grown varieties of French-American grapes.
Banner Elk Winery is the most awarded commercial winery in North Carolina’s High Country – among them are:
- 2013: Gold Medals at the International Eastern Wine Competition for “2011 Banner Elk Red” and “2011 Marechal Foch”
- 2012: Gold Medal at the NextGen Wine Competition for “Banner Elk White”
- 2012: Gold Awards at the North Carolina State Fair Wine Competition for “2011 Cabernet Sauvignon” and “2011 Seyval Blanc”.
- 2011: Double Gold Award / Best of Category-Red Hybrid at the State Fair Competition for “2009 Marechal Foch”
Whether you are interested in learning about the science and art of winemaking or diving in for a wine tasting, Banner Elk Winery & Villa is a welcoming venue to explore the world of North Carolina wines!
Owning a Home in the NC Wine Country
As a homeowner in the High Country, you will enjoy more than the offerings of the Banner Elk Winery. Apart from the obvious benefits of being a homeowner close to a wine producing area, there are numerous events happening every week in wineries all over the western North Carolina mountain region.