Agritourism Adventures in Wilkes County, North Carolina

Agritourism Adventures in Wilkes County, North Carolina

“You can learn about the life cycle of the grape, get involved in pruning and the harvest, and drink what we’re talking about. We tell behind-the-scenes stories about the vineyard to get people engaged.” – Hailey Klepyck, Piccione Vineyards
 

How many destinations in America still retain their rural roots? How many can claim agriculture as a major part of their economy? You won’t find skyscrapers or urban sprawl in Wilkes County, North Carolina, but you will find family farms and miles of fertile land stretching out beyond the horizon.

 

In Wilkes, getting stuck behind a tractor is our version of a traffic jam.

 

With so much open land that’s beautiful and bountiful, agriculture and tourism go hand in hand. Our agritourism adventures appeal to families (apple picking, anyone?), couples or friends wanting a wine-down weekend, and guys reliving the glory days of maverick moonshiners.

 

Chasing Spirits

Our oldest form of agritourism is moonshine. In fact, Wilkes County was once known as the Moonshine Capital of the World. “People drove down from Virginia to buy Wilkes County moonshine. It was a smoother whiskey because of our steam distilling method,” says Brian Call, a seventh-generation distiller and owner of Call Family Distillers, a small-batch distillery just outside Wilkesboro. “About 60 percent of the people who grew up in Wilkes could say their family was in the whiskey business,” Call says.

 

His statement makes perfect sense, considering that many early settlers to this area came from Scotland and Ireland. “Moonshine is based on Scotch-Irish tradition. The rocky soil of those places wasn’t good for farming, and it was easier to ship a product in liquid form,” says Jennifer Furr, director, Wilkes Heritage Museum. The whiskey trade transferred well to Wilkes; many pioneers living on the rocky hillsides weren’t blessed with the fertile soil of their neighbors living near the river bottomlands. The Wilkes Heritage Museum displays moonshine artifacts, from a rusty still to a shiny 1939 Ford Coupe driven by Junior Johnson, who honed his driving skills hauling “white lightning” through the mountains. Adaptations to cars like Johnson’s led to the sport of stock car racing, another regional pastime.

 

Moonshiners of yesteryear plied their trade in rustic settings deep in the forest. Today’s spirits are “moonshine in name only; the process of making these spirits is highly technical and scientific, but the people making it have direct ties to the original moonshiners,” says Director of the Wilkesboro Tourism Development Authority, Thomas Salley.

 

Brian Call is the most prominent example of this legacy, with a family tree steeped in whiskey history. His ancestor, the Reverend Daniel Houston Call taught a young Jack Daniels the trade. It all went well until a temperance advocate denounced Reverend Call. “He had to choose between being a minister and whiskey maker,” says Brian Call. Religion won out. The Reverend sold his business to Jack Daniels, and the rest is history – except for the Call family. “A lot of people say they like our whiskey better than Jack Daniels.”

 

Their distilling methods are more sophisticated now, but they remain true to their roots. The Call family still makes moonshine whiskey using white corn meal from Linney’s Mill, where Brian Call’s grandfather bought his corn. Built in 1790 on Rocky Creek, Linney’s is one of the last North Carolina mills using waterwheel grinding stones.

 

Call Family Distillers is an impressive evolution from the backwoods operations of a bygone era. See for yourself on a tour of the immaculate distilling operations. Along the way, you’ll discover a restored still and several last-century moonshiner cars in mint condition. Be sure to sample the wares in the tasting room as you peruse fascinating family memorabilia. In the distillery store, you can purchase spirits honoring family members like  Brian Call’s father, “The Uncatchable” Willie Clay Call, who earned his notorious nickname outrunning revenuers.

 

Reflect on the family folklore while sipping a cocktail in the adjacent Mash House, a spacious outdoor music venue. Live local bands entertain there on weekends. The Calls host food trucks and seasonal parties, too. Call Family Distillers, 1611 Industrial Drive, Wilkesboro, 336-990-0708, [email protected], www.callfamilydistillers.com. Call ahead for hours and to schedule a tasting tour.

 

On the north side of the Yadkin River, Copper Barrel Distillery is the county’s first legal moonshine operation. Housed in North Wilkesboro’s old Key City Furniture building, its tasting room is pure Americana – from the tin roof outside to the exposed brick walls and barrel table bases inside. Copper Barrel uses Wilke’s signature steam distilling method to make its whiskey blends. Local legend Buck Nance designed the distillery’s unique steam-injected distillation system. He draws on more than five decades of experience to craft artisanal whiskies made from locally grown corn, rye, and cane sugar. Water from the Wilkes crystalline rock aquifer ensures the smooth, pure taste for which Copper Barrel libations are known. Copper Barrel Distillery, 508 Main Street, North Wilkesboro, 336-262-6500, info@

copperbarrel.com, www.copperbarrel.com.

 

Drive south to Moravian Falls, and you’ll discover Jack Holman making applejack the colonial way, using about 60 locally grown apples per bottle. Applejack is the only spirit invented in America, and Holman bills himself as the “only true commercial applejack maker on the planet” and a Certified Spirits Specialist. Working on an old farmstead, Holman chose his location for the availability of pure mountain water. It’s the starting point for his handcrafted applejack and vodka. Holman began learning his craft during a 16-year stint at a California winery. Today, he makes small-batch spirits with an artisan’s devotion to quality, purity, and the freshest ingredients. Holman Distillery, 336-921-0386, [email protected], holmandistillery.com. Tasting tours by appointment only, please call or email ahead.

 

 

 

Vineyard Visits

With more than 50 wineries within an hour’s drive, Wilkes County is the ideal base for discovering North Carolina wines. The eastern side of the county is part of the Yadkin Valley Viticultural Area (AVA), a seven-county region in northwestern North Carolina. Two of our vineyards, Raffaldini and Piccione, are also part of the Swan Creek AVA, a region known for its mineral-rich soil.

Yadkin Valley is the area best suited to winemaking, but it takes grit to grow grapes here. “Grapes like arid climates. Here, you’re fighting rain and humidity. You have to pick a site in the rain shadow, at an elevation of 1,200 to 1,500 feet, facing north and east, and warm enough that you don’t get white frost,” says Jay Raffaldini, whose careful site selection paid off. Raffaldini Vineyards ranks among one of the top seven wineries outside of California. Soil interlaced with granite and schist promote good drainage and traces of minerals infuse Raffaldini grapes with a distinctive terroir.

 

Jay Raffaldini planted 35 of his 102 acres in classic European style grapes. His dry wines have earned several “Best in Class” awards in the two decades since his vineyards were first planted. The vineyards are open to the public and they also offer a wine club with discounts, members-only events, and opportunities to purchase limited release wines.

 

Visit on a sunny afternoon, and the picturesque villa with its clay tile roof set against a backdrop of gently rolling hills might make you think you’re in Tuscany. “It’s deeply emotional to us; it reminds us of our roots,” Raffaldini says. Spend a relaxing hour or two on the terrace and you’ll experience a bella vita moment, no passport required.

 

Jay Raffaldini believes Wilkes County offers wine lovers a unique experience. “There are five Italian style vineyards contiguous to each other here. We grow many varieties, but all five vineyards have a red montepulcino and white vermentino. It’s unusual to have five reds and five whites that all taste so different, within 500 yards of each other.” Raffaldini Vineyards and Winery, 450 Grace Road, Ronda, 336-835-9463, raffaldini.com

 

Hailey Klepyck, tasting room manager for Piccione Vineyards, agrees with her neighbor Jay Raffaldini that growing grapes is hard work. “It looks pretty,” she says, referring to Piccione’s 30 acres under vine but, “We’re working really hard.” That “pretty” view includes vistas of the Brushy and Blue Ridge Mountains, and the quality of quiet found only in the countryside.

 

Klepyck offers a different perspective on the region’s growing conditions. “The Yadkin Valley microclimate, the top layer of shale, mica, and red clay, and the rocky soil provide good drainage while stressing the vine roots to go deep. It’s a great trifecta of growing conditions that the vines need, and it challenged us to find varietals adapted to this climate.” Piccione bottles French and Italian “estate-grown” wines, as well as original blends.

 

While North Carolina’s wine industry is evolving, “We’re trying to make a name for ourselves, like Napa in the late 1970s,” Klepyck says, she’s excited about the future. “Wilkes County and the Yadkin Valley AVA have gained a lot of traction in the last 10 years. We’re becoming more of a destination than a day trip. Visitors can spend the weekend and see several vineyards within minutes of each other.”

 

Weekends at Piccione feature live music and food trucks. April through September, the vineyard offers hands-on workshops. “You can learn about the life cycle of the grape, get involved in pruning and the harvest, and drink what we’re talking about. We tell behind-the-scenes stories about the vineyard to get people engaged,” Klepyck says. Piccione also hosts five-course dinners throughout the year, all paired with wines harvested onsite. In late spring 2023, the vineyard will open a new 10,000 square foot tasting room. Piccione Vineyards, 2364 Cedar Forest Road, Ronda, 336-571-1024, [email protected], piccionewines.com. To learn of upcoming events, visit the website or sign up for the vineyard’s email list.

 

For a unique twist on local libations, try a glass of hard cider from McRitchie Winery & Ciderworks. The McRitchie family handcrafts the beverage from heirloom cider apples grown in the Brushy Mountains. The family-owned winery sits on nearly 30 acres of beautiful Blue Ridge land, and their wines benefit from the terroir. The family uses sustainable growing methods to make their small batch wines. Winemaker Sean McRitchie brings knowledge he gleaned from his father, who worked in California and Oregon vineyards, as well as his own experience working in wineries around the world. McRitchie Winery & Ciderworks, 315 Thurmond PO Road, Thurmond, 336-874-3003, mcritchiewine.com.

 

At Stardust Cellars Taproom Nico Von Cosmos crafts wine the old-world way: foot-stomped, basket-pressed, and off-the-grid. North Carolina’s first biodynamic winery, Stardust has earned sustainability awards for its earth-friendly practices. Cosmos also makes and sells mead, a traditional honey-based wine, and his in-town tasting room offers Angry Troll beer from the Elkin microbrewery. Stardust Cellars Taproom, 202 Curtis Bridge Road, Wilkesboro, 336-566-4454, stardustcellars.com.

 

There are five other Wilkes wineries to visit in some of the most scenic sections of the county. Be sure to call ahead for hours of operation and tasting tour reservations at these small, artisanal wineries.

 

Castello Barone Vineyard & Winery, 475 Groce Road, Ronda, 727-458-9539. Opening in 2023.

Elkin Creek Vineyard and Winery, 318 Elkin Creek Mill Road, Elkin, 336-526-5119.

Jones Von Drehle Vineyard and Winery 964 Old Railroad Grade Road, Thurmond, 336-775-8330.

MenaRick Vineyard and Winery 328 Luffman Road, Ronda. 336-328-7038.

Roaring River Vineyards 493 Brewer Mill Road, Traphill, 336-957-2332.

 

Something’s Brewing Downtown

Beer drinkers need not worry – two microbreweries await your tasting pleasure.

 

TwoBoros Brewery & Pizzeria in downtown Wilkesboro pours a robust selection of ale, IPA, stout, lager, and seasonal brews. All are created in-house, and all pair nicely with their brick oven pizzas. Brothers Seth and Grayson Cohn and their friend Trey Church opened the brewery in 2019. The timing, on the cusp of the pandemic, wasn’t great, but their handcrafted beers and food prevailed. The pub grew in popularity and the trio are expanding their brewery warehouse to accommodate demand.

 

Though relatively new on the Wilkesboro scene, TwoBoro’s location in a 19^th century building, with its  bar constructed of local black walnut wood, lend a nostalgic feel to this friendly pub. As the TwoBoros team pursues their passion for craft beer and commitment to quality, their pub is becoming a neighborhood institution. TwoBoros Brewery & Pizzeria, 111 East Main Street, Wilkesboro, 336-990-9455, twoborosbrewery.com. Call ahead to schedule a tasting tour.

 

On the eastern side of the county, the whimsically named Angry Troll Brewery brings lively libations to another historic downtown. Housed in a former tobacco warehouse on Elkin’s vibrant Main Street, the revitalized industrial space is a community gathering place, with a restaurant, arcade, outdoor patio, and live music. Beers made onsite include classic crisp ales, hearty stouts, refreshing IPAs, and adventurous seasonal beers. Locally sourced ingredients lend character to each glass.

 

While the name was inspired by a cranky creature, the brewery is anything but. From beer workshops to trivia night, to “Poses and Pints” yoga or a game of pool, it’s fun for all. Stardust Cellars Taproom in Wilkesboro also serves Angry Troll beer. Angry Troll Brewing, 222 East Main Street, Elkin, 336-258-2251, angrytrollbrewing.com.

 

Family Friendly Outings

Grapes aren’t the only fruit that benefit from our location in North Carolina’s Isothermal Belt. The region’s milder temperatures and longer growing season make it perfect for growing apples. Sheltered from frigid winds by the Blue Ridge Mountains, early settlers to this area discovered the Brushy Mountain coves and mountainsides were a frost-free area to cultivate orchards. Families who raise fruit here today descended from those pioneer planters.

Six generations of the Lowe family have nurtured apple trees in these foothills. “We go back four generations on this particular property,” says Katrina Lowe, referring to the 130-acre Perry Lowe Orchards founded by her husband’s ancestors. The Lowe family came here in the early 1800s from Kentucky and passed along horticultural knowledge to the generations that followed.

The orchards are located about 10 miles outside Wilkesboro. “We’re above the frostline here, so we can grow 30 varieties of apples, as well as peaches and pears.” A farmer’s life is not easy, but the family feels grateful to continue the tradition. “This is God’s creation. We’re here to take care of it,” Lowe says.

From September 1^st through November 1^st, the orchard welcomes visitors to pick apples, ride a covered wagon over the rolling hills, wind through an apple tree maze, shoot the apple cannon, and take photographs at the tractor haystack. Not up for picking? Stock up on all things apple – fruit, jams, pies, and more – at the orchard store. Don’t forget to sample the cider. Four generations of Lowes have made the refreshing drink on this very spot. Perry Lowe Orchards, 8741 NC Highway 16, Moravian Falls, 336-921-3123, perryloweorchards.com. U-Pick season: September 1-November 1. Call ahead to reserve your place.

 

From pumpkin patches to roadside stands selling fresh local produce, five other orchards await your exploration. Explore them here.

 

It’s only one day, but the Brushy Mountain Apple Festival is a big deal. The first Saturday in October, North Wilkesboro overflows with food, fun, and festivities as local growers bring out their best wares.

 

Stock up on a cornucopia of fresh produce, locally raised meat, handcrafted cheese, and other goods at the Wilkes County Farmers Market and Yadkin Valley Marketplace. More than 20 vendors sell homegrown wares here, April through October.  Wilkes County Farmer’s Market, 842 CBD Loop, North Wilkesboro, 336-667-7129, ext. 3021.

 

Enjoy a farm stay and glamping (luxury camping) under the stars at Growing Faith Farms. Stroll 125-acres of forests, fields, and farmland, picking flowers and meeting farm animals as you wander. The farm officially opens in August 2022, but owners Joseph and Cristina Angott have developed their unique destination over several years in preparation for farm stays and tours. Growing Faith Farms, 521 Old Orchard Road, Moravian Falls, 336-921-0081, [email protected], www.growingfaithfarms.com.

 

Resources

 

Keep the state’s agricultural resources at your fingertips with the North Carolina Farms app:

visitNCFarmstoday.com.

 

Explore North Carolina’s wine culture at VisitNCWine.com  or call 877-3NC-WINE.

 

For apple facts, recipes, and more, visit www.ncapplegrowers.com.

 

Get information on wineries, breweries, tours, maps, and the “Elkin Vine Line” van transporting visitors to vineyards, at Yadkin Valley Viticultural Area.

 

By Nancy Moreland

 

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