Nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, New River Winery is the first commercial winery in Ashe County.  The winery is in Lansing, N.C., near the headwaters of the New River, one of the oldest rivers in North America.  This area is home to black bear and beaver, great blue herons and grouse, brook trout, eastern swallowtails and fireflies, and an abundance of native plants and wildflowers.   Once called “The Lost Province”, the county still reflects, in many ways, the heritage and culture of the Appalachian Mountains.  With respect to both the regions natural resources, and its heritage, New River Winery has attempted to capture and reflect the essence and unique characteristics of the region in its wines and corporate philosophy.

History

New River Winery was founded in 2005 as a cooperative venture of wine lovers with a common tie to Ashe County and the Blue Ridge High Country. The mission of the winery is to produce and sell high quality wines and have a great time doing it.  The winery opened in a small, temporary facility in downtown Lansing in July 2006 while renovations for a new production facility were taking place on the grounds of the historic old Lansing School.  The temporary space was too small for a tasting room, so in August 2006, a tasting outlet was opened to the public at Bohemia Gallery in downtown West Jefferson.  Our flagship wines, Bohemia Red and Bohemia White, were introduced followed by the introduction of our signature wine, Back Porch Blueberry.  New River Winery now has many new wines in production including:  Pinot Blanc, Viogner, Hellbender Red, Lansing School White, Big Laurel Blush, and Seyval.

In the winery’s first year, response and demand exceeded expectations creating a production problem.  The temporary space was only 500 square feet and barely large enough for three people to work in.  Despite cramped quarters, the winery was able to produce 1,000 gallons of wine.  In August 2007 the winery moved to its new facility on the grounds of the old Lansing School offering triple the space and room to grow and realize the long term  vision.   We anticipate a grand opening in 2008 featuring a new tasting room, retail space, and tours open to the public.  Future plans include a restaurant and further expansion of the production facilities.

Our current President,  is Joe Martin. We extend our appreciation to Haskell McGuire that served as President of New River Wineries from 2007 to 2009. Haskell McGuire was born and raised in Ashe County.  Prior to joining New River Winery, Haskell served as the Vice President of Engineering and Operations for Bellsouth International. Haskell was responsible for all day to day, as well as, startup operations.  His leadership was a key factor in the Winery’s success.

Vision

The winery’s founder and chief winemaker, Dan Strickland envisioned a winery which would produce and sell high quality wines made from grapes and fruit grown locally in Ashe County supporting both agricultural and tourism interests. It is the intent of the winery to embrace a sense of shared community by bringing a viable new industry to this rural community, educating and sharing our knowledge of grape growing and wine production with local farmers, and contributing our unique piece to High Country tourism and the local economy.

Viticulture

While grapes have been grown in North Carolina for centuries, harvesting grapes for winemaking in the High Country is a relatively recent phenomenon.  The greatest challenge to our grape growers is the harsh winter and short growing season that is characteristic of this region.  Higher elevations require a different choice of varietals than those found in the middle or eastern part of this state.  The French-American hybrids such as Seyval Blanc, Marechal Foch, Baco Noir, Cayuga and Landot are cold hardy and best suited for the High Country climate.  According to Dan, they tend to be more flavorful and fruitier than the vinifera wines and because they lack tannins, they’re meant to be drunk at a young age.

Currently the winery procures grapes from two local sources, one of which is a certified organic farm.   It is hoped that the winery will serve as a catalyst for more area farmers to consider growing grapes and berries as a compliment or alternative to existing crops and embrace the opportunity of this new venture.  Until local growers are able to meet the production  needs of the winery,  we will continue to look to outside sources for additional fruit/juice for wine production.  At this time we are able to purchase the blueberries necessary to produce our signature Back Porch Blueberry wine from a local grower in Ashe County.

Destination Interests

The winery’s Patio Bar is open for tasting and tours of the winery and Old Lansing School on Saturdays May through October. Bohemia Gallery,  our West Jefferson retail outlet is also an option for tastings and wine purchases.   West Jefferson is well known for its numerous art galleries, artisans, antique shops and restaurants.  Visitors can enjoy sipping our wines while listening to  the music of local artists, strolling through the art galleries and antiquing shops , or enjoying a lovely lunch or dinner at one of the local restaurants.  If the outdoor life and serenity of the mountains are more to your liking, hike our beautiful mountains, raft the New River, fish from spring fed streams and end the day with a bottle of wine on the porch of a mountain cabin under a clear moonlit sky.

Future

In 2008, we hope you will drive just a few miles down the road and join us on a tour of our new facilities in Lansing.  Our tasting room and retail outlet will be open as well as guided tours of our production facility and demonstration vineyards.  The grounds of the old Lansing School are perfect for picnics with friends and family and will be home to upcoming winery sponsored events.  In the future, we hope to join with the other wineries in the High Country (Ashe, Watauga, Avery ) to develop a wine trail that will complete your touring experience.

Welcome

In the meantime, if you are looking for a new and different wine experience, breathtaking views, and an escape from the city lights where the pace of life is slow and measured only by wonderful experiences, then we welcome you to New River Winery and Ashe County, N.C.