Carolina Uncorked
Upcoming Events
November 17
Thanksgiving Tour
Lewisville.
A specially tour for the holidays
including Old Stone Winery, Stony
Mountain Vineyards, and RayLen
Vineyards. The cost includes traspor-
tation, tasting and tour fees, and lunch.
For more information, visit
www. yadkinwinetours.com or call
(336)793-4488.
December 1
Yadkin Valley Winter Wine Shop
1 1 am - 5 pm
Jonesville.
The Holiday Inn Express will host
crafts, gourmet coffees, and many
Yadkin Valley Wines. Gift basket
makers will be present - perfect for the
holiday season! For more information,
call (336)526-1111.
December 2-3
Holiday Open House at the
Vineyards of Swan Creek
Noon - 5 pm
Swan Creek.
Multiple wineries with multiple wine
specials. Seasonal music, decor, and
complimentary refreshments. Visit
www.swancreekvineyards.com or call
(333)835-9463. _
ifik
For more
upcoming
events, check out
vi sitnc wi ne . com
Harvest Report 2007
The consensus is in. The Easter freeze and the drought of 2007 affected both the
quantity and the quality of the harvests. However, while the quantity was much less
than what most vineyards are used to, the full-flavored grapes are of the highest quality.
Throughout North Carolina, grape growers were heartbroken and shell-shocked when
on Easter Sunday they were greeted with a winter freeze rather than the jubilant Easter
Bunny. The fear at that time was the crops would be lost, possibly in their entirety, and
there would be no upside. As it turns out though, the grapes that were salvaged are very
impressive.
While the Easter freeze destroyed large quantities of the crops, the drought benefited
the grapes. According to George Denka, the president of Shelton Vineyards in Dobson,
“Everything has ripened at an accelerated rate this year. It’s been very high quality fruit
with very concentrated flavors and very little disease this year. All of that is attributed to
the hot, dry weather.”
The reasoning behind this logic is that typically, when there is a lack of rain combined
with long hot days, one would expect a severe drop in the acid levels in the fruit. Because
the grapes ripened so quickly though, this was averted and according to Lee Griffin,
owner of Rockhouse Vineyards, there is almost a “perfect balance of sugar and acid.”
Because many growers experienced close to a 50 percent decrease in crops relative to
last year, the cost for a ton of grapes for 2007 increased across the state. The 2007 wines
will be fewer in quantity than those of other years, but the taste of the wines is expected to
be one of the best ever.
Sources: Tryon Daily Bulletin, Chris Dailey; Journal Now, Lisa Boone-Wood; News and
Record, Jonnelle Davis
A student works among the vines at Creston Vineyards, owned by Grace Coan, in Creston, N.C.
