Surry Wine Trail Vineyards, Yadkin Valley’s Finest

Larry & Jenn Deane of www.BlueRidgeMountainLife.com recently visited Surry County. Below are excerpts and photos from their article about wineries in Mount Airy and Surry County, used with permission. The full article is available here.

Mount Airy is a charming small town in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The town is well known for its connection to the iconic TV show "The Andy Griffith Show."

But Mount Airy is also gaining recognition for its growing number of excellent vineyards. This Blue Ridge Mountain town, surrounded by rolling hills and fertile soil, has become a prime destination for wine enthusiasts and for good reason. Area vineyards offer an inviting taste of the finest wines the Yadkin Valley has to offer.

In this guide, we take you on a tour of some of the very best vineyards based on our visits. We'll highlight the unique character, flavors and views of each vineyard as well.

Join us as we explore our favorite Surry County Wine Trail vineyards that should be on every wine lover's itinerary when visiting Mount Airy.

Christian Paul Vineyards

Opened in November 2023, Christian Paul Vineyards is one of the newest Yadkin Valley AVA vineyards and is in Elkin. The vineyard is 25 acres with 5.5 of those under vine.

The vineyard is owned and operated by Christian Paul Ercolani and Andrew Weyl. The Ercolani family has a wine making legacy in Tuscany and Umbria, Italy dating back many generations. Christian and Andrew continue that heritage today at Christian Paul Vineyards.

We visited on our way to explore downtown Elkin NC and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful property and tasting room. We immediately noticed the bright yellow tasting room building and rolling hills that surrounded it, full of young vines.

Given the vineyard is so young, the vines are still a few years from producing grapes. Christian said that he hopes 2026 is the year. In the meantime, grapes from other Yadkin Valley vineyards are currently used to make their wines, but under the careful supervision of Christian and Andrew.

The beautiful and open tasting room, built by Andrew, not only provides a relaxed yet elegant atmosphere, it also celebrates the Ercolani wine heritage, featuring the family crest and Christian's great-grandfather's wine press.

The wines we sampled were absolutely wonderful. We sipped a mix of whites and reds, all with history to various areas in Europe and, in particular, Italy. Christian's family runs a vineyard today in Montepulciano Italy. In fact, when Christian poured us a glass of their 2022 Montepulciano, he used a specially designed aerator from that family vineyard! The Montepulciano was our favorite!

We enjoyed the wine so much; we grabbed a couple of glasses and sat outside enjoying the views and wine after our tasting and tour.

Round Peak Vineyards

Located in the country, just a short drive from I-77 near Mount Airy, Round Peak Vineyards is named after nearby Round Peak Mountain. The vineyard has 12 acres of vines, growing mainly French and Italian varieties. They grow and make all of their wines on site.

As we approached the vineyard, beautiful green rolling hills and the Blue Ridge Mountains providing a stunning backdrop greeted us and surrounded the vineyard.

We entered the casual and rustic tasting room, and selected our wines for our tasting, then headed out onto the back patio to sit and enjoy the wines. All the wines we tasted were excellent, but our favorites were the Montepulciano aged in Bourbon Barrel and the Vidal Blanc. I can't resist an excellent red wine aged in Bourbon Barrels.

The back patio offers stunning views of the vineyard and distant mountains. The vineyard delivers one of the best mountain views we've experienced. We really enjoyed the different red and white wines they offered while enjoying the stunning scenery.

Shelton Vineyards

Shelton Vineyards, one of the largest and most prestigious family-owned vineyards in North Carolina, offers visitors a blend of friendly service, exceptional wines, stunning views and beautiful landscaping.

Brothers Ed and Charlie Shelton founded Shelton Vineyards in 1999 with a vision to produce world-class wines in the fertile soils of the Yadkin Valley.

As we pulled in, gorgeous rolling hills of green vines surrounded the main entry road. The grounds are full of beautiful landscaping as well, including a creek, pond, flowering trees, bridges and more. The vineyard property is really something to see.

The large and elegant tasting room offers a large bar for tasting, comfortable seating areas, and merchandise for sale. They even have a full-service restaurant, the Harvest Grill, which is on the Surry County Sonker Trail.

Before our wine tasting, the vineyard staff took us on a tour, allowing us to see behind the scenes and witness how this large operation produces such excellent wines.

They grow several varieties of grapes, including Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Petit Manseng, Reisling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Tannat.

Walking out of the back of the wine production facility and up the hill into the vineyards, we could really appreciate the sheer size of this vineyard. The views from there were stunning as well.

Old North State Winery

Housed in a historic hardware store building on the north side of Main Street in Mount Airy, Ben Webb founded Old North State Winery in 2002. As a native of Mount Airy, Ben aimed not only to produce outstanding North Carolina wine, but also to bolster the local economy.

Ben chose downtown Mount Airy for his winery to provide a vibrant spot for both locals and visitors to enjoy fine wine and the town's ambiance.

Today, Old North State Winery is a premier destination in Mount Airy and the Yadkin Valley, drawing tourists with its charming setting and quality wines. The historic building is stunning, and the wine is exceptional. North Carolina residents might recognize their well-known brand, Fish Hippie.

During our visit, we savored a charcuterie plate and a wine tasting at the main bar. Our server was knowledgeable, guiding us through the different wines and helping us select those best suited to our tastes.

The charcuterie board was superb, and we thoroughly enjoyed all the wines.

Overall, Old North State Winery offers a blend of excellent wines, delicious food, and historical charm, making it a must-visit destination in downtown Mount Airy, NC.

About the author

Larry Deane is co-owner of Blue Ridge Mountain Life. He has spent more than 20 years exploring the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains and has a deep passion for nature, history, storytelling, and adventure. Along with his wife Jenn, they combined these passions to create Blue Ridge Mountain Life, a travel guide to these stunning mountains they are fortunate to call home.

Larry has more than 20 years of experience as a writer and journalist, and has established himself as a leading voice and expert for Blue Ridge Mountains. He is also an avid hiker, photographer, and videographer. He loves sharing his mountain adventures and knowledge with more than 500,000 people per month on Blue Ridge Mountain Life.