JUNE 18, 2009 ISSUE
Winkler’s Creek Valley Is Watauga County’s Newest Wine Country
The Vineyard at Winkler’s Creek, located at The Lodges of Winkler’s Creek town home development, is the latest in a series of wine grape vineyards to be planted in the High Country. Photo courtesy of Freda Wilkins Photography The Vineyard at Winkler’s Creek is the latest in a series of wine grape vineyards to be planted in the High Country. The small vineyard was planted last week at The Lodges at Winkler’s Creek, an Adirondack style town home community two miles from Boone on Winkler’s Creek Road. The vineyard was laid out, soil prepared, planted and a fescue cover crop was planted early last week. The first crop of grapes will be harvested in three years.
“We chose the sunny south slope of Rainbow Mountain next to Winkler’s Creek for the vineyard because of its southern exposure and the elevation of 3,000 feet which is perfect for the French hybrid wine grapes we planted,” said Lucien Wilkins, co-developer of The Lodges at Winkler’s Creek. According to Wilkins, mountain-grown grapes have more color, flavor and antioxidants because of the short growing season and high elevation.
“We planted the vineyard for the enjoyment of residents of the Lodges. The wine grapes make great jams and jellies, juice and crisp mountain wines. Our grapes will reflect the unique terroir of the Winkler’s Creek valley and the flavors cannot be reproduced at any other location. It is our intention to make the finest wines in the Carolinas from grapes grown between Boone and Blowing Rock. Planting vineyards in the High Country is a great way to renew agriculture as a profession. It can be a great new agricultural replacement for tobacco and evergreen trees,” said Wilkins.
Information on growing grapes in the High Country is available from the High Country Winegrowers Association and the North Carolina Winegrowers Association. ASU also has a wine grape outreach program that can assist those interested in starting their own vineyard.
At the Lodges, developers have also protected the late harvest trout stream running through the property, built a stone bridge, replanted hundreds of Trillium plants, hand cleared walking and hiking trails, tilled a garden plot and built a timber frame pavilion with a stone fireplace. The first town homes in the Old Homeplace Lodge will be completed in July.
The 47-acre property is the site of the original Rowe Keller home place and mill. The ruins of the old mill at the edge of Winkler’s Creek, the mill race, a grape arbor, apple orchard and a stone wall that surrounded the original cabin in a hollow near the spring head remain as reminders of its mountain heritage.
“I have spoken with residential developers in Watauga, Ashe and Avery counties who are considering adding vineyards to their amenities. Residents and visitors enjoy having events like weddings and reunions in a vineyard,” said Wilkins.
Recently, vineyard-based inns and residential communities have popped up in North Carolina and Virginia.
For more information, click to www.thelodgesatwinklerscreek.com.
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