Surry Business

Southern Living magazine’s November issue features the Yadkin Valley American Viticultural Area, including three wineries in Surry County.

“The Yadkin Valley is like a treasure hunt,” Kim Myers of Laurel Gray Vineyards told Southern Living writer Annette Thompson. “Each winery is as distinct as its owner’s tastes.”

Thompson’s article continues, “Fog settles over the sleepy river valley in early morning, creating a striking November scene. The last few clusters of bruised purple grapes cling to vines, a treat for the birds more than the winemakers. Sound like France or California? Think again. This is North Carolina’s Yadkin Valley, home to some of the South’s finest vines and most creative winemakers….

“Some reside in plush châteaus with dozens of employees, while others are so small you meet the proprietors at the tastings. Welcoming first-timers and sophisticates alike, all the stops are hospitable.”

The featured wineries, along with some of their recommended wines, include Grassy Creek and Elkin Creek vineyards in Elkin and Shelton Vineyards in Dobson.

The Yadkin Valley American Viticultural Area was recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2003. The Yadkin Valley AVA in northwestern North Carolina encompasses an area of approximately 1.4 million acres. It includes all of Surry, Wilkes and Yadkin counties and parts of Davie, Davidson, Forsyth and Stokes counties.