Pair Yadkin Valley Wines with Fall Color this Autumn

Each fall, visitors seek out new ways to experience the changing of the leaves in North Carolina. Many wineries along the Surry County Wine Trail offer beautiful views from their tasting rooms, patios and surrounding vineyards.

Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Yadkin Valley is home to more than 40 wineries, and 15 of them are located along the Surry County Wine Trail. This time of year, you’ll find vineyard workers harvesting grapes and winemakers working overtime to press grapes as they come off the vine. It’s a busy, yet exciting time to visit and witness the harvest.

Round Peak Vineyards’ location in the northwestern quadrant of Surry County near the Virginia line offers sweeping views of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west. The winery and tasting room are perched at 1,300 feet in elevation with 13 acres of vineyards. The winery produces two lines of wines: Round Peak wines are dry French and Italian varietals, and Skull Camp wines are semi-dry and semi-sweet. The covered crush pad out back allows visitors to see the action when harvest takes place, serves as an outdoor stage when local bands play and provides an ideal viewing spot for the sunset each evening.

With a rustic tasting room overlooking its namesake creek and six acres of grapes, Elkin Creek Vineyard is a cozy spot to spend a fall afternoon. Each Sunday, the winery serves brick-oven pizzas, which visitors can enjoy with a bottle of Sangiovese or Chambourcin. Elkin Creek also has four well-appointed creek-side cabins within walking distance of the winery.

Shelton Vineyards, the largest family-owned estate winery in North Carolina, is tucked among the rural farmland of Dobson. Rolling acres of vineyard surround the winery and tasting room. With deciduous trees planted throughout the estate, pops of color punctuate the landscape as visitors wander down the walking trail around the lake. On Oct. 12-14, the vineyard hosts a Harvest Festival to celebrate the season with hayrides, food trucks, and free tours and tastings.

People come to JOLO Winery & Vineyards for its award-winning wines, of course, but many come just to admire the picture-perfect view of Pilot Mountain. Enjoy tasting the red and white blends in the lodge-style tasting room or outdoors on the expansive patio. End Posts Restaurant serves a tapas-style lunch menu Thursday through Sunday.

To map out your fall journey along the Surry County Wine Trail, click here