Yadkin Valley Wine & Beer Passport is Your Ticket to Winter Fun

The Yadkin Valley Winter Wine & Beer Passport provides a fun and economical way to experience North Carolina wine country this winter.

Each passport serves as a ticket to tastings at 15 partners - 10 award-winning wineries, four craft breweries and one distillery in Surry County, located in the heart of the Yadkin Valley wine region.

The number of tasting experiences has increased from last year. Yadkin Valley’s newest winery, Haze Gray Vineyards in Dobson, joins the rotation this winter, along with Thirsty Souls Community Brewing and White Elephant Beer Company, located across the street from each other in downtown Mount Airy.

Mayberry Spirits, also in downtown Mount Airy, comes on board this year as the first distillery to participate.

Passport holders also receive a commemorative keepsake gift at their first tasting. This year's gift is a five-piece wine & beer opener set that comes in a decorative bottle-shaped case. Other perks include special deals at seven lodging properties convenient to the vineyards, along with discounts at several restaurants and shops.

The passports are valid for nearly four months, starting Nov. 29 of this year and running through March 22, 2020.

“It’s an enjoyable way to celebrate winter – a treasure map to great wineries and breweries throughout Surry County,” says Louis Jeroslow, winemaker at Elkin Creek Vineyard.

Participating wineries for the winter of 2019-20 are: Adagio Vineyards, Carolina Heritage, Elkin Creek, Grassy Creek, Haze Gray, Roaring River, Round Peak, Shelton Vineyards, Slightly Askew and Stony Knoll. The breweries on tap this winter are Angry Troll, Skull Camp, Thirsty Souls and White Elephant.

“This is the 10th year we’ve offered the program, and people love it,” says Pat Colwell of Carolina Heritage Vineyard & Winery. “And it makes a popular Christmas gift for people who like wine and beer.”

Colwell likes to point out the passport time period is long enough for folks from outside the area to buy a passport and make more than one visit throughout the season and not feel like they have to hit every tasting room during a single trip.

For those looking to stay overnight, five wineries offer discount lodging on-property: Carolina Heritage, Elkin Creek, Grassy Creek, Round Peak and Slightly Askew. Special pricing is also available at Hampton Inn & Suites Shelton Vineyards in Dobson and Fairfield Inn & Suites in Elkin.

Early bird pricing for the Yadkin Valley Winter Wine & Beer Passport is $65 for individuals and $99 for two people through Nov. 28. Regular pricing begins Nov. 29 with rates of $75 for individuals and $115 for two people. The estimated value of each passport is $250.

For details or to purchase a passport, click here or call the Yadkin Valley Chamber of Commerce at 336-526-1111.