Cork Talk

In this episode, we sit down with Jonah Hoosier of Stony Knoll Vineyards in Dobson, NC. Jonah is director of operations at Stony Knoll which includes vineyard management and winemaker. Stony Knoll Vineyard is situated on a century family farm that has been farmed for over 120 years. Jonah is part of the sixth generation of the family. Farming the land has been a part of the history of the family a...

This episode features Nico von Cosmos from Stardust Cellars in North Wilkesboro, NC! At Stardust Cellars, Nico focuses on recreating ancient winemaking techniques including overwintering, ancestral sparkling wines and meads, and wild fermentations. Biodynamic practices in winemaking and farming are also a driving force that sets Stardust Cellars apart from the others. Biodynamic is an old concept...

This episode features Lyndon Smith, Amie Fields, Kether Smith, and Deric McGuffey from Botanist & Barrel Cidery & Winery ! Botanist & Barrel has two locations. The farm, production site, and original tasting room is located in Cedar Grove, NC. They opened a second tasting room in Asheville in 2021 which sells their products as well as other natural wines and ciders. At Botanist & B...

Welcome to season 4 of Cork Talk! This episode features Chad and Crista Guebert from Golden Road Vineyards in State Road, NC! Chad and Christa opened the tasting room at the vineyard just last year. Both of them have a background in IT consulting and decided they wanted to get away from their computer screens and do something they are passionate about. They purchased Golden Road Vineyard in 2018....

In this episode, we sit down with four of our blogger friends to bring you a special Holiday Episode! In this episode, we feature Pam from Food and Wine Chronicles , Jessica from the Wine Mouths , Arthur from Merlot 2 Muscadine , and Dave from Vino-Sphere ! We talk about the things you should look for in a holiday wine pairing. We then move on to suggested wine styles to consider for your holiday...

This episode features Tim Parks and Lance Hiatt of Marked Tree Vineyard in Hendersonville, NC! We visited the vineyard in the early fall (a perfect time of year) and recorded this conversation with Tim and Lance. Their love of wine started when Lance visited Chablis many years ago. Together, the pair visited many wine regions across the globe. It was the east coast wineries that really made them c...

In this episode, we sit down with Lisa, Tim, Claudia, and Josh from Hidden Vineyard in Dobson, North Carolina! The Hidden Vineyard family moved from Ohio to an area that they visited on many occasions on their way to family vacations. They were looking for an established vineyard to purchase so they could make wine sooner. With just about 10 acres, they make six estate wines in partnership with th...

Welcome to the Yadkin Valley tourism episode! We sit down with Craig Distl and Thomas Salley and talk about all things tourism for the Yadkin Valley in North Carolina. No matter if you’re familiar with North Carolina Wine or if you’re new to the industry, you’ll learn a lot about what the area has to offer. As North Carolina’s first AVA, the Yadkin Valley is one of the most...

In this episode, we sit down with Bess and Alexa Collins of Kefi Vineyard & Winery in Monroe, North Carolina! Bess has always been fan of being outdoors and growing things has been part of her life growing up. Alexa is her daughter and has been inspired by her mother’s love for building something to pass on to future generations. Bess had the idea that she wanted to get outside as a way...

We’re back again with Tina Smith and Nadia Hetzel of Cypress Bend Vineyards ! Located in Wagram, NC, Cypress Bend is in a unique location in North Carolina where the Muscadine grape grows well and produces an outstanding wine. Tina and Nadia talk through their abundant wine list. They tell us about the differences between each wine and how they craft the best expression of the fruit. As you&...

In this episode, we sit down with Tina Smith and Nadia Hetzel of Cypress Bend Vineyards ! Located in Wagram, NC, Cypress Bend is in a unique location in North Carolina where the Muscadine grape grows well and produces an outstanding wine. Tina Smith and her husband, Dan, decided to plant grapes on Dan’s family land back in 2001. Over time, they grew from a humble 10 acres to the 35 acres tha...

In this episode, we sit down with Cynthia and Jim Douthit from Grassy Creek Vineyard and Winery in State Road, North Carolina! Cynthia and Jim are two of the owners of Grassy Creek Vineyard. They started the business in 2000 and planted their grapes in 2003. This was Jim’s second vineyard. He first planted 10 acres in the Lake Norman area before buying the State Road property. Those two prop...

In this episode we talk with Wendy and Kelvin Wooten of Moon Lake Vineyards in Olin, North Carolina! Wendy and Kelvin are grape growers in part of the Swan Creek AVA. The Wootens planted their grapes in 2007 in a very difficult year. They were up against an late season freeze which put their newly planted vineyard at risk. Through a little bit of luck and a lot of effort, the vineyard survived and...

We’re honoring women in the wine industry. We take a look back at our earlier episodes and found clips that highlight the importance of women in the industry. We would like to thank all of the women who help to make North Carolina Wine what it is today. In this episode we feature: Amy Helton of Hanover Park Vineyard Leslie Zimmerman of Zimmerman Vineyards Diana Jones of Jones von Drehle Vine...

In this episode we feature Linville Falls Winery in Linville Falls, NC! We talk to Linda Wiseman and her two daughters, Jessica and Lindsay, about all things that make Linville Falls Winery Mountain Grown and Mountain Made. Jack Wiseman, Linda’s father, is the winemaker and the man responsible for the vision that is Linville Falls Winery. Jack fell in love with the wine industry in Californi...

Welcome to Cork Talk Season 3! In this episode, we talk with Deane and Becky Muhlenberg of Haze Gray Vineyards in Dobson, North Carolina. Deane and Becky have a long history of military service, and they honor that in so many ways at Haze Gray Vineyards. Deane and Becky talk about how they started 5 years ago and what drove them to plant a vineyard and open a winery. At the time of this recording,...

In this episode we interview David Bower of the Shelton Badgett NC Center for Viticulture and Enology at Surry Community College ! David holds the position of Winemaker and Enology Instructor at the college. David tells us about his involvement at the college and how it blends his interested in winemaking and teaching. His background with his family vineyard and some influential professors during...

This episode features Sofia Lilly of Overmountain Vineyards in Tryon, North Carolina! We visited Sofia at the vineyard on a sunny day in October. Their extensive patio and spread out seating allowed us to record this episode while observing social distancing practices. Sofia talks to us about how Overmountain Vineyards started as a small family farm and still continues to live up to that standard....

In this episode, we sit down with Ken Gulaian and Kari Heerdt of Round Peak Vineyards in Mt Airy, North Carolina! Ken and Kari moved to North Carolina in 2008. Before landing in North Carolina, they lived in California which is where they fell in love with wineries and vineyards in some of California’s most well known regions. They purchased Round Peak Vineyards shortly after moving. They co...

In this episode, we interview Shruthi Dhoopati and Jeff Frisbee of Addison Farms Vineyards in Leicester, NC. Jeff tells us about the history of the vineyard and how it started out as farmland for his grandparents. After raising tobacco and cattle, Jeff decided that a good way to preserve the family farm would be to plant grapes. In 2009, he planted his first grapes with subsequent plantings every...

We’re celebrating North Carolina Grape Month with a special episode featuring two grape experts. We interview Dr. Sara Spayd and Dr Mark Hoffman of North Carolina State University (Go Pack!). Mark and Sara both specialize in growing and researching grapes. At NC State, they hold the title of State Viticulturist. They’re responsible for conducting research on grape growing in the state,...

This episode takes us to Trinity, North Carolina where we recorded with Leslie Zimmerman and Christie Otranto of Zimmerman Vineyards ! The vineyard and tasting room sit on a portion of the 140 acre homestead that Leslie purchased back in the late 1980s. Over the years, there have been many things to overcome. Leslie has focused on her three passions: her love of teaching, her family, and the viney...

In this episode, we interview Max Lloyd of Grove Winery in Gibsonville, NC. Max originally started a vineyard up in Virginia back in 1995. His family has been growing gapes and making wine for generations, so he was more than happy to carry on the tradition. Max wanted to expand his vineyards, but there were several factors in selecting his site. Eventually he landed on the primary vineyard site a...

In this episode, we’re featuring Shelton Vineyards! Mandy Houser, Chip Shelton, and Ethan Brown join us in our second virtual recording episode. Mandy and Chip take us back to the early beginnings of Shelton Vineyards, all the way back to 1999. Brothers Charlie and Ed Shelton came up with the idea of getting back to their roots in Dobson, NC. After talking with consultants, the brothers were...

This episode features Elizabeth Anne Dover of Dover Vineyards ! We took a slightly different approach to recording this episode as we’re still observing social distancing. Elizabeth Anne talks to us about her 7 acres of grapes and 6 acres of produce. Since starting her endeavor in 2009, she has put the passion of farming and producing outstanding wine at the forefront of what she does. As a...