Banner Elk Winery

Wine: Winery: Ambiance: May 27, 2018

Favorite Wine: Seyval Blanc

Here’s the scoop, ~ you can’t find this place by GPS, forget maps (the locals steal the road signs) and the marked signs are regulated by a strange concept of North Carolina DOT laws (all distances are to the winery, not to the turn off roads which of course can’t be followed because the signs were stolen years ago). On a positive note, ~ serious wines are being produced at 4200’ in a very harsh setting. Though grapes are also used from other NC sources for their Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec blends, Banner Elk Winery produces quite successfully estate Seyval Blanc ($25) and Marechal Foch ($29) wines. A unique clean, minerally taste in the Seyval Blanc and a very smooth ‘quiet’ Marechal Foch expression found usually in only our most northern states or as far north as Canada. Throw in some extra time to find this location and enjoy the setting of this sincere effort to produce serious wines in an area dotted with Southern ski slopes. Kudos are in order for their generous 15% military discount. Thank you.