North Carolina’s state motto, Esse Quam Videri, “to be rather than to seem,” is spot on. The Yadkin Valley, like much of the state, is a place to be real and easygoing—or just real easygoing.
For example, is the Yadkin Valley the easiest place in the state to grow grapes? Not really. But with over 50 wineries, it is wildly prolific, like much of North Carolina, with numerous grape varieties planted. A few of them become defining, and plenty of others are powerful regional representatives, offering consistency, depth and refinement.
Viticulture in central North Carolina is a familiar post-Prohibition story—reawakening, due to a new generation of grape growers and winemakers who’ve invested in the region with vision and optimism. Jay Raffaldini, co-owner of Raffaldini Vineyards, in Swan Creek AVA,…