Episodes

In this episode, we talk with Donna and Greg Hutchins from Cellar 4201 in East Bend, North Carolina! Donna and Greg decided to plant a vineyard back in 2003. Once they had grapes growing, they established their customer base by contracting their winemaking with a local custom crush company and began selling their wines at wine festivals across the area. Once they started, there was no going back. Now, they’re remaining consistent to their brand by keeping it small and boutique. Wine Class with ...

In this episode, we visited Daveste Vineyards and talked with Caroline Karrick and Meg Tipton. Caroline become one of the owners of the vineyard in 2019 and Meg joined as winemaker in 2020. Since joining Daveste Vineyards, Caroline and Meg have been making improvements both in the tasting room and the winery. Wine Class with the Wine Mouths is back. This time Jesse and Jessica tell us about lactones. For more information about the Wine Mouths, head to https://www.winemouths.com/ or find them on...

This is a special episode of Cork Talk. We sit down with Amy Michael Theuret, the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey Coordinator from the North Carolina State Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to talk about a very important topic. The Spotted Lanternfly. The Spotted Lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive species of leafhoppers that feed on several important plants and crops including grapes. These pests latch on to the trunks of the grapevine and interrupt grape ripening and fruit deve...

Join us for part two of our conversation with Mark Friszolowski, the wine maker at Childress Vineyards in Lexington, NC! We continue our discussion focusing in on quality wines, what goes into making a great product, and how the wines at Childress can be considered iconic southern wines. Wine Class with the Wine Mouths is back. This time Jesse and Jessica tell us about rotundness. For more information about the Wine Mouths, head to https://www.winemouths.com/ or find them on Facebook, Instagram...

In this episode, we visited Mark Friszolowski, the wine maker at Childress Vineyards in Lexington, NC for an extended interview! Mark joined Richard Childress in opening the vineyard and winery in the early 2000s. Since then, Mark has been a fixture in the North Carolina wine industry and has made elevating the quality of North Carolina Wine a driving force in his work. This is part one of a special two part episode. Come back in July for part two! Wine Class with the Wine Mouths is back. This ...

In this episode, we sit down with Larry and Elisabeth Mueller from Brandon Hills Vineyard in Yadkinville, NC. Larry and Elisabeth purchased the vineyard just over 5 years ago as a way for Larry to embrace his passion for wine. They have made some major changes at the vineyard and have more planned for the future. Wine Class with the Wine Mouths is back. This time Jesse and Jessica tell us about terpenes. For more information about the Wine Mouths, head to https://www.winemouths.com/ or find the...

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 and continues to be a strong part about what makes Stony Knoll special. Wine Class with the Wine Mo...

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 about living with the land. This means growing grapes and other crops while using what natures prov...

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 & Barrel, they focus on being minimalistic and wild. This means they work with what nature gives them. The only tools t...

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. At the time, it was an established vineyard which was an important factor in their decision. They b...

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 table (oh yes, and we do talk about Joe’s mulled wine). Wine Class with the Wine Mouths is back. This t...

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 consider running a vineyard as an option. The story behind the Marked Tree is that Native Americans ...

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 their custom crush partners. Each of the owners has one wine that is their favorite and they follow 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 well known wine country regions in the state. It is well situated in the western part of the state and is an easy day trip...

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 to embrace her passion (in Greek, the word Kefi means passion or calling). In 2008, Bess began to look for ru...

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’ll find out, each wine is filled with abundant aromatics and is very food friendly. Wine Class with the W...

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 that they now have. For wine grapes, they decided on Carlos and Magnolia for their white grapes and Noble for...

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 properties were essential in starting off the early days of the winery. They provided a nice selection of win...

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 their first harvest was in 2010. Wendy and Kelvin talk to us about the business of growing grapes...

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 Vineyards and Winery Kari Heerdt of Round Peak Vineyards Sofia Lilly of Overmountain Vineyards Kim Myers of ...

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 California and when he came back home to Linville Falls, he wanted to follow his passion. He slowly began to conve...

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, they have been open for just over a year. They talk about some of the challenges of opening a busi...

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 college really inspired him to make wine education his passion. At the college, David has been infl...

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. Over the years, many things have changed. The biggest change of all came in 2014 when Sofia decide...