Frequently Asked Questions

Fast Facts

• North Carolina ranks 12th for wine production and 10th for grape production among the United States.
• North Carolina now has 55 wine producers in 31 counties. Five new wineries are expected to open by December 2006! The number of NC wineries has doubled since 2002.
• There are more than 350 individually owned grape vineyards across the state covering 1,350 acres.
• Vineyards and wineries create jobs and attract tourist dollars to rural communities, while generating revenue for the state. They offer an opportunity for farm diversification and farmland preservation.
• In 2004, state-produced grapes were valued at nearly $3.4 Million and the value of state-produced wine was estimated at $34 Million.
• Based on data generated in other states, the Grape Council estimates that the economic impact of vineyards and wineries in North Carolina is $79 Million with 855 jobs created.
• Vineyards in 2005 produced an average of 3 tons per acre, valued at $937 per ton. That’s an average gross income of $2,811 per acre! The average price per ton is among the highest in the country.
• The Yadkin Valley is North Carolina’s first federally-recognized American Viticultural Area (AVA). There are currently fourteen wineries and more than 400 acres devoted to vineyards in the Yadkin valley.
• North Carolina's first commercial vineyard, Medoc Vineyard, was founded in 1835 in Halifax County.
• At the turn of the century, 25 wineries operated in NC, making it one of the most productive wine states in the U.S. The industry closed with the onset of Prohibition. The Biltmore Estate Wine Company is the most visited winery in the United States receiving more than one million visitors annually.
• Scuppernong, the first grape cultivated in the United States, is the official fruit of the state of North Carolina.
• Muscadine grapes, which include scuppernongs, are native to Eastern North Carolina. They have seeds and thick skins and taste delicious fresh from the vine. Muscadines contain high levels of antioxidants and are sold fresh and made into wine and neutraceutical products.
• Bunch grapes, like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, grow in clusters in Western North Carolina.