Place your bets: the East Coast is here to play.

This year has held no shortage of eye-opening moments for this Wino. The power our words hold, and the subsequent manifestation of them once spoken out loud is something I thought heavily on in the closing moments of last year. My soul expressed to the universe a genuine desire to explore the regions of the east coast more in my glass & in person. I was met with a resounding “yes” from the heavens in a multitude of ways. Everything from tasting with representatives of the NY Wine & Grape Foundation to Oeno-camp in Virginia to a symposium helmed by the team at Surry Community College—each instance further confirmed that my desire was not misplaced. Regions along the east coast like North Carolina are home to the most exciting producers in America right now.

“SEEKING TO CREATE IDENTITY WITHOUT PRECENDENCE OR BEING DERIVATIVE.”

Surry Community College, the host of the Southeastern United Grape & Wine Symposium, is a training ground for the next generation of winemakers in NC. A mentor of mine & owner of Assorted Table is currently a student enrolled here. He constantly boasts about how robust the program at the school is, and it has genuinely reignited his passion for championing North Carolina wine in his shop.

Reflecting on the importance of the viticulture and oenology program here at Surry, Professor David Bower claims what excites him most about this new wave of talent is an unapologetic disregard for the classics while crafting wine, cider & mead from NC fruit. Collectively across Yadkin Valley, there is a desire for the wines to be undeniably North Carolina and not feel pressured to mirror the benchmarks set forth by famed regions.

That means you’ll see us confidently play with native grapes like Muscadine or create beautiful sparkling wines from hybrid grapes like Traminette. Unconventional wine techniques are the norm out of necessity (hello, it’s a difficult region to make wine in!) but also out of a desire to intentionally go against the grain of how people believe our region “should” be perceived. All while creating a safe space for wine drinkers new & old.

“THE INTERSECTION OF GLOBAL FLAVOR & SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY.”

Nicole Chesney of the NC Wine & Grape Council said it best: “NC winemaking is the intersection of global flavor & southern hospitality.” The winescape of this region is entering that all too familiar teenage phase where all it wants to do is experiment. Producers are throwing a lot at the wall & seeing what sticks. Yet, no matter how we choose to approach beverages crafted from NC fruit, we are staying true to our southern charm. As a result, there is a wine crafted for every palate and a seat for every kind of drinker at the table in North Carolina.

This notion was palpable during the exhibition style tasting portion of the symposium. Trade professionals across the industry & end-consumers were able to break bread with the gifted producers of the region while tasting the wines for themselves. Notable wines that are still haunting my palate include the zippy Riesling from Hurricane Helene survivor, Euda Wine, the various takes on red & white Muscadine from Erik Martella, a rustic Sangiovese crafted by Christian Paul Winery, and a sexy Port of Chambourcin & Petit Verdot from Windsor Run Cellars.

“STORYTELLING SHOULD BE A PERFORMANCE, NOT A SEMINAR.”

Boring should never be part of the way we describe a tasting event or exposure to a new winery. I’ve previously stressed that effective, compelling storytelling is an art form that wine professionals across the industry have to master in order to connect with an audience & drive sales. A really lackluster experience with a Master Sommelier earlier this year reminded me that not every wine professional, unfortunately, believes in this methodology. Without that connective tissue of a story, a brand loses the power to sell to the end consumer.

Paul Wagner confirmed this by iterating that “marketing paves the way for sales” and a good story is key to brand loyalty. Brand loyalty = dollars in the bank—c’mon people! Consumers aren’t going to remember subjective tasting notes you hold steadfast to as gospel or the way we wax poetic about importance of terroir & soil. People will, however, remember the narratives you weave to connect them deeper with a wine---a connection that will convert them into lifelong consumers. North Carolina is pouring up that narrative with each new wine I discover here.

So, if you haven’t already done so: rethink North Carolina & join the movement before everyone else hops on the proverbial bandwagon.

Cheers,

The Certified Wino