Mountain Spirits: Wine and Beer Events this week 5-3-12

May 5-6    Vineyards of Swan Creek Wine and Cheese Festival   Ronda, NC. Join the Vineyards of Swan Creek as each vineyard pairs one of their wines with a unique, local cheese from the Ashe County Cheese Factory.  The Vineyards of Swan Creek include Raffaldini Vineyards, Dobbins Creek Vineyard, Shadow Springs Vineyard, and Laural Gray Vineyard.

May 5, 11 AM - 3 PM - Whines and Vines and Wines, A benefit for the McDowell Animal Shelter. Woof! 20% of bottle purchases will be donated to the shelter. For the animals sake, please join us. Adoptable Dogs will be available. Music on the vineyard deck by Freddie Bradburn.

May  4 - 5, 11 AM - 5 PM The Days of Wine and Posies at Winehouse & Greenhouse at South Creek  Get your flowers at Banner Greenhouses (they are right across the street) and then join South Creek for the wine. You must be 21 or older to attend this event.  South Creek Vineyards and Winery is located at 2240 South Creek Road in Nebo NC.

May 5, 9:30 PM - Altamont Brewing Co.  1042 Haywood Road, Asheville NC.   Supercross Superfunk Cinco de Mayo with The Fritz! Free Event. Watch the last Supercross race of the season and get down with the sounds of Asheville funk band The Fritz.



May 4,  5 - 7 PM   Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Rd, Ste 100 in Asheville NC.  FREE beer tasting: Spring Seasonals - great thirst quenching beers perfect for your next grill out or float down the river. Highland Brewing Razor Wit - This Belgian-style Wit, or “white” ale, is an unfiltered wheat beer brewed with traditional ingredients and a Highland twist. ; Highland Brewing Little Hump Spring Ale This American Pale Ale is meticulously handcrafted for full floral hop aroma and flavor. Brewed with grains from America's heartland ; New Belgium Somersault - Somersault is a fun roll around on the tongue, while requiring only the minimum of palate gymnastics. Currently on Tap at the bar: Stone Ruination DIPA $5 pints and French Broad Kolsch $4 pints.   May 5 , 3-6 PM - FREE Wine Tasting: Edgebaston Wines from Stellenbosc, South Africa - Edgebaston "The Honey Pot" 2011 - This fresh white wine comes from a family run vineyard in South Africa's Stellenbosc region; Edgebaston "The Pepper Pot" 2010- This red wine is a blend of 46% Syrah, 46% Mourvedre, and 8% Tennat; Edgebaston "The Berry Box" 2010- This grenache based blend is arriving on a ship from South Africa this week.

May 4, 4-6 PM at  Table Wine, 1550 Hendersonville Road, Suite 102, Asheville NC -  Friday Winedown -  White and pink wines from France   Rick Bowman from Bordeaux Fine and Rare will  pour 7  wines new to the store.  From Bordeaux to Gascogne to the Rhone Valley, you’ll sample a couple whites, a couple of new and fresh dry rosés and some delicious reds.  Even better, all of the wines come from small, family owned and operated wineries where the production levels are small, but the prices are more than fair.  The tasting will conclude with a real “Wow Wine”, but it’s a surprise!  $5 per person.

May 5, noon to 6 PM, RagApple Lassie Vineyards, 3724 RagApple Lassie Lane, Boonville NC - Saturday Music Salons are back and will continue through the end of the year. The 2009 Chardonnay has been released with FREE tastings this weekend. The Back Door Cafe will be open from noon to 4 PM to feed all hungry tummies. To quote one customer: "the sandwiches are divine!" And of course, RagApple Lassie wines will be available for tasting.

May 4,  4 PM - 7 PM  LaBouteille, 10 N Trade St, Suite A Tyon NC - Complimentary Wine Tastings every Friday.  - The last Saturday of each month 3-5 pm is a 10 beers for $10 beer tasting. Bring a dish of food to share.

May 5,   2 PM - 5 PM  The Wine Guy, 555 Merimon Ave and 1200 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville NC. FREE Saturday tastings are a great way to sample new favorites in a casual setting. A local distributor will pour a few new wines from their portfolio. No reservations required and there will be special pricing on the wines sampled. 

May 5, 12 PM - 5 PM at Vino Vino Wine Market, 178 Weaverville Rd., Asheville NC. Every Saturday anytime between 12:00 and 5:00pm enjoy a sampling of wines from around the world. A 10% discount on each of the wines we are featuring.

Tasting Rooms:

Biltmore Winery, located on the Biltmore Estate, Asheville NC. Daily tasting and tours with Estate admission. Special events and tastings throughout the year.

Old North State Winery, 308 North Main Street, Mount Airy NC. Hours of operation are: Monday-Wednesday 11am-6pm, Thursday-Saturday 11am-9pm, and Sunday 12pm-6pm. Sample wines and browse the gift shop featuring wine related and gourmet gift items.

RagApple Lassie, 3724 Ragapple Lassie Lane Boonville NC Tours are "on demand" noon to six PM daily. Tastings are available noon to six PM daily and include up to 11 varieties of wine.

Calaboose Cellars, 565 Aquone Road, Andrews NC. Closed for the winter - re-open March 22, 2012Tasting room summer hours: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from Noon to 5:00. This week check out the "Warden's White".

South Creek Vineyard and Winery, 2240 South Creek Road, Nebo, NC

Daily Tastings at Wedge Brewing Company, 125 B Roberts St. Asheville NC. Micro-brewery regular Tasting room hours: Monday - Thursday 4 PM - 10+ PM; Friday 3 PM - 10+ PM; Saturday and Sunday 2 PM - 10+ PM.

Daily Tastings at Greenman Brewery, 23 Buxton Ave., Asheville NC. The tasting room is open seven days a week at 4 o'clock, or maybe earlier