This Week's Beer Month Events in the Mountains

Date: April 19
NC City: BLACK MOUNTAIN
Event: Beer Month Event: Hop’n Blueberry Farm Tours Learn about a variety of hops and how they are grown and managed. Then enjoy a sample of beer made with these varieties from Lookout Brewery, just three miles from the farm. After the Hops farm tour, tour Lookout Brewery and see how beer is made and enjoy their tasting room in Black Mountain. Tours will be offered every Saturday in April starting at 2 PM at the farm. For tickets, call 828-664-1166.

Date: April 22
NC City: SYLVA
Event: Beer Month Event: German Beer Dinner at Lulu's on Main in Downtown Sylva. Enjoy a five course German meal paired with Heinzelmännchen Beers. Don’t miss this delectable evening. $40, Maximum 32 people. Purchase tickets in advance from Lulu’s, located at 612 W Main Street.

Date: April 24
NC City: DILLSBORO
Event: Beer Month Event: Celebrate 10 years of Heinzelmännchen Beers. Beer, Soda, Food, Door Prizes and lots of celebration. Held from 5 PM - 9 PM at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Depot in historic downtown Dillsboro.

Mountain Spirits: Beer and Wine Tastings for the week of 7-12-12

July 12, 5 - 7 PM, Brusin' Ales, 66 Broad Strteet, Asheville NC - Bear Republic Brewing Co. tasting includes:   Peter Brown Tribute Ale is malty American Brown Ale, brewed with molasses, brown sugar, and hopped with Cascade and Centennial;  XP Pale Ale is short for Exception Pale Ale. This light golden pale ale balances the malt and hops for a smooth, drinkable beer that compliments any meal;  Racer 5 IPA This hoppy American IPA is a full bodied beer brewed American pale and crystalmalts, and heavily hopped with Chinook, Cascade, Columbus and Centennial;  Red Rocket Ale is a bastardized Scottish style red ale that traces it's origins to our homebrew roots. This full bodied and hoppy brew finishes on the palate with sweet, caramel malt flavors;  Hop Rod Rye A high gravity IPA brewed with 18% rye malt. Hop Rod Rye has a floral hop aroma and subtle caramel notes with a slightly earthy and spicy rye character;  Big Bear Black Stour is a big, black, stout you can really sink your teeth into. The bold, roasty, caramel malt flavor is balanced by Centennial and Cascade hops.

June 12,   7 PM - 5 PM  The Wine Guy, 555 Merimon Ave and 1200 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville NC. Summertime White Wine Tasting - Sample 9 delightful summertime white wines from around the world- Vinho Verde, Vermentino, Rhone blends, Albarino, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc to name a few! If you are looking for some new white wines for warmer weather. Call for reservations (828) 254-6500. $15 per person.
July 14, 2-5 PM  - 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.


July 13,  5 - 7 PM   Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Rd, Ste 100 in Asheville NC.  FREE beer tasting: Full Sail Brewing Session Lagers. Session Red - Named World's Best Premium Lager at the World Beer Awards and winner of a slew of other shiny trophies; Session Black - Short, Dark, and Drinkable and seven time Gold Medal Winner including the 2009 GABF! The second addition to family, Session Black,

July 14  , 3-6 PM - FREE Wine Tasting - Cotes du Rhone Wines from France: Reserve de la Dame a l'Oiseau Cotes du Rhone Blanc 2011: This balanced and refreshing white is a blend of 70% Grenache Blanc; Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rose 2011: This wine is one of our absolute favorite dry Roses in the shop. With bounding minerality; Domaine Paul Autard Cote Du Rhone 2011: Another incredible value, this red Cotes du Rhone is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault. 

 

July 13, 4-7 PM at  Table Wine, 1550 Hendersonville Road, Suite 102, Asheville NC -  Friday Winedown 545-  Super Juice from Juice: A great lineup of small production from California. John O'Shea from Juice Wine Purveyors will be in house w/nothing but the good stuff. If you like California wines that taste twice as good as they cost, you should make it a point to stop by.  $5 per person, free for Grape Nuts.
July 14 , 2-5 PM   FREE Saturday Wine Tasting and Farmers Market - free tastes of four wines and some of the tastiest, most beautiful and affordable organic vegetables in town.


July 13, 7 PM until,  Classic Wine Cellar, 20 Church Street, Waynesville NC - Friday Night Live music with Jeff and Mike Jaz Duo.  Enjoy music, wine, beer and food including Angelino's small plate menu and flatbreads. July 18 - WOW (Wine on Wednesday) Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Merlot and Temparnillo - FIVE wines for $5. Wnjoy a light meal or cheese plate and get $2 off all WOW wines.

July 14,  4-8 PM   Appalachian Vintner, 2-B Huntsman Place, Asheville NC - Asheville's "Best" Wine Tasting: Tulocay Wines.  2009 Chardonnay, Napa Valley Haynes Vineyard- Mild aromas of lemon pepper, waxy honeycomb and pineapple custard with a round, silky dry-yet-fruity medium body and a zesty, tart apple, spiced almond, and earth accented finish. Nice serenity and balance;  2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Russian River- For the majority of Tulocay's existence — some 30-plus years now — our policy has been to single-vineyard bottle all our Cabernets;  2002 Zinfandel Amador - Our Amador Zinfandels are so-o-o-o representative of the Amador style: big, ripe, generous, playful, jammy, alcoholic, mouth-filling.


July 13,  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.


July 14, 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

Mountain Spirits: WIne and Beer Tastings this week, 6-7-12

June 8,  5 - 7 PM   Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Rd, Ste 100 in Asheville NC.  FREE beer tasting: four taps on for free sampling and for purchase or donation by the pint. Highlights include Mark and Alex's American IPA, Alex's Double IPA,(both homebrewed) and for the lighter beer drinkers we'll have French Broad Kolsch and Sierra Nevada Summer Ale. Homebrewers are encouraged to bring beer to this tasting. 

June 9  , 3-6 PM - FREE Wine Tasting:   Portuguese Wines Portuguese wines offer quality at a great price. Come taste three great bottles of wine, all under $10! Broadbent Vinho Verde 20- Vinho Verde is easily one of our most popular styles of wine during the summer months. Conde Villar Vinho Verde Rose 2011 -This new wine in the shop will be a fun new wine to try for Vinho Verde lovers. Cone Villar Tinto 2011 - This red blend from the Vinho Verde region in Portugal delivers a great value.

June 8, 4-7 PM at  Table Wine, 1550 Hendersonville Road, Suite 102, Asheville NC -  Friday Winedown -  Banshee and Rickshaw Wines - sample the entire lineup of wines from one of the hottest California-based producers in the US. Banshee Wines are absolutely blowing up all over the country.  Started by three friends, Banshee owns no vineyards of its own but works in lock-step with high-end vineyard owners and wineries to produce wines of depth, purity and balance.  They purchase really good fruit and sometimes finished barrels of wine and blend these lots together to create expressive wines that taste like they cost a lot more than they do.  $5 per person, free for Grape Nuts.

June 9,  noon to 6 PM, RagApple Lassie Vineyards, 3724 RagApple Lassie Lane, Boonville NC   Sample the estate grown wines including Kaleidoscope Red, enjoy the live music of Gray Matter, have lunch in The Back Door Café, tackle the new jigsaw puzzle, or just relax on the patio  June 10 - Open Mic, a benefit for Yadkin Christian Ministries and Surry Community College Student Emergency Fund. All entertainers, musicians, poets or comedians are welcome to share your talents on Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. Registration will begin at 2:00 PM.

June 9,  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.

June 9,   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.
June 13, 7 PM  Spanish Reds and Whites Tasting   Taste 3 whites and 6 reds from various regions in Spain. Spain continues to produce some of the most outstanding value wines in the world. $20.  Call 254-6500 to reserve a spot!


June 9, 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

Memorial Day Weekend Event: Asheville Beer Week

May 24 - June 3:  The first ever Asheville Beer Week includes ten days of celebrating beer and Beer City, USA, and will culminate at Asheville's third Beer City Festival on June 2. The Week will offer many different styles of beer and variations on those styles; beer pairings with a smorgasbord of delicious foods; an opportunity to learn about and explore beer in all its delectable complexity; and, most of all, a week of  fun drinking beer in the brewery-centric mountains of Asheville, NC.

The Beer Week events will include seminars, tastings, dinners, and special activities with "beer celebrities" from around the country and the world. More than 40 breweries are slated to appear at Beer City Festival already. Organized by a beer-loving bunch of regional beer industry folks, Asheville Beer Week will offer a variety of events and include as many bars, restaurants and breweries as possible.

Get a link for Asheville Beer Week and other local events on the Asheville NC Visitor Guide.

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

Mountain Spirits: Wine and Beer this week, February 23 2012

Feb 25-26   Third Annual Yadkin Winter Reds Event sponsored by the Town of Yadkinville and Yadkin County Tourism Development Authorities. Yadkin Winter Reds Event 2012 will include 7 wineries  featuring their 'Winter Red' (2 oz. pour) paired with a small serving of a tasty food item. Ticket prices for the weekend are $20.00 per person. Each ticketholder will be assigned to a starting winery where they will receive their souvenir glass and a map. New to this year's event will be a Sunday Brunch offered at the Third Branch Cafe inside the Yadkin Cultural Arts Center. Tickets are $10.00 per person. Lodging packages are available, please see www.visityadkin.com to see all the specials available at this time. Tickets are available at the Yadkin County Visitors Center (The Chamber office), on-line at www.visityadkin.com or by phone at 1-877-4YADKIN.

February 25-26 -  RagApple Lassie, 3724 Ragapple Lassie Lane Boonville NC -Tthe second half of the 2012 Yadkin Reds event -  RagApple Lassie is pairing its Zinfandel, the only North Carolina estate grown Zin, with Tenderloin Spears dipped in a blue cheese cream sauce and chocolate dipped bacon for dessert!   Plus, the Blue Ridge Chocolate shop will also be available with their divine Belgian chocolates for your tasting.
RagApple Lassie's wonderful wines are available for tasting Noon to Six DAILY; The Back Door Café serves divine lunches on Sat and Sun, Noon to Four

Feb 24, 5 - 7 PM Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Rd, Ste 100 in Asheville NC - Free Sierra Nevada tasting and pint night - Be the first to sample new canned products from Sierra Nevada, soon to open a location in WNC. These beer are fresh in from their Chico brewery and there should be a keg of SN Hoptimum Imperial IPA on draft. Can Conditioned Sierra Pale Ale; Tropedo IPA : Hoptimum Double IPA     Feb 25, 3-6 PM - FREE Wine Tasting: Italian Wines from the Piedmont and Tuscany - Beni Di Batasiolo Gavi 2009: This classic dry white wine comes from Italy's critically acclaimed Piedmont region located in northwestern Italy; Monte Antico Toscana 2007: This baby Super-Tuscan is a blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot, which are organically grown on prime Tuscan hillsides; G.D Vajra Langhe Rosso 2008- Also from the premier Peidmont region of Italy, this organic red blend is made by Barolo producer G.D Vajra.

Feb 25, 1-6 PM at  Appalachian Vintner, 2-B Huntsman Place, Asheville NC - Asheville's "best Pot Luck" - All natural hot dogs and veggie burgers will be provided and you bring own accoutrement, serving/eating utensils and plates. Pre-moving wines sale and the Great American Wine Spectator give away.

Feb 24 , 7-10 PM,  Classic Wine Cellar, 20 Church Street, Waynesville NC -  Dinner and live music with Marshall Ballew and a special Spanish Tappas menu and Mable Alice Rum Cake.  Feb 27,  7-9 PM - Ukulele Night: Enjoy the Ukulele Tour

Feb 24,  4-7 PM at Table Wine, 1550 Hendersonville Road, Suite 102, Asheville NC - "545" tasting - You get to sample 5 wines for $5, free for Grapenuts. Full bodied, rich red wines that don't break the bank. Feb, 25, 5 PM - Winedown with Steve Mills: some of the best Spanish wines  - FREE tasting.

Feb 24,  4 PM - 7 PM  LaBouteille, 10 N Trade St, Suite A Tyon NC - Complimentary Wine Tastings every Friday.  Feb 25 - The last Saturday of each month 3-5 pm is a 10 beers for $10 beer tasting. Bring a dish of food to share.


Feb 25,   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. Sample 4 to 6 new wines. Light hors d’ oeuvres will be served and all wines poured will be specially priced.

Feb 25, 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

Mountain Spirits: Wine and Beer this week, November 10

Nov 12, 3 PM - 7 PM   Appalachian Vintner, 2-B Huntsman Place,  Asheville NC  "Asheville's Best Free Wine Tasting" - wines from Australia. West Cape Howe WineryIronberry Chardonnay-Viognier; Ballast Stone Steeple Jack Merlot; Hope Estate Hunter Valley Shiraz; Ballast Stone Petit Verdot.

Nov 11, 5 PM - 7 PM  Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Rd, Ste 100 in Asheville N   Free rare Dogfish Beer tasting - Come check out some of these allocated releases from Dogfish Head this Friday. These beers won't be around for long so come get a taste and pick up a bottle while you can. Namaste; Faithfull Ale; Hellhound on my Ale.   Nov 12, 3 PM - 6 PM Free Wine Tasting: Italian Reds - Melini Chianti Borghi D'Elsa 2010- Melini, a cherished Italian estate founded in 1705, is a pioneer for introducing to the world wines that embody the essence of Tuscany. Borghi D'elsa is a fresh, medium bodied Chianti with attractive bright red fruit aromas of Raspberry and cherry; Cusumano Nero d'Avola 2010- Nero d'Avola is the most widely planted of Sicily's indigenous reds and Cusumano's is grown near the heart of the island.

Nov 11,  7 PM - 9 PM at Table Wine, 1550 Hendersonville Road, Suite 102, AAA Travel Center in Asheville NC. Wines for the Holiday Dinner Table - a tasting of 20+ wines FREE - a grand tasting of some of our top picks for the holiday dinner table. There will be light appetizers from Earth Fare, smiling faces and a wide assortment of whites and reds from all over the globe for you to try before you buy. NO RSVP required and it's free to everyone.

Nov 12 - Dec 31 - Deck the Halls  - 13 Surry County wineries and several local hotels and restaurants are participating in the 2nd annual event. Purchase a Deck the Halls passport, from November 12 through December 31 and receive complementary wine tastings from all 13 participating Surry Wineries, a collectable holiday ornament from each winery, a commemorative wine glass, invitation to 2 food & wine pairing weekends with live music, plus other great events at Surry Wineries during the holiday season.

Nov 11, 7-10 PM at The Classic Wineseller, 30 church Street, Waynesville NC. Friday Night Live - Now inside the Wine Bar for the winter. This week enjoy Chris Minick.  Nov 16 , 5:30 - 7:30 PM   WOW (Wine on Wednesday) - Wines for Thanksgiving Dinner.

Nov 12 at 1- 4 PM  Asheville Wine Market, 65 Biltmore Ave, Asheville NC. Free WIne Tasting: Join TJ Gardner for an informative tasting of four outstanding, and very affordable, hand-picked wine selections.  2010 Chamisal Unoaked Chardonnay; 2009 St Francis Chardonnay; 2007 St Francis "Red Splash".

Nov 11, 6 PM - 8 PM, at Divine Wine, 1011 Tunnel Road East Asheville NC . Friday Wine Tastings - complimentary tastes of special wines and beer, along with an assortment of hors d’oeuvres. Each week we celebrate with a different theme and a few surprises.

Nov 11,  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.

Nov 12-Dec 31  12 PM - 6 PM  RagApple Lassie, 3724 Ragapple Lassie Lane Boonville NC  - Mood SwingZ, Enjoy the music of this popular band,  playing everything from the old vocal jazz classics to the always popular beach tunes, to classic pop. 

Nov 12,  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. Every week we sample 4 to 6 new wines. Light hors d’ oeuvres will be served and all wines poured will be specially priced.

Nov 12, 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.

Nov 12 , 11 AM - 5 PM  PM at Falderal Winery, 131 3rd Ave, Hendersonville NC. Free tasting - Blue Ridge Humane Society Event from 10 AM - 2 PM  Donations suggested with all proceeds going to BRHS-   Regular Saturday wine Tasting from 11 AM - 5 PM.

Nov 9-13   South Creek Vineyard and Winery, 2240 South Creek Road, Nebo, NC. Pre-Thanksgiving Open House - Relax while you Taste 6 Premium Wines at our bar, and then select the wine for your Thanksgiving feast. Check out the 3-Pack Wine special for $49.50.

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. Tasting room summer hours: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from Noon to 5:00. This week check out the "Warden's White".

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

Mountain Spirits: Wine and Beer this week, November 3

Nov 3  5-7PM  Bruisin' Ales, 66 Broadway Street,  Asheville  NC.  Meet-n-Greet with Fred Bueltmann of New Holland Brewing Co. The Tasting includes: Mad Hatter IPA - Dry-hopped for a distinctive, floral hop aroma; subtly balanced with delicious malt notes; Envious -  Michigan pears fuel a second fermentation, providing subtle nuance between grain & fruit; Charkoota Rye - Charkoota Rye is a Smoked Rye Dopplebock; Dragon's Milk -  Expect a complex ale with a soft, rich caramel-malt character intermingled with deep vanilla tones; all dancing in an oak bath.

Nov 4, 5-8 PM    Heinzelmannchen Brewery, 545 Mill Street in downtown Sylva NC. Beer Pairing - The Brewery welcomes The Bone Shack to the brewery to pair their food with Heinzelmannchen beer samples.   Stop by the brewery for an appetizer, stroll around town for Sylva After Dark  then head over to The Bone Shack for dinner - Prost!

Nov 4,  5:30-8 PM   Maggie B's, Wine and Speciality Store, 113 North Main Street,  Weaverville NC. Fall Back Tasting - Free! Daylight savings is this Sunday, so don’t forget to fall back an hour.  Fall has definetly arrived and Maggie B’s will be celebrating with the perfect fall friendly wines.  Fall friendly wines are also great wines to pair with your Thanksgiving meals, so stock up early for your feast.

Nov 4, 5 PM - 7 PM  Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Rd, Ste 100 in Asheville NC. Limited release beers - very Old Jubilation - Avery's winter seasonal has a gorgeous mahogany hue, a hint of hazelnuts, and a finish reminiscent of mocha and toffee.; Highland Cold Mountain - The much anticipated 2011 release is full bodied with balanced spices and a smooth finish; Bell's Christmas Ale - Made with 100% Michigan grown barley and and mix of Northwest Pacific and Michigan hops.  Nov 5, 3 PM - 6 PM Free Wine Tasting: Hacienda Araucano Wines from Chile - From winemaker Francois Lurton comes this Chilean line of wine: Hacienda Araucano Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2010; Hacienda Araucano Reserva Pinot Noir 2009; Hacienda Araucano Reserva Carmenere 2008; Hacienda Araucano Syrah.

Nov 4, 4 PM - 7 PM at Table Wine, 1550 Hendersonville Road, Suite 102, AAA Travel Center in Asheville NC. Friday Winedown - Banshee Wines -  Presented by Banshee Wines Marketing Director Emily Peterson. Banshee Wines has a goal to deliver distinctive wines that beat the pants off many costing twice as much. $5 per person, free to Grape Nuts.

Nov 4, 7-10 PM at The Classic Wineseller, 30 church Street, Waynesville NC. Friday Night Live - Now inside the Wine Bar for the winter. This week enjoy Lorraine Conard and Gregg Kid. 

Nov 4 at 1- 4 PM  Asheville Wine Market, 65 Biltmore Ave, Asheville NC. Free WIne Tasting: Join Rick Bowman for an informative tasting of four outstanding, and very affordable, hand-picked wine selections. Two French and two Italian wines.

Nov 4, 6 PM - 8 PM, at Divine Wine, 1011 Tunnel Road East Asheville NC . Friday Wine Tastings - complimentary tastes of special wines and beer, along with an assortment of hors d’oeuvres. Each week we celebrate with a different theme and a few surprises.

Nov 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.

Nov 5  12 PM - 6 PM  RagApple Lassie, 3724 Ragapple Lassie Lane Boonville NC  - Mood SwingZ, Enjoy the music of this popular band,  playing everything from the old vocal jazz classics to the always popular beach tunes, to classic pop. 

Nov 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. Every week we sample 4 to 6 new wines. Light hors d’ oeuvres will be served and all wines poured will be specially priced.

Nov 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.
Nov 5 , 11 AM - 5 PM  PM at Falderal Winery, 131 3rd Ave, Hendersonville NC. Free tasting -   Regular Saturday wine Tasting.

Nov 9-13   South Creek Vineyard and Winery, 2240 South Creek Road, Nebo, NC. Pre-Thanksgiving Open House - Relax while you Taste 6 Premium Wines at our bar, and then select the wine for your Thanksgiving feast. Check out the 3-Pack Wine special for $49.50.

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. Tasting room summer hours: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from Noon to 5:00. This week check out the "Warden's White".

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

Mountain Spirits: Wine and Beer this week, Oct 19

October 25, 6:30 PM  The Purple Onion, 16 Main Street in Saluda NC.  A Rhone wine tasting with seven wine selections from the northern and southern Rhone valley will be offered along with foods typical of the region's cuisine but featuring ingredients from some of our favorite local farms. The wines to be tasting are not only exceptionally good values but pair easily with a variety of foods which makes them a great choice for the approaching holiday season. The price for the tasting is $45 and includes a taste of seven wines and several hors d'oeuvres and small plates chosen to pair well with the wines. Reservations can be made by calling the Purple Onion at 828-749-1179, Visa and Mastercard accepted. Call early, seating is limited.

October 21,  5 Pm - 7 PM Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Rd, Ste 100 in Asheville NC.   Stoudt's Brewing Company   On a brief hiatus from Hops & Vines, Stoudt's beer is now back in stock and fresher than ever. Come rediscover theses well crafted, balanced beers out of Adamstown PA.   October 22, 3 PM - 6 PM Free Wine Tasting:  Italian Influenced California Wine, Brutocao, Il Cuore - Il Cuore Rosso Classico 2007, Brutocao Chardonnay 2009, Brutocao Zinfandel 2007.

Oct 21, 4 PM - 7 PM at Table Wine, 1550 Hendersonville Road, Suite 102, AAA Travel Center in Asheville NC. Friday Winedown -  Explore highly rated wines that are available at great prices - that means most of the wines are $15 or less, a a couple higher priced wines. 8 wines and light palate cleansers - $5 per person...........Free for Grape Nuts.  October 26, 7 PM - 9 PM - All California Wine Dinner.A great batch of wines from up and coming family owned and operated wineries, the all ready mentioned beef stew and corn chowder, arugula salad and bread. Several spaces left. $30 per person, $24 for Grape Nuts.

October 22, 3 PM - 8 PM at Appalachian Vintner, 2-B Huntsman Place in Asheville NC -  Mike Tiano, managing partner at the Haw River Wine Man. Mike, along with owner Jim Stock import some of the greatest Italian wines we’ve ever tasted. Because the Haw River Wine Man works directly with these small growers their pricing structure is just about absurd, amazing values from every corner of the Italian peninsula.

October 22 , 11 AM -  5 PM at Falderal Winery, 131 3rd Ave, Hendersonville NC.  Claddagh Inn Wine Tasting -  A free tasting held at the historic Claddagh Inn in Hendersonville including some of the newest varietals.

Oct 22, 7-10 PM at The Classic Wineseller, 30 church Street, Waynesville NC. Saturfay Night Special - Marshall Ballow performs live on the bandstand or inside if the weather turns cold. You'll want to see this local favorite. Oct 26 from 5:30- to 7:30, WOW - Wine on Wednesday:  5 wines plus hors d'oeurves. $8.00

October 22  at 1-4 PM  Asheville Wine Market, 65 Biltmore Ave, Asheville NC.  An informative tasting of four outstanding, and very affordable, French wine selections. The extremely versatile selection of red and white grape varieties, to include Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc will make for a very complex tasting

October 21, 6 PM - 8 PM, at Divine Wine, 1011 Tunnel Road East Asheville NC . Friday Wine Tastings - complimentary tastes of special wines and beer, along with an assortment of hors d’oeuvres. Each week we celebrate with a different theme and a few surprises.


October 21, 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.

October 22  RagApple Lassie, 3724 Ragapple Lassie Lane Boonville NC -   Bill Mann and his magic saxophones will be back for your tasting and listening pleasure, PLUS RagApple Lassie is offering an October Tailgate Special on its Rockford Red and Boonville Blanc wines. Buy ten bottles and get two bottles free. Hurry - sale ends October 31st but cases can be mixed! Tailgate Special prices for RagApple Lassie Wine Club members only, is an extra 5% discount.

October 22,  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. Every week we sample 4 to 6 new wines. Light hors d’ oeuvres will be served and all wines poured will be specially priced.


October 22,   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. Enter Biltmore's Wine Sweepstakes ( until Sept 30, 2011) - for a chance to win a prize pack of NC Biltmore wines and wine accessories worth $200*

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. Tasting room summer hours: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from Noon to 5:00. This week check out the "Warden's White".

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

Mountain Spirits: Wine and Beer this week, September 8, 2011

In a proclamation praising North Carolina’s wine and grape industry, Gov. Bev Perdue has declared September 2011 as Wine Appreciation Month in North Carolina. Governor Perdue urges consumers, restaurants and retailers to help support our growing wine industry by promoting North Carolina wines throughout September. So come on by and visit any (or all) of these shops, vineyards and breweries to celebrate Wine Appreciate Month!

September 9, 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.

September  9,  4 Pm - 7 PM  Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Rd, Ste 100 in Asheville NC.    Oktoberfest Beers are in: Traditionally in Germany, Oktoberfest in celebrated in late September. We'll be a little ahead of the game at Hops & Vines this Friday night. We'll be sampling three great examples of the style, two domestic and one German. These beers are the freshest right now so it's time to break 'em out! Victory Festbier - Our favorite American brewed Oktoberfest year after year; Bell's Oktoberfest - "when the sweaters come out the Munich goes in" is Bell's motto (they're from MI); Ayinger Oktoberfest - The king of all Oktoberfest beers, this is truly a classic example of the style. Sept 10,  3 PM - 6 PM Free Wine Tasting: Angeline Chardonnay Reserve 2010- Angeline Reserve Chardonnay is sourced from premium vineyards in the cooler, coastal appellations of Santa Barbara and Sonoma Counties in California; Angeline Pinot Noir 2009- A classic and tasty Pinot Noir blended from the coastal regions of California, this wine is elegantly defined by bright fruit aromas of cherry and raspberry with overtones of smoked tea and spice; Annabella Cabernet Sauvignon 2009- Made from grapes harvested in the fertile and famous Napa Valley in California, this Cabernet is a fantastic value.

September 9, 5 PM - 7 PM at Table Wine, 1550 Hendersonville Road, Suite 102, AAA Travel Center in Asheville NC. Friday Winedown - $5.00, free to Grape Nuts.Sample 8 wines and light appetizers.  Greece and Southern Italy - Mike Tiano from Haw River Wine Man will  pour wines from his portfolio as we taste a delicious set of wines from Greece and Southern Italy.  Skouras White Blend Peloponnese, Greece; Sigalas Asirtiko/Athiri Santorini, Greece; Colli dell Murgia Erbaceo Puglia, Italy.  Sept 10, 2 PM - 5 PM - Free wine tasting of 4 new wines at Table Wine every Saturday.

Sept  9,  7 PM - 10 PM at The Classic Wineseller, 30 church Street, Waynesville NC. Friday Night Live, tonight with Lorraine Connard, Chris Minnick. Waynesville's new outdoor music venue.  September 14 from 5:3- to 7:30,  WOW - Wine on Wednesday: A wine tasting featuring Merlot. 5 wines plus hors d'oeurves. $8.00

September 9, 6 PM - 8 PM, at   Divine Wine, 1011 Tunnel Road East Asheville NC . Friday Wine Tastings - complimentary tastes of special wines and beer, along with an assortment of hors d’oeuvres. Each week we celebrate with a different theme and a few surprises.
September 10  1 PM - 4 PM  Asheville Wine Market, 65 Biltmore Ave, Asheville NC.   Free Saturday Tasting: an informative tasting of four wines sure to fit any menu during the seasonal weather changes we are experiencing. 2010 Bodegas Castaño Blanco; Yecla, Spain; 2010 Bodegas Ercavio Blanco; Tierra de Castilla, Spain; 2009 Ballast Stone "Steeple Jack" Cabernet; Currency Creek, Australia; 2009 Chateau Bellevue Canteranne; Haut-Medoc, France

September  10,  4 PM - 8 PM at  Appalachian Vintner, 2-B Huntsman Place in Asheville NC - Asheville's "Best" Wine and Beer Tasting: (FREE) Vino Con Brio Brillante White- 70% Viognier, 20% Roussanne, 7% Pinot Grigio, and 3% Sauvignon Blanc from the Amorosa Vineyard on the Matson Family estate in Lodi; Château Jalousie Beaulieu Bordeaux Superieur Rouge (2009)- 75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon; Vino Con Brio Vibrante Red- 54% Petite Sirah, 25% Zinfandel, 18% Syrah & 3% Viognier from the Amorossa Vineyard in Lodi.

September 10  RagApple Lassie, 3724 Ragapple Lassie Lane Boonville NC   - Traditional 'end of summer' Hurrah. Enjoy RagApple Lassie regular, Bill Mann, with smooth jazz on his famous tenor, alto, or soprano saxophones, and lunch in the Back Door Café!

September 10,   5 PM - 11PM and AFTER...at Round Peak Vineyard,   765 Round Peak Church Road, Mount Airy NC.  3rd Annual Skull Camp Out  - Live music 5-8 PM. It gets bigger every year! Camp overnight in the vineyard after a great evening of food, live music, a bonfire, and of course our great Skull Camp wines! We’ll provide dinner, live music 7-10 pm, and a campfire late into the night! $25 per person includes dinner & a bottle of Skull Camp wine. We now also have a great selection of beers! Camping is $10 per site (sites are limited). Call or email us to reserve a spot!

September 10,  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. Every week we sample 4 to 6 new wines. Light hors d’ oeuvres will be served and all wines poured will be specially priced.

September 10,   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:

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. Tasting room summer hours: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from Noon to 5:00. This week check out the "Warden's White".

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

Mountain Spirits: Wine and Beer Labor Day Week, September 1

In a proclamation praising North Carolina’s wine and grape industry, Gov. Bev Perdue has declared September 2011 as Wine Appreciation Month in North Carolina. Governor Perdue urges consumers, restaurants and retailers to help support our growing wine industry by promoting North Carolina wines throughout September. So come on by for a visit as we celebrate Wine Appreciate Month!

September 2,  Heinzelmannchen Brewery, 545 Mill Street, Sylva NC - Food & Beer Pairing. In honor of Oktoberfest we've invited Trillium Farms Natural Pork to share their DEEEElicious bratwurst paired with Heinzelmannchen Ales.  Tammara & Darryl will have their pork for sale this evening, so bring checks or cash to take home some locally grown pork!

September 2, 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.

September, 2,  4 Pm - 7 PM  Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Rd, Ste 100 in Asheville NC.  Southern Tier Brewing: In operation since late 2002, Southern Tier Brewing Company of Lakewood, New York, has grown to produce over 30,000 barrels of beer annually. The hand crafted ales are now available in more than half of the United States, as well as parts of Australia, Denmark, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, Ontario, British Columbia, and the United Kingdom. 2X IPA, Harvest Ale, Un*Earthly, plus a repeat of last week's Alex's Black Ace IPA - while it lasts.   Sept 3,  3 PM - 6 PM Free Wine Tasting: Sustainably Farmed Santa Julia Wines from Mendoza, Argentina. Santa Julia Torrontes 2010, Santa Julia Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Santa Julia Reserva Malbec 2009.

September 2, 5 PM - 7 PM at Table Wine, 1550 Hendersonville Road, Suite 102, AAA Travel Center in Asheville NC. Friday Winedown - The Wines of Bodegas Gratia, With Special Guest Eric Scheffer. Three Wines That Will Make Your Head Spin - $5 per person, free to Grapenuts.  Sept 3, 2 PM - 5 PM - Free wine tasting of 4 new wines PLUS fresh organic veggies(until 3:30) at Table Wine every Saturday.

Sept 2,  7 PM - 10 PM at The Classic Wineseller, 30 church Street, Waynesville NC. Friday Night Live, tonight with Lorraine Connard, Chris Minnick. Waynesville's new outdoor music venue.

September 2, 6 PM - 8 PM, at   Divine Wine, 1011 Tunnel Road East Asheville NC . Friday Wine Tastings - complimentary tastes of special wines and beer, along with an assortment of hors d’oeuvres. Each week we celebrate with a different theme and a few surprises.

September  3,  3 PM - 7 PM at  Appalachian Vintner, 2-B Huntsman Place in Asheville NC - Cara Freije of Wisdom Beverage will be representing the Dalla Terra portfolio. Dalla Terre only imports small family owned estates from Italy, that have a strong emphasis on sustainability. All of these wines are pure expressions from the land that they were farmed. INAMA Soave Classico- 100% hand picked Garganega from 30+ year old vines; Coltibuono Cetamura Chianti- The thousand-year-old “abbey of good culture” has belonged to the Giuntini family, now Stucchi Prinetti, since 1846; Li Veli Primonero- Primitivo 50% - Negroamaro 50%. In 1999 the Falvo family bought a 128-acre property in the area of Salice Salentino, heart of the Salento region.

September 3  RagApple Lassie, 3724 Ragapple Lassie Lane Boonville NC   - Traditional 'end of summer' Hurrah. Harvesting this week and some "liquid gold", aka fresh pressed, unfermented juice,may be available to sample. There will be twelve kinds of  wines for your tasting pleasure, including the new 2008 vintage of Syrah, the signature Sangria for sipping, and live music by MOOD SWINGZ, everybody's favorite duo, and lunch in the Back Door Café!

September 4 , noon - 4 PM, Sanders Ridge, 3200 Round Hill Rd, Boonville, NC -Yadkin River Wine Trail Mini Festival includes 5 wineries, food by Chef Starr & music by Dell Guthrie. Picnic lunch available for $10 includes: Pulled Pork Sliders, Ginger Apple Coleslaw, Sweet Potato Fries, a Cookie, and lemonade.

September 3,   5 PM - 8 PM at Round Peak Vineyard,   765 Round Peak Church Road, Mount Airy NC.  EVERY Saturday from June through August, Round Peak is open until sunset and will have live music. This week: Mood SwingZ. Bring a picnic and your own meat; our grills will always be fired up. Stay and relax with a bottle of wine and watch the sunset over the Blue Ridge Mountains.

September 3,  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. Every week we sample 4 to 6 new wines. Light hors d’ oeuvres will be served and all wines poured will be specially priced.

September 3,   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:

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. Tasting room summer hours: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from Noon to 5:00. This week check out the "Warden's White".

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