A FREE Daily Visitor Guide for the North Carolina Mountains and 50+ NC Mountain Cities

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Mountain Spirits: Wine and Beer this week, January 12

Jan 12, 5 - 7 PM, Brusin' Ales, 66 Broad Strteet, Asheville NC - Free tasting with Kevin Fox of Heavy Seas Beer, Baltimore MD. Loose Cannon: "Burnished gold with a rich citrus hop aroma, it is wonderfully drinkable with a big hop flavor; Black Cannon: "The style is an oxymoron but this ale is an extension of our Loose Cannon style brewed with black malt; Hang Ten: "A classic German-style weizen bock, slightly cloudy and bursting with flavor. It will benefit with aging up to two years; Smoke On The Water: "A rich dark porter with added complexity from subtle smoked malt.

Jan 13, 5 - 7 PM Hops and Vines, 797 Haywood Rd, Ste 100 in Asheville NC. Founders Brewing Founders take over! We have Founders Double Trouble Imperial IPA and Founder Porter on tap. $5 and $4 a pint, samples free! Jan 14, 3-6 PM - Spanish Wines: Bodegas LAN Wines and Pagos de Eguren Tempranillo. Pagos de Eguren Tempranillo 2007; LAN Rioja Crianza 2006; LAN Rioja Reserva 2005

Jan 13, 3-7 PM at Appalachian Vintner, 2-B Huntsman Place, Asheville NC - Asheville's "Best Wine Tasting": Haw River Wine Tasting - Mike Tiano from the Haw River Wine Man and his partner Jim Stock import wine from small family estates, directly to Burlington, NC. Their portfolio represents the best from each corner of the Italian countryside. Molto Bene! Vecchia Torre Vermentino; Garofoli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo “La Meriggia”; Tenuta Canale Merlot di Toscano; Venturini Baldini Lambrusco;

Jan 14, 2 - 5 PM at Table Wine, 1550 Hendersonville Road, Suite 102, Asheville NC - Free "Try Before You Buy" tasting featuring 4 great and affordable wines.

Jan 13, 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.

Jan 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.

Jan 14, 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.

Jan 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.

Jan7 , 4 PM - 8 PM PM at Falderal Winery, 131 3rd Ave, Hendersonville NC. Free tasting - Regular Saturday wine Tasting from 11 AM - 5 P. From 3-6 PM Home Wine Making Class - learn the ins and outs of home winemaking plus a free tasting.

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

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Asheville Cabins and Luxury Vacation Rentals

Carolina Mornings is Asheville's premier Vacation Rental Company. With more than 80 Asheville Cabins and Luxury Vacation Rentals from which to choose, you're sure to find the perfect Asheville getaway.

Carolina Mornings offers an exceptional selection of the finest vacation home rentals in the Asheville NC area. Whether you choose to stay in a captivating Blue Ridge Mountain chalet, a Smoky Mountain log cabin, an elegant downtown loft or a luxury vacation villa located at the center of Historic Biltmore Village, you will be showered with free exclusive activities, personal attention, exceptional service and superior amenities. These vacation

rentals offer spectacular mountain views, hot tubs, fireplaces, WIFI, pool tables, pet friendly environments and more.

In addition to a great selection of Asheville area rentals and first class customer service, Carolina Mornings includes their own package of local activities and mountain adventures, called the Mountain Discovery Pass.If you're looking for an active vacation with the great outdoor experiences the Asheville area offers, the Discovery Pass will provide opportunities for FREE ski lift tickets, golf, whitewater rafting, Asheville Trolley Tours, Lake Lure Cruises and more.

And bargain hunters are not forgotten at Carolina Mornings. From Spa and Biltmore vacation packages to select rental specials, you can enjoy a great mountain vacation without sacrificing the budget. You'll find free nights, restaurant gifts certificates , Military discounts and more. See Current Cabin Discounts, Packages.

Carolina Mornings is located at 44 Merrimon Ave. Suite Two, Asheville NC. Call toll free 855-597-7354 to speak directly to a member of their friendly and knowledgable team.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

DePue Brothers Band Performs in Asheville

January 19 at 8:00 PM at The Diana Wortham Theatre, 2 south Pack Square in Asheville NC - The powerhouse DePue Brothers Band takes the stage. Like Leahy, which has performed several times at the DWT, the DePue brothers offer the thrill of experiencing the high energy of a family united by its musical virtuosity. This iconic family is a classically trained phenomenon - joined by symphonic friends, including percussionist Don Liuzzi of the Philadelphia Orchestra - all in a vivid, high caliber blend of bluegrass, classical, rock, folk, and blues. Don't miss it!

Get a link and more information for the Diana Wortham Theatre HERE

Monday, January 9, 2012

Cataloochee Ski Area Celebrates Martin Luther King Jr Weekend

January 13-16 Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Weekend at Cataloochee Ski Area In addition to regular twilight and night skiing schedule of Tuesday through Saturday evenings, there will also twilight and night ski on Sunday, January 15.

Located in Maggie Valley NC, Cataloochee Ski Area is North Carolina's First Ski Area and in recent years the first NC Ski Area to open for the season. Catalochee offers Smoky Mountain Skiing, Snowboard Riding and Snow Tubing at Tube World. Cataloochee offers 16 lighted slopes including the Cat Cage Terrain Park. With a variety of terrain for beginners to experts alike and over 4,000 sets of snowsports equipment, the Cataloochee experience includes something for everyone. PSIA school instruction Intro to Skiing or Riding lesson is FREE with all ski and snowboard rentals any non-holiday Monday through Thursday.

Get a link for Cataloochee Ski Area and other
Maggie Valley attractions and lodging HERE

The Blue Ridge Parkway at 469 miles long is the nation's longest scenic rural parkway. Now 70 years old it is administered by the National Park Service and host to approximately 20 million visits annually. It connects the Shenandoah Valley National Park with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. Along the route are opportunities for lodging, dining, camping, hiking and simply enjoying breathtaking views from easily accessible overlooks and picnic areas. For additional information visit :The Blueridge Parkway Association

The River Arts District is open year around with the opportunity to meet artists in their studios. Schedules are available online. This unique area along the French Broad River is home to more than 165 artists with working studios located in 18 turn-of-the-century industrial buildings. The artists of the River Arts District welcome you into their studios to talk with them, see their latest artwork, watch demonstrations, and experience for yourself the magic hidden inside the time-worn factories and warehouses along the French Broad River.

Chimney Rock Park is named for a 500 million-year-old giant granite monolith overlooking Hickory Nut Gorge. Visitors are awed by the breathtaking view that spreads 1200 vertical feet beneath them and 75 miles across the Carolinas. The now state owned park encompasses 1,000 acres offers the best of the mountains in one place with spectacular 75-mile views, hiking trails for all ages, a 404-foot waterfall, a variety of special events and much more. Chimney Rock NC

The National Scenic Byways Program is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. The program is a grass-roots collaborative effort established to help recognize, preserve and enhance selected roads throughout the United States. Since 1992, the National Scenic Byways Program has provided funding for almost 1500 state and nationally designated byway projects in 48 states. The U.S. Secretary of Transportation recognizes certain roads as All-American Roads or National Scenic Byways based on one or more archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic qualities.

Tsali Recreation Area is an outdoors lover's paradise. Probably the most popular features of Tsali Recreation Area are the 39 miles of trails suited for mountain bikers and horse-back riders, as well as hikers. The 4-loop system offers a variety of landscapes. You can climb 1-foot wide rugged paths or travel flat, well-beaten roads. The four trails--Right, Left, Mouse Branch, and Thompson Loops--meander through mixed pine and hardwoods on a peninsula stretching into Fontana Lake. Near Bryson City NC and Robbinsville NC.