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    Home » Travel » Food Travel » North Carolina

    Souther Williams Vineyard (Fletcher, NC)

    Published: May 10, 2022 · Modified: Aug 13, 2022 · Leave a Comment

    Souther Williams Vineyard offers tours & tastings at their beautiful grounds, just a short drive from Asheville, NC! This family-owned vineyard features an open-air tasting room.

    Souther Williams Riesling.
    Souther Williams Riesling

    When the husband and I decided to take a long weekend trip to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, we knew we’d be in for some great hiking and scenery.

    But we were equally interested in the local food and drink scene.

    After all, Asheville, North Carolina, is a reasonable drive from the eastern edge of the park, and it’s got a ton of options for the traveling foodie!

    As we started to plan the trip, Souther Williams Vineyard caught my attention.

    Located south of Asheville in the town of Fletcher, NC, Souther Williams had just celebrated its grand opening in April 2022.

    The grounds and facilities at this shiny new winery looked inviting, and the description of a “Hike and Sip” tour intrigued us.

    So we booked our spots from the vineyard’s website and hoped for good weather!

    Want to visit some breweries in the Asheville area too? Try Sierra Nevada and its restaurant, or New Belgium!

    Souther Willliams Vineyard History

    Our tour guide was vineyard owner Kenneth Parker.

    Souther Williams is a 35-acre vineyard he’s setting up on land that’s been in the family for a couple of centuries.

    View of the Souther Williams Vineyard.
    View of the Souther Williams Vineyard

    The winery focuses on Eastern-European style wines, and (unlike many wineries in the Southeastern United States), does not produce overly sweet wines.

    This was a big plus from my standpoint!

    Grape growing began here in 2015, but the winery only recently went into full production.

    wine tasting welcome sign.
    Wine Tasting Sign

    The “Hike and Sip” Tour

    We arrived at Souther Williams Vineyard about three weeks after it opened.

    Our group for the “Hike and Sip” tour was tiny (only 4 people plus the guide), but we were told the maximum group size for the hike and sip is 12.

    It was really nice to be part of a small, casual group.

    The tour was about an hour long and began in the tasting room. There we were given wine to carry with us through the vineyard.

    We started with their Riesling.

    Souther Williams Tasting Room.
    Souther Williams Tasting Room

    The tasting room was gorgeous and open-air. (It looks like it would be perfect for small events!)

    Souther Williams Tasting Room.
    Souther Williams Tasting Room

    During the tour, we walked through the vineyard while our guide told us charming stories about his family’s history on the land, and about his goals for the vineyard.

    Souther Williams Vineyard.
    Souther Williams Vineyard

    We walked past one of their AirBnB cabins. Yes, you can rent a cabin and stay at the vineyard!

    Mountain Vineyard Cottage.
    Mountain Vineyard Cottage

    The tour walked us past the Spring House, the original water source on the land.

    Spring House.
    Spring House

    Next, we tasted their Vidal Blanc, a fabulously effervescent white wine that reminded me of a very dry pear cider.

    Vidal Blanc.
    Vidal Blanc

    The guide told us it should taste like a white peach (although I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted a white peach).

    This white was absolutely fantastic, and surprised me since I normally prefer dry reds.

    Vidal Blanc.
    Vidal Blanc

    We also learned a little about the grape growing process, and how the ever-changing weather can make growing grapes for wine more difficult.

    Grape Vines.
    Grape Vines

    It was interesting to see the grapevines so early in the year, before the grapes developed. (We visited in early May.)

    Grape Vines.
    Grape Vines

    Our tour guide walked us past the gorgeous estate home that looks over the vineyard, as well as the Gruner Veltliner grapes growing on the hillside.

    Souther Williams Grape Vines.
    Souther Williams Grape Vines
    Gruner Veltliner.
    Gruner Veltliner

    Souther Williams’ Gruner Veltliner was fascinating, because it was as clear as water! But it definitely wasn’t watery in the slightest. We really enjoyed its complex flavors.

    Gruner Veltliner.
    Gruner Veltliner

    When we booked this tour, I wondered how much actual hiking would be involved in a “hike and sip” tour.

    View from Hiking Trail at Souther Williams.
    View from Hiking Trail at Souther Williams

    It turns out, it’s mostly just strolling through grassy vineyards. So, a pretty relaxing experience.

    There was one hill to climb!

    Hiking Trail at Souther Williams.
    Hiking Trail at Souther Williams

    Our guide refilled our glasses with a robust, dry cabernet franc before we walked back down the hill.

    Cabernet Franc.
    Cabernet Franc

    Our tour ended back in the tasting room with a final sample, and we also had a chance to taste a splash of other wines that were available for purchase.

    Of course, this is when we had a chance to purchase bottles of any of the wines we enjoyed on the tour.

    Souther Williams Tasting Room.
    Souther Williams Tasting Room

    Souther William’s Hike and Sip tour was a fantastic tour with wine that exceeded my expectations!

    If you’re traveling in the Asheville area, give this friendly new winery a try! Stop in for a tasting, or visit their website for reservations or to check on special events.

    « Deep Creek Hiking Trails (Great Smoky Mountains)
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    About Sarah Trenalone

    Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker.

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    Hi, I'm Sarah! I'm a traveler who loves to eat.   Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road.

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