It is no secret, many local wineries are small businesses. Wineries rely heavily on events, wine clubs, and retail and tasting room sales to keep their doors open. Throughout the wine world, the emphasis has been placed on supporting local wineries. But the call to action could not be more significant than in the immediate. It is no longer about a single region, an area in a state or state, it’s far more reaching. COVID-19 has placed many wineries, many employed by wineries, and many small businesses that rely on wineries in jeopardy of losing everything.
Currently, the live streaming platforms are inundated with wineries attempting to retain their connection with customers. Additionally, they are offering everything from shipping discounts to curbside pickup and even service to your door to assist with declining revenue.
#DrinkLocal
Incredibly, wine lovers and enthusiasts are also stepping up to the plate to lend as much support as they can. For instance, some even doubling the amount of wine customarily purchased in a given month. In addition, many wine influencers, writers, and bloggers promoting the call to action — drink local — are taking to their personal blogs, websites, and social media pages. Their acts of encouragement are essential. And right now, our local wineries need all of the help they can get.
Supporting local wineries and grape growers lend significantly to promoting the overall local economy. For example, in North Carolina, according to a press release published in 2017 by N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, the region’s wine and grape industry contributes $1.71 billion to the state’s economy.
In support of the #drinklocal initiative, I recently purchased wines from several local North Carolina wineries (two discussed below). While the region is highly recognized for its muscadine wines, winemakers in the area also successfully curate many other varietals. Vinifera’s in part include Petite Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah.
Supporting Local Wineries in North Carolina
If you are a fan of Petite Verdot, I highly recommend purchasing a few bottles of Jones Von Drehle Petite Verdot. This wine is a beautiful example of a well-crafted PV. Lively notes of blackberry jam, ripened black cherries, and plum on the palate. Vanilla, dried herbs, and earth make an appearance. The wine is well-balanced, offering medium acidity and medium tannins. To see the full lineup of Jones Von Drehle wines, visit www.jonesvondrehle.com.
If you prefer wines that are more fruit-forward and easy sipping, Childress Wines offers a fun red blend. This blend of Cab Franc and Syrah is bursting with jammy red fruit notes (mostly berries). Sweet tobacco, vanilla, and crushed herbs, and crushed gravel make sure you know the Cab Franc isn’t taking the backseat. This wine is dry but super fruity. The acidity is excellent and helps to cut through some of that fruit. This medium body wine closes with medium tannins and a decent finish. To check out all of Childress Vineyards wines, visit www.childressvineyards.com.
North Carolina ranks 11th in U.S. wine production and is central to almost 200 wineries. The state offers a variety of well-curated wines for every palate. Wouldn’t you like to help out the North Carolina wine industry? Of course, you would; check out an N.C. Wine searchable database on the NC Wine Guys website at www.ncwineguys.com. Currently, many wineries are offering fantastic deals on wine orders and shipping discounts.
