When I mentioned that I enjoyed visiting wineries and had visited several in the area, the response was the same: "Have you been to Raffaldini?" More than once, the staff at other wineries recommended a visit to Raffaldini Vineyards. However, I always seemed to be passing that area at the wrong time of day and did not get to check out this beautiful winery--until recently! Wow! What a wonderful place--with wonderful wines! Check them out on the web at http://www.raffaldini.com/. "Chianti in the Carolinas" is their slogan. With surprisingly little imagination, a visit to Raffaldini is an escape to Italy. The building, the mountain views, the terraces with tables, the beautifully landscaped grounds, etc. could almost make me forget to write about the wines, IF the wines were not so good! These are quality wines! The tasting list offers some great food pairing ideas. I came away hungry and ready to prepare a gourmet meal and drink some great wine! There is a $5.00 fee (with a glass to keep) for a tasting. You will not be disappointed! The shop has all of the wines available along with some wine-related items. They have some a la carte food items to purchase if you want something to go with the wine you will want to take to a terrace table to enjoy the view. Their web site says that with 72 hours notice, they will even prepare a box lunch. That sounds like a fun day! It is hard for me to single out a particular wine here; they were all of very high quality. Like some of the other North Carolina wineries, our kids were welcome. They even got some juice pouches and crackers! We were on our way back from another trip when we stopped by, but I look forward to going to Raffaldini again to take in the views, some yummy food, and (of course) the wines!
As always, I am not a wine professional; I am just an enthusiast who loves wine tasting, road-tripping, and experiencing local flavor in North Carolina!
Check back again soon as I write about some other recent visits to North Carolina wineries!
