Why you should visit Surry County wineries
This blog post covers the best wineries in Surry County, North Carolina.
The best Surry County wineries have one thing in common: they love a good story!
Several of the wineries on this list are a direct product of someone’s passion. Passion for wine, for the land, and for each other. There’s more than one love story on this list of the best Surry County wineries.
Surry County is spread across the Blue Ridge foothills of North Carolina’s Yadkin Valley. The following wineries fall within the Yadkin Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA).
These Yadkin Valley wineries are small family-run operations. They typically grow their own grapes which are a mix of well-known varieties and some cold-hardy types that grow well in Yadkin Valley wine country.
We hope you’ll enjoy our list of the best Surry County wineries!
How to access Surry County, North Carolina
First, let’s define Surry County. Surry County is located in the Blue Ridge foothills of North Carolina. Surry county includes the towns of Dobson, Elkin, Mount Airy, and Pilot Mountain.
Dobson is the seat of Surry County and Mount Airy is the largest community. If you want to visit the wineries in those specific towns then you’re in luck! We’ve already made blog posts on the best wineries in Dobson, Elkin, and Mount Airy.
If you’re looking for a general overview of the entire county then stay tuned. We’ll list those wineries in the section below.
But first, how do you get here?! I’m going to use the town of Mount Airy as my marker because it’s the county’s largest community. Mount Airy has the most dining and lodging options, so it’s a good place to stay overnight.
If you already live in North Carolina or South Carolina you can simply hop in your car and drive to the wineries on this list. But if you live outside the Carolinas you’ll need to fly into a nearby airport, rent a car, and drive from the airport to these Surry County wineries.
These towns are within easy driving distance of Mount Airy:
- Greensboro, North Carolina is located 61 miles from Mount Airy, NC. The drive should take about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- Charlotte, North Carolina is 99 miles from Mount Airy, NC. The journey will be about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
- Durham, North Carolina is located 114 miles from Mount Airy. The drive will be about 2 hours and 5 minutes.
- Greenville, South Carolina is 194 miles from Mount Airy, which is about 3 hours and 15 minutes by car. Here’s our list of the best wine bars and wineries Greenville SC offers.
As you can see, there are multiple ways for you to reach the Surry County wineries on this list.
The best Surry County wineries for a wine tasting
Serre Vineyards (Mount Airy, NC)
Serre Vineyards begins with a love story.
Owners Melissa and Christian met and married in their forties. They had two things in common: heartbreak and an entrepreneurial spirit. They agreed to embark on a new adventure by joining their families and starting a new business. And thus Serre Vineyards was born!
Serre Vineyards is a tasting room and wedding venue located in Mount Airy, North Carolina. The winery works with a variety of grapes including Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot Merlot, and Chardonnay. Italian varieties Montepulciano and Sangiovese plus cold-hardy grapes Tannat and Vidal Blanc also make an appearance.
The Serre Vineyards tasting room serves bottles, glasses, and flights. A typical wine flight costs $25 for four pours of their delicious wines. During the winter they offer a “Winter Fire Pit” experience, which includes four bottles, s’mores kits, and a firepit with Adirondack chairs. During the summer there’s a “Sunny Times Umbrella” experience, which allows you to reserve bottles and tables in advance.
The Serre Vineyards Mount Airy tasting room is open Sunday through Friday from 11 AM to 5 PM. Saturdays they’re open 12-5 PM. The winery allows walk-in customers on Saturday. If you visit any other day of the week you’ll have to make a reservation.
If you’re headed to Mount Airy check out our separate blog post on the best wine shops and wineries Mount Airy NC has to offer.
Golden Road Vineyards (State Road, NC)
Golden Road Vineyards is the passion project of Chad and Crista Guebert.
The Gueberts work as federal consultants for the DoD and the VA healthcare system. They also operate their own winery. Sounds like they’re certainly busy!
Golden Road Vineyards grows five acres of vinifera and hybrid grapes in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Merlot, Petit Manseng, Petit Verdot, Tannat, and Traminette also thrive in their estate vineyards.
Golden Road Vineyards has a cozy indoor tasting room plus an ample outdoor area with multiple fire pits.
The Golden Road Vineyards tasting room is located in State Road, North Carolina. The tasting room is open Friday from 2-6 PM. On Saturday and Sunday it’s open from 12-6 PM. Monday through Thursday the tasting room is closed.
JOLO Winery and Vineyards (Pilot Mountain, NC)
JOLO Winery and Vineyards is a veteran-owned family-run winery nestled in the foothills of the Piedmont Region of Yadkin Valley.
The owners Kristen and JW Ray named JOLO after their two sons Joey and Logan.
JOLO Winery works with a variety of grapes including Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Montepulciano, Pinot Grigio, and Chardonnay. Cold-hardy varietals of grapes like Cynthiana, Chambourcin, Traminette, and Vidal Blanc also thrive in their Pilot Mountain vineyards.
If you’d like to sample JOLO wines then head to their tasting room in Pilot Mountain, North Carolina. The tasting room is open Thursday and Sunday from 11 AM to 8 PM. On Friday and Saturday it’s open from 11 AM to 9 PM. The winery is closed Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
The JOLO Winery tasting room offers various flights depending on what you’d like. The typical wine tasting costs $35 for seven samples.
One of the best things about JOLO is its restaurant End Posts. End Posts restaurant serves lunch, dinner, and snacks. The restaurant is open Thursday through Sunday from 11 AM to 8 PM. It’s important to note that you must be 21 or older to enter the property, so this restaurant is best for a boozy girls brunch not a family outing.
Surry Cellars (Dobson, NC)
Surry Cellars is a fun one. It’s wine made by students!
Surry Cellars is located at Surry Community College in Dobson, North Carolina. This enology program is among the best on the East Coast.
Students learn the entire winemaking process under the careful guidance of faculty. Everything from growing and harvesting to bottling and marketing is taught in the state-of-the-art $5-million Shelton-Badgett NC Center for Viticulture and Enology.
The Surry Cellars wines feature grapes such as Chambourcin, Traminette, Albariño, Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.
Surry Cellars does not accept walk-in customers. You’ll need to make an appointment at least a week in advance. Tours are available Tuesday through Friday.
By the way we have a different blog post focussed entirely on the best wineries in Dobson, North Carolina. Check it out if you’re headed to Dobson.
Grassy Creek Vineyard & Winery (State Road, NC)
Grassy Creek Vineyard and Winery has a charming historic feel.
The winery occupies a former dairy barn and the tasting room is in an old horse stable. A small stream called Grassy Creek meanders through the rolling hills, which are covered in lush green trees.
The property previously housed horses, bird dogs, and cattle. Today it’s all about grapes. Grassy Creek uses Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah, Barbera, Chardonnay and Viognier grapes grown in Yadkin Valley vineyards.
At Grassy Creek Vineyard you’ll find two different labels. There are Grassy Creek fine wines, which are dry and full-bodied. In contrast, the Klondike Farm label makes lighter sweet wines suitable for the table.
You can sample both at the Grassy Creek Vineyard & Winery tasting room located in State Road, North Carolina. The tasting room is open Thursday and Friday from 12-5 PM. On Saturday it’s open from 12-6 PM and Sunday from 1-5 PM. It’s closed Monday through Wednesday.
Elkin Creek Vineyard and Winery (Elkin, NC)
Elkin Creek Vineyard has a fun backstory. It involves sushi, a wedding, and the Blue Man Group.
To make a long story short, owners Nick and Jennifer White married at Elkin Creek winery way back in 2008. Three years later they purchased the winery alongside their good friends Louis and Carrie Jeroslow. Sounds like a full circle moment, eh?
Elkin Creek Vineyard uses grapes such as Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, Pinot Grigio, and Chardonnay. They also work with the German grape Dornfelder.
The Elkin Creek Vineyard tasting room is located in Elkin, North Carolina. The typical wine tasting costs $15 for six pours. The tasting room hours vary so be sure to double check their monthly schedule before you visit.
In addition to a winery, the property also has a kitchen, cabins, and a wedding venue. The four creek-side cabins are a short walk from the winery. And on Sundays the Elkin Creek kitchen fires up their wood-burning brick oven and makes made-to-order pizzas.
If you’re headed to the charming town of Elkin then check out our blog post on the best wineries Elkin NC has to offer.
Other American wine regions to visit
North Carolina and South Carolina towns with fun wineries
These Surry County wineries are a small taste of what the region has to offer. If you’re looking for a complete list of Surry wineries then visit the Surry County Wine Trail website, which caters to Surry County visitors.
North Carolina and South Carolina have plenty of fun wineries to visit. Here are some of our top picks.
Dobson, North Carolina is the birthplace of the Yadkin Valley AVA. Dobson is home to the largest winery in North Carolina. But the best wineries in Dobson NC are small family-run operations.
Elkin, North Carolina is a small town beside the Yadkin River in the heart of North Carolina wine country. Elkin has four wineries and they’re all within a 15 minute drive of downtown. It’s very convenient. Elkin has great wine, a charming downtown, and a beautiful landscape to boot.
Elkin, Mount Airy, and Dobson are towns situated within the larger Yadkin Valley. Our list of the best Yadkin Valley wineries showcases small family-run boutique wineries spread throughout the valley.
Greenville, South Carolina is a small city with plenty going on. There are loads of fun Greenville wineries and wine bars both in the city and just outside the city center. Here’s a list of the best wineries Greenville SC offers.
The Myrtle Beach area is a popular vacation destination. The town of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has shopping, dining, and entertainment options aplenty. These wineries in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina offer someplace to stop and quench your thirst on hot summer days.
The neighboring town of North Myrtle Beach is just a short drive up the road. The Barefoot Landing shopping center is a big draw. And why not end a shopping session with a glass of vino? These are the best wine bars and wineries North Myrtle Beach offers.
Other Southern wine country destinations
The American South is far from the most famous wine-growing area of the United States. But it’s got a surprising number of places to explore. Here are some of our current favorites.
Blue Ridge, Georgia is known for its beautiful natural scenery and abundant outdoor activities. With hikes, waterfalls, viewpoints, and wineries you could never be bored. The best wineries Blue Ridge GA offers reflect the southern hospitality and endless charm of this small town.
Smith Mountain Lake is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. There’s camping, hiking, and watersports galore. And the best way to end the day? With a glass of local wine, of course. There’s a rural charm and easygoing attitude evident in the best Smith Mountain Lake wineries.
