Grapes climb as fast growing state crop
By Scott Nicholson
nicholson@wataugademocrat.com

The ripening of the regional wine scene is part of a statewide trend in which grapes are taking root as one of the fastest-growing commercial fruit crops.

While the numbers of apple and peach trees have declined over the last decade, the number of acres in grape cultivation has nearly tripled. Though the total area is still relatively modest at 1,450 acres, the change is taking place on a small but progressive scale, largely due to the sprouting of small wineries.

Grant Holder, who heads up Appalachian State University’s Enology, Viticulture and Natural Products program, said grape production is ideally suited for small farms in areas that already have strong tourism bases. That includes the mountains, although the climate limits the types of grape varieties that can be grown.

However, the limitation can also be turned into a strength, as different areas are able to develop their own identities as wine regions.

“I see the wine industry growing,” Holder said. “More and more individual people are convinced there’s a future in this business and in the crop they grow. It looks like it’s on the way up.”

About one new winery a month opens somewhere in the state, typically with vineyards between one and five acres in size. Holder said this is the kind of manageable growth that entices people to enter the industry without risking too much money and being able to compete in a field that’s becoming crowded.

“It’s the kind of thing where they see how it works, and the grapes get better,” he said. “It’s a lot of work to get started and it takes years to get a viable product.”

While the state will never challenge the large-scale commercial vineyards of California, Holder said North Carolina’s mountains could develop a niche identity of fine wines, festivals and “wine trails,” connecting to the tourism industry. From there, word of mouth will dribble out and eventually into the ears of retailers.

“There are a lot more tasting rooms than there were four or five years ago,” Holder said. “Once retailers ask for it, distributors pick it up. Most wine shops and grocery stores have a ‘local shelf.’”

Holder said the state’s differing climates would help each region individualize, and the state’s position as one of the country’s top travel destinations would help ferment the business. The top grapes in the state are Carlos, Chardonnay, Nobel, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Holder is currently traveling in a mobile laboratory, with the ASU program expected to begin in earnest next year. However, he’s already teaching classes in wine science and the interest is growing alongside the industry expansion.

“It’s a viable product, and the wine gets better every year,” Holder said. “I don’t see a limit on how much wine people are willing to drink.

“The mountains have a young wine industry and it’s where the tourists are. We have as great or greater share as anybody.”

Local wineries are in Banner Elk, Lansing, Elkin, Sparta and Laurel Springs, with the Yadkin Valley emerging as a recognizable wine region. North Carolina now ranks 10th in the nation in wine production, with the first commercial winery established in 1835.

A study issued in January by Gov. Mike Easley’s office suggested grapes were contributing $813 million per year to the state’s economy. The grape and wine industries and their supporting businesses add 5,700 full-time jobs and contributes nearly $100 million a year in federal and state tax revenues. The state’s 55 wineries welcomed more than 800,000 visitors in 2005.