General Stores

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ounce hard cider to the $26.95 bottles of Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon.

In addition, live music and food trucks are on site to accompany you while you take a sip of the locally sourced beverages.

Grandfather Vineyard and Winery is located at 225 Vineyard Lane, Banner Elk, NC 28604. For more information, visit www.grandfathervineyard.com or call (828) 963-2400.

LINVILLE FALLS WINERY

Located at an elevation of 3,200 feet, Linville Falls Winery offers a space for weddings, private events, classes and reservations. After opening in 2012, the winery has become a hot spot for locals and tourists.

According to Jessica Boone, the winery planted their mountain vineyard 19 years ago, taking cues from vineyards around the world who share the area’s similar climate, such as the Rhine River Valley in Germany and the Alsace region in France.

“Among the grapes, we produce are Riesling, Petit Verdot, Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, Noiret, Marechal Foch, and Marquette, but we are still adding to that list as we learn more about the grapes that will flourish here in the Appalachian High Country,” said Boone. “Our vineyard thrives in the warm days and cool nights that are part of the personality of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and those conditions are optimum for developing great flavor in our grapes that give way to excellent wines. Our wines cover a wide spectrum of preferences, from full-bodied reds like our Cabernet Sauvignon, to crisp white wines like our Cascade blend, to the fruit-filled flavors found in our Riesling, all the way to dessert wines with a lot of history like our Cherry Bounce.”

Guests can get a tasting experience that is both child and pet friendly. For those of age, chosen wines can be tasted in one ounce pours with requests taken for a glass or a bottle. Guests can pair that with live music on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Linville Falls Winery is located at 9557 Linville Falls Hwy., Newland, NC 28657. For more information, visit www.linvillefallswinery.com.

High Country wineries abound for the discerning palate. FILE PHOTO

THISTLE MEADOW WINERY

Thistle Meadow Winery, located in Laurel Springs, is the choice winery of Alleghany County. They offer 30 to 45 minute winery tours as well as wine tastings, with each guest able to taste up to five wines.

Their wine list includes a wide variety of wines — dry reds, dry whites, blush wines and sweet wines and even cooking wines, Many of the wines made at Thistle Meadow Winery are named after landmarks, communities or people found in Alleghany County.

The winery was recently ranked third among North Carolina wineries by the South Eastern Winery Review and scored a perfect “10” in friendliness.

Thistle Meadow can create custom wines and blends as well as private label products.

Thistle Meadow Winery is located at 102 Thistle Meadow, Laurel Springs, NC 28644. For more information, visit www.thistlemeadowwinery.com.

MENARICK VINEYARD & WINERY

The Yadkin Valley’s tasty winery is deemed MenaRick Vineyard and Winery. They specialize in Spanish and Portuguese varietals.

The winery chooses not to filter its products, believing that it helps keep the authenticity of the wine’s aroma and flavor intact. MenaRick is currently offering offering wine flights (five wines/ flight) and wine by the bottle or glass.

Shipping to 40 states, the winery offers an incredible variety of wines, including Tempranillo, Rosalina, Grenache and more.

MenaRick Vineyard and Winery is located at 328 Luffman Road, Ronda, NC 28670. For more information, visit www.menarick.com.

Roaring River Vineyards is another winery located in Wilkes County, which officially opened in 2016. The establishment combines wine, beer and food with a unique and breathtaking atmosphere.

Roaring Rivers offers a selection of nine wines such as the Cabernet Sauvignon, the Norton Red, the Rock and Roar and more.

Onsite, you can find a tasting room, a restaurant and an incredible view to take in all while you sip on your cool glass of wine.

Roaring River Vineyards is located at 493 Brewer Mill Road, Traphill, NC 28685. For more information, visit www.roaringrivervineyards.com.

WINERIES OF THE HIGH COUNTRY

Banner Elk Winery and Villa

Banner Elk 60 Deer Run Lane (828) 898-9090 bannerelkwinery.com

Grandfather Vineyard and Winery

Banner Elk 225 Vineyard Lane (828) 963-2400 grandfathervineyard.com

Linville Falls Winery

Linville Falls 9557 Linville Falls Highway (828) 765-1400 linvillefallswinery.com

Thistle Meadow Winery

Laurel Springs 102 Thistle Meadow (800) 233-1505 thistlemeadowwinery.com

MenaRick Vineyard & Winery

Ronda 328 Luffman Road (336) 328-7038 menarick.com

Roaring River Vineyards

Traphill 493 Brewer Mill Road (336) 957-2332 roaringrivervineyards.com

Blend of present and past

BY JAMIE SHELL

There is something special about being able to buy everything in one place. General stores have been romanticized for decades and in many places they are lost to time, but they are alive and well in the High Country.

Fred’s General Mercantile, Todd General Store, Banner Elk Consignment Cottage and the Vintage Farmhouse General Store are just a few of the unique stores that tourists and locals alike flock to in the High Country.

Consignment Cottage (Banner Elk)

consign@skybest.com (828) 898-5733

Banner Elk, a town of woolly worms, Highland Games and High Country culture, is home to the Banner Elk Consignment Cottage. Just 17 miles from Boone, the cottage is a sought out store in the area. While Banner Elk often attracts a large group of people during the summer months, most people only stay at their summer homes for four-to-five months.

Instead of hauling their replaced, fine furniture back to their primary homes far away, people bring them to Susan Brown at the consignment cottage for resale.

Brown is selective in what she accepts and chooses to sell, which only increases the customer trust. In turn, the constantly-changing stock offers a potential for multiple visits to the store resulting in various shopping experiences. No two visits are alike.

Fred’s General Mercantile (Beech Mountain)

501 Beech Mountain Parkway www.fredsgeneral.com (828) 387-4838

For more than 40 years, Fred’s General Mercantile has been a staple of Beech Mountain and the main outlet in the area.

The main store consists of a grocery store, hardware store and clothing store. Fred’s can outfit the entire family for a weekend vacation, home improvement project and more. The grocery is a fully stocked grocery store that carries everything from canned goods to gourmet foods. The hardware section features Stanley tools, tire chains, screws, nails, nuts, bolts and more.

Also on the property is Fred’s Backside Deli, which serves all kinds of food on a daily basis for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

PHOTO SUBMITTED Goober Peas Country Store carries gifts, groceries, local meats and cheeses, bait for fishing and more. The store is convenient to the Meat Camp township and Boone.

The company also takes advantage of its location by offering guest quarters for rent and ski and snowboard rentals. The store is also a great location to find information on all of the many nature sights, trails, mountain views and local events throughout the year.

Goober Peas Country Store (Boone)

1773 NC-194 (828) 386-1017

It is almost hidden along Hwy. 194, going north out of Boone, but Goober Peas has 1,700 devoted followers on Facebook for a reason.

If you are looking for fresh, locally grown food products, you are likely to find them at Goober Peas. The store carries local meats, farm-fresh eggs, Ashe County Cheese, local jams and jellies, ice, firewood and more.

You can buy Cheek’s whole milk by the gallon at Goober Peas. It is so fresh you the label says you need to shake it a bit to blend the cream on top. From their own private label Muscadine grape juice to premium, niche brands of root beer, you will find it at Goober Peas.

But, it is not just food. Other interesting items include SallyeAnder Soaps, a fun collection of greeting cards, and a wide variety of other sundry items, most handmade by local artisans.

Mast General Store Original Store

Highway 194, Valle Crucis (828) 963-6511 www.mastgeneralstore.com

Annex

Highway 194 S., Valle Crucis (828) 963-6511

Boone

630 West King St., Boone, NC 28607 (828) 262-0000

From outdoor outerwear, hiking boots and elegantly casual attire to unusual collectibles and keepsakes, Mast General Store has made a name for itself since the first store opened in the rural community of Valle Crucis, N.C., near the southern edge of Watauga County.

SEE STORES ON PAGE 145