And We Were There When North Carolina Governor Josh Stein Made It So!
NC Wine Month Proclamation”
Well, friends, it’s official. May is North Carolina Wine Month.
I can tell you firsthand, that this is so, because my husband Tom and I had the privilege of being right there at the North Carolina Governor’s Mansion in Raleigh when Governor Josh Stein put pen to paper and signed the proclamation.
The event was hosted by the North Carolina Wine & Grape Council, the NC Department of Agriculture, NC Governor Josh Stein and First Lady, Anna Stein.
Pictured: The NC Governor after having signing the proclamation with the first lady, Anna Stein and members of the NC Wine & Grape Council. The NC Governor with the Executive Director of NC Wines, Nicole Chesney. The proclamation itself with the Seal of the State of North Carolina. And the Governor and First Lady in the Governor’s Mansion gardens.
Tom and I were thrilled to be invited to be a part of it all.
We had a wonderful time. The first part of the evening was a media and educational event; followed by the signing of the proclamation with a larger tasting which included additional invited guests.
Who’d of thunk that I’d also run into the amazing crew from the NCRLA there, included newly named CEO Allen Thomas who was kind enough to personally introduce me to Governor Stein!
As the evening kicked off, The Governor and the First Lady set the tone beautifully. They each spoke to the wonderful mix of winemakers, content creators, food and travel writers, and NC Wine enthusiasts, welcoming us all to “The People’s House.”
I was honored to be there; and while I didn’t get photos with all of the writers and creators in attendance – or even all the winemakers – it was great to catch up with old friends and meet some new ones.
First, Meet the People Who Share the Stories
Photos or no, the folks who were there, sharing the stories and covering the event were all people whose work I follow and appreciate; and you will, too.
For the scoop on all that is happening across the state, check out these social feeds and websites: #TellThemHeidiSentYou
- NC Tripping
- NC Wine Guys
- Table Top Media
- Masterblend Family Farms/Ron Simmons
- Triangle Around Town
- Merlot2Muscadine
- Experience Raleigh
- Craving Carolina
- Linda Eats World
- ThePharmDFoodie
- NC Travel Eats
- Allie A La Carte
An Afternoon at the Governor’s Mansion
If you have never had the pleasure of visiting the North Carolina Governor’s Mansion, it is a stunning space, filled with history. Even the brick pathway leading to the front door tells an important part of NC history; but I’ll save that story for another time.
Let’s get back to the tasting event.
At a time and place in our country when politicians and media sadly don’t often mix well, I have to say, I love what Governor Stein said to and about the content creators in the room.
He noted that whether our focus is tourism, food and wine, restaurants, or simply a day-in-the-life kind of cultural storytelling, all of us end up sharing North Carolina with the world. We are, as he put it, “The lens through which people across the state and across this country appreciate the state of North Carolina.”
Like me, the other wine, food and travel writers in the room, are very proud of all the hard work we do to share these stories. It meant so much to be recognized in such a way.
More about NC Wine and the Importance of Agritourism
The Governor shared the dais with Steve Troxler, the NC Commissioner of Agriculture and Nicole Chesney the Executive Director of NC wines. Together they told the story and shared the importance of the North Carolina wine industry, it’s part in the North Carolina Agritourism industry and its growth in recent years.
Did you know that North Carolina now has seven federally recognized American Viticultural Areas, called AVAs for short? That people have been making wine in North Carolina since the 1500s, back in the day of Sir Walter Raleigh himself; and that, before Prohibition, North Carolina was the number one wine-producing state in the entire country?
Read more about the AVAs and why they matter below. And know, that today, North Carolina ranks in the top ten wine producing states in the country; and the industry generates seven+ billion dollars in economic activity for our state.
Now, let These Fun FAQS Sink in While You Sip and Swirl
When Commissioner Troxler took office in 2005, there were about 55 wineries in our state. By 2007, that number had nearly doubled to 107. Today, North Carolina is home to around 200 wineries; and no matter where you are in this state, you are within 45 miles of one of them!
That fun fact, I learned from Nicole last year at the NC State Fair cooking stage… it’s one i also often love to share when I write about North Carolina wineries, meaderies and cideries. Read more here and here!
The wine, cider, and mead industry in North Carolina supports 40,000 to 45,000 jobs and generates $7.7 billion in economic activity. And the very first commercial winery in the state? It opened in Halifax, North Carolina, in 1835.
North Carolina wineries, meaderies and cideries have become some of the greatest agricultural and destination spots across our state. Go and visit, tour, sip, swirl & shop. Plan to visit for a day, a weekend getaway, a trip with friends or plan a wedding or an engagement at your favorite tasting room.
More At NCWine.org
And if you can’t go to shop with our North Carolina Wineries, meaderies and cideries in person, you can “let your fingers to the walking” ( dating myself, I know) and order from nearly every NC Winery online for home delivery!
Find all the NC Wine members, their websites and their Where and How to Buy info HERE
” I suggest you all download the NC Wine App (find the link at NCwine.org) to help plan visits to wineries, meaderies, and cideries across the state, from the NC Mountains to the
Commissioner Steve Troxler
Carolina Coast.”
As The NC Wine Industry Continues to Grow
At the media event, NC Wine Executive Director, Nicole Chesney encouraged the crowd to enjoy the entire experience. “We don’t want you to just think about what’s in the glass; talk to the people behind the wines. Ask questions, listen to the stories; and get a real sense of the place that is North Carolina.”
She also reminded us that North Carolina’s seven federally recognized AVA’s each unique in climate, soil, and growing tradition, are what help to recognize all that makes the diversity of our state’s wines so distinctive.
Wines from the coast taste and feel completely different from wines grown in the Piedmont or up in the mountains along the Eastern Continental Divide. Wine growing regions are determined by soil or terroir, weather, climate and more.
Want to explore region by region? Here’s the list of North Carolina’s seven current AVA’s. Each one the perfect place to start as you plan your next NC Wine tasting adventure!
- Yadkin Valley AVA, North Carolina’s first AVA, centered in the Piedmont Heartland
- Swan Creek AVA, home to wines grown with a bit of “microclimate magic” within the Yadkin Valley
- Haw River Valley AVA, celebrating wines beautifully grown in NC’s infamous red clay soil
- Appalachian High Country AVA, featuring some of the highest elevation vineyards in the United States
- Crest of the Blue Ridge AVA, showcasing even more mountain elegance of NC Wine
- Upper Hiwassee Highlands AVA nestled in the Southern Blue Ridge Terroir
- Tryon Foothills AVA, NC’s most recent AVA as of this May 2025 writing, newly recognized earlier in 2025
Learn more about NC Wine AVA’s here.
Cheers to NC Wines and the People Who Craft Them
It was wonderful tasting my way through the event. Catching up with so many NC wine, mead and cider makers from across the state. Gotta love that everyone was gathered to celebrate and share the stories of the grapes and fruit they grow and the North Carolina wine, mead and ciders they make.
As I looked around at the Governor’s Mansion this night, it made me smile to see so many familiar faces. All people I have written about and tasted wines with over the years.
I first got a taste of and wrote about the NC Wine industry in the late 1990’s.
I’m proud of the part I’ve played and am playing in sharing the story of the NC Wine industry. It’s been wonderful watching it grow over the years. Everything just keeps getting better and better!
For easy reference, here’s a full list of the wineries represented at the Governor’s Mansion reception that evening. I loved them all!
Start here to Sip, Swirl, and Simply, Enjoy
If you haven’t had a chance to visit all of them yet, consider this your summer to-do list:
- Erik Martella Wines
- Sanctuary Vineyards
- Parker Binns Vineyards
- Marked Tree Vineyard
- Raffaldini Vineyards
- Dynamis Estate
- Jolo Winery & Vineyards
- Rayson Vineyards
- Haze Gray Vineyards
- Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards
- FernCrest Winery
- Botanist & Barrel
- Bragging Rooster Cider & Mead
- Souther Williams Vineyard
- Rock of Ages Winery
- Cypress Bend Vineyards
- Duplin Winery
- Shelton Vineyards
- Jones von Drehle Winery
Each one of these producers is doing something wonderful and delicious. Each of these wineries offer a distinctive taste of North Carolina. Real people with real stories making truly remarkable wines, ciders and meads.
NC Wine & the 2026 NCRLA Chef Showdown
Here’s another exciting piece of NC wine news. I am thrilled to share with you that NC Wine is a sponsor of the 2026 NCRLA Chef Showdown!
As many of you know, I am the Executive Producer of the annual culinary and mixology competition. In fact, I actually created the entire concept of the Chef Showdown with past NCRLA CEO, Lynn Minges. It was originally a one-night event to top of a day or member meetings. This year, I am proud to say, the NCRLA Chef Showdown is celebrating it’s 10th year. The competition has grown from one night to 11 preliminary and semi-final private competitions held across the state. Then, it all culminates in exciting Grand Finale to which the public is invited to attend! You don’t want to miss it!
This year the Grand Finale will take place on Sept 2, 2026 at Bay 7 in Durham NC. In addition to 15 chef finalists creating savory plates; while 5 pastry chef finalists showcasing desserts. And, 6 teams of mixologists and distilleries crafting cocktails and mocktails for the occasion. But wait, there’s more. The Finale will also feature a NC Wine Bar!
Between now and then, various NC wineries, cideries and meaderies have provided sips for our Judges’ dinners before each competition. And, individual winemakers have attended competition rounds to share all they do with our panels of judges.
Having NC Wine as a sponsor makes this already fabulous event even more exciting.
NCRLA Chef Showdown Judges Say Cheers with NC Wine
What that means for you, dear reader, is that you can look forward to hearing a lot more about NC wines. Look on my social media feeds and right here on the blog in the months ahead. I will be doing some filming with Nicole Chesney as well as some NC wine pairing videos. The plan is to feature individual ingredients showcased in the incredible dishes our competing chefs create. We’ll also talk more with winemakers along the way, and share it all with you. Stay tuned, it’s going to be a delicious ride!
Mark Your Calendars: Keep up with theThe NC Wine Competition
Want to geek out even further on NC wine? Then, here’s a date and an important event worth noting. Judging for the 2026 NC Wine Competition will take place on July 15 and 16. The event is not open to the public, but subscribe to NCwine.org and follow along for the results.
The winners of the 2025 NC Wine Competition are already posted and available to browse at NCwine.org . This site is a fantastic resource for discovering everything you always wanted to know about NC Wines and more.
Drink NC Wine All Year Long
May is NC Wine Month, yes. But honestly, every month is a great month to drink NC wine. With 200 wineries spread from the coast, the Piedmont, and the mountains to every other corner of this state, you are always within 45 miles of a bottle being made with care and intention. There has never been a better time to explore what North Carolina wine has to offer.
So let’s raise a glass of NC wine and celebrate. Cheers, friends! #TellThemHeidiSentYou 🍷
Stay tuned for more NC wine content coming to these pages soon. On Tap: coverage from the 2026 NCRLA Chef Showdown and wineries featured during the competition. Be sure to follow along on social media @ncwines on instagram and on Facebook at North Carolina Wine for the most up-to-date pours, pairings, and adventures! Find more NC wine info and the NC Wine App at NCwine.org.
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Heidi Billotto is a culinary storyteller, educator, and on-air expert who brings local food to life wherever she goes. She connects small family farmers, independent producers, and regional makers to the people, plates, and media outlets that showcase their work, then shows you how to bring their ingredients to your table. Known for her deep relationships, genuine curiosity, her signature joyful style and a passion for her work, Heidi elevates local food culture through cooking, teaching, travel, and media.