North Carolina Vineyards for Sale

Vineyards for sale in North Carolina

Residents of North Carolina and wine connoisseurs across the country are well aware of the high quality of the state’s vineyards and the wine crafted from their grapes. But for many, the vineyards of North Carolina are one of the country’s best-kept wine secrets. Vineyards and winemaking have a rich history in North Carolina, dating back to the early days of the British colonies in North America. In recent years, momentum is building for vineyards in North Carolina, and many vineyards in the state are finally getting long-deserved recognition from wine experts across the world. There has never been a better, more profitable time to join the blossoming North Carolina vineyard business by starting a brand-new operation or revitalizing an existing vineyard.

Viticulturists in the know have chosen North Carolina as the ideal vineyard location for centuries. The state is incredibly proud of its rich history of wine grape cultivation and wine production – so proud, in fact, that North Carolina’s state fruit is a wine grape. The grape, known as the scuppernong, was actually one of the first wine grape varieties to be cultivated in the United States. Visiting wine and history buffs can even experience the marvel of a vine that has been growing for nearly 500 years on North Carolina’s Roanoke Island in the famous Outer Banks.

Vineyard owners and vintners really started to capitalize on North Carolina’s perfect grape-growing conditions in the 1830s, when Medoc Vineyard opened as the state’s first commercial vineyard and winery. This vineyard and those that opened soon after helped North Carolina to become the country’s leading wine producer. In fact, before Prohibition, the vineyards and wineries in the state were among the top producers across the country. North Carolina’s vineyards have only grown in popularity since then, and today the state boasts over 500 vineyards. With 2,300 acres of wine grapes cultivated across the state, North Carolina’s wine industry is worth almost $2 billion annually. 

In recent years as vineyards in North Carolina have grown in popularity, the state’s wine industry is rapidly expanding with no sign of slowing down. In fact, in less than a decade, the amount of wine produced from grapes from North Carolina’s vineyards has nearly doubled. For those familiar with the state’s soil and weather, this is no surprise: North Carolina’s unique terroir is ideal for growing high yields of interesting, complex wine grapes. The state boasts five major wine-producing areas, each of which is defined by particular soil and climate conditions. Since the geology of each region is so varied, different areas of North Carolina are best for growing different varieties of wine grapes. The concentration of minerals in the soil and the weather conditions of each viticultural area is imprinted on the grapes, which take on a flavor profile particular to where they were grown. For instance, high and moderately-high elevation areas of North Carolina such as the Appalachian High Country and the Yadkin Valley are known for producing interesting variations on traditional European wine varietals. But the state is best known for the wine grapes grown along the coast, particularly the muscadine grapes that are native to North Carolina. These grapes thrive in hot weather and sandy soil, and their natural resistance to pests makes them especially attractive to vineyard owners interested in growing organically.

Since North Carolina vineyard owners can count on always finding a market for their well-respected grapes, buying an existing vineyard or starting the state’s newest operation is a relatively low-risk venture. North Carolina is a hotspot for tourists across the southern United States and the eastern seaboard because of its well-known beaches on its Outer Banks islands. This is fantastic news for the state’s vineyard owners, as there is no shortage of new visitors to tour vineyards and visit tasting rooms. And while the beaches are what bring many of the tourists, there are plenty of tourists who visit North Carolina solely for the wine. In recent years, North Carolina was visited by about two million “wine tourists” annually, generating over $300 million for local businesses. North Carolina vineyard owners can take advantage of this by opening their own tasting rooms or by selling their grapes to wineries in tourist-heavy areas. Since the flow of tourists to the state never ends, there is always plenty of new business for vineyard and winery owners, even those starting brand-new operations.