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Grandfather Vineyard Places in Dixie Classic Fair, Wins 12 Medals, Including Several Golds

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After winning at the Dixie Classic Fair wine competition, Grandfather Vineyard and Winery displays the medals on the mantel in the tasting room. Photos by Ken Ketchie

Crushing grapes and winning medals for its wine has become a fall tradition for Grandfather Vineyard and Winery.

Each year, the business enters the Dixie Classic Fair’s Mid-Atlantic Southeastern Wine Competition, and fair organizers recently announced that the local vineyard and winery won a total of 12 medals, including several golds, which will be displayed above the mantel in the winery’s tasting room.

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Grandfather Vineyard and Winery’s Steve and Dylan Tatum during the grape crushing process on Thursday.

“We really love winning gold on our big reds,” Grandfather Vineyard and Winery owner Steve Tatum said. “When you win gold with your big reds people sit up and take notice.”

Grandfather Vineyard & Winery is a locally owned business that opened their doors in May of 2011. After already owning Tatum Galleries, a furniture and interior design shop, for 30 years this new venture started as somewhat of a hobby for owner Steve Tatum. He planted the vines in 2003 on about five acres of a 13 acre track of property that the Tatum’s own in Foscoe.

At the time, his son, Dylan Tatum was a beer and wine rep in the local Boone area. Not long after the vines were planted, Dylan moved to Mount Airy to study winemaking at Surry Community College, the only school in North Carolina that offers an Enology program (the study of wine). After he graduated, Dylan, and his parents Steve & Sally decided to turn their hobby into a full grown winery including a tasting room situated right along the Watauga River, with a spectacular view of Grandfather Mountain just beyond their terraced property. Their philosophy is to treat everyone like family, to make customers feel welcomed and they will keep coming back.

“We really like the feeling of a family owned winery,” says Mr. Tatum, “When we succeed everyone succeeds. That is especially true in winemaking as the fruits of our accomplishments show in every glass of wine for our patrons and all of our employees to see.”

Dry Whites-

  • 2014 Terraced Gold – Silver
  • 2014 Legacy Chardonnay- Silver
  • 2014 Profile White- Silver

Blush Wines-

  • 2014 ASU Scholar Rose- Silver

Red Dry Wines-

  • 2013 Tanawha Syrah- Bronze
  • 2013 Legacy Cabernet Sauvignon- Silver
  • 2013 Profile Red- Gold
  • 2013 ASU Scholar Red- Gold

Dry Reds over $20- Premium

  • 2013 58 Degree Fusion- Gold
  • 2013 Grandfather Blend- Gold
  • 2013 Legacy Winemaker’s Blend- Gold

Fortified Wine

  • 2015 Raspberry Dessert Wine- Silver

Grandfather Vineyard is open year round. In the spring, summer and fall the hours are 12-6 Monday through Saturday and 1-5 on Sunday. They are closed on Tuesdays during the winter, but keep the rest of their hours the same.

Grandfather Vineyard is located at 225 Vineyard Lane in Banner Elk, North Carolina. Come visit anytime and enjoy a glass of our award winning wine! For more information, click here or call 828-963-2400.

See photos of the vineyard and winery below:

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Grandfather Vineyard and Winery’s Steve and Dylan Tatum as they prepare to crush grapes.

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