Take a N.C. winery tour

By Clara Bosonetto Maerz

For the AJC

In early July, President Barack Obama met with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano prior to attending the G8 Summit in L’Aquila. The president gifted him with a variety of American wines from across the nation packaged in a custom-made box crafted from the wood of former Oval Office flooring.

Included in his gift was a bottle of 2008 Raffaldini Vineyards Vermentino.

Raffaldini Vineyards is in our backyard -- in the Yadkin Valley Region of North Carolina.

The family-owned estate is a slice right out of Tuscany, Italy. It's known as “Chianti in the Carolinas.”

Raffaldini produces both wines and blends with its signature wines being Vermentino, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese, Sangiovese Riserva and Montepulciano.

Villa Raffaldini is grand in size and style with traditional Italian art and architecture. Tasting rooms are on two levels with panoramic views of the Blue Ridge and Brushy Mountains from inside and from the balconies and landscaped terraces.

Visit Wednesdays-Saturdays for wine tours and tasting from 10am-5pm; and Sundays, 1pm-5pm; $5 per person.

An expert staff member escorts visitors on vineyard walking tours Wednesdays-Sundays at 1pm and 3pm; $5 per person. Guests learn about the Raffaldini family history and a bit more about wine making techniques.

The Four Seasons Wine Tasting Dinners are held Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, pairing four seasonal courses with four specially-chosen wines to complement the food. Culinary and wine descriptions are given during a relaxed and casual evening.

And once a year Raffaldini Vineyards throws an Italian festival with food, art, music, culture and, of course, wines of Italy. It's schedules this year for September 19 from 10am-5pm; $10 (advance tickets not necessary).

Before you go, visit a special page on Raffaldini's web site that lists all of the hotels and B & Bs in the region. The page is also quite useful for its listing of numerous taxi and limousine services to get you home safely after a day of epicurean pleasures.

http://www.raffaldini.com/accommodations.aspx

From Atlanta, Raffaldini Vineyards is just over a five-hour drive, north out of Charlotte and direct west of Winston-Salem.

http://www.raffaldini.com