A Weekend of Wine: From Greenville, SC to Hendersonville, NC

Over the July 4th holiday weekend, we traded fireworks for fine wine and set off on another short wine getaway, this time starting in Greenville, SC, and making our way north into Hendersonville, NC. Two days, multiple wineries, and a lot of tasting later, we came home with new favorites, a few “must-skips,” and plenty of reasons to plan the next trip.

Day One – Greenville and Beyond

We kicked off the morning in Travelers Rest, SC, at Upcountry Provisions, a cozy bakery café perfect for fueling up before a day of tastings. I went for the bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich on white focaccia with a side of cheese grits. Both were excellent, and the staff were as warm as the coffee. If you’re headed through the area, this is a worthy breakfast stop.

Our first winery of the day was one of our longtime favorites, Wellborn Winery. The couple who owns it are simply wonderful - warm, welcoming, and clearly passionate about their craft. Here, you can taste six wines for only $8, which is a deal that becomes even more apparent when compared to other stops along the way. We did three tastings and unanimously chose the Meadow Mist to share, a Traminette (Gewürztraminer hybrid) that’s the driest white/rosé they offer. Crisp, fragrant, and refreshing, it was perfect for enjoying on their covered, screened deck. If you’re in Greenville and craving local wine, Wellborn should be at the top of your list.

From there, we made our way to Eagle Mountain Winery for our second visit. Just like last time, the tasting was a treat. We tried the Albarino, Viognier, Rosé, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon: six 1 oz. pours for $22. The Albarino was pleasantly dry, with less fruit than its Spanish counterpart. The Viognier leaned peach-forward with a hint of alcohol, but still enjoyable. The Rosé was dry and strawberry-forward, exactly my style. The Zinfandel brought jammy, raisiny flavors and high tannins, giving it an astringent edge. The Syrah was drier, with a black pepper note reminiscent of Malbec and similar tannin structure to the Zin. My favorite red was the Cabernet, with dark fruit flavors that would shine alongside a steak. Our server was fantastic - knowledgeable, welcoming, and clearly passionate about the wines.

Our final stop of the day was Marked Tree Vineyard, and unfortunately, it was the low point of the trip. While we were greeted by a friendly host, the rest of the staff were the opposite: curt, dismissive, and downright rude. One server even mocked me when I asked a question, and the man behind the bar couldn’t have been less pleasant. We decided not to order and left instead. Later in the weekend, several locals confirmed our experience, sharing that Marked Tree has a reputation for poor hospitality. Safe to say, we’ll skip this one in the future.

That evening, we checked into the Home2 Suites in Hendersonville, which earned a mixed review from us. The property is new, clean, and comfortable, but the check-in experience left much to be desired. When asking the front desk clerk how they were doing, their reply was: “Well, we’d like to be anywhere but here.” There was also a strong marijuana odor coming from our fridge and freezer, our second room’s AC struggled compared to the first, and breakfast was chaotic and cramped. On the plus side, the housekeeping team was friendly, the beds and pillows were comfortable, and the location was great for accessing downtown Hendersonville.

For dinner, we made our way to Shine, where the service was warm, the vibe was lively, and the food was exactly what we needed after a long day on the road.

Day Two – Hendersonville’s Wine Country

We started the morning at Arabella’s, a charming café that quickly won us over. My Loaded Hashbrowns were hearty and flavorful, and the Apple Crisp Latte was just as delicious.

Our first winery of the day was Stone Ashe, and it instantly became one of our new favorites. The modern, airy tasting room is paired with sweeping views, and the staff were some of the friendliest we’ve encountered, every single one went above and beyond.

We began with the Rosé, which opened with a strong Merlot aroma but finished dry and refreshing. The Riesling offered honeysuckle on the nose, a slightly sweet mid-palate, and a dry finish. The Chardonnay wasn’t our style (we’re not big Chardonnay drinkers), with a faint household-cleaner aroma and a finish that wine folks might call “mineral.” The Sauvignon Blanc had melon and grapefruit on the nose, a slight berry finish, and the bright dryness we love in a Sauvie B.

On to the reds: The Davenport had a sweet tobacco and leather nose, was very dry on the tongue, and full of noticeable tannins. Coppedge Hill had an even higher tannin feel, bold and “masculine,” perfect for pairing with a cigar. We also tried their Wager, a new release, which was a firm, dry red that would be perfect with steak.

We decided to enjoy a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc on the shaded patio. After this, we were able to taste the Primrose: a stunning oak-aged Rosé made mostly from Cabernet Franc with a little Chardonnay, and we couldn’t resist staying for another bottle. It had a new oak nose, a dry strawberry flavor, and a subtle vanilla note from the oak. This was easily our favorite wine of the weekend. Stone Ashe gets an enthusiastic five stars from us.

Next up was Souther Williams, a beautiful winery with a covered open-air tasting space nestled among the vines. We tried both a White Flight and a Vintner’s Flight. The Riesling Bubbles didn’t smell great but tasted fantastic: dry, floral, and delightfully bubbly. The Vidal Blanc was dry, minerally, and lightly peachy. The Rkatsiteli had an apricot nose, balanced dryness, and good fruit without the extra sweetness. The 2020 Grüner Veltliner was slightly sweet with honeysuckle notes that became drier as we sipped, while the 2021 version was less sweet, floral, and crisp. The Dry Riesling carried the familiar petroleum aroma we’ve noticed in Rieslings from Germany.

We also tried two reds: the Blaufränkisch Estate, which opened with black cherry and finished like a Malbec with black pepper notes, and the Cynthiana Estate, a deep-colored rosé with cranberry and rhubarb flavors. The Cynthiana Rosé was our favorite here, and we enjoyed a bottle on site.

Our final tasting stop was Burntshirt Vineyards, where we opted for both a Dry Tasting and a White Tasting.

The Dry Tasting began with the Reserve Grüner Veltliner: bright, dry, and reminiscent of Sauvignon Blanc with grapefruit and lemongrass notes. The Reserve Petit Manseng was tropical and vibrant, similar to New Zealand whites. The Reserve Chardonnay had a grape-forward profile similar to Muscat, but with Chardonnay grapes. The Rosé was dry, fruity, and so good we enjoyed a bottle on the patio overlooking the vines. The Reserve Meritage reminded me of a Malbec with its peppery, dry finish, while the Reserve Malbec actually felt less traditionally Malbec than the Meritage. The Bat Cave closed the tasting with rich plum and tobacco notes.

The White Tasting started with the Reserve Riesling, which had a touch of petroleum aroma but wasn’t overpowering. The Estate White was peachy, fruity, and sweet on the tongue with a dry finish. The Harvest Moon Chardonnay, made with malolactic fermentation, was soft and buttery with an oaky touch. Four Seasons, a blend of 85% Grüner and 15% Vidal Blanc, had a lemongrass nose and an umami character. Midnight Moon began sweet, finished dry, and carried pineapple notes. The Apple Wine was slightly sweet but still appealing for dry wine drinkers. The Sunset Sippin’ was tropical and lightly sweet without being cloying.

That evening, we wrapped up our trip at Postero, a refined but relaxed spot in downtown Hendersonville. We sat upstairs in a calm, quiet corner - perfect after a day of tastings. My filet mignon with mashed potatoes and vegetable risotto was outstanding, and the service was just as impressive.

Lastly, before leaving Hendersonville, we had a very lovely lunch at Kosta's Fireside Restaurant & Pancake Inn. The wait was a bit long, but the staff were extremely friendly and we couldn't have asked for a better server. My mom had the best meal of the weekend here and I very much enjoyed my grilled chicken, mac n cheese, mashed potatoes, and biscuit. So, if you want a good, southern meal, definitely check out this place...it is worth the wait.

Two days, countless pours, and more than a few new favorites later, our July 4th weekend wine adventure was a success. From the warm hospitality of Wellborn and Stone Ashe to the crisp whites of Burntshirt and the unexpected delights at Souther Williams, Greenville & Hendersonville’s wine scene delivered in spades. Support these local wineries - you’ll taste the difference, and the staff will genuinely appreciate your visit.