| After months of saving, planning, and packing, you're | | | | from other area vineyards, but also sells unique blends |
| finally ready to embark on your vacation to North | | | | under their own label. If you enjoy full-bodied blended |
| Carolina's beautiful Outer Banks. You have the itinerary | | | | reds with a peppery finish, or perhaps a semi-dry |
| memorized - days and day of play on the beach, with | | | | combination of Chardonnay and Sangiovese with a |
| maybe an excursion to the Currituck Beach lighthouse | | | | sweet finish, find sanctuary in a tour of this vineyard. |
| or the Wright Brothers memorial in Kitty Hawk. The trip | | | | Martin Vineyards |
| promises to be wonderful, but if you are a fan of the | | | | The sandy soil of Knotts Island produces great wine, |
| grape it could be enhanced with tours of area wineries. | | | | and at Martin Vineyards one will find acres of |
| Yes, wine is made in the Outer Banks. One might | | | | Muscadines waiting to be picked. In addition to a |
| never expect this area to be associated with good | | | | variety of dry and sweet table wines, guests at the |
| wine, but if you plan ahead you will be able not only to | | | | vineyard may also pick seasonal fruits from the |
| enlighten your palate during a vineyard tour, but | | | | surrounding orchards. July is especially welcoming, |
| perhaps join the locals and other wine aficianados for | | | | since the vineyards hosts the annual Knotts Island |
| an evening of tasting, food, and fun. Consider these | | | | Peach Festival. Bring the family for a picnic by the sea. |
| additional stops on your tour of the Outer Banks. | | | | Mother Vineyard |
| Moonrise Bay Winery | | | | Like a bit of mystery with your wine? Well, more than |
| Set against the calm waters of the bay in Knotts | | | | likely you won't find anything to sample at the Mother |
| Island, Moonrise Bay has produced a number of tasty | | | | Vineyard, because the vines are on private property, |
| vintages since the turn of the century. Here visitors are | | | | yet visitors flock to this area near Manteo anyway if |
| offered a selection of dry reds and whites, and sweet | | | | only to catch a glimpse of the oldest grapevines in |
| whites from the ever popular Muscadine. Among the | | | | North Carolina. It isn't known who planted these vines, |
| wines available are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, | | | | believed to be over 400 years old, but the sheer |
| Nebbiolo, Norton, Syrah, Chambourcin, Chardonnay and | | | | enormity and thickness of the vines (to say nothing of |
| Sauvignon Blanc. Tours run daily from noon to five, or | | | | the sweet Muscadine grapes growing from them) |
| by special appointment. | | | | always leaves visitors in awe, and thirsty! |
| Sanctuary Vineyards | | | | A vacation in the Outer Banks is wonderful, yet one |
| If you are visiting from out of state, best to buy your | | | | enhanced by tours of area wineries adds a |
| Sanctuary wine here, as they only ship to North | | | | sweetness one is certain to savor. |
| Carolina and Virginia. Sanctuary not only offers wine | | | | |