Virginia's modern wine industry began taking root in the late 1970s and grew from a small group of wineries to nearly 300. Viognier and Chardonnay are important white grapes, while Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot make reds and blends alongside other Bordeaux grape varieties. Norton is an American red grape also grown here. North Carolina's vineyards include Appalachian High Country and Yadkin Valley, the state's first American Viticultural Area, or AVA. Georgia is closely associated with muscadine grapes. In Tennessee, wineries use European grapes alongside muscadine and Chambourcin for dry reds, crisp whites and fruity blends.
4 named areas
Inside the region
Explore the wine-growing areas of Virginia & Southeast.
- 01GeorgiaNo producers listed yetMuscadine is central to Georgia's wines, bringing a fruit-oriented style. European bunch grapes have also become more successful with modern fungicides.
- 02North CarolinaNo producers listed yetNorth Carolina includes high-elevation vineyards, Yadkin Valley, the state's first AVA, and Crest of the Blue Ridge, where warm days and cool nights suit vinifera and French-American hybrids.
- 03TennesseeNo producers listed yetTennessee combines European grapes, muscadine and Chambourcin in dry reds, crisp whites and fruit-forward blends. The Nine Lakes of East Tennessee AVA identifies vineyards in mountain and lake country.
- 04VirginiaNo producers listed yetVirginia spans ten wine regions and eight distinct AVAs. Viognier and Chardonnay are important whites, with Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Bordeaux-style blends among the leading reds.