Raffaldini Vineyards & Winery

Raffaldini Vineyards stretches across 102 acres in the Blue Ridge foothills of Ronda, North Carolina, where owner Jay Raffaldini began planting Italian varietals in 2001 on rocky, granite-rich land he saw as an ideal match for Old World winemaking. The estate grows Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Sagrantino, and Vermentino at 1,200 feet of elevation, producing 72,000 bottles annually under the motto "Chianti in the Carolinas" — bone-dry wines made in the tradition of seven centuries of Italian family heritage. The Tuscan-style Villa Raffaldini, completed in 2008, anchors the property as both a working winery and an event destination with panoramic views of the Blue Ridge and Brushy Mountains. The estate also includes the original Fattoria tasting room, opened in 2005, vineyard Piazza tables, and a hilltop picnic area. Raffaldini draws more than 30,000 visitors each year and is recognized as the leading practitioner of the Appassimento grape-drying process in the United States. Private event rentals are available for gatherings of various sizes, from intimate lawn canopy experiences to larger celebrations set among the vines.