Vineyard Voyage on the Scuppernong River

Posted by Alan Wright on 8 August 2011

We tend to think of the North Carolina wine industry as fairly young. However, the act of growing grapes, and grapes for wine in this state, is nothing new — it’s actually one of our oldest industries. What else would you expect from a state where Europeans found Scuppernong grapes flourishing when first exploring the area in the 1500s? In fact, the first ever mention of the grape was in 1524 by the Florentine explorer Giovanni De Verazzano as he travelled the Cape Fear River Valley. In 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh said our coastline was so abundant in Scuppernong grapes that the sea “overflowed them.”

Did you know North Carolina’s state fruit is the Scuppernong? Did you know that the oldest cultivated grapevine in the world is a 400 year old vine in Roanoke Island? The grape is mentioned in North Carolina’s official toast and according to some researchers at the University of Florida, Scuppernong wine has more antioxidants than any other wine. So it isn’t just part of our heritage, it’s healthy, too!

It was during the 17th century that the Scuppernong was first cultivated by settlers and it continued as one of North Carolina’s major cash crops until Prohibition. While Prohibition all but killed the wine industry in North Carolina, the few vineyards that did set up shop grew and bottled the sweet Scuppernong. Until the recent explosion of vineyards in the state, if you drank North Carolina wine, it was most likely some form of Scuppernong or one of its other muscadine cultivars.

One winery continuing the tradition is The Vineyards on the Scuppernong. Owned and operated by Jack and Grace Bishop, the winery is located on the Scuppernong River in Tyrrell County, just outside of Columbia, where Scuppernongs were first cultivated oh so long ago. The Bishops produce a variety of wines and have won awards for several of them. Almost all of the wines sell for $12 to $13, and each one allows you to mingle with a true North Carolina native.

Now, thanks to The Vineyards on the Scuppernong and The Partnership of the Sounds, you can see the Scuppernong in all its glory on river-roaming “Vineyard Voyages.”  

Each Voyage starts with a 10-minute boat ride from the Tyrell Visitors Center to the vineyard. Voyagers are met by Jack and Grace and receive a 45 minute tour of the vineyards and winery.  

The boat then returns to the Visitor Center, where participants can visit The Vineyards on the Scuppernong’s gift shop across the street, and enjoy wine available for tasting and purchase.

Voyages are every Thursday at 11:00 am and will be conducted through October. Participation is free, but you do need to make reservations as seating is limited. Call 252-796-1000 for reservations and more information.

The Partnership for the Sounds is a private non-profit organization promoting sustainable development and environmental stewardship on the Albemarle-Pamlico peninsula. Go to partnershipforthesounds.org for more information.

Alan Wright is the human in charge of Humans at The Clever Robot, a full service web development company in downtown Winston-Salem working with small, medium and large businesses. He’s an avid locavore and hopes you’ll become one, too.