Not too long ago, the N.C. Winegrowers Association hosted a wine-and-food event aboard the Battleship North Carolina. It was the start to this year’s N.C. Wine Month celebration in May, and a lovely evening with 17 wineries paired with samples from Wilmington-area chefs and restaurants.
It was also only the second time that they’ve hosted such an event in Wilmington. It won’t be the last, the organizers said. In fact, they’d like the event to get bigger and better in 2026.
It made me think about the last time I’d visited North Carolina’s wine country, which was probably more than 15 years ago. (In fact, the first time I wrote about Yadkin Valley was in 2003, when it became an official AVA, or American Viticultural Area.)
I shouldn’t have been surprised by how much it’s grown and developed since then. But I kinda was. It also led me to think about all of the local things we drink.
Restaurants make up the majority of what I write about, but I do try to also showcase what is happening in the bigger and broader hospitality industry. And it’s a lot, especially when it comes to beverages.
Recently, when I was reporting about Wilmington’s coffee culture, Amy Heggen, owner of Blue Cup Roastery and organizer of Wilmington Coffee Fest said that one of the things that most impressed her about Southeastern North Carolina was how robust the beverage businesses are locally, from breweries to distilleries.
We “punch above our weight,” she said. For a community our size, we have an incredible array of options here. It’s been building for years.
Front Street Brewery is celebrating 30 years in business after bringing the brewpub trend to Wilmington in 1995. The area’s own coffee brand, Port City Java, is also celebrating three decades in business this year.
Now, the area is home to a coffee (or tea) shop or brewery to fit just about every taste and mood. Three local distilleries, End of Days, Momentum and Wilmington Distillery, each have a unique tasting experience to offer visitors. Another local distillery is focused on expanding their reach. Blue Shark, in addition to working with local restaurants for custom cocktails, has been growing in availability along the coast and has most recently entered the the tough Florida market. They’re now also growing their Hacienda Chactun tequila brand and a line of flavored vodkas backed by the artist Wyland.
I was recently blown away by the very cool (ha!) ice program at Bespoke, and the small-batch bourbon cocktails aged in mini-barrels by Fred Flynn at Greenfield Lake Yacht Club.
And while regional wineries might not get the same attention, Duplin Winery, established in 1976, continues to be a leading wineseller. Closer to home, Gregory Farms Vineyard & Winery makes traditional, muscadine and fruit wine in Currie, N.C. Like Silver Coast Winery in Brunswick County, they’ve been hosting a variety of events. The owners recently told me that 800 people attended their Blueberry Harvest Festival in June 2024. They make their best-selling Red, White and Blueberry wine with local berries.
And that’s just the start. Some local companies are delving into the THC beverage business, others are making seltzers and sprit-free beverages. Local mixologists are putting just as much thought and creativity into their mocktails as their traditional cocktails.
So, when it comes to supporting local, what’s in your glass can matter just as much as what’s on your plate.
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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at [email protected].