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Written by Jennifer Flaten
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 When members of the Raffaldini family immigrated to America, they brought their wine making skills with them. For centuries, the Raffaldini family has created exceptional wine at the ancestral home in Mantua, Italy. When members of the family first arrived in America, they never expected to find an area that would allow them to create wines like those they made in Italy. Still, wine making was in their blood and they spent years looking for a location suitable for growing grapes.
One day they found a spot in the Swan Creek region of the Yadkin Valley that while never replacing their native land did closely resemble it. Here in the North Carolina countryside they found soil that contained all the right minerals for great grapes. In addition, the way the land sloped combined with a location on the East side of the mountains, which brought the perfect breezes to dry the grapes; provided the perfect setting for growing grapes.
With these conditions they knew they could make great wine. Still they were very selective; they looked at over 60 different sites, until they finally found the perfect spot. Now, the journey was complete; in 2000, the family broke ground for their winery. From then on, it was a matter of cultivating the perfect grapes. The years between 2002 and 2006 saw the family experimenting with over 20 varieties of grapes. With 43 acres and 29000 vines, the family knew that getting the perfect wine is a long-term investment. As Thomas Salley said, “the grapes tell them what they need”.
And when I spoke to Thomas, who is with Event Planning and Media Relations for the winery, he encouraged everyone to come to the winery and experience the gorgeous setting first hand, because “the wine is an expression of the area“ . Not only does the winery offer stunning views of natural beauty, but also helpful staff is on hand to assist both the novice and the aficionado in selecting the perfect wine. One wine that Thomas recommends is the Urbano. Steeped in family history, the Urbano is named after the father of Theresa Raffaldini, the owner’s mother.
The Urbano is a blend of Sangiovese and Montepulciano and Thomas believes it is one of their best wines so far. He describes it as a subtle wine with perfect balance. It is complex on the nose with hints of floral and earthy tones. A dry wine with a fresh red fruit flavor up front inter layered with hints of leather and tobacco, it is similar to a Merlot. The winery is open year round.
Events
- All November you can help select the next blend in the Bella Blending trials. This is your chance to be a winemaker; Jay Raffaldini will guide you through sampling individual reds and selecting two. The staff will consider all blends made and one will be selected as the 2008 Bella Misto.
- On December 4 & 5, the Swan Creek Vineyards will hold a Holiday Open House. All the vineyards will have special holiday themed refreshments, music and more. At Raffaldini snack on roasted chestnuts, drink a great wine and make a grape vine wreath.
- Looking for the perfect holiday gift? Reserve a place for the January 2010 Four Seasons Wine Tasting Dinner-Winter. The dinner is scheduled for January 16, 2010 and features a four course seasonal menu with the appropriate accompanying each course. Cost is $75 On January 23, stroll the grounds of the vineyard sipping wine and enjoying the work of local artists.
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Jennifer Flaten |
| About the author: |
| Jennifer has a special interest in technology, with a growing fascination for wines, particularly in the Yadkin Valley of North Carolina. Her works have been published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and online. Her business background has allowed her to work in various fields including; Construction, Accounting and most recently Audio Visual. | | Read More >> |
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