Brenda and Tim Doub both have farming in their blood. For over 140 years Tim’s family farmed the land where the Flint Hill Vineyards is now located and Brenda’s family raised dairy cattle.

Tim and Brenda wanted to give their children the experience of growing up on a farm. So, it was vitally important for them to find a way to keep the farm alive. So they took classes at the local community college to see if a vineyard was a viable way to keep the land and farm alive.

After the class, they decide to try their hand at running a vineyard. The grapes went in about 9 years ago and the tasting room opened in October of 2005. Without a doubt, the vineyard is thriving.  In 2007 the farm was designated a century farm by the US Department of Agriculture.

At Flint Hill, they grow five types of grapes with an emphasis on French varieties and they produce eight excellent wines. Their wines include a Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah Synergy, Viognier, Chardonnay and Chambourcin, which is a French/American hybrid.

In addition to traditional wines, they also have Olde Yattken a dessert wine made from Viognier and Chardonnay grapes and Crushed Velvet a sweet wine made from the Chambourcin grapes. Crushed Velvet is a wonderful accompaniment to a chocolate dessert.

While farming is stressful, Brenda loves the variety found in it. “Every year is different”, she explains, “There are new pests, new weather, new challenges”.

She is the first to admit that vineyard maintenance requires a lot of hard physical labor. The vines require constant attention, such as tying and manicuring. Not to mention all the work involved in the harvest. They aren’t without help though; they entice family members and neighbors to help with the promise of wonderful wine.

As much as Brenda loves growing and making the wine, she loves selling the wine. She thinks it is the best part of wine making, being able to share all your hard work. She also enjoys meeting with the customers and talking to them about the wine.

The tasting room is housed in the farmhouse along with the Century Kitchen restaurant.  Brenda describes the restaurant as a casual fine dining experience. Her philosophy is come for the wine tasting stay for a meal.

Brenda recommends the Viognier. Brenda finds the Viognier easier to grow; it seems to do well on their site. It is their most popular white. This stainless steel aged white is an award winner with the taste of peach and apricot.

Brenda notes that the Chambourcin is very well received. It surprises many customers. It is what Brenda calls “an east coast wine“. It might be unfamiliar to customers whose experience is with west coast wines.

If you like red wine, you’ll love the Chambourcin. It is a fruity red with a medium body; it is a spicy red that pairs well with steak and Italian food. Brenda even enjoys it with pizza.

Tour groups are welcome and Flint Hill has a wonderful banquet room that easily holds 100 people for weddings and other events.

While the restaurant is normally open Friday and Saturday only, it will be open Sunday February 14th in honor of Valentines Day. Brenda expects the chef to create a tasty dessert to complete the meal.

Flint Hill is proud to be a member of the Yadkin River Wine Trail. This year, in May through September the five wineries on the trail will each take a turn hosting a wine festival. Once a month the host winery will welcome four other wineries from the wine trail to their grounds. Come for a day filled with wine, music and food.