The Shallow Ford Wine Trail

The Shallow Ford Wine Trail consists of five wineries in the heart of Yadkin Valley, a short drive from Winston-Salem and only minutes apart. The Wine Trail has Wine and Dine events throughout the year, offering participants a taste of wine with a souvenir wine glass and a dish specially prepared to serve with the wine at each vineyard.

Brian and I hit the Shallow Ford Wine Trail on Friday, October 24, for the Fall Soup, Stew & Chili Wine and Dine event. It was a beautiful fall evening in Yadkin Valley, with the leaves turning colors and a slight chill in the air. We enjoyed the scenery of the area, as we traveled between wineries. We also enjoyed visiting with the owners, while tasting the wonderful wine & food pairings.

We started the evening at Medaloni Cellars Winery & Vineyards, located off Shallowford Road in Lewisville. We have known Joey Medaloni for several years through The Tasting Room in Greensboro. His winery recently joined the Shallow Ford Wine Trail, and we were excited to visit the winery again.

Medaloni Cellars has 22 acres of rolling hills, a beautiful setting to enjoy Merlot and a delicious Chili next to the firepit and an incredible sunset from the patio. Medaloni Cellars would make a wonderful venue for a special event, and they offer a choice of modern-rustic cabins for a Yadkin Valley getaway.

The drive leading to Medaloni Cellars

Our next stop was Allison Oaks Vineyards, owned by Gene and Pam Renegar, in Yadkinville. The tasting room and banquet facility are located in a quaint old building on Main Street across from the Yadkin Cultural Arts Center. Gene is a great cook, and this evening was no exception. They served Italian Sausage and Sweet Potato Chili with DZ – Drew’s Zin.

Allison Oaks on Main St. in Yadkinville

Photo courtesy Gene Renegar, Allison Oaks

Brandon Hills Vineyard, the next winery on the trail, is located about three miles south of Yadkinville. It is a boutique vineyard with a lovely tasting room with wood and stone interior, a copper countertop on the bar, and a 240-gallon saltwater reef tank on the back wall. A wrap-around covered deck overlooks the vineyard. We enjoyed catching up with the owners, David Blackwell, a commercial pilot, and his wife Pam, a nurse anesthetist. In his “free time” David organizes the Wine and Dine events. This time they paired Seafood Gumbo with Barbera. For dessert, we had a chocolate cupcake with one of my favorite wines on the trail – Amoretto Amore, a Barbera and Merlot blend for the base sweetened to 5% with natural amoretto flavor added. – yummy!

Brandon Hills photos courtesy of
David & Pam Blackwell

It was a short drive to Hanover Park Vineyard on Courtney-Huntsville Road in Yadkinville. Michael and Amy Helton, former art teachers, started the vineyard in 1996, after their month-long honey-moon in the south of France inspired them to open a winery in Yadkin Valley. A farmhouse built in 1897 was renovated to serve as a tasting room, including rocking chairs on the front porch. It was nice to talk to Amy as we ate delicious Lamb Stew served with Mourvèdre. We missed seeing Michael that evening, because we enjoy interesting conversations with him when we visit the winery. On one visit in the barrel room, we tasted his latest blends directly from the barrel.

Michael’s Blend is one of Brian’s favorites among the Yadkin Valley wines.
I like their dessert wines, Vin d’Orange, and Early Twilight. We purchased a bottle of the Port Hanover, which we look forward to having after-dinner on a cool evening this fall. Hanover Park can accommodate events in The Gallery for small groups as well as in The Studio, for up to 250 people for special events.

Our last stop was Misty Creek Vineyards, located between Huntsville and Farmington, near the Shallow Ford of the Yadkin River. Barry and Kathy Nichols have a 56-acre estate with a tasting room and large covered patio for events, two homes, and a vineyard. Barry spent 33 years in the aerospace business, mostly at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Kathy has taught school for 37 years. Barry’s mother Marge also helps at the winery, where she displays her paintings and ceramic artwork. They served Hearty Vegetable Soup and Merlot, and I had a taste of Misty Rose, a sweet wine to end the evening.