Walking into the tasting room you immediately notice the huge wooden support beam in the center of the room. There is an intricate carving that really gives it some character. The large exposed beams in the vaulted ceiling have a rugged quality about them with the rest of the dining area and tasting bar bringing the refinement.
The owner was fun and full of southern hospitality. We immediately began chatting about the area and our itinerary for the day. We had planned to do dinner at Twenty One and Main but found out that they were closed that night because they were doing a special wine & dinner pairing at Elkin Creek. The owner told us that he would call and see if he could get us a seat. He then said he was planning on attending the dinner but if there wasn’t a seat we could have his reservation. Now that’s doing everything you can to please a customer.
Now onto the wine... Traci and I shared a tasting. Sharing has 2 benefits: it helps limit alcohol consumption while driving to vineyards and you usually save enough money on tasting fees to buy a couple of bottles.
Traci really enjoyed the Soft white , it's made with the Niagara grape, it was smooth and crisp and not too sweet. She likes to call it a “hot tub wine” because it would be great chilled while in the hot tub. It was one of the better Niagara's I've tried because the sugar was limited and it didn't overshadow the fruit. I also think it would pair well with some spicy Thai food. Though the real surprise for me here was the Family Reserve Red. Now don’t get me wrong, I love touring around VA and NC wineries, but generally my expectations aren't too high for red wines. I must have been wearing my thoughts on my face because after my first taste the owner said “don’t look so surprised”. He definitely caught me; I really wasn’t expecting it to be that good. The blend of Merlot, Syrah and Viognier had bold flavors but a smooth subtle lingering finish. I was really, really tempted to by a bottle. But at $27 I couldn’t help but start thinking about all the Cali Zins and Cabs I could get near that $30 price point. Funny how the brain works, at $22 it would probably be in my cellar right now. I ended up deferring to Traci and we came away with a bottle of the Soft White.
After leaving the tasting we explored the grounds a little. There is a gorgeous creek out back with a camp fire site with wooden swings built around it. They also have an area where they host weddings. The most fun outside had to be the chickens though. There were two wild looking ones that appeared to have “fancy hair” and one hilarious fat one who waddled when he ran. I’m still wishing I had “tubby” on video, I just wasn’t fast enough with the camera :)Definitely put Elkin Creek on your list if you touring the area, a solid line up of wines from top to bottom, beautiful scenery and genuine hospitality.
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