Today we’d like to introduce you to Diana Jones. She shared the story behind Jones von Drehle with us below.
Jones von Drehle is a family-owned vineyard and winery that sits on the south-facing slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Thurmond, NC in the Yadkin Valley AVA. My husband Chuck, myself, my sister Ronnie and her husband Raymond von Drehle are the owners. We all grew up in NC, but Chuck and I have lived around the country. We spent four years in the San Francisco Bay area in the mid-’80s, which is where our interest and developing love of the wine industry took hold. In 2007, after years of study and research, we decided to move back to NC and become part of this growing industry. As an estate winery using only grapes from our vineyard, we did significant research looking for the perfect site to plant our 30-acre vineyard. Great wines begin in the vineyard, so the location for an estate winery is of utmost importance. Our site contained all of the aspects that help produce beautiful fruit; elevation, slope, rocky soils, south-facing, sunlight, and wind from Roaring Gap. We purchased the property that was previously pastureland with cows grazing on the slopes and planted our 30-acre vineyard in 2009. (After moving the cows, of course). Our grand opening was in May of 2014, and since that time, our wines have been awarded numerous awards in national, international, regional, and state competitions. Our greatest satisfaction is knowing that our wines grace the tables of our friends, families, wine club members, and guests for not only many of life’s special moments but also for every day. We love the community and the connections that are being created here at Jones von Drehle through great wines, wonderful food, and exceptional music.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
A vineyard is a farm. Farming is never easy. There are a lot of things that we can’t control. Weather is certainly a challenge year to year as it is quite variable. 2019 was a beautiful weather year, but some years bring more rain than we need. That is why the site is so important. The wind blowing off of the mountain both dries the fruit in the humidity or after a rain storm, but it also cools the fruit down at night. The slope of our vineyard is also a significant help in preventing water from pooling in the vineyard. Grapes like the hills. Disease pressure and pests can also be a challenge. We have placed Bluebird boxes around the entire vineyard to assist us with insect control and to deter other birds. We also have larger barn owl boxes and encourage hawks to assist us with smaller animals that love grapes.
We are a little farther out than most. A few years ago, Chuck, our managing partner, sent a newsletter to our wine club. One of the paragraphs was called the inconvenient grape. We know it takes a little longer to come visit with us. We are not next to a major interstate or city, but as an estate winery, the grapes needed to be planted in the best possible site as great wine comes from great fruit.
We self-distribute our wines, and I call\ on restaurants to sample our wines and encourage them to carry some on their wine list. Sometimes, there is bias about NC wines that is hard to overcome. But there are also other restaurants in our state that have truly embraced local products and welcome the opportunity to carry a quality NC estate wine for their guests.
Another challenge is helping people understand that beautiful, fine wines are being produced in unexpected wine regions around the world; why not NC. North Carolina has not been known as a fine wine state, but there are great wines coming from the vineyards in the Yadkin Valley and other parts of NC. So, as a state and wine region, we continue to work hard to promote NC wines not only in our state but around the country.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
Jones von Drehle is known for estate classic French-style wines. We grow the Bordeaux varietals and other French grapes on our 30-acre vineyard. We welcome all visitors and guests and love sharing our story and wines with them. I personally love watching people as they sit on the patio that overlooks our 30-acre vineyard and amphitheater, enjoy a bottle of wine, listen to beautiful music, and see their shoulders relax as they enjoy the wonder of our area.
We enjoy spending time with all of our guests, whether they come with much wine knowledge or are just beginning the journey.
In 2022, we opened our outdoor amphitheater and concert stage and now host regional and national artists from across the country.
We offer wine and food pairing events and bring some of North Carolina’s finest chefs to “Chloe Hall.” Our event space to share their amazing foods with our guests and wine club members.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
It’s not enough to believe in your dream. You have to be willing to put in a tremendous amount of hard work to fulfill that dream and vision. It’s a lot harder than it looks!
Pricing:
- Tasting Fees $20/person
- Reserve Room Tasting $35/person
- Concerts $37.50
- Wines $26-$42/bottle
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jonesvondrele.com
- Instagram: jonesvondrehle
- Facebook: Jones von Drehle Vineyards and Winery
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-jones-200a89a0/
- Twitter: @jonesvondrehle
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQGsHBi-xbLzbk44S9Mq1-eXDv3IElOIP
