By Karen Martin
Staff reporter
kamartin@elkintribune.com


The aroma of mulled wine filled the senses as hors d'oeuvres tickled the palette with the promise of an enjoyable Saturday afternoon spent with Matthew and Ann Mayberry at Brushy Mountain Winery, 125 W. Main St. downtown Elkin on Dec. 13. The winery hosted a Christmas party for friends, Christmas shoppers and wine connoisseurs.

"I love this place," Sandra Draughen of Elkin said. "We had my mother's 70th birthday party here and it was wonderful."

Draughen was in the winery Saturday with a friend, Mike Gallagher of Wilkes County, who had never visited the winery before.

"I love their blackberry wine and the boysenberry is so good," Draughen said.

The winery is located in a building that was used by Ann Mayberry's grandmother for canning jams and jelly's. The original label used by her grandmother was recreated for one of the Brushy Mountain wines.

"This is the best winery owned by the nicest people in the world," Maggie Rogers of Spruce Pines said. "They were my neighbors in Winter Park, Fla. before they moved here and we are good friends. I come by every time I come to North Carolina. They are very caring people and so talented."

Others also had praise.

"This is the greatest shop in downtown, it's so darling and cozy," Johnnie Waters said.

The winery's atmosphere is warm and inviting and the Mayberry's love for people to drop in, enjoy a glass of wine and talk. The shop offers an array of wine associated gifts perfect for the wine lover's Christmas gift.

The Mayberry's are offering a Christmas special promotion on the sale of the wines. If you purchase a case, you may choose an extra bottle of the same wine, a T-shirt or a free blackberry wine poster.

"Everything is off a little, (in sales), right now. First it was the rising gas costs, then the stock market and now the overall economy," Matthew Mayberry said. "We won't know how it has affected us until the end of the year, but so far, I think we have done very well."

"Most of our customers are from out of town with many from out of state," Ann Mayberry said. "We have shoppers from Georgia, Florida, California, Virginia on every page of our guest book. About one person on each page is from Elkin. (The book has spaces for six registers on each page.) Our last customer came in because he picked up a copy of the wine guide at the Welcome Center coming from Virginia. I love that there are venues that support the NC Wine Industry."

Brushy Mountain Winery has three dry red wines available now. A Merlot, Bugaboo Creek and Red Bud Ridge, the first premium wine they have offered.

"The wine, (Red Bud Ridge) has good character and body and its the best red wine made in the Yadkin Valley," Mayberry said.

The winery's signature wine is the blackberry which is in its third vintage. It is a sweet wine with a dry finish whose base is a rose' made from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling. Natural blackberry is then added to create a unique wine for Brushy Mountain.

"We only have a few cases of our Boysenberry left at this time," Matthew Mayberry said. "We will not be bottling the Boysenberry, Chardonnay or the Merlot this year. Instead we will increase the production of Red Bud Ridge and will release Appalachia Spring on the Saturday that falls closest to the first day of Spring, 2009"

On Jan. 17, 2009, Brushy Mountain Winery will release the third vintage of Booger Swamp, the white blend that is called the 'social sipper' that has a sweet finish. The release will be in conjunction of the celebration of Matthew Mayberry's eightieth birthday. Booger Swamp is the winery's number one seller. Mayberry's birthday is actually Jan. 14, but he wants to celebrate with friends and customers in the shop on the 17th.

On Feb. 14, 2009, the third vintage of the raspberry wine, the winery's second best seller will be released. The Mayberry's are hoping for additional available cases this year. The bottle will be a long-neck white bottle. The wine has a Chardonnay base and the raspberries turn the wine a deep pink.

The winery is available for small parties of up to 40 guests.

"Small get-togethers can enjoy wine and cheese or customers can stop for a glass of wine before heading off for dinner at 21 & Main or The Kitchen at Elkin Creek," Matthew said.

The Mayberry's have recently hired Jason Wiseman as their full-time winemaker. Previously, Jason helped with the Brushy Mountain wines.

More information about Brushy Mountain Winery and the shop hours can be found on their website Brushymountainwine.com or by calling 336-835-1313.