Allison Oaks opens in Yadkinville

Allison Oaks Vineyard has a new home in Yadkinville. Opening on Saturday, Owners Gene and Pam Reneger have converted a historic building that has had several lives. The downtown Yadkin address has been a mill, roller skating rink and even furniture business.

"Every year it was something else," Reneger said of his recent purchase. The Allison Oaks vineyard is located at the old Yadkin airstrip land where six acres are planted in grapes.

The original plan was to build or renovate a structure at the airstrip but with repeated setbacks and the Yadkinville storefront available the Renegers moved in.

"The town has been behind us 100 percent," Reneger said, describing the support from their Yadkin community. "The surrounding area hasn't had any complaints either. Everything's kosher." With a county alcohol one of the major issues coming up for vote this year, Reneger said that he didn't feel any animosity toward his vineyard or tasting room

Their family has a long history of living in Yadkin County, tracing their roots back to the late 1800s. Family is important with both daughter Beth Allison, for which the vineyard was named and a son Drew who helps out with the wine endeavor.

"The Allison came from my daughter's name and the Oaks from the oak trees that grow around the airstrip," Reneger said. As for the grape growing, Gene Reneger is one of the many new vineyard owners who took courses at Surry Community College and are opening this year.

Reneger works as the Allison Oaks viticulturist, tending the vines that he planted in 2000. Eleven varietals share space with the oak trees along the airstrip land. Prior to viticulture, Reneger has worked in supplying irrigation for residential, commercial and agricultural needs.

The seven wines that Allison Oaks offers are made by Mark Terry of Westbend Vineyard in Lewsiville, although the new tasting room is large enough to have given Gene and Pam the idea to someday having a fruit winery downstairs. Other plans include a potential dining hall space and restaurant.

"The place just keeps getting bigger," Pam Reneger said, giving tours to those who asked. A special distinction on the tour is the tasting bar itself. Converted from an old seed bin the bar was given a new identity just like the building gone tasting room.

Allison Oaks is working together with five other vineyards to give an even larger tour of the appropriately named North Carolina Wine Experience. Customers will be given a tally card that they can bring with them to any of the five participating wineries for a stamp. Collect all five, Reneger explained, and you get a Wine Experience t-shirt. The other vineyards that are participating with Allison Oaks include Childress, RagApple Lassie, RayLen and Westbend.

Reneger is also excited about a possible "pass the cork" idea that would have visitors trading corks from winery to winery for special tasting. The winery will be open Tuesdays through Sundays with varying hours spanning noon to 6 p.m. Wines available for tasting include an un-oaked Chardonnay, an Orchard White blend, Allies Choice dessert wine, a Zin blush and on the red list, a Merlot and Proprietor's Blend.

The ice-wine is available but was made in smaller quantity due to the freezing process that yields a sweeter, stronger wine.