Not having a lot of musical intelligence, I had to look up the word Adagio. The word means to slowly with passion. This can also be used in describing winemaking. Every winey has a certain vibe and the Adagio tasting room is filled with their passion for classical music; violins in particular. Owners Tim and Jan Wahl are both dentists. Tim holds a certificate in winemaking from the University of California at Davis and is a member of the Guild of Sommeliers. Jan is an accomplished classical violinist and has played for 25 years in the Brevard Symphony Orchestra. Not only does she play the violin she also makes them and her art is displayed in the tasting room.
Adagio began in 2006 with the clearing of the property. In 2009 the grapes were planted, followed by a second planting in 2012. A baby vineyard and the winery/tasting room were completed in 2014. Mother Nature always has the final say in farming and vineyards are no different. 2020 was a tough year for North Carolina farmers. Each year new plantings continue to ensure cluster development. It typically takes 3 years for the vines to support grape clusters.
The spacious tasting room is located above the 3000-square-foot underground winery. Building it underground they are able to control temperature and humidity. The building is entirely a smart house. The winery holds 4 stainless steel tanks and oak barrels. There is ample space inside for many people to taste their wine and talk. Outside there is space on the porch or chairs around the fire pit to enjoy a bottle. As you can expect there is always music playing inside and out. Be prepared to experience Southern hospitality at its best when you enter the tasting room. Mandy will invite you in to experience the wine and learn a thing or two. Don’t visit Adagio if you are in a hurry. Mandy led us through our tasting with information and laughter. This is an experience you don’t want to rush. Mandy really knows her wines and is entertaining as well. She interacted with everyone. Once we finished our tasting we also met Bonnie, another tasting room host, and discussed wine and the area in general.
Their tastings include 8-1 oz. pours with ($15) with a logo glass or ($12) without the glass. You can also purchase a wine flight of 4-2 oz pours. Our tasting started with the 2019 Vivace. It is made from the traminette grape in stainless steel. It is a part of the Reisling family with earth on the nose and apricot on the palate. It is a delicate wine I would pair with a light-flavored cheese to start your meal. Our next wine was the 2021 Vivace. I found it more floral than the 2019. It was made like a red (more contact with the skins). It was bold and tart on the end. Next came the 2019 Chardonnay. It spent 16 months in French Oak and was a silver medal winner in the North Carolina Fine Wines Competition. The 2021 Arendel, a hybrid with parentage from Pinot Noir, was the first grown in the Yadkin Valley. It has an earthy aroma with a blueberry and raisin finish. The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon was lovely and lucious. We picked up notes of black currant. The 2020 100% Petit Verdot had just the right amount of tartness and a surprise finish of lavender. This wine would pair well with heavier meats. The Petit Verdot was also a medal winner at the North Carolina Fine Wines Competition. We finished with the 2022 Coda, a semi-sweet traminette. This would be a great wine for sangria. At only 3% sugar it was the perfect ending to our tasting.
All around this winery experience was amazing. From the moment Mandy greeted us we felt like we were spending time with old friends. It has taken us a while to make our way through the Yadkin Valley, but we will definitely be back to Adagio. My only regret is we didn’t get to meet Tim and Jan. We love sitting down with winery owners and talking about their wines. There are many events that take place at Adagio. Duel violin performances are common occurrences, as well as make-and-take art projects. Check out their websiste for updated happenings.
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