Childress Vineyards: The Gateway to the Yadkin Valley
When NASCAR team owner Richard Childress opened Childress Vineyards in Lexington, North Carolina in 2004, he was fulfilling a dream that started years earlier, visiting California wineries with friends between races. He looked at land in California and New York before choosing farmland in Lexington — less than five miles from his Richard Childress Racing shop, and positioned as the gateway to the Yadkin Valley AVA, North Carolina’s first federally designated grape-growing region.
Today it is one of the most impressive winery estates in the state, and one of the most popular stops on our Yadkin Valley wine tours. The tasting room has been voted one of the “Top 25 Tasting Rooms in America” by Wine Enthusiast magazine.
The Wines of Childress Vineyards
Childress farms more than 70 acres of vineyards across two sites — Richard’s Hampton Road Estate in Davidson County and Vineyard Crossing at the winery itself — growing 15 varieties of European Vitis vinifera. The humid climate, long growing season, and gravelly red clay soil support a portfolio of more than 30 wines, spanning everything from approachable sweet whites to serious dry reds.
That range is deliberate: there is something here for the first-time taster and for the collector. And the results speak for themselves — Childress has taken home over 750 medals since opening, including Double Gold, Concordance Gold, Best of Show, and multiple NC Governor’s Cup awards.
Planning Your Visit
Address: 1000 Childress Vineyards Rd., Lexington, NC 27295
Tasting Room & Gift Shop: Daily, 10am – 5pm
The Bistro: Lunch Monday–Friday 11am – 3pm, Saturday–Sunday 10am – 4pm
Childress offers several tasting experiences, so it is worth deciding in advance which one fits your group:
- Champion Tasting — a walk-in guided tasting in the Tasting Room, about 20–25 minutes. First-come, first-served, offered daily 10am–4:30pm.
- Luxe Tasting — a seated tasting of elevated and limited-release wines in the Victory Lounge, roughly 45 minutes to an hour. Booking recommended.
- A Taste of Childress — an intimate tasting and tapas pairing in the Barrel Cave, offered Saturdays.
- Winery Tour — a guided walk through the production facility, with tour times typically at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
- Wine Flights — a relaxed, self-guided sampling, great alongside light bites.
A few practical notes we have learned from bringing groups here: weekend dining at The Bistro requires reservations Friday through Sunday, and reservations are strongly recommended on weekdays too. The seated experiences fill up, so book them before your tour date rather than on arrival. And because the grounds, gift shop, terrace, and back lawn are genuinely worth lingering over, we recommend budgeting at least two hours here — more if you are eating lunch.
Where Childress Fits in Your Tour Route
Childress sits at the eastern edge of the Yadkin Valley, which makes it a natural first or last stop depending on where your group is staying. Coming down from the High Country, we usually start with the furthest winery and work back toward home — and we always build in enough time that nobody feels rushed out of a tasting.
Plan on roughly 1.5 hours per winery plus drive time. Most Yadkin Valley tasting rooms open at 11am (a few at noon), while Childress opens at 10am, so it can absorb an early start better than most.
Wine Tour Transportation to Childress Vineyards
Ashe County Livery provides private, chauffeured wine tour transportation to Childress Vineyards from Ashe County, Boone, Blowing Rock, West Jefferson and across NC’s High Country. Our Childress Vineyards trip-planning page covers drive times, tasting-room hours, group sizes and pricing.
Travel in a luxury SUV, sedan, or Sprinter van with a professional chauffeur — everyone in your group gets to taste, nobody has to drive. We only charge from pickup to your last drop-off, and every tour includes a complimentary cooler with ice and water. Plan your Childress Vineyards tour or call (336) 484-1350.
Nearby wineries we also serve: Junius Lindsay Vineyard · Weathervane Winery · Native Vines Winery — or browse all 54 Yadkin Valley wineries we provide transportation to.
Explore More from Ashe County Livery
- Yadkin Valley Wine Tours — Explore NC’s premier wine region
- High Country Wine Tours — Mountain winery service
- Wedding Transportation — Luxury transportation for your big day
- Airport Transfers — CLT, AVL, GSO & TRI
- Request a free quote — or call (336) 484-1350
🍷 Planning a Wine Tour in the NC High Country?
Ashe County Livery offers private, luxury wine tour transportation throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains. Skip the driving and let our professional chauffeurs take you from winery to winery in comfort and style.
Serving Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, Boone, and all NC High Country destinations • (336) 484-1350
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