Elkin Creek Vineyards: From Grist Mill to Wine Country Landmark
Mark Greene and his wife established Elkin Creek Vineyard in 2001, after purchasing the site of a historic grist mill built in 1896, set at the spot where two creeks join to form Big Elkin Creek. Mark built the winery and restaurant with help from a few friends and his five children — a true labor of love from the start. The winery bottled its first vintage in the fall of 2005.
In 2011, the property passed to two couples who found each other through an unlikely connection: Nick and Jennifer White and Louis and Carrie Jeroslow all worked for the theatrical show Blue Man Group before taking over the vineyard. The Whites had actually married at Elkin Creek back in 2008, and years later, over countless sushi dinners in Las Vegas, the two couples discovered a shared vision for a place built around great wine, good food and quiet natural beauty. When Mark Greene was ready to move on, he chose them to carry the property forward. Today Nick runs the kitchen and grounds, Jennifer coordinates weddings and events, Carrie manages the cabins and books and officiates weddings, and Louis makes the wine and champions the Yadkin Valley AVA.
The Wines of Elkin Creek Vineyards
The estate’s four acres of vines grow Merlot, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, crafted into wines in generally European-inspired styles priced from about $20 to $36 a bottle. The Chardonel is made in a Burgundy style with a touch of French oak for mid-palate structure, while the Chardonnay follows a French Chablis approach — fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel for a lighter, crisper wine. A Niagara-grape Soft White and a Sangiovese round out a lineup that tends to sell through and rotate by vintage and season, so it’s worth calling ahead if you have a particular bottle in mind.
Planning Your Visit
Address: 318 Elkin Creek Mill Road, Elkin, NC 28621
Tasting Room Hours: Thursdays & Fridays 2pm – 5pm, Saturdays & Sundays 12pm – 5pm
Every Sunday, Elkin Creek fires up its wood-fired brick oven for made-to-order pizzas — hand-made dough, hand-crafted pies, but only 30 made each week, so reservations (with your full order emailed ahead of time) are required; a few walk-in pizzas are occasionally available. While you wait, enjoy a wine tasting or walk the grounds. Beyond pizza night, the property also hosts wine release and food-pairing dinners with guest chefs throughout the year, and Southern Living once called the kitchen “the best in the valley.”
If your group wants to stay overnight, Elkin Creek has four intimate, creek-side cabins tucked in the woods a short walk from the historic mill, waterfall and vineyard — each with a full kitchen, stone fireplace, soaking tub and private porch. A few practical notes we have learned from bringing groups here: because the tasting room only runs limited afternoon hours Thursday through Sunday, build your visit around those windows, and if Sunday pizza is part of the plan, reserve it well in advance since it sells out. We recommend budgeting at least two hours here given the grounds, the mill, and the creek walk are all worth the time.
Where Elkin Creek Fits in Your Tour Route
Elkin Creek sits in the town of Elkin, about an hour north of Charlotte and only twenty minutes from the Virginia border — putting it near several other Surry County-area wineries, including Carolina Heritage Vineyard & Winery right in Elkin, Grassy Creek Vineyard just up the road in State Road, and Stony Knoll Vineyards in nearby Dobson.
Plan on roughly 1.5 hours per winery plus drive time. Because Elkin Creek’s tasting room hours are limited to afternoons Thursday through Sunday, it works well as an anchor stop for a Surry County-focused day rather than an early-morning first stop.
Wine Tour Transportation to Elkin Creek Vineyards
Ashe County Livery provides private, chauffeured wine tour transportation to Elkin Creek Vineyards from Ashe County, Boone, Blowing Rock, West Jefferson and across NC’s High Country. Our Elkin Creek 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 Elkin Creek Vineyards tour or call (336) 484-1350.
Nearby wineries we also serve: Carolina Heritage Vineyard & Winery · Grassy Creek Vineyard · Stony Knoll Vineyards — 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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