Golden Road Vineyards: From D.C. Consultants to Yadkin Valley Winemakers
Chad and Crista Guebert were working in IT consulting in the Washington, D.C. area when a child on the way convinced them it was time to leave city life behind. Towns like Blacksburg, Virginia and Charleston, South Carolina were on their radar — but a growing love of winemaking pulled them toward North Carolina’s Yadkin Valley instead. In 2017 they purchased the 25-acre property on Golden Road, just outside State Road, and by 2018 had taken over vineyard management themselves.
The site had actually been planted years earlier — the 25-acre parcel was acquired back in March 2010 by an earlier owner and is located about eight miles north of Elkin, just east of U.S. 21 and roughly five miles west of Interstate 77. Under the Gueberts, what started as a plan to simply grow and sell grapes to other wineries evolved into a full winery: in 2018 they kept their red grapes and had a local winery produce their first vintage, then opened their own tasting room the following year.
The Wines of Golden Road
Golden Road farms 5 acres of grapevines on its 25-acre hillside site in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, within the Yadkin Valley AVA. The lineup includes Cabernet Franc, Tannat, a rosé called Mountain Park Sunset, and a red blend called Go with the Flo — alongside other estate and sourced selections that rotate seasonally. The winery has built a reputation locally for approachable, well-made wines paired with a laid-back, sunset-watching atmosphere and frequent live music.
Because Chad and Crista came to winemaking as consultants-turned-farmers rather than lifelong vintners, the operation still carries a hands-on, figure-it-out-together feel: the couple worked directly with a nearby winery to produce their first vintages before eventually building out their own production, and they remain closely involved in the day-to-day running of the tasting room and vineyard rather than stepping back into a purely ownership role. It is the kind of small-scale, family-run operation where the people pouring your wine are often the same people who grew and made it.
Planning Your Visit
Address: 119 Wine Way, State Road, NC 28676
Phone: (336) 466-7264
Tasting Room Hours: Friday 2–7pm, Saturday 12–8:30pm, Sunday 12–6pm
Golden Road’s tasting room has a warm, wood-accented feel with an outdoor tasting area built around multiple fire pits — a setting that plays especially well at golden hour, which is very much the point of the name:
- Tasting Flights — sample the current wine and beer menu at your own pace in the tasting room or out on the patio.
- Live Music — Golden Road hosts frequent live music sets; Saturdays in particular tend to run later into the evening given the extended hours.
- Food Trucks — rotating food trucks are a regular fixture, so you can turn a tasting into a full afternoon or evening without leaving the property.
A few practical notes we’ve learned from bringing groups here: this is a pet- and family-friendly property with plenty of open space around the fire pits, and Saturday’s extended hours (running until 8:30pm) make it a good anchor for a later-afternoon stop on your route. We recommend budgeting at least 90 minutes to two hours, longer if live music or a food truck is scheduled.
Where Golden Road Fits in Your Tour Route
Golden Road sits north of Elkin in the State Road community, putting it within easy reach of the cluster of wineries in and around Elkin itself — a natural pairing given the short drive between them. Coming down from the High Country, this makes a good first or second stop before working south and east through the rest of the valley.
Plan on roughly 1.5 hours per winery plus drive time. Because Golden Road doesn’t open until early-to-mid afternoon most days, it pairs especially well as an evening stop after an earlier tasting elsewhere in the Elkin area, and its later Saturday hours mean a route that starts elsewhere in the morning can still end here with plenty of daylight, or twilight, left to enjoy.
Groups that want a longer day can also work Golden Road into a loop that starts near Elkin, moves north through the State Road area, and finishes back toward the interstate — keeping backtracking to a minimum while still hitting three or four tasting rooms.
Wine Tour Transportation to Golden Road Vineyards
Ashe County Livery provides private, chauffeured wine tour transportation to Golden Road Vineyards from Ashe County, Boone, Blowing Rock, West Jefferson and across NC’s High Country. Our Golden Road 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 Golden Road Vineyards tour or call (336) 484-1350.
Nearby wineries we also serve: Elkin Creek Vineyards · Carolina Heritage Vineyard & Winery · Slightly Askew 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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