Burntshirt Vineyards sits on Sugarloaf Road just outside Hendersonville, NC, on a working vineyard that grows every grape in its own wine — no purchased fruit, no shortcuts. The name comes from local legend: workers clearing land on Burntshirt Mountain reportedly tossed their shirts into a fire for good luck before the fields yielded a strong harvest, and the story stuck to the mountain and, eventually, the winery. It’s a genuinely different kind of NC wine stop — high elevation, estate-only grapes, and a production history that goes back to the mid-2000s.
How It Started
According to Burntshirt’s own account of its history, owners Lemuel and Sandra Oates recognized the quality of the fruit growing on their land and decided to move from growing grapes to producing their own estate wines. The Hendersonville vineyard was initially planted starting in 2009, the vines matured for a few years, and the first harvest came in 2011, per contemporary local news coverage. The winery built a dedicated, state-of-the-art wine production facility on the Sugarloaf Road property that opened in September 2013, allowing Burntshirt to make all of its wine minutes from where the grapes are grown.
What to Taste
Burntshirt grows its grapes across two vineyard sites at different elevations — one near 2,200 feet and a second, higher site on Burntshirt Mountain at roughly 3,400 feet, among the highest-elevation vineyards on the East Coast. That elevation split lets them grow both red Bordeaux varietals and white and hybrid varieties, including Gruner Veltliner, an Austrian white grape that’s uncommon in the United States. The wines have picked up recognition over the years: Burntshirt’s Gruner Veltliner and a Merlot medaled in the 2012 International Women’s Wine Competition, and the winery has continued entering and placing in wine competitions in the years since, according to its own site and local press coverage. Ask in the tasting room about what’s currently pouring — an apple wine has also been called out by regional tourism write-ups as worth trying.
The Setting
The Hendersonville property is a full vineyard-and-winery experience: a tasting room, an on-site restaurant (the Vintner’s Table), a vineyard you can walk through, a meadow for picnicking, a private gazebo, and a barn used for photos and small events. Burntshirt’s site describes free vineyard tours offered daily. The property backs up against Burntshirt Mountain to the south and sits near Chimney Rock to the east, with a natural spring-fed pond and wildlife including wild turkey, deer and the occasional bear sharing the land, per the winery’s own description. Live music is a regular fixture, and the winery runs an events calendar for its Hendersonville location separately from its now-closed Chimney Rock outpost.
Note: Burntshirt also operated a Tasting Room & Bistro location in Chimney Rock Village, but that location remains closed as of mid-2026 due to building and infrastructure damage from Hurricane Helene — local reporting from spring 2026 lists it among the last Chimney Rock businesses still working toward reopening. The Hendersonville vineyard and tasting room were not affected and are operating normally.
What Else Is Nearby
Downtown Hendersonville’s Main Street is a short drive from the vineyard and worth pairing with a tasting — it’s a walkable historic downtown known for its public art (the “Bearfootin’” bear sculptures), seasonal festivals like Art on Main, and a strong local restaurant and shop scene. If your group wants a full day, a late-morning tasting at Burntshirt followed by lunch and a wander down Main Street is an easy combination.
Planning Your Visit
Hendersonville sits well south of the High Country proper — plan on roughly two hours from Boone, and similar drive times from Banner Elk or Blowing Rock, mostly via I-40 and I-26. That distance makes Burntshirt a better fit for a full-day trip or an overnight than a quick afternoon stop, especially if you’re pairing it with other Hendersonville-area wineries or Asheville. As with any working vineyard, hours vary by season — Burntshirt’s own site lists tasting room hours that differ between weekdays and weekends and change around major holidays, so confirm current hours directly with the winery before you plan your drive.
Wine Tour Transportation to Burntshirt Vineyards
Ashe County Livery offers private, chauffeured wine tour transportation to Burntshirt Vineyards from Boone, Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, West Jefferson and across NC’s High Country. Our Burntshirt 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. Plan your Burntshirt Vineyards tour or call (336) 484-1350.
Other High Country wineries we serve: Eagles Nest Winery · Fae Nectar · Appalachian Mountain Brewery and Cidery — or browse every High Country winery, cidery and meadery we provide transportation to.
Explore More from Ashe County Livery
- High Country Wine Tours — Mountain winery shuttle service
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- Airport shuttles by town: Boone · Blowing Rock · Banner Elk · West Jefferson · Linville · Beech Mountain
- Ashe County Livery — Premium transportation in NC’s High Country
- 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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