Eagles Nest Winery sits inside the gated Eagles Nest community above Elk Park, North Carolina, at roughly 4,000 feet of elevation on Old Beech Mountain Road. It opened its doors in late September 2020, and what makes it worth the drive is the contrast: a rustically elegant converted barn perched on a ridgeline, pouring California-style wines a few switchbacks above the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor. You will not find estate-grown Appalachian grapes here — the winery ships premium juice and grapes in from California in first-use barrels, then blends and bottles everything on-site — but the setting, the views, and the food menu make it one of the more polished tasting-room experiences in Avery County.
From a Neighborhood Idea to a Working Winery
Eagles Nest is a private mountain community built around outdoor recreation — ATV trails, hiking, a fitness center — and the winery grew out of that same instinct to give residents something to do close to home. According to the community’s own account, winemaker Jeff and his team started distilling, blending, and bottling wine using imported West Coast grapes and juice, aiming for Napa Valley quality without leaving the High Country. The winery is home to a variety of ever-evolving reds and whites, including a couple of cabernet variations, a pinot noir, a sauvignon blanc, and a chardonnay, and the lineup keeps shifting as new blends are introduced. Dean Williamson, who fell for the property on his first visit in 2020, has continued that direction, with an emphasis on award-recognized blends and a growing sense of community among regulars.
What to Taste and Eat
A day pass for non-members runs $25 per person and includes a tasting, or $10 off a bottle if you would rather skip straight to a favorite. The kitchen turns out chef-prepared dishes built around the wine list — wood-fired pizzas (the hot peppers and hot honey combination gets called out often in reviews), charcuterie boards, salads, and seasonal desserts. If you cannot make it in person, the restaurant will take to-go orders by phone. This is a tasting room built for lingering over a full afternoon rather than a five-minute pour-and-go.
The Setting
The barn itself has a grand fireplace for cooler evenings, custom wood tables for groups, and nine separate outdoor areas with fire pits and mountain views, all just past the community’s North Pavilion near the highest point of Eagles Nest. Live music runs Friday evenings from 7 to 10 p.m., with Saturday afternoon sets in summer. Because the winery sits inside a gated residential neighborhood rather than along a public highway, first-time visitors should expect a bit more navigating than a standard roadside tasting room — part of why a driver who already knows the gate and the road is genuinely useful here.
Good to Know Before You Go
The winery is generally open Thursday through Sunday, closed Monday through Wednesday, with evening hours Thursday and Friday and earlier openings on the weekend. It skews adult: children are welcome only on Saturdays from November through May and on Sundays year-round, with the space otherwise restricted to guests 16 and older. Hours, pricing, and the age policy can all shift with the season, so confirm directly with the winery before you plan a visit.
Nearby and Worth Combining
Elk Park sits close to several other Avery County pours, which makes it easy to build a half-day loop rather than a single stop. Archaic Alcohols’ meadery in nearby Banner Elk and Linville Falls Winery’s vineyard south toward Newland both pair naturally with an Eagles Nest visit, and if you want to push a little farther into Mitchell County, Little Switzerland Orchard and Winery adds a completely different, off-the-grid farm vibe to the day.
Planning the Trip from Boone or Banner Elk
Eagles Nest is roughly a 30 to 40 minute drive from Boone and closer to 15 to 20 minutes from Banner Elk, depending on traffic through Elk Park, though the last stretch inside the gated community adds a few extra minutes of careful driving on narrow roads. Groups of any size beyond two or three do better with a private vehicle: gate check-in is smoother when a driver who knows the property handles the details, nobody has to track who is pouring what, and the ridge-top roads are far more relaxing to ride than to navigate after a few tastings.
Wine Tour Transportation to Eagles Nest Winery
Ashe County Livery offers private, chauffeured wine tour transportation to Eagles Nest Winery from Boone, Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, West Jefferson and across NC’s High Country. Our Eagles Nest Winery 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 Eagles Nest Winery tour or call (336) 484-1350.
Other High Country wineries we serve: Archaic Alcohols · Linville Falls Winery · Little Switzerland Orchard and Winery — 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
- Yadkin Valley Wine Tours — Explore NC’s premier wine region
- Wine Loop Shuttle — Hop-on hop-off winery tours
- Wedding Transportation — Luxury shuttles for your big day
- Wedding venues we serve — 40+ High Country venues
- Airport Shuttle Service — CLT, AVL, GSO & TRI transfers
- 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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