Deep Creek Winery | Ashe County Livery

Deep Creek Winery sits on a quiet dirt drive off Galbraith Creek Road outside Bryson City, NC — deep in Swain County near the boundary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a good three-hour drive from Boone. Owners Robert and Heather Acton converted an old barn into a working tasting room, fermentation room and finishing room, and the winery has built a small but devoted following for wine made from imported grapes in a genuinely off-the-beaten-path setting. It’s a destination for people who want their wine tasting paired with mountain creeks and long-range views rather than a polished event venue.

A Barn, a Physical Therapy Assistant, and a Decade of Homemade Wine

Robert Acton had been making wine at home for close to a decade — starting with a wine kit and later apprenticing under a professional winemaker — before he and his wife Heather turned that hobby into a business. The couple met in May 2014, and according to their own account, Heather (who had been working as a physical therapy assistant and wanted a change) partnered with Robert to launch Deep Creek Winery. They bought a piece of property above their home off Galbraith Creek Road and retrofitted an old barn, with wooden planks from the horse stalls left on the walls as a nod to the building’s former life. The winery was established in 2015 and opened its tasting room to the public in 2016, after running for a period as a wholesale operation that supplied grocery stores and wine shops across the region. (Sources: Deep Creek Winery’s own “Our Story” page; Smoky Mountain News, “Recipe for success: Mixing women and wine always a good idea,” October 2017; Wine Carolinas blog visit account.)

What to Taste

Deep Creek is a winery, not a vineyard — there are no grapevines on the property. Robert imports grape juice from growers around the world (accounts have mentioned California among the sources) and handles the actual winemaking in small batches on site, which the winery says helps keep flavor and aroma consistent from batch to batch. The list runs from dry reds to sweet whites, with flights historically built around five tastes at a time so you can move from sweet to dry in one sitting. A rotating “wine of the month” has featured things like an orange-infused sangria and Viognier/Pinot Gris blends. Wine is sold by the glass, by the bottle, or by the case, and cheese and charcuterie boards have been available to pair with a tasting. (Source: Deep Creek Winery’s own site — wines and home pages.)

The Setting

The tasting room is the converted barn itself, with a handcrafted bar at the entrance and expansive mountain views from the property — reviewers have described the sound of rain on the metal roof as part of the charm rather than a nuisance. It’s genuinely rural: getting there involves following signs down Galbraith Creek Road, onto Stone Pile Road, and up a dirt drive to the barn. Deep Creek does not take reservations — you show up during posted hours and get seated with table service. Because of the informal, working-farm nature of the property, the winery has stated it cannot accommodate pets or children, and everyone in the tasting room must be 21 or older. (Sources: Deep Creek Winery’s own “the winery” and contact pages.)

What Else Is Nearby

Bryson City is a genuine gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park: the Deep Creek section of the park (a different “Deep Creek” than the winery’s namesake creek nearby) is a few miles from downtown and known for three easy-to-reach waterfalls on a roughly 2.4-mile loop trail. The town is also home to the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, which runs scenic excursions along the Tuckasegee and Nantahala rivers. Given how far this trip is from the High Country, pairing the winery with a stop at the waterfalls, a train excursion, or lunch in downtown Bryson City makes the drive feel worth it rather than a single-purpose errand. (Sources: Great Smoky Mountains National Park Service — Deep Creek area page; Great Smoky Mountains Railroad.)

Planning Your Visit

Be clear-eyed about the distance: Bryson City is roughly three hours from Boone by car, making Deep Creek Winery a genuine full-day trip, not a quick afternoon stop. Because the winery is far from any other High Country wine tour stop, most groups treat a visit here as the centerpiece of the day, paired with Great Smoky Mountains National Park sightseeing or the Bryson City railroad rather than another winery. The site’s own website has recently flagged that the owners are moving toward retirement and the property has been listed for sale as a turnkey business, so hours, availability and even ownership could change — call ahead before you build a whole day around this stop, and don’t assume current hours (posted as Wednesday–Saturday, 1–6 p.m.) will still be accurate by the time you visit. No pets or children are permitted inside, and reservations aren’t taken — just show up during open hours.

Wine Tour Transportation to Deep Creek Winery

Ashe County Livery offers private, chauffeured wine tour transportation to Deep Creek Winery from Boone, Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, West Jefferson and across NC’s High Country. Our Deep Creek 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 Deep Creek Winery tour or call (336) 484-1350.

Other High Country wineries we serve: Black Mountain Cider & Mead · Bold Rock Cidery · Botanist and Barrel Tasting Bar + Bottle Shop — 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.

Explore High Country Wine Tours → Book Now

Serving Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, Boone, and all NC High Country destinations • (336) 484-1350