Slanted Window is the wine brand behind Senamore Vineyard & Farms, a vineyard tucked into the Nantahala Mountains near Franklin, NC, paired with a lively downtown tasting station and restaurant on Harrison Avenue. It’s a two-part experience: a working farm and vineyard for tours, and a full restaurant-and-bar tasting room in town for anyone who just wants a glass, a flatbread, and some live music.
A Farmhouse Window with a View
The winery’s name comes from a literal discovery. In 2011, while restoring an 1878 farmhouse on the property, the owners uncovered a distinctive slanted window on the second-floor porch that had been covered over with siding for years. From behind it, they found a view of the sky and the vineyard below — and built the brand’s whole framing around that idea of “a different perspective,” the same shift in view that winemaking and wine tasting ask of a person. The vineyard itself, Senamore Vineyard & Farms, sits in the Nantahala Mountains near Franklin and is described by the winery as Macon County’s only vineyard that bottles its own wine. (Source: Slanted Window’s own website.)
What to Taste
Slanted Window’s current list includes reds like Tahlequah (blackberry, dark cherry, oak) and Tellico Tuscan, a fruity, full-bodied red with cherry, coffee, vanilla and spice notes that has picked up medals at NC Wine competitions — the winery’s press page cites a silver medal for Tellico Tuscan plus two bronze medals in 2024. Beyond the reds, the list runs to a Sangiovese-based rosé, a Pyment (honey co-fermented with grapes), a Mele Melée made from local red gala and golden crisp apples, and a 100% Chambourcin called Mambo Chambo. Wines are sold in limited quantities at the winery and at the Tasting Station, so availability shifts — check what’s currently pouring before you plan around a specific bottle.
Two Ways to Experience It
The Tasting Station and Restaurant on Harrison Avenue in downtown Franklin is open Wednesday through Sunday, serving wine, beer and bourbon tastings alongside sandwiches, charcuterie boards and flatbreads, with live music Friday and Sunday evenings and occasional special sets on Saturdays. If you want the farm itself, Slanted Window offers a private vineyard tasting and tour by appointment only, with a six-person minimum, priced at $100 per person with a 50% deposit; tours run 2 to 2.5 hours and the winery asks guests to dress for farm conditions with closed-toe shoes. Both experiences are worth knowing about before you go, since they’re in different locations — the restaurant in town, the vineyard tour out at the farm.
What Else Is Nearby
Franklin is known regionally for gem mining, waterfalls including Cullasaja Falls, Dry Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, and hiking access into the surrounding Nantahala National Forest — Southern Living named it among “The 15 Best Things To Do In Franklin, North Carolina” in a September 2024 feature. It’s an easy town to build a full day around beyond the winery itself.
Planning Your Visit
Franklin is roughly 152 miles from Boone, about 3 hours and 33 minutes by car — a legitimate full-day trip rather than a quick jaunt, and one that’s easiest to enjoy without anyone in the group needing to focus on the drive. If your plan includes the vineyard tour specifically, book well ahead since it’s by appointment only with a group minimum; if you’re aiming for the Tasting Station, note it’s closed Monday and Tuesday. Either way, with several hours of driving on both ends of the day, a private vehicle for the whole group means everyone can actually enjoy the tastings, the waterfalls, or the live music without worrying about who’s driving home.
Wine Tour Transportation to Slanted Window Tasting Station-Senamore Vineyard & Farms
Ashe County Livery offers private, chauffeured wine tour transportation to Slanted Window Tasting Station-Senamore Vineyard & Farms from Boone, Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, West Jefferson and across NC’s High Country. Our Slanted Window Tasting Station-Senamore Vineyard & Farms 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 Slanted Window Tasting Station-Senamore Vineyard & Farms tour or call (336) 484-1350.
Other High Country wineries we serve: Valley River Vineyards · VISUALS Wine · Nottely River Valley Vineyards — 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 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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