Jones von Drehle Vineyards: A Family Estate on 65 Blue Ridge Acres
Jones von Drehle Vineyards & Winery is a true family affair. Co-owners Chuck and Diana Jones, along with Diana’s sister Ronnie von Drehle and her husband Raymond von Drehle, began searching for the right property around 2007 and established the farm in 2008 on 65 acres of former pastures and woodland tucked into the south-facing foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Thurmond, North Carolina, just northwest of Elkin.
The winery itself was built in 2012, and the tasting room and patio look out over the estate’s 30 acres of vines — every bottle Jones von Drehle produces is grown on this single property, not sourced from outside fruit. It has become known around the Yadkin Valley for quality, dry, European-styled wines, many of which are poured in finer restaurants across North Carolina. The setting itself is part of the draw: the property rises along a south-facing slope of the Blue Ridge foothills, giving the vines strong sun exposure and giving visitors long mountain views from the patio and the amphitheater below the tasting room.
The Wines of Jones von Drehle
Of the estate’s 65 total acres, 30 are planted in classic Vitis vinifera varieties, including Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, Malbec and Petit Manseng. The winery leans into structured, food-friendly dry wines rather than sweeter styles, which is part of why its bottles have found their way onto restaurant wine lists well beyond the Yadkin Valley.
Because everything is estate-grown, the vineyard team controls the fruit from planting to bottle — each variety was placed in the section of the property best suited to it, a detail the winery is quick to point out when talking about its approach to quality. It is the kind of hands-on, single-site winemaking that tends to reward repeat visits, since vintages and small-lot releases can vary from year to year.
Planning Your Visit
Address: 964 Old Railroad Grade Road, Thurmond, NC 28683
Tasting Room Hours: Wednesday – Saturday, 11am – 5pm; Sunday, 12pm – 5pm; closed Monday & Tuesday
A visit to Jones von Drehle typically includes:
- Tasting room pours — a seated or standing tasting through the estate lineup, on the patio overlooking the vines whenever weather allows.
- The Stage @ Jones von Drehle — an outdoor amphitheater carved into the ridge just below the tasting room, used for concerts and events; check the winery’s own site for the current show schedule.
- Snacks and food trucks — light snacks are typically available, with food trucks on-site occasionally, particularly around concerts.
- Chloe Hall — an on-site special events venue for weddings and private gatherings, a nice option for High Country couples looking for a Blue Ridge backdrop within driving distance of home.
A few practical notes we have learned from bringing groups here: children and pets are welcome, but are asked to stay on the patio rather than inside the tasting room, so plan accordingly if you are traveling with kids or a dog. Reservations are recommended, especially if a concert is scheduled at The Stage, since those dates draw a crowd and parking fills up fast. Between the tasting, the patio views, and the amphitheater grounds, we recommend budgeting at least ninety minutes to two hours here — longer on concert nights, when it is worth simply staying through the show rather than trying to fit in another stop afterward.
Where Jones von Drehle Fits in Your Tour Route
Jones von Drehle sits at the northwestern edge of the Yadkin Valley wine region, on the rising slope of the Blue Ridge foothills near Thurmond and Elkin. It groups naturally with the small cluster of Surry and Wilkes County wineries in this corner of the valley, rather than with the bigger-name estates further south and east near Dobson and Yadkinville. For High Country groups, this corner of the valley is also the closest to home, which makes it a convenient first stop before continuing deeper into the Yadkin Valley or a relaxed standalone half-day trip on its own.
Plan on roughly 1.5 hours per winery plus drive time between stops. Because this stretch of the valley is more spread out than the Dobson wine cluster, we typically build a Thurmond/Elkin day around two or three wineries rather than four or five, so nobody feels rushed between the mountain scenery and the tasting rooms.
Wine Tour Transportation to Jones von Drehle Vineyards & Winery
Ashe County Livery provides private, chauffeured wine tour transportation to Jones von Drehle Vineyards & Winery from Ashe County, Boone, Blowing Rock, West Jefferson and across NC’s High Country. Our Jones von Drehle 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 Jones von Drehle tour or call (336) 484-1350.
Nearby wineries we also serve: Christian Paul Vineyards · Elkin Creek Vineyards · Roaring River Vineyards — 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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