Marked Tree Vineyard sits on Deep Gap Road in Flat Rock, North Carolina, at 2,300 feet on the Eastern Continental Divide, with the tasting room’s patio and lawn opening onto views of Mt. Pisgah to the north and Tryon Peak to the south. It’s a working vineyard built almost entirely by two people with no farming background, and the origin story is as much a part of the draw as the wine itself.
Two Friends, a Drone, and a Vineyard
Owners Lance Hiatt and Tim Parks bought the land in 2015, planted their first vines in 2016, and opened the tasting room in 2020. Neither of them came from a winemaking or large-scale farming background — by their own account, the whole venture started with a friend’s drone flight over the property that revealed a dramatic mountain view worth building around. The first money for the project came from selling 25 acres of timber cleared to make way for the vineyard, which also opened up the sightlines to Pisgah and Tryon that define the property today. Marked Tree has since been recognized as one of USA Today’s Top Ten New Vineyards in America, and at a recent NC Fine Wines Competition, every one of the winery’s ten entered wines won a medal. (Sources: Flat Rock Together and Marked Tree Vineyard’s own site.)
What to Taste
Marked Tree grows European vinifera and French-American hybrid grapes suited to the mountain elevation, and the winery describes its approach as producing dry, European-style wines with minimal oak influence. Varietals mentioned by the winery and by visitors include Chardonel, Vidal Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Gruner Veltliner — the Gruner in particular is one the winemaking team has described as an ongoing multi-year experiment in vineyard technique. The tasting room also pours rosés and sparkling wines depending on the season. The current pour list changes vintage to vintage, so check their site or call ahead for what’s open that day.
The Setting and the Experience
The property is set up for both indoor and outdoor tasting: a striking, open-concept tasting room with large doors that open onto a wrap-around patio in warmer months, plus a “great lawn” area with additional seating overlooking the vines. The long, winding entrance road up the hillside is intentional — the owners have said they borrowed the idea of a “surprise of arrival” from Biltmore Estate, so the view doesn’t reveal itself until you’re most of the way up. Marked Tree also runs a seasonal Chef’s Dinner Series, pairing multi-course meals with estate wines, and the tasting room is family-friendly with leashed pets allowed in designated outdoor areas (not inside).
What Else Is Nearby
Flat Rock and neighboring Hendersonville anchor the newly established Crest of the Blue Ridge AVA, and Marked Tree is one of several wineries in the immediate area, alongside historic Flat Rock attractions like the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site and the Flat Rock Playhouse. Downtown Hendersonville’s Main Street is a short drive away for lunch or shopping before or after a tasting.
Planning Your Visit
Flat Rock is genuinely far from the High Country — figure on roughly 2 to 2.5 hours each way from Boone, more if you take a scenic route through the Blue Ridge Parkway rather than the direct highway. That drive time makes Marked Tree Vineyard a full-day private trip rather than an evening outing: plan to leave Boone by mid-morning, spend a couple of hours at the vineyard (and possibly a second Hendersonville-area stop), and build in the return drive before dark. The vineyard’s regular tasting room hours have run daily, but hours, reservation policies and event schedules shift by season, so confirm directly with Marked Tree before your visit. Groups should also note the winding mountain access road up to the tasting room — not a drive you want split across multiple unfamiliar cars.
Wine Tour Transportation to Marked Tree Vineyard
Ashe County Livery offers private, chauffeured wine tour transportation to Marked Tree Vineyard from Boone, Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, West Jefferson and across NC’s High Country. Our Marked Tree Vineyard 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 Marked Tree Vineyard tour or call (336) 484-1350.
Other High Country wineries we serve: Marked Tree Vineyard Asheville · Johnson’s Legacy Vineyard · Saint Paul Mountain 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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