Native Vines Winery: The First American Indian-Owned Winery in the U.S.
In 2005, Darlene Gabbard turned a homemade-wine hobby — born from an abundance of blackberries and apples on her family’s Lexington, North Carolina farm — into Native Vines Winery, the first American Indian-owned and -operated winery in the country. Darlene and her family are proud members of the Lumbee Tribe, the largest Native American tribe east of the Mississippi River, and the winery sits on a 36-acre farm along Highway 150 — itself the old Waxhaw Indian Trading Trail — bordered by Indian Grave Creek, where arrowheads still turn up in the soil during tilling.
What started as a way to use up backyard fruit has grown into a two-decade family business now run alongside Darlene’s daughter Victoria and granddaughter Ava. The name Native Vines began as a nod to the wild blackberry bushes growing across the property, and only later took on its deeper meaning as the winery’s Native American identity and story came into focus.
The Wines of Native Vines Winery
Native Vines offers a full line-up of vitis vinifera wines alongside a range of sweet fruit blends, all made in what Darlene calls an “Olde World Style” — clean, natural, and without a lot of chemical intervention. The lineup includes dry whites and reds such as Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir, along with a Native Red that regular visitors often call their favorite. Two named bottlings that visitors frequently ask for by name are Sundance, a crisp dry white with notes of melon and pear, and Indian Summer, an off-dry Riesling with apple and pear character and a soft tropical finish.
The winery’s most distinctive claim to fame, though, is its Green Tea Wine — believed to be the first of its kind, made from green tea rather than grapes. It has become something of a conversation piece for first-time visitors and a signature pour for the tasting room. Native Vines wines are distributed throughout North Carolina in grocery stores and wine shops, and can also be shipped nationwide.
Visitors often describe the approach itself as part of the experience: a gravel drive off Highway 150, marked by an arrowhead sign, leads past a farmhouse and grapevines to the tasting room and winery, with a farm dog just as likely to greet your car as a person. It’s an unpolished, working-farm atmosphere rather than a manicured estate — something longtime visitors say is exactly the point.
Planning Your Visit
Address: 1336 N. NC Hwy 150, Lexington, NC 27295
Hours: Tuesday–Friday 11am–5pm, Saturday 11am–6pm, Sunday 1pm–5pm
Tastings: $15 + tax, choice of any 6 wines, no reservation needed
Seating is limited indoors, but there’s a welcoming outdoor patio and picnic tables for relaxing between pours. Native Vines also hosts free evening events with live music on the lawn from 7–10pm — worth checking their calendar before you plan a visit. A 15% gratuity may be added automatically for groups of 10 or more, and the winery asks that guests leave pets at home.
A few practical notes we have learned from bringing groups here: because seating indoors is limited, larger groups tend to spread out on the patio, so plan accordingly if the weather turns. Tastings run without reservations, but arriving earlier in the day gives you first pick of seating. We recommend budgeting about an hour to an hour and a half here — enough time to work through a tasting flight, hear the winery’s story from the staff, and browse the gift shop.
Where Native Vines Fits in Your Tour Route
Native Vines sits in Lexington, on the eastern edge of the Yadkin Valley wine region, in the same small cluster of wineries that includes Junius Lindsay Vineyard, Weathervane Winery, and Childress Vineyards — all within a few miles of one another. That makes it easy to pair Native Vines with one or two nearby stops without a long drive in between.
Plan on roughly 1.5 hours per winery plus drive time between stops. Since Native Vines opens at 11am most weekdays (and 1pm on Sundays), it fits comfortably into either a late-morning start or an afternoon leg of a longer Yadkin Valley day.
Wine Tour Transportation to Native Vines Winery
Ashe County Livery provides private, chauffeured wine tour transportation to Native Vines Winery from Ashe County, Boone, Blowing Rock, West Jefferson and across NC’s High Country. Our Native Vines 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. We only charge from pickup to your last drop-off, and every tour includes a complimentary cooler with ice and water. Plan your Native Vines Winery tour or call (336) 484-1350.
Nearby wineries we also serve: Junius Lindsay Vineyard · Weathervane Winery · Childress 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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