Round Peak Vineyards: A Napa Dream Replanted in the Blue Ridge Foothills
The story of Round Peak Vineyards starts with two couples who met at Davidson College. George Little and Lee Martin became friends as students, later married Susan and Janet, and the two couples discovered a shared love of good wine. A 1998 trip to Napa Valley turned that into a plan — they purchased the current vineyard site in Mount Airy, North Carolina in 1999 and planted eight acres across six grape varieties in 2000.
The Littles and the Martins ran the vineyard, winery, and tasting room until they retired and sold it in 2008. The new owners, Kari Heerdt and Ken Gulaian, had their own winding path here: they met in Cincinnati in 1998 while working at General Electric, moved to Charlotte in 2000, then relocated to Oakland, California in 2006 — where visiting the small family wineries of Dry Creek Valley planted a different kind of seed. When the chance to return to North Carolina and take over Round Peak came up in 2008, Ken left the corporate world behind for good.
The Wines of Round Peak Vineyards
Round Peak sits at 1,300 feet in elevation in the Yadkin Valley AVA, on a 32-acre property with 12 acres of vineyard producing all of the fruit for its wines. Every bottle is 100% estate grown and bottled — the winery brings in no outside grapes. Current plantings run to a dozen varietals, including Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Manseng, Tannat, Montepulciano, and Norton, with Chardonel, Chambourcin, and Touriga National coming online in the next couple of vintages.
The winery pours under two labels. Round Peak covers the traditional side of the house — dry varietal wines and blends, with reds barrel-aged at least 14 months in French oak and neutral barrels, and whites kept crisp in stainless steel. Skull Camp, made from the same estate fruit, is the easier-drinking, dry-to-sweet line meant for casual sipping. Round Peak also produces its own ciders and beer on-site.
The estate-only approach is worth pausing on. Plenty of Yadkin Valley wineries supplement their own fruit with grapes purchased from other growers, especially in lean vintages. Round Peak’s decision to hand-pick everything from its own 12 acres, every year, means the wine list stays smaller than some neighboring wineries — but every bottle on the shelf genuinely reflects this specific hillside and its micro-climate.
Planning Your Visit
Address: 765 Round Peak Church Road, Mount Airy, NC 27030
Tasting Room (April–December): Sunday–Thursday 12pm–5pm, Friday 12pm–8pm, Saturday 11am–6pm
Tasting Room (January–March): Friday 12pm–8pm, Saturday 11am–6pm, Sunday 12pm–5pm
- Tasting Flights — a self-paced sampling of Round Peak’s dry wines or Skull Camp’s easier-drinking blends, served on the covered patio or inside.
- Cabin Stays — overnight cabins on the property for anyone who wants to linger past last call.
- Disc Golf — a course on-site, good for filling time between pours with a group.
- Weddings & Private Events — the property books as a wedding and event venue; ask ahead for dates.
A few practical notes we have learned from bringing groups here: Round Peak is both kid- and dog-friendly, so it is an easy stop for a mixed group. The covered patio is the spot to ask for — it faces the vineyard rows and catches the evening light. Because hours shift seasonally and Round Peak occasionally hosts live music or private events, we always call ahead to confirm the tasting room is open to the public before building it into a route. Budget at least 90 minutes here; longer if your group wants to walk the vineyard or play a round of disc golf.
Where Round Peak Fits in Your Tour Route
Round Peak sits in the Round Peak Church Road area southwest of Mount Airy, close enough to Serre Vineyards that the two are an easy same-afternoon pairing. From there, Surry County’s cluster of wineries around Dobson and State Road — including Golden Road Vineyards and Shelton Vineyards — are a short drive further south, which makes this corner of the Yadkin Valley good for building a route that never doubles back on itself.
Plan on roughly 1.5 hours per winery plus drive time between stops. Most Yadkin Valley tasting rooms open at 11am or noon, so an early start pairs well with Round Peak’s Saturday 11am opening.
Wine Tour Transportation to Round Peak Vineyards
Ashe County Livery provides private, chauffeured wine tour transportation to Round Peak Vineyards from Ashe County, Boone, Blowing Rock, West Jefferson and across NC’s High Country. Our Round Peak Vineyards 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 Round Peak Vineyards tour or call (336) 484-1350.
Nearby wineries we also serve: Serre Vineyards · Golden Road Vineyards · Shelton 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
You Might Also Like
