CURRITUCK COUNTY, N.C. — It's hard to miss the big Sanctuary Vineyards sign when you're coming or going from the Outer Banks. Right now, the business is in the thick of its harvesting season, with grapevines on 25 acres of the property.
"We're currently in the middle of harvest, but between March and September, it is just task after task, wave after wave of different challenges," said John Wright, the general manager and vineyard manager.
Wright's family history here goes back to the 1800s, long before grapevines were spread across the land here.
"My family arrived in the 1800s, we shipwrecked and then started farming over here. Soon after, we farmed everything from corn and soybeans, wheat, potatoes, watermelons, squash, tomatoes. We did market-type produce, and then in the last 50 years, we've moved more towards corn, wheat, and soybeans, as well as potatoes," said Wright.
The story of Sanctuary Vineyards goes back 25 years and is something that Wright did not expect to grow this big.
"It's larger than I thought we were going to be, but I think it fits for folks that visit here. They enjoy themselves, they think of us as a small family-run winery, because we are," said Wright.
Wright shares something we might not know about what our coastal area brings to winemaking.
"If you want to find the absolute best spot for vineyards, you need to think outside of what's traditionally a vineyard area. You're looking for well-drained soil, good wind exposure, lots of sun, a long growing season, and we have all that here. So in some ways, the Outer Banks and the region here in Currituck next to it could be one of the best vineyard sites in North Carolina," said Wright.
This year, much of our state and area have experienced drought conditions. Though these conditions are bad for our traditional farms and crops, they are actually the conditions that wineries want their grapevines to be in.
"We really need to go without rain, like right close to harvest. A drought in the middle of the season is perfect."
But Wright does feel for traditional farmers, and the drought conditions have their impacts on his operations in other ways.
"All of our vineyards are drip irrigated. So we were able to apply water to them, but at great expense, great time, and effort," said Wright.
The harvest and processing will continue into next month, but this is a year-round process, especially before it gets into the wine bottle that many in our area have tasted before.
Wright has been thankful for the small, tight-knit crew he has and the success the winery has seen. But he admitted the wine business is a lot different now than it was 10 years ago.
"It's not so much that people aren't drinking like they used to; it's just they have so many options. With options comes loss of market share, and we're all grappling with that. I'd say almost all wineries are are in the middle of that, wondering what comes next," said Wright.
That means he's already looking at a different future for his business that is not entirely just wine, but food, drinks and activities for the entire family.
"I'm trying to envision a future where we have more orchards. We've planted apples and peaches, we're planting blueberries this year, we're planting some olive trees as well. We're going to try to diversify the farm and create a space where you might have ciders and juices, and pick your own fruit, hay rides, just something that's more comprehensive. I think that the farm deserves a little bit more of a diverse offering of things to do, that's the plan," said Wright.
Sanctuary Vineyards has its CrabDaddy Seafood and Wine Festival coming up October 10. For more information about the winery, head to their website here.
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