You’ve seen the winners. Now it’s time to taste them!
North Carolina is home to award-winning wines, handcrafted ciders and one-of-a-kind meads made by talented producers across the state. Each year, the North Carolina Wine Competition celebrates some of the best of what our beverage industry has to offer.
Now, there’s a new way to experience those award-winning sips for yourself.
Introducing the NC Wine Winners Pass, your invitation to create your own tasting adventure through North Carolina wine country.
Whether you’re looking for a cozy winter weekend, planning a holiday road trip or simply searching for somewhere new to sip close to home, the Winners Pass makes discovering award-winning North Carolina wineries, cideries and meaderies even easier.
How Does the NC Wine Winners Pass Work?
Getting started is simple.
Buy your NC Wine Winners Pass here
Choose up to six participating North Carolina wineries, cideries or meaderies recognized by the NC Wine Competition and create an itinerary that is completely your own.
Your visits can take place between November 2026 and March 2027, giving you plenty of time to explore throughout the winter season.
You can turn your pass into a weekend getaway, spread your visits across several months or plan day trips to different corners of the state. There is no single route you have to follow.
That means your NC Wine Winners Pass experience can be as unique as your taste.
Why Explore North Carolina Wine Country in Winter?
Harvest may be over, but there is still plenty happening in North Carolina wine country.
The months between November and March bring a different pace to wineries, cideries and meaderies across the state. Cool afternoons call for a glass by the fire, tasting rooms offer a cozy escape from the winter weather and scenic drives make getting there part of the experience.
It’s also a great season to slow down and spend a little more time discovering what’s in your glass.
Talk with the people behind your favorite bottles. Try something you’ve never ordered before. Compare different North Carolina grape varieties. Discover a cider made from local apples or learn how honey becomes mead.
Your next favorite might be waiting at the very next stop.
Make the Pass Your Own
Not sure where to begin? Start with what you love and build from there.
For the wine lover: Choose wineries producing styles you already enjoy, then add something completely new to the itinerary.
For the adventurous sipper: Mix it up! Visit a winery, cidery and meadery to experience just how diverse North Carolina’s craft beverage industry can be.
For the weekend traveler: Choose several participating producers in the same area and turn your tastings into a North Carolina wine country getaway.
For the local explorer: You might be surprised by what is waiting close to home. Use your pass as an excuse to finally visit the tasting room you’ve been meaning to try.
There’s no wrong way to build your route. Pick your six, grab a friend and start exploring.
Meet the People Behind the Pour
Of course, the award-winning beverages are only part of the story.
Behind every bottle is a North Carolina producer.
Across the state, growers, winemakers, cidermakers and meadmakers are combining agriculture, craftsmanship and creativity to produce beverages that reflect the places they call home.
Visiting a tasting room gives you a chance to experience that story firsthand. You might find yourself talking with the person who grew the grapes, learning how a particular cider was made or hearing the story behind a bottle you never would have discovered otherwise.
Those connections are part of what makes exploring North Carolina wine country so special.
Your Next Tasting Adventure Starts Here
Six stops. Countless flavors. One adventure that is completely yours.
The NC Wine Winners Pass is your chance to experience award-winning North Carolina wine, cider and mead while discovering the people and places behind every pour.
Choose your destinations. Plan your route. Bring along your favorite tasting buddy.
Then get ready to sip your way through some of the best North Carolina has to offer from November 2026 through March 2027.
Ready to start planning?