North Carolina Archives

It has been a little over a week since the worst storm in modern history, Tropical Storm Helene, hit Southern Appalachia. In Western North Carolina, the Swannanoa River swelled to a record-breaking 26.1 feet—that’s 6 feet above the record. The French Broad, which usually crests at around 1 ½ feet, swelled to 24.6 feet. The mountains acted as a funnel, directing water toward valleys and into hollers, picking up speed on its way down. Entire towns were lifted and carried down river and seven days into its aftermath, rescue missions aren’t finished. The businesses left standing face an unimaginable future. The Asheville area relies on tourism, particularly business that would normally be coming in the next two months, to make it through the rest of the year. “It’s crucial to understand that everyone in the region will need support to survive,” Lyndon Smith, farmer and co-owner at Botanist and Barrel in downtown Asheville tells me. “The area's deep dependence on tourism means recovery will take years, and we’ll see more businesses close in the coming months and years.” Jeff Frisbee, owner of Addison Farms Vineyard in Leicester, didn’t sustain damage to his property, and while he emphasizes how grateful he is to know that his staff is safe, he knows what the loss of his market could mean. “Roughly 93% of the visitors to our farm are from outside of a 100-mile radius,” says Frisbee. “It almost feels numb, and I know when the numbness wears off, there is going to be a lot of pain.” “I know when the numbness wears off, there is going to be a lot of pain.”Jeff Frisbee, Addison Farms Winery “I just don’t know how the wine industry in WNC survives and thrives again without the support of those who value what these businesses provide their communities,” Cory Lillberg of Parker Binns Winery tells me. “Think of local businesses and local farmers when it comes time to have that date or get that gift.” Lillberg’s closest friend and mentor, Justin Taylor, had his house crushed by two trees. His family is displaced to Atlanta while he has stayed in the region to complete the harvest. His family has set up a GoFundMe to help them rebuild their home—you can donate here. The loss of life and the loss of livelihood has not yet been measured, as rescue and recovery is still in progress. In Old Fort, Euda Wine, which opened in 2023 to make wine with an emphasis on transparency, incurred three feet of flooding. In a statement on Instagram, Michael and Abi, owners of Euda Wine, encouraged everyone to donate to the community. For those who want to help them directly, they invite you to purchase wine online. “We have been able to salvage some bottles and are continuing to examine the rest of our inventory,” a statement on Instagram reads, “if you don’t want to buy wine or join the wine club, we have also added a Helene certificate on the website for donations.” In the River Arts District, Plēb Urban Winery, a community favorite and role model for sustainable wine in North Carolina, was destroyed. With harvest just about complete, many wineries had fruit in tanks fermenting away, a years’ worth of work finally getting to the good stuff. Chris Denesha, co-owner and winemaker at Plēb Urban Winery, said insurance won’t come close to covering much of anything for them. “We recently planted a vineyard and had to pull out our largest and oldest vineyard this year,” Denesha says. “We purposefully made and stocked up on wine this year to bulk up for the next three to four years. We had every barrel and tank at capacity from this past harvest—timing couldn’t have been worse.” You can donate to Plēb’s GoFundMe, which will first serve supporting the staff and then paying the farmers for their fruit, here. Wineries on the Ground Are Mobilizing—Here’s How You Can Support Them Every winemaker I spoke to for this piece began by emphasizing that the priority is still getting water, food and medical supplies to the people still trapped. It’s too early to fathom one’s damage; the entire community is only thinking of each other. Federal and State aid is moving slowly; community members and long-established grassroots organizations are working tirelessly to raise funds and get what is most needed to those who need it, fast. In Polk County, Sofia Lily and her crew at Overmountain Vineyards have partnered with Big Bottom Dairy to convert their dairy bottling line to a water bottling line. In the first week, they raised around $45,000 and used that to deliver 78 pallets of water to over 21 locations in Western N.C. To contribute, visit their website. In High Country, Grandfather Vineyard is serving food and water to Avery County, which is still not accessible by road. To help them help their community, you can purchase an online gift certificate (linked in their bio), “eGift Card Supporting Avery County”) and send it to mountaingroundsnc@gmail.com. Other Grassroots Organizations You Can Donate to Beloved Asheville Mutual Aid Disaster Relief Overmountain Vineyards Water Bottling & Distribution Fund WNC Rural Organizing and Resilience (ROAR) More North Carolina Wine Coverage A guide to North Carolina’s under-the-radar wine scene. What to know about North Carolina’s newest AVA. History and experimentation unite North Carolina winemakers. A wine lover’s guide to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. From the Shop Find Your Wine a Home Our selection of red wine glasses is the best way to enjoy the wine’s subtle aromas and bright flavors. Shop All Wine Glasses

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