What's In A Name?

November 14, 2007
Names are very important! Not only does your name tell who you are, but also can tell what you do! Do you make things? Sell things? Or produce things? – or maybe you do all three – produce, make and sell things! 

Now if you own a vineyard, you will produce and sell grapes and maybe make and sell wine. Not all vineyards are wineries and not all wineries are vineyards. Some vineyard owners only produce and sell grapes, while some winery owners only make and sell wine. 

Today, as reported in the Discover North Carolina Wines brochure published by the N.C. Wine and Grape Council, there are more than 70 vineyards and wineries operating in North Carolina, making our state the 10th-largest state in the production of wine in our nation. 

The primary objective of these vineyards and wineries is to entice visitors to come visit, taste and enjoy the many sites and attractions across out great state. There is no doubt that they have done an excellent job in promoting What's In A Name by tantalizing visitors to "come on down" by using interesting and carefully chosen, "catchy" names for their businesses. 

Some wineries have used historical names that may have been derived from Land Grants such as the Bennett Family Land Grant from King Charles II in the late 17th century, or, perhaps named for a well-known estate like the Biltmore Estate Wine Company. 

In addition to using their family names, many owners have named their wineries and vineyards for counties, towns, creeks, lakes, mountains, hills, valleys and for other sites of interest in our state – like Germantown Winery, and maybe Autumn and Ginger Creek Vineyards to name a few.

Then what about "catchy" names like Black Wolf, Ragapple Lassie and Chinqua Penn Vineyards? With inviting names like these, the owners do really say, "come see us." (For more information go to www.ncwine.org) 

As mentioned in prior Wine News, some vintners started their wineries because of their romantic dreams of owning a winery and making wine. Could this romantic interest have helped to create wineries like Grapefruit Sisters, Moonrise Bay and A Secret Garden Winery? Perhaps this romantic interest will bring back memories of the TV show "Falcon Crest" when you visit their tasting rooms. 

So, are you ready for a glass of wine? Then why not be patriotic this Veteran's Day Week and look for the label "America's First Wine" in your favorite wine store?

Buddy Harrell, Bennett Vineyards