Morgan Ridge Vineyards

Established since 2004, Morgan Ridge Vineyards acquired it’s name from owner operator Amie Baudoin (formerly Morgan). Her family has owned the land, located in Gold Hill, since the mid 1700’s and was used predominantly for agricultural purposes. Amie met her husband, Tommy Baudoin and decided because of their passion for food to open a restaurant, which they ran successfully for over 10 years. Originally from Louisiana, Tommy’s Cajun influence exudes in his cooking techniques, with flare & innovation.

After visiting several wineries and their shared interest in fine wine they decided to use the land & plant 7 acres of grapevines. They especially enjoy the viniferous varietals, so after much deliberation they decided on planting 5 viniferous and 2 hybrid varieties, each one having unique characteristics. The varieties consist of Seyval Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Syrah & Chambourcin. Tommy & Amie discovered that the site is unique to the area as it has a South Eastern exposure. This provides optimal growing conditions, due to the grapes getting morning sun and by 6pm are shaded, in order to prevent sun scorch, this gives the vines time to shutdown at night to enhance and enrich the flavors. The site is also part of the Uwharrie Mountain Range and therefore has soil, rich in mineral deposits. This aids the fruit by not only draining the soil well, but the ridge also helps the air flow and therefore lessens the chance of frost. Morgan Ridge is the highest point in the area which gives distinct weather patterns which help with the growth and overall ripening of the fruit.

Although they planted the vines in 2004, initial planning and preparation started in 2000, with the first vintage not coming until 2007. All the finished wines that have been submitted to contests since, have been medal winning. The vineyard requires all attention during the spring - summer seasons, with early starts and late finishes, seven days a week until final harvest, which begins August through late September. Constant monitoring ensures the grapes are of high quality. Tommy & Amie live on the vineyard so are able to give undivided attention to the grapes throughout the growing season, they both enjoy being out there working the vines and love the tranquility of the land. They understand in order to create great quality wine they have to treat each variety individually, giving attention to each one and maintaining constant care. In order for each vine to produce grapes of the highest quality for winemaking, they make sure that there is a healthy balance of fruit and foliage.

Amie & Tommy have both been members of the North Carolina Wine Grower’s Association for ten year’s which has helped with the initial development of the vineyard and maintenance now that it is established. A lot of contacts have been made through the association that has assisted them throughout the past 10 years, which has been invaluable. They believe in being quality oriented not quantity, so the fruit produced from the vineyard goes to produce between 1,500 - 2,000 cases of wine each year.

Before investing in a winery Tommy & Amie wanted to ensure that they could produce superior quality fruit, hence all the hard work in the vineyard had paid off because in February 2010 they broke ground on the winery. The tasting room overlooks a pond and sits at the bottom of the hill where the vines are grown, giving it a beautiful scenic panorama. The tank room has a selection of various sized tanks in order to be able to ferment all the varietals. The barrel room has been designed by Amie, creating an atmosphere which is very unique. October 2010 they had a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the new winery and tasting room and since then have had it’s doors open each week Wednesday - Saturday 11am - 6pm & Sunday 1pm - 5pm.

A caterer’s kitchen is on premise that has been utilized thoroughly already. Each month they have held wine-pairing dinners which have been a great success, and have had amazing response from all the attendees. They enjoy educating people on reawakening your senses by pairing fine food with wine that compliment each other. The experience you will have when visiting the winery is unique and unlike any other. Because of their relaxed persona’s the visit comes as a pleasant encounter. They will personally give you a tour of the facility, vineyard & grounds, if you wish and the patio and fire pit area overlooks a babbling waterfall which creates a serene spot. Whether you would like to bring family or friends Morgan Ridge Vineyards is a destination that will remain exclusive. Set in the countryside, yet easily accessible to Charlotte, Salisbury, Albemarle, Winston Salem, Greensboro and Asheboro, the winery is centrally located. Specializing in corporate functions, private dinners or weddings they will cater for any occasion, and personalizing the event to ensure each guest has an experience tailor made to your requirements.

With the winery now open this is not the end goal for Tommy & Amie. They are continuously aspiring towards the future and have available land where they could expand the vineyard, but before that they want to give full attention to the fruit they currently have. Achieving these goals will be challenging but they ultimately want to ensure that superior quality is always a priority and this will become apparent when you visit their premises.