Raffaldini Vineyards & Winery — Attraction in North Carolina

My husband and I have been going to Raffaldini for a very long time, even before the villa was built, when they only had the small building in the back as a tasting room. Today was the most unpleasant experience we’ve ever had in a winery, and probably the first time we left one in a worse mood than when we arrived.

We were greeted when we walked in and asked if we had been there before. We explained that it had been a few years. The person said that they now had table service so we could sit wherever, and then she would be back to take our order. If we wanted cheese, crackers, or a charcuterie plate we could get those ourselves from the cooler. We got our snacks, but no one ever came to ask what wine we wanted. They weren’t very busy, and the other server would go to the tables to right and left of us but wouldn’t even acknowledge us. After about 20 minutes I went to the bar and the other server said she thought we had already been helped. I explained no, the original server hadn’t been back. We finally got our wine, but no one ever came back to check on us or anything. Eventually we went to the bar to pay. I fail to see how going to the bar to place your order and pay, plus getting your own cheese and crackers is table service. We really didn’t want to leave a tip because basically all she did was bring a bottle and 2 glasses. I even joked at one point that we could get up and walk out and no one would notice or care. I guess the servers don’t communicate with or work together. Normally I would chalk this up to training or experience, but these were middle aged women. The other server chatted with her “assigned” customers and I overheard her say that she had been there for several years.

Raffaldini used to be our favorite NC winery, but based on this experience we won’t go back. It’s not as friendly as it used to be, and the new system is terrible. There are a lot of great wineries in the area and some new ones that we...

Great indoor/outdoor experience overall. EXCEPT for the service... We were a group of 8 doing the wine tasting experience which we all loved and enjoyed so much that most of us ended up buying full bottles of wine.

After sampling the wine and purchasing some bottles we sat on a table outside to chat and drink. Our server -Steve- was just awfully rude to us since the begging.

We asked for a couple of glasses to drink the wine that we just bought inside and for some reason he seemed to be annoyed by it.

He rudely corrected one of us when we asked for a cup for the wine saying "we don't have cups, we have glasses" we all kinda laughed it off even tho it was kinda snobby and in a rude tone.

After that comment he took forever to bring 2 "glasses" for the wine, even though he came back to the table a couple of times after.

We had to remind him to please bring the glasses and when he finally did he didn't acknowledge us and proceeded to ignore us for the rest of the service. His attitude ruined the ambience for the table and we all felt uncomfortable.

Overall he made us feel uncomfortable and pressured to immeditely buy more wine even tho we just had bought full bottles inside a few minutes prior and we hadn't even started drinking them yet.

He was so unwelcoming that we all just finished our drinks and left. The worst way to end the night.

Besides the rude server STEVE the experience was great! I cannot emphasize enough how beautiful this winery is!!! Great mountain views and tasteful decor. The inside is nice and clean, the outside is a beautiful landscape with rose bushes, statues and a fish pond or two.

The wine tasting experience was absolutely delicious, great ambience and a very knowledgeable tour guide.

The winery does not have a restaurant but there was a lobster food truck on site. The food wasn't groundbreaking but it was good.

There is plenty of grass and shade to lay a blanket and have a picnic on, as well as benches and...

Nestled in the rolling hills of the Yadkin Valley, Raffaldini Vineyards delivers one of the most unexpected wine experiences on the East Coast. Driving up the winding mountain road, the view shifts from Carolina pines to what feels like a slice of Tuscany transplanted into North Carolina soil. The estate, modeled after a Tuscan villa, greets visitors with terracotta tones, arched windows, and sweeping terraces that overlook the Blue Ridge Mountains.

What sets Raffaldini apart, beyond its breathtaking setting, is the authenticity in the glass. The family has imported rootstock directly from Montepulciano, Italy, ensuring that the wines grown here carry not only the flavor of the land but also the DNA of the Old World. It’s a surprising twist that elevates Raffaldini from a charming Southern vineyard to a true bridge between continents.

The Montepulciano-based reds are bold yet graceful, showing dark cherry, plum, and a whisper of spice—a nod to their Italian ancestry, but shaped by the cooler nights and mineral-rich soil of the Carolina mountains. White wines like Vermentino bring a crisp, Mediterranean brightness that feels almost surreal when sipped against a backdrop of Appalachian ridgelines.

The tasting room staff lean into this dual identity, walking guests through flights that feel both familiar and adventurous. One moment you’re savoring the rustic earthiness of an Italian-style red, and the next you’re gazing out over the Carolina landscape, reminded that you’re very much in North Carolina.

In short, Raffaldini is not just a winery—it’s an immersion. A Tuscan dream reborn in the Blue Ridge, proof that with vision, roots, and respect for tradition, the flavors of Montepulciano can thrive thousands of miles from their birthplace. For lovers of wine, travel, and surprising discoveries,...