Grandfather Vineyard

What Grandfather Vineyard does

Grandfather Vineyard & Winery is a family-owned estate winery operating on a 5-acre hillside vineyard at 3,300 feet elevation in Banner Elk, North Carolina, within the federally designated Appalachian High Country AVA. The Tatum family (founders Steve and Sally, winemaker Dylan, and tasting room manager Nicole) produces wines from grape to bottle on-site, processing over 100 tons of grapes in 2024 and producing approximately 6,500 cases annually with stated capacity to reach 10,000 cases. Production capability includes a crusher/destemmer, two presses (including a 3-4 ton capacity press), a tank room for whites, and a barrel room for reds, with notable specialization in sparkling wines made from French-American hybrid grapes (Chardonel, Vidal Blanc, Traminette) suited to the high-altitude climate.

The business operates a multi-channel revenue model anchored on a destination tasting room (open daily, first-come-first-served) and supplemented by Wine Club membership (twice-yearly preselected 3-bottle packages with 10-20% volume discounts), direct-to-consumer online shipping to approved states, wholesale distribution to restaurants and wine shops, and paid experiential offerings including a $35 winery tour and a $75 winemaker private tasting. Cabana rentals for private events and a recurring calendar of live music, food trucks, and artisan vendor markets extend the on-premise monetization. Bottle pricing spans $23-$75 with most SKUs at $24-$36, while wine glasses range $9.50-$15.50 and tasting flights are $20-$30.

The product portfolio spans dry reds, dry whites, sweet wines, rosés, and sparkling wines, with a hybrid-grape sparkling program (Appalachia Bubbles, Blue Ridge Brut) and a co-developed dry pear cider with Appalachian State University's Fermentation Science Program. The customer base is structurally diversified: tasting room visitors and tourists, Wine Club members, regional wholesale accounts, and DTC online buyers. The company has won multiple Double Gold and Gold medals at the NC Fine Wine Competition, NC Wine Competition, and Carolina Classic Fair, supporting a quality reputation within the regional wine segment. No external funding has been raised, and the company remains 100% family-controlled.

Name

Grandfather Vineyard

Legal name

Grandfather Vineyard & Winery

Website

https://grandfathervineyard.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Grandfather Vineyard & Winery is a family-owned estate winery in Banner Elk, NC, producing ~6,500 cases of wine annually from a 3,300-foot-elevation vineyard in the Appalachian High Country AVA, sold via tasting room, wine club, wholesale, and DTC online channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Estate Winery

NAICS

Wineries (312130), Grape Vineyards (111332), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (42482), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Wine & Sparkling Wine Wineries & Brands (CRADAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wineries & Vineyards (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAE), Wine Tastings & Vineyard/Winery Tours (THAJAGAD), Wine Retail (Bottle Shops & Wine Merchants) (CRANABAB)

Keywords

• Estate winery production
• Wine tasting flights
• Wine club membership
• Vineyard winery tours
• Craft winemaking

Headquarters

HQ city

Banner Elk

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Wine Sales: On-site tasting room sales of wines by the glass, bottle, and curated tasting flights. Customers can also order online for direct shipping to their door.
2. Wine Club Membership: $50 one-time membership fee with requirement to purchase two wine packages per year (spring and fall). Each package includes three preselected bottles of estate blends, limited releases, or unreleased wines. Members receive discounts on all wine purchases.
3. Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale sales to restaurants, wine shops, and distributors. Requires wine permit and Sales Tax Exemption Form from wholesale customers.
4. Experiences and Tours: Paid experiences including Winery Tours ($35/person) and Winemaker's Private Tasting ($75/person). Cabana rentals available for private events and celebrations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Grandfather Vineyard & Winery is an estate winery that produces wines from grape to bottle on its property at 3,300 feet elevation in the Appalachian High Country AVA. It sells handcrafted dry reds, dry whites, sweet wines, and sparkling wines through an on-site tasting room, online ordering with direct shipping, a twice-yearly wine club, and wholesale distribution to restaurants, wine shops, and distributors. Complementary offerings include winery tours, private winemaker tastings, cabana rentals, and on-site events such as live music, food trucks, and artisan vendor markets.

Product overview

Grandfather Vineyard & Winery is a family-owned winery offering a unified portfolio of handcrafted wines and experiential offerings. The core product is the Wine Portfolio, featuring estate-grown and locally-sourced wines across dry reds (Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Hair of the Dog), dry whites (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc), sparkling wines (Appalachia Bubbles, Blue Ridge Brut), and sweet wines. This is complemented by the Wine Club Membership for recurring subscribers, experiential add-ons including Winery Tours and Winemaker's Private Tasting sessions, Cabana Rentals for private celebrations, a Wholesale Program for B2B distribution, and Online Ordering with direct shipping to customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wine Portfolio Handcrafted estate wine portfolio including dry reds, dry whites, sweet wines, and sparkling wines made from grape to bottle on property using estate-grown and locally-sourced grapes from the High Country region. Available by the glass, by the bottle, and via curated tasting flights at the tasting room, as well as online ordering with direct shipping to approved states.
• Wine Club Membership Subscription program with a $50 one-time joining fee and twice-yearly preselected wine package purchases (spring and fall), each containing three bottles of estate blends, limited releases, or unreleased wines. Members receive tiered discounts on all wine purchases (10% off 1-5 bottles, 15% off 6-11 bottles, 20% off 12+ bottles) and exclusive access to barrel tastings, after-hours gatherings, educational workshops with the winemaker, and six-course wine and food pairing dinners.
• Winery Tour 30-minute immersive guided tour of the production facility conducted by the assistant winemaker, including access to the crush pad, tank room, and barrel room with an exclusive sample straight from the barrel or tank. Offered on Saturdays for $35 per person.
• Winemaker's Private Tasting 2-hour exclusive private wine tasting guided by the Winemaker featuring eight wines in a six-wine lateral tasting format, accompanied by an individual cheese board with Ashe County cheeses and Boone Chocolat, plus a production facility tour. Offered on Fridays for $75 per person with minimum party size of 8 for private bookings.
• Cabana Rentals Private cabana rental options around the property available for celebrations, birthdays, bachelorette showers, and graduations. Multiple cabanas vary in size and cost, offering elevated outdoor seating experiences with riverfront views.
• Wholesale Program Wholesale partnership program for restaurants, wine shops, and distributors to carry Grandfather Vineyard wines. Requires an unfortified wine permit and Sales Tax Exemption Form; offers competitive pricing and access to handcrafted, award-winning wines.
• Online Ordering and Shipping Direct-to-consumer online wine ordering with delivery to states where the winery is licensed to ship alcohol. Orders are processed twice weekly due to small family-owned operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Double Gold Medal - Appalachia Bubbles (NC Fine Wine Competition)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Appalachian State University - Fermentation Science ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Appalachian State's Fermentation Science Program to produce Pear Cider, a dry cider made in partnership with the university's program.
• Wine Club MemberscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWine Club members collaborate with the winery to create the Wine Club Red blend, a curated wine made in collaboration with members featuring Dolcetto, Malbec, and Carignan.
• Appalachian TheatreminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborated community events with Appalachian Theatre as part of wine club member activities and local cultural partnerships.
• The Pottery LotminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborated community events with The Pottery Lot as part of wine club member activities and local artisan partnerships.
• Shipley FarmsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborated community events with Shipley Farms as part of wine club member activities and local farm partnerships.
• Local Artisans and VendorsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with local artisans for vendor markets throughout the year. Food trucks and local vendors regularly present on-site for events and weekend markets.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hanover Park Vineyard: A Yadkin Valley, NC estate winery with tasting events and small-production wines. Comparable to Grandfather Vineyard as a small-volume NC estate winery with a tasting room-driven DTC model.
• Raffaldini Vineyards: A North Carolina estate winery in the Swan Creek AVA with a tasting room, villa rentals, and events. Comparable to Grandfather Vineyard as a family-owned estate winery combining boutique wines, tasting experiences, and event/cabana-style rentals on property.
• Burntshirt Vineyards: A North Carolina estate winery and vineyard in the Blue Ridge Mountains offering tastings, dining, and event space. Similar to Grandfather Vineyard in mountain estate positioning, DTC tasting room experience, and a comparable production-tier portfolio.
• Adagio Vineyards: A small North Carolina estate winery in the Yadkin Valley producing limited-production wines with a tasting room experience. Comparable to Grandfather Vineyard in scale, family/estate operation, and DTC-leaning sales model.
• Childress Vineyards: A North Carolina destination winery with tasting room, restaurant, and event facilities. Closely comparable to Grandfather Vineyard in combining estate winemaking with experiential tourism, and a fellow NC vineyard housed in a similar production/tourism campus.
• Jolo Winery: A North Carolina vineyard and winery in the Yadkin Valley AVA offering tastings, dining, and live music events. Comparable to Grandfather Vineyard as a destination winery that bundles wine with hospitality experiences and relies on events and regional tourism.
• Jones von Drehle Vineyards: A North Carolina estate winery in the Yadkin Valley AVA producing estate-grown wines with a tasting room experience. Comparable to Grandfather Vineyard in estate-grown positioning, varietal focus, and DTC tasting room model.
• Stonefield Cellars: A small North Carolina winery offering tastings and events in a rural setting. Comparable to Grandfather Vineyard in family-style ownership, modest production, and event-driven DTC revenue.
• Shelton Vineyards: One of the largest vineyards in North Carolina, with a tasting room, restaurant, and event venue. Comparable to Grandfather Vineyard as a North Carolina estate winery combining a substantial portfolio with destination hospitality, though at a larger production scale.

Broad incumbents

• Biltmore Winery: The winery at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC — the most prominent destination winery in North Carolina. Compares to Grandfather Vineyard as a North Carolina estate winery combining wine, tastings, and tourism at scale, though Biltmore operates at a much larger volume and brand footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/grandfather-vineyard

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Grandfather Vineyard