Family-Owned Vineyard in the Tryon Foothills
Green Creek Winery is a small, family-owned winery in Columbus, North Carolina, crafting handcrafted wines since 2005 from 9 acres of vineyard set against the Blue Ridge foothills. Best known for the Chardonnay Rosso — a genuinely unusual red wine made from Chardonnay juice fermented on Chambourcin skins — Green Creek offers free tastings, vineyard and mountain views, and a laid-back, family-friendly wine country experience about 35 miles south of Asheville.
Location | History | Amenities | Wines | Wine Club | Our Review | Photos & Videos | FAQs | Customer Reviews | Add Your Review
Location
Green Creek Winery
413 Gilbert Road,
Columbus, NC 28722
(828) 863-2182
Green Creek Winery now sits inside a real, official AVA. In September 2025, the Tryon Foothills AVA was established covering all of Polk County — North Carolina’s seventh appellation, and the first ever built specifically around this corner of the state. Unlike some of the wineries we’ve reviewed, this one isn’t “just outside the line” — Columbus and the Green Creek community fall squarely within it.
History
Green Creek Winery has been crafting small-batch wines in the Green Creek community since 2005, on 9 acres of vineyard planted with European vinifera and French-American hybrid grapes. Grape growing in this part of Polk County actually stretches back much further than the winery itself — vineyards were first planted here in the late 1800s, and the surrounding “isothermal belt” at the base of the Blue Ridge gives the area one of Western North Carolina’s longest growing seasons, protected from the harshest weather extremes on either side.
The winery’s signature bottle is the Chardonnay Rosso — described by the winery as the world’s only red Chardonnay, made by fermenting Chardonnay juice on the skins of Chambourcin grapes. It’s an unconventional wine that’s earned Green Creek attention well beyond Western North Carolina, including features in the Firstleaf Wine Club.
Amenities
- Complimentary tastings
- Patio with vineyard and mountain views
- Picnic-friendly lawn area — bring your own lunch
- Gift shop with wine-related and local products
- Tour bus friendly, with ample parking (call ahead for groups)
- Private event space for weddings, receptions, luncheons, and business events
Wines
Best Known For: European vinifera and French-American hybrid wines, and especially the Chardonnay Rosso — a red wine made from Chardonnay juice fermented on Chambourcin skins.
Green Creek’s wine list draws from both classic European vinifera and hardier French-American hybrid grapes suited to the North Carolina foothills. Beyond the Chardonnay Rosso, the winery has historically also offered Wine Ice Cream — a novelty item made from New York wines and cream, in flavors like Riesling, Red Raspberry Chardonnay, Cherry Merlot, and Chocolate Cabernet.
Wine Club
We haven’t confirmed whether Green Creek runs its own wine club directly. What we do know is their wines have been featured in the Firstleaf Wine Club on more than one occasion — a national subscription service that specializes in surfacing boutique, small-producer wines. Ask about a direct club option during your visit, and let us know what you find in a review below.
Our Review
We visited Green Creek Winery a few years back with our kids, and it’s stuck with us since. It was a genuinely fun afternoon — we tasted our way through the lineup, heard all about how the wines are actually made, and left with four bottles to take home. We just opened the last of those bottles recently, and it brought back the whole memory of that trip all over again — the kind of thing that says more about a winery than any tasting note could.
The setting makes it easy to see why it’s stayed a favorite. The patio looks out over the vineyard toward the mountains, and the lawn area is genuinely built for lingering rather than rushing through a tasting and leaving.
Who this winery is for: Families looking for a relaxed, kid-friendly wine country stop, anyone curious about how wine is actually made rather than just tasting the finished product, and wine drinkers who want to try something genuinely different in the Chardonnay Rosso.
If you’ve been to Green Creek yourself, leave a review down below — and if you know another winery in the Tryon Foothills area we should visit, drop us a line.
Cheers,
Brendan
Photos & Videos
FAQs
What are Green Creek Winery’s hours?
Thursday through Sunday, 1:00 PM–5:00 PM. Closed Monday through Wednesday, with other times available by appointment.
Does Green Creek Winery require reservations?
No reservation needed for small groups — walk-ins are welcome during regular hours. Tour buses and larger groups should call ahead at (828) 863-2182.
What does a tasting cost at Green Creek Winery?
Tastings are complimentary.
What wines is Green Creek Winery known for?
The Chardonnay Rosso — a red wine made from Chardonnay juice fermented on Chambourcin skins — is their signature bottle, alongside a broader lineup of European vinifera and French-American hybrid wines.
Is Green Creek Winery in a wine AVA?
Yes — as of September 2025, Green Creek sits within the newly established Tryon Foothills AVA, which covers all of Polk County, North Carolina.
Is Green Creek Winery good for events like weddings?
Yes — the winery hosts weddings, receptions, private parties, and business events, and is tour bus friendly with ample parking.
Customer Reviews
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New Customer Here - We Are Already Hooked
We’re fairly new to Firstleaf Wine, but after just four shipments, we’re completely hooked. Out of 24 bottles, only one didn’t quite hit the mark for our taste. We make a point to rate each wine consistently to help others in our palate profile get better recommendations.
Long Time Wine Club Member
I’ve been a member for more than a year now, and as someone living in North Carolina, this is hands down the best and most affordable way to get high-quality, delicious wines. The value easily beats any liquor store, even here in NC where prices are already lower thanks to favorable taxes. Back when I lived in California, I used to snag great deals at Grocery Outlet, but I’ve never found anything like that in North Carolina—until now.
My only gripe? Occasionally, the wine selections in your order get swapped out automatically, and you have to call customer service to manually add your original picks back into the cart just to confirm your order. That process could definitely be smoother.
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