RagApple Lassie - Open for you!
Lenna and Frank Hobson Jr. have been at the helm since RagApple Lassie Vineyard was born back in 2000 with their first vinifera vines of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Since then, there has been no looking back. They are located in Boonville, North Carolina and RagApple Lassie is the name of Frank's prize Grand Champion Cow. She's memorialized in all their branding and still is out there on their 3rd generation farm.
RagApple Lassie has grown their vineyard from the early days with just Chard and Cab Sauv to include other viniferas like Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Marsanne, Semillon, and Viognier. There may be more varietals up their sleeves yet at RagApple Lassie. With those variety of grapes they make around a dozen different styles of wines. From sweet to dry and they are all from their Estate.
What is different about RagApple Lassie's tasting room is it takes you through the winery on a catwalk into the tasting room. So you get to see the operations every time you walk in the door. That's cool. Also, when you go down into the tasting area, you'll see a room decked out like a party is about to take place. Even the boxes that store the wine bottles have the cow spots on them. So what could have been a very industrial area, looks great. Then you have a very fun area to hang out and taste the wine. Just recently, they had Football Sundays, where you could drink and watch the game and keep on sipping.
This isn't their only tasting room. We haven't been to the one in Durham yet, but it is there for those who are further down east and can't make the drive to the Yadkin Valley. Their Triangle Tasting Room is at Doyle's Vineyard. They're open from from Noon to 6:00 PM too, except Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
RagApple Lassie is open weekdays from noon until 6:00 PM Check out their events because there is always something going on. And word is that they've had the best crop in years. Now for us the problem is hurry up and wait. At least we'll have something to drink while we're discussing the next vintage.
