DOVER VINEYARDS

3600 Concord Pkwy S, Concord, NC 28027

Dover Vineyards decided to start farming in a very strange place—on prime real estate for commercial development in an area of North Carolina which seems to bulldoze forests and farms weekly. They are proud to say that they are dedicated to keeping agriculture alive in Cabarrus County.

The first vines were planted in 2009 with the help of friends, family, and strangers. From there, they began their first vegetable gardening ventures later that year, again with the help of volunteers. Despite having more set-backs than you could shake a stick at, the enterprise keeps growing and expanding each year.

In their dedication to environmental sustainability, they chose to grow two rather uncommon varieties grapes: Chambourcin and Villard blanc. These two varieties allow them to produce quality grapes under the threat of the many diseases and mildews of the Southeast. The vineyards are located on extremely heavy clay soil that contains more rocks than Carter had pills. While this soil presented a challenge during planting, it seems to be a combination that produces some flavor-filled grapes.