Saturday, May 21, 2022

Dynamis Prepares To Open Doors To North Carolina’s Premier Luxury Winery

Dynamis Vines

North Carolina wine lovers, get ready to take things up a notch! June 1 Dynamis Estate Wines will open their tasting room. 

Dynamis Wine Estate

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By Dave Nershi, CSW

Driving up the curving roads to Dynamis Estate, the latest addition the North Carolina wine scene, the sense of anticipation grows. We are in the Swan Creek AVA, which also includes such standouts wineries as Shadow Spring, Raffaldini, and Piccione. The road to the top passes through fruit trees and immaculately groomed grapevines. Dynamis Estate Wines is located at the pinnacle, and that is the lofty place they hope to maintain both literally and figuratively.

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We were treated to a preview tasting at the Dynamis tasting lodge. The lodge is a historic building with beautiful views of the vineyard, and it will eventually be replaced by a new tasting room.

The estate is in the highest spot in Yadkin Valley, on the easternmost outcropping of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The tasting room itself sits at 1,650 feet. “To have a premium wine brand, you need to have a premium site,” said winemaker Mat Worrell. He handles winemaking duties along with Katy Kidd. Their task is an arduous one, to craft wines that are measured not against those in North Carolina, but the best in the nation.

Dynamis EmblemElevated Wine Experience

One of the reasons that the high elevation is so important, is that it allows longer hang time for the red grapes. One of the failings of some North Carolina reds is that they are unable to stay on the vine long enough to develop rich flavors. The slope provides excellent drainage, and the mountain top breeze chases the humidity which might cause early ripening or disease.

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Dynamis offers a compelling white wine, a 2020 Sauvignon Blanc that is fermented in a concrete egg. It has tastes of apricot and peach with a creamy texture. The body is somewhere between the crispness of stainless steel and the warmer tones of oak aging. In my mind, it’s a great place to be. SRP $35

There will always be at least one white on the tasting menu, but the focus is on complex red wines. The 2019 Merlot opens with a delicious flavor of jam accented with herbal notes. This is no weak-kneed Merlot, but a full-bodied wine. SRP $50

PXL_20220515_171910213Complex Red Wines

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a bold wine, made using free run juice. This is considered the very best juice that comes out of the grape press. Since no pressure is applied, you get the best expression of the wine and no harsh flavors that you get when the press presses harder and harder.

It ages is for 22 months in new medium-char French oak barrels. The first impression is, “Wow.” The tannins are really beautiful and unexpected in a North Carolina Cabernet, which is one of the most difficult grapes to grow in the state. It has a touch of Petite Verdot (4%). It's elegant and powerful with vanilla and dark fruit. SRP $100

Winemakers Mat Worrell and Katy Kidd

 

Dynamis will always have two reds blends each year. The 2019 Alpha is a blend of Petite Verdot, Merlot and Cabernet. This wine leads with red fruit. It’s a panorama of Dynamis vineyard blocks and winemaking techniques. A silky mouthfeel rolls into wild cherry, red currant, and vanilla. SRP $95

The pinnacle of Dynamis Estate Wines is the 2019 Mountain. It is the very best of the vintage with specially selected blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot grapes. It’s fermented in a combination of stainless steel and oak. Aging is done in oak barrels of various sizes and toast levels. It’s powerful and focused on black fruit with blackberries and toffee flavors. Dynamis is defined as limitless power and the might of the mountain is certainly harnessed in this bottle. The commitment to excellence in every step has resulted in a complex bottle seldom seen in North Carolina. It has a rich, savory finish. SRP $125 ($150 for the gold label first edition).

Like the wines, the premise of Dynamis is audacious. It seeks to offer only the best of the best for wine aficionados in North Carolina and beyond.

The Tasting Lodge is open 11 to 5 Wednesday through Sunday. Tastings are by appointment only. A 60-minute tasting of current releases is $45 per person. A guided 90-minutes tasting with a wine ambassador is $55.

1 comment:

Arthur Barham said...

I got to experience this unique winery with you as well and their potential is off the charts