Visiting a North Carolina winery is a great way to celebrate a new year.

And that's exactly what you can do in Henderson County.

Producer Clay Johnson and his videographer Eric Olson take us to a winery in apple country with a very memorable name.

[gentle country music] ♪ In the twilight glow ♪ ♪ I see her ♪ - [Clay] It's a Saturday afternoon on the patio at Hendersonville's Burntshirt Vineyards, a great place to listen to live music and sip good wine.

- I really enjoy seeing our customers try the wine and then talk about how great it is 'cause it's like they're sort of surprised, I guess that wine can be as good as it is, made in North Carolina.

- [Clay] And folks think the view here is pretty good too.

- There's a country scene, they're overlooking the vineyard and just very relaxing for 'em.

- [Clay] It all started in 2012 when Lemuel and Sandra Oates bought this property, which was an old apple orchard.

- [Sandra] It was just a beautiful piece of property.

It had a big, flat area to it.

- [Clay] The Oates' friend, Alan Ward, who owns nearby Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards, suggested they grow wine grapes there.

- So I hopped on board too.

We planted about 30 acres and that's how we got in it.

- [Clay] They planted 20 acres around the winery and 10 acres at nearby Burntshirt Mountain where Lemuel was raised.

- [Lemuel] And we picked the top of the mountain 'cause it wasn't as steep, but it has a nice slope to it.

It's absolutely gorgeous up there.

- [Clay] The vineyards and winery are named the mountain, which is named for an old tradition of farmers burning their fields before planting and throwing their shirts in the fire.

At 3,400 feet, the mountaintop vineyard mimics a West Coast environment, perfect for many of Burntshirt's white wines.

- [Johnny] Some of the cleanest fruit I've seen on the East Coast is what we got from up there.

- [Clay] Different from the growing conditions at the vineyard down in Hendersonville, - We have just found that reds tend to thrive down here and the acid profiles and our white wines up there make that vineyard very special.

So this next one we're gonna try is gonna be our Meritage.

This one recently won a gold medal in the San Francisco International Wine Competition.

- [Clay] Burntshirt produces wine from 16 French varietal grapes.

They can be sampled in its tasting rooms, including this one inside the old converted farmhouse.

Among the most popular are its Midnight Moon, which is a Vidal Blanc that pairs well with poultry or fish.

- [Johnny] It's also a really perfect wine to sip on a hot summer day with your friends.

- [Clay] The Harvest Moon is a rich Chardonnay that also pairs well with poultry or fish.

- [Johnny] Aromatic wise, I get a lot of green apple and vanilla.

And then on the palette I get a good amount of citrus and pineapple.

- [Clay] And the Malbec is a hardy red that pairs well with red meat.

- [Johnny] I get a lot of blueberry and raspberry.

Still pretty full in terms of body.

- [Clay] You can pair the wines with food at Burntshirt Vineyard's, restaurant, the Vintner's Table.

It's got outdoor and indoor seating, a wine tasting bar and a large fireplace.

- We offer comfort food and really great, delicious fresh, farm-to-table products.

Our chef is from New Orleans, so we have a Cajun pasta that's the real deal.

- [Clay] The Smash burger is one of the best sellers and there are lighter bites to go with your wine.

- [Brooke] I know everyone loves a good cheeseboard with their wine.

So we offer a really beautiful display of a cheeseboard.

- [Clay] In Hendersonville, the good food, wine and view make Burntshirt Vineyards a great place for people like Kacy and Brian Black to chill.

- I love the atmosphere.

Of course the wine is very delicious, but everything is just so beautiful here.

[gentle music] - Just a place to hang out and really enjoy the view and wine.

- [Brooke] We want them to be welcome and comfortable and know that this is a friendly place.

[gentle guitar music] - Burntshirt Vineyards is located at 2695 Sugarloaf Road in Hendersonville and they're open daily.

For more information, give them a call at 828-685-2402, or go to burntshirtvineyards.com.