History Before the first grape vine was planted, the owners and staff of JOLO Winery &

V ineyards sought to set a new standard in wine making and hospitality in the regi on. Although the winery will not open to the public until the Spring of 2014, th e vision of the winery is years in the making. Winemaking has been a lifelong dream turned realty for entrepreneurs and wine en thusiasts JW and Kristen Ray. JW spent over 10 years in the food and beverage in dustry, including owning his own restaurant at 19 years of age and working for t wo five-star hotel properties. In 2010, upon the successful sale of Learn.com, w hich JW co-founded and served as Chief Operating Officer, the time had come to t rade in his Zegna suit and tie and Ferragamo shoes for a tractor and a good pair of work boots. Kristen was just as ready to leave 20 years of the corporate sal es world behind and to store her briefcase and dress pumps in the closet. The s earch for the perfect place for the winery brought him to the historic Yadkin Va lley AVA. The rolling hills, now home to JOLO, are perched over 900 feet above s ea level in the foothills of the Piedmont region boasting majestic views of Pilo t Mountain. Previously, the vineyard estate had not been used for widespread agr icultural purposes due to the rocky soil and hilly nature of the property. Howev er, what is less ideal for farming makes for perfect conditions for world class grape growing. Most of the south facing sections in the vineyard require hand fa rming as the terrain is too steep for tractors. Thus our goal is to not compete on price but to provide inimitable guest services alongside superior wine produc tion in North Carolina. Being green is a key theme for JOLO Winery & Vineyards. Our eco-friendly initiativ es include the use of burnt vine clippings and compost for fertilizers, the use of baking soda and hot sauce in place of most insecticides, and the use of recla imed creek and rain water as the only added source of irrigation for the vines. Although the vines yielded a promising bounty of fruit during 2012 harvest, the fruit was cut early and put back into the land for soil nourishment. The first b ottling/vintage of JOLO wines will take place in the fall of 2013. JOLO Winery & Vineyards is currently accepting event bookings starting in Octobe r 2013. End Posts, our on-site formal dining restaurant, is scheduled to open in the Spr ing of 2014. It is the hope of the Ray family that it will quickly become one of the finest restaurants in North Carolina. With seating for only 24 guests, End Posts will offer a memorable boutique-style experience like no other.