The first time I saw a Facebook post about UNCORKED Touring Company I knew that was the best experience to gift Kelly for her birthday. She and her son both celebrate January birthdays. Once we decided on a date, online scheduling was easy. The first thing you need to decide is which tour option is right for you and your group. They offer several options. The first option is Boozy Field Trip is perfect to satisfy everyone in your crowd, whether it's cider, beer or wine. Depending on the day of the week the venue stops will vary. Are you a wine lover? The next option is perfect for you. The half day wine tour is available during the week. Love to meet new people then the ride share option is available the first Sunday of the month. Great way to meet people without committing to the whole bus. Do you have a fun party group and want to visit wineries? The private wine tour is perfect for you and up to 9 friends.
UNCORKED is owned and operated by Aaron Paul and Stacey McIntyre. Aaron is former US Army and served in Iraq. He has a passion for red wines. Stacey is the mastermind behind the “selfie perfect” bus. She handles the scheduling and also enjoys wine. Jodi McIntyre serves as bus driver, photographer and generally makes your trip amazing. If bubbly had a face it would be Jodi.
Charles and I stayed in the uptown Lexington area and walked to the pick up spot. We then traveled to The Hampton Inn to pick up the rest of the party bus. The refrigerator was stocked with wine, water and snacks. If you are inclined you may begin your day with Tropical Wave from Weathervane. Once we were all on board with our picnic lunch and birthday gifts, Jodi started the party with a glass of wine and off we went. We headed to our first stop, Childress Vineyard and Winery. Childress is one of the most established wineries in North Carolina. At Childress you may purchase brunch at the Bistro. We decided to forgo brunch and purchased a bottle of Angel’s Wrath and caught up with each other. Next came our stop at Weathervane Winery where we enjoyed a tasting with the owners. We then moved outside and had a picnic lunch. The weather was perfect.
Over lunch we split a few bottles. After lunch we were off to Junius Lindsay Vineyard and Winery. This was our first visit here and the owner, Micheal Zimmerman and Terri made us feel very welcome. We grabbed a table and enjoyed a tasting and Nothing Bundt Cakes to celebrate Kelly and Andrew’s birthdays. The scheduled next stop was Curran Alexander, but first we requested an additional stop at Native Vines. Jodi was happy to accommodate. Native Vines is the only Native American owned winery in the country. It was fun to see Victoria again. Our day ended at Curran Alexander. Jean was so pleasant and generally glad we were spending time at her winery.
Sadly our tour and the beautiful day came to an end and we stopped at the Hampton Inn and then off back to our pick up spot. Charles and I stayed at an AIRBNB, Bear Cottage. It was an easy walk to the pick up location. I would highly suggest staying close enough to uptown to walk.
There are a few things to consider before booking your tour.
Be on time to begin your tour and moving between venues. Jodi will give you the time to be back on the bus and will check that you have everything you need.
I would suggest staying within walking distance of the drop off/pick up location or contacting Stacey about an alternative pick up spot.
There is ample storage under the bus seats and on the outside of the van for picnic or birthday items. Ten people will fit comfortably on the bus, but other items need to be stored. Don’t forget you will purchase bottles or cases of wine.
TIP!! Jodi does an amazing job; keeping you on time, entertained, and taking care of your every need. You may tip cash or Venmo. As the day goes along you might “forget”. You can always tip at the start.
If you get motion sickness you may need to accommodate for that. They do have bags if needed.
Best price of advice is to pace yourself. It’s a marathon not a sprint.
Eat breakfast and drink plenty of water when traveling between wineries.
Take lots of pictures. Jodi is great about taking pictures along the way.
Post pictures to social media to share your good time and promote a small business.
Leave a positive review for the crew.
UNCORKED Touring Company provided a great experience. It was a day Kelly and Andrew won’t soon forget. They provide an opportunity to visit several wineries in one day on super fun transportation. They work hard to accommodate special requests. We highly recommend using UNCORKED Touring Company for your wine bus or transportation needs. Check them out on Facebook or their website click here
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