March/April 2010 - Epicurean Charlotte Food & Wine Magazine

fans come from near and
far to visit ragapple lassie
by michaele ballard
it’s no wonder RagApple Lassie Winery
has repeat visitors from around the
country—not only can they sample awardwinning
Chardonnay, Syrah and Pinot
Gris, but they are guaranteed a barrel of
fun with BBQs, concerts and tastings with
owners Frank Jr., and Lenna Hobson.
Just 90 minutes from Charlotte through the
rolling hills of Yadkin County, RagApple Lassie
Winery is set on a 500-acre plot of land in Boonville,
NC, that has been part of the Hobson family
farm for over 100 years. Frank Jr.(even his mother
called him Frank Jr.), has carried on the family
tradition, farming wheat, corn, soybeans and
tobacco.
But in the late 1990s when tobacco began
to lose its luster, Frank Jr., began to think
about what was next. He wanted to protect the
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