Resilience & Rebuilding; A North Carolina Winery Finds Its Footing
Founded by husband-and-wife duo Michael and Abby, Euda Wine is the realization of a long-held dream. Michael, a winemaker with over a decade of experience, had always envisioned crafting his own wines, while Abby, though not a winemaker herself, shares his passion for the business and the adventure of building something together. In 2022, they took the leap—moving from Washington, D.C., to North Carolina to start Euda Wine.
However, it hasn’t been an easy road.
Why North Carolina?
Like many winemakers, the dream of owning his own winery was always simmering in the back of Michael’s mind. He has worked in wine production since 2012, grateful for experiences gained working at various wineries, most notably in Napa Valley. However, with roots in North Carolina and an eagerness to contribute to the emerging East Coast industry, Michael was drawn back to return to the state he was raised in.
“California is a well-oiled machine that’s been making wine, in US terms, for a long time.” Michael explains. “Moving to the East Coast feels fresh – there’s a lot of energy here. North Carolina, in particular, is experiencing significant growth in its wine industry—from vineyards and wineries to an increased consumer interest and expanding knowledge among producers and retailers. It is a very exciting place to be right now.”
For Michael, the appeal of North Carolina goes beyond its growing wine scene—it’s about the opportunity to be part of a region still defining its identity. “There’s little history here when it comes to growing grapes for wine,” he says. “We’re in an exploratory phase, figuring out what grows well. It’s fun to be part of that process.”
Parents of Two
When asked about the challenges of being small business owners, Michael often jokes with Abby, “I made our lives a lot more complicated than it needed to be, but at the end of the day, it’s really fun to work together.”
As if moving states and opening a winery in an emerging market weren’t stressful enough, Michael and Abby found themselves navigating new parenthood in the same week their winery received its official licensing.
“It’s been interesting to see these two very different things be birthed at the same time,” Michael reflects. “When we opened our winery, our son came into the world.”
While they didn’t plan for these two milestones to overlap so directly, the duo quickly learned an important lesson: “Everything takes longer than you think. You think you’re giving yourself extra time, and it ends up taking twice as long as you thought it would.”
Though they successfully weathered the storm of new parenthood, they would soon be tested again in ways they never anticipated.
The foundation they built together—both as parents and as business partners—would be their strength when they faced an even bigger challenge just a short time later.
Hurricane Helene Hits Hard
On Friday, September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Western North Carolina, causing havoc in its wake and destroying thousands of homes and businesses – Euda Wine was ravaged.
It was Sunday by the time Michael was able to reach the winery – Abby and their 9-month-old son stayed safely home to avoid the blocked roads and downed trees. “The damage was shocking. Outside the winery, the town looked like the bottom of a riverbed… just mud, rocks, debris, and people’s possessions. The house in front of the winery washed up and vehicles – just stuff – was everywhere.”
“Our winery is a couple hundred feet from the creek, but the creek overflowed, flowed into the building…the winery ended up under three feet of water that was flowing from the back, in and out through the front. A lot of mud came in. Equipment tanks fell over, barrels – everything – was moved around and flooded.”
Despite the devastation, Michael remains optimistic and admits that it wasn’t all bad. “One of the biggest parts was the sense of community. There is a very heavy weight to it – I know people who have lost their homes. But from a personal, relationship building standpoint – it was an incredibly positive experience. Going through a natural disaster as a town really bonds you together. It makes you realize how connected you are.”
“We were shoveling mud for like two weeks… people who had never been to the winery, people who don’t even drink alcohol just came to help.” Michael and Abby put a post up on Facebook and Instagram saying, “Come by and help shovel” and “so many people showed up. It was fun – people showing up, listening to music, and helping each other.”
“It was an incredible bonding experience – people I did know became close friends and people I had never met drove down just to help. You don’t know you’re being resilient until after the fact – you’re just doing what you’re supposed to. One foot in front of the other.”
The community embraced Euda Wine. “As a new business, you don’t know where you stand – or if people even know about you. We realized that people care if we’re open. It felt good to have that support”
100% North Carolina Wine
If you want to taste North Carolina, look no further than Euda Wine.
“I think the local thing has legs. People care about local stuff. They’re open to trying new regional wines.”
“Our focus at Euda is showcasing what North Carolina can do in the world of wine. We’re 100% focused on the region. We work with vineyards throughout the state and the region to source fruit and try and develop long-term relationships.”
Euda Wine uses a mix of classic vinifera varietals, such as Cabernet Franc and Pinot Gris and hybrid varietals such as Chamberson and Tremonet that thrive in the local climate. Michael’s favorite wine to make is sparkling, so he ensures Euda often has a bottle of bubbly in production. This year, they are excited to be starting on some ciders using local fruits and other experimental alcoholic beverages.
“We want the best fruit that our region can do, and we want to treat it as well as we can to make the most premium wine out of it.”
“I want them to walk away saying, ‘Oh, that’s a good wine’ – not just ‘that’s good for North Carolina.’”
Euda Wine officially reopened in March 2025. Swing by, sip local, and say hi to Michael & Abby – they’ll sure be happy to see you.
Editor
Natalie is co-founder and editor of The Grapevine Magazine where she helps winemakers big and small tell their stories. She lives in Manhattan, New York City.
