Sipping in Siler City

Taking a day to roam is always on the itinerary, especially when country roads and wineries are included. FireClay Cellars recently opened in Siler City, with venue space, tours, and tastings. Currently open Saturdays, guests can taste, tour, and shop while taking in grand views of the vineyard, from inside or on the wraparound porch or the side patio area. The slight elevation makes the landscape all the more appealing and also serves as a reminder that this vineyard is a farm.

The team at FireClay Cellars includes a group of family, individuals, with varied backgrounds. Erik Mitran is the winemaker, and his parents, Andrei and Sue Mitran are among the five owners, including Steve Thiedke and his wife, Bonnie Blake. Steve and Andrei have been in partnership, owning IVC, Inc., a software company in Cary, for over 35 years. Beau Hall is the viticulturist. Everyone plays a vital role and is passionate about the vineyard, making the tasting room an inviting space for guests, expanding hours of operation, and hosting events (both public and private).

Beau Hall tells us, “When it comes to North Carolina wine, the important part is growing good fruit from healthy vines and for that, you need good soil and weather, plus a lot of hard work and attention to detail.”

Talking about these award-winning wines is a part of the experience. Winemaker Erik Mitran has a background in chemistry and has created small batch beverages through home brewing. Some of the best small businesses start at home, with a passion and an interest, plus knowledge and willingness to learn and experiment. Erik’s passion is clear, “We choose to grow many hybrid grape varieties because of their disease resistance, winter hardiness, and superior fruit production in our area. They might not be the typical grape names you’ve heard of, but we know we can change people’s minds once they try the wine. Being a chemical engineer, I take into account science and technology, but I still try to follow a minimalist and natural approach to winemaking. For example, we use safe, ozonated water for cleaning. It destroys all bacteria, viruses, fungi, and spores then breaks down into oxygen and water shortly after. This allows us to use no cleaning chemicals in the winery!”

Visiting small wineries in North Carolina gives a unique perspective to touring since you’ll often meet the winemaker, owner, and viticulturist. You’ll often see them performing tasks from pouring wines for tastings, creating a special event, working in the vineyard and tending to the farm, trying to figure out the machinery for production (for FireClay, this was particularly notable since manuals were in languages other than English), and simply welcoming guests. Sue Mitran shares, “Our goal is to create a space for our community to experience and enjoy. The wines, the personal fellowship, and the essence of the vineyard are the things we hope people will remember after they visit our winery.”

Looking forward to seasons of sipping the FireClay wines.