Growing into the Business

Meredith Ward manages the Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards Flat Rock tasting room.

Meredith Ward started in the wine business long before she was old enough to purchase a bottle of her family’s signature Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards wine.  A little over a decade later, she could not only legally purchase the product but also found herself managing the Saint Paul wine tasting room in Flat Rock, NC.

Meredith, now 28, grew up in Flat Rock adjacent to the old Woodfield Inn and attended Hendersonville High School.  During her years as an HHS Bearcat, her parents - Beth and Alan - pioneered the idea of planting a vineyard amidst the apple orchards of eastern Henderson County. The idea of growing grapes in Henderson County was novel, but the Ward’s were deeply familiar with the opportunities and challenges of farming. As a young child, Meredith helped her grandparents care for and harvest apples and blackberries, and even as a teenager, when her mom and dad started a vineyard, she was prepared to jump into the new venture. “Every day after school and summers and any breaks, we were planting or tending to the grapevines,” she recalls.

Meredith left Flat Rock to attend NC State and earned a degree in social work. After college, she returned to Henderson County and took a job in social services while continuing to work at the vineyard. By then, the business was really starting to grow. “We originally planned to just grow grapes and sell them. Then my parents decided to open up the winery and make our own wine. The business we have today blossomed from there.”

The decision to open a winery on Chestnut Gap Road was rewarded with success. The business did well and evolved to a point where the Ward’s started looking for a second location: enter Flat Rock and an opportunity for a very young Meredith Ward to try her hand at managing her own business. The Ward’s planted their new tasting room in Flat Rock Square in the heart of the Village business district and handed the keys and the corkscrews to Meredith. Although not an experienced business person, Meredith knew she was ready for the challenge. She believes it was in her blood. “Dad is very passionate about the wine and the whole wine-making experience.  I think that has been instilled in me from the very beginning.”

Saint Paul Flat Rock has proven to be a favorite of visitors coming up from South Carolina and the tasting room also benefits from the vibrant business district and its proximity to the Carl Sandburg Home and Flat Rock Playhouse. The cozy bar area and upstairs patio provide a relaxed ambiance for locals and visitors to sample the various Saint Paul offerings and visit with friends old and new.

Running your own small business can be exceptionally demanding, and even more so when you have a day job as a Social Worker for Henderson County Public Schools. During the school year, Meredith rotates as a social worker at three public schools. After school hours she quickly changes gears and spends her evenings and weekends managing the Flat Rock venue. There are many seven-day, 70 hour work weeks for Meredith, but she still manages to find the experience rewarding.  “Working with little kids and then coming here and selling wine is definitely different,” she says with a smile. “But I think they kind of balance each other. They're stressful in different ways and rewarding in different ways.”

Meredith has also been very proactive about scheduling special events to draw more customers to her business. Saint Paul typically has live music on the weekends and hosts a regular ladies’ night out called “Wine Divas” which is very popular. This year, Meredith has also teamed up with Launa Tierney, owner of Homemade Pasta Noodles, and has recently offered a series of pasta-making classes - with more planned for the summer and fall.

Meredith is also taking advantage of the commercial kitchen located in the space she leases in Flat Rock Square. She has partnered with a high school classmate, Jacob Daley, who has experience working in Charleston kitchens. Currently, they are offering Saturday and Sunday brunch on the first weekend of every month with plans to offer additional food and wine pairings on occasion. There is also a small farmers market in the works. 

Although not located on-site with a vineyard, Meredith believes that her customers enjoy the laid-back and fun ambiance at the tasting room. “I think a lot of people who come from out of town want to see the vineyard and get that experience,” she says. “But once they've been out there and experienced that a lot of them really enjoy the convenience and atmosphere of our tasting room in Flat Rock.”

With growing experience - both literally and figuratively -  Meredith continues to expand her role as an independent business person. “Before I was just kind of helping out at the tasting room and planning events.  Now I have my own space to worry about and my own things to do. It's definitely a big change and a lot more responsibility.”  She also continues to help with the overall business and is helping her parents with the process of building their new production facility at the Chestnut Gap Road location.

Meredith’s mom, Beth, has been impressed with her daughter’s ability to run the Flat Rock venue. “She’s doing a great job,” she says. “I think she ’s turning out to be a good entrepreneur.”  Beth also appreciates the “family” aspect of their business. “We are excited and glad that the business will stay in the family - possibly for more generations.”

For now, Meredith Ward is enjoying the experience of the tasting room. She enjoys the mix of clientele - from young adults to retirees. She also likes creating an atmosphere that her customers can enjoy. “It's fun and kind of carefree.”  She also welcomes small groups - like book clubs - that use the space for small group meetings and people who bring their Flat Rock Bakery or Hubba Hubba Smokehouse lunches and enjoy them in the tasting room with a glass of wine.

Currently, Meredith has approximately 12 wines and a half-dozen ciders to sample. For summer customers she recommends their sparkling Rosé which comes in sweeter and dryer versions. You can see their full list of offerings on their website, www.saintpaulfarms.com.

What is the biggest challenge of managing your own business? Meredith’s reply is an immediate and common refrain in Henderson County these days. “Finding staff.” 

What does she enjoy the most about her job?  The experience of a family working together to make an enterprise successful. “I like knowing that this is truly a family business. We work together from start to finish. From farming the grapes to making and selling the wine. It’s cool to be able to tell people our story.”

The story of Meredith and Saint Paul Mountain Vineyards Flat Rock is just getting started with many chapters yet to be written. And it is hard not to believe that the story will only get better as the commitment and passion of Meredith Ward and her family continues to produce vintage results for all the residents and visitors to Flat Rock.