Lance Hiatt (L) and Tim Parks, Owners of Marked tree Vineyard

At Marked Tree Vineyard in Flat Rock, Tim Parks and Lance Hiatt have always blended vision with hospitality and a deep-rooted belief in the potential of North Carolina wine. With the opening of their new event and production space, which they’ve christened “Skyward”, Tim and Lance have taken a bold step toward reimagining what a vineyard experience can be in the Crest of the Blue Ridge American Viticultural Area (AVA).

Marked Tree’s elegant new 13,000 square foot structure is more than an addition—it’s a transformation. Conceived as a serene yet engaging space for adults aged 21 and up, Skyward introduces an entirely new kind of customer experience combining award-winning wines, captivating mountain views, and a one-of-a-kind guest experience. As Tim explains, “It’s peaceful, it’s calm, and it’s for people who really want to learn about North Carolina wine.”

The need for a separate space became clear as Marked Tree evolved. The original building, now called Watershed, remains the family-friendly hub, where dogs, kids, and merry wedding groups are all welcome. Skyward, by contrast, caters to those seeking a quieter, more immersive experience. To that end, every aspect of the building—from its architecture to its programming—has been curated with obvious intentionality.

A Tour Through Skyward

Guests entering Skyward step first into The Lounge, a spacious and thoughtfully designed area used for tastings and private wine club events. Designed with comfort and conversation in mind, the Lounge is where visitors will begin their Skyward journey. It sets the tone for the building’s relaxed elegance and deliberate pacing.

But Skyward is more than a setting for wine; it’s an invitation to learn. For that, there’s the Skyward Tasting Room, a central feature of the new space. Guests who book the Skyward Tasting and Tour are guided by a wine educator through the production facility, learning about the winemaking process from grape to bottle. Then, seated in the tasting room, they experience a curated sampling of wines.

“The Skyward experience is designed to welcome ‘the learner’,” Tim says. “The person who wants to ask questions—why this varietal, why that barrel, what’s the fermentation process? They’re not just sitting back and sipping our wines —they’re eager to understand more.” In this regard, Skyward is oriented toward wine enthusiasts who genuinely want to understand and appreciate wine—particularly wine grown and made in North Carolina.

Perhaps the most unique space in the building is The Library, a room that serves as a chronological archive of Marked Tree’s winemaking history. Here, Tim and Lance have saved two cases of every wine they’ve ever made, dating back to their founding. The concept allows for vertical tastings—sampling different vintages of the same wine to explore how it evolves over time. “You book this, and we will sit down with you,” Tim says. “We walk through the wines together. You also get a curated cheese and charcuterie board, and hot appetizers. It’s a little more specialized, more immersive.” The Library is booked by reservation and includes the presence of a wine educator, making it ideal for serious wine lovers or special occasions.

In fact, there’s nothing quite like it elsewhere in the region. “I’m pretty sure that there’s no wine library seating in any of the wineries in Western North Carolina,” Tim notes with pride.

Adjacent to the Library is The Barrel Room, which offers guests an opportunity to sample wines still in progress. These experiences, sometimes hosted by Marked Tree’s winemaker Justin Taylor, are intimate, interactive, and deeply educational.

Justin Taylor in the Barrel Room with Guests

“The barrels are filled with wine at various stages,” Tim says. “Justin uses a wine thief to draw samples directly from the barrels, giving guests a taste of what’s to come. It’s wine, but it hasn’t been bottled yet.”

This room is part of Marked Tree’s broader reserve program, which features wines aged longer either on the vine, in the tank, or in the barrel. These wines have more complexity, and the Barrel Room gives guests a behind-the-scenes look at that aging process.

Versatile Spaces for All Occasions

Several outdoor spaces surrounding Skyward expand the building’s versatility. The Pisgah Porch Table, Watershed Breezeway Table, and Watershed Tryon Terrace Table are all available for reservation by parties of just one customer up to 24 people.

For large gatherings, the patio and terraces connect seamlessly to a large indoor event space via garage-style doors that open to let the evening air—and music—flow freely. The indoor space is called the Crush Pad and is also used to crush harvested grapes. The size and versatility of the event space make Skyward much more than just a scenic spot to sip wine; it’s also a venue for large-scale events like weddings, concerts, and private dinners. “This space is flexible,” Tim says. “You can have a ceremony under the big tree, cocktails in the Watershed Lounge, and then dinner here on the Crush Pad. We designed it so it can be used in multiple ways.”

Skyward has already hosted symphonies, retirement parties, and Music in the Vines concerts. The event space accommodates up to 144 guests with 18 round tables, each seating eight. There’s also a full catering kitchen, upgraded restroom facilities, and thoughtful amenities like priority parking for ticketed events.

The Tank Room: Full Control

Adjoining the public spaces, The Tank Room marks a monumental shift for Marked Tree. For the first time, they are fermenting and aging wine entirely on-site. Previously, grapes were sent elsewhere for processing, which meant a possible loss of time and, potentially, quality.

“Grapes don’t wait,” Lance explains. “They start fermenting the moment they’re picked. Now we bring them straight in, chill them down, and get them into the fermenters.”

The room includes dedicated tanks for white wines as well, and a newly installed peristaltic pump gently moves grapes without crushing them—a sign of the care and quality focus that defines the entire operation.

Although the volume of wine may not immediately increase, the quality certainly will. “We want to stay around 5,000 cases a year,” Lance says. “That’s the sweet spot we envisioned back in 2007 when we were sitting at our kitchen table dreaming this up.”

Tim agrees. “We’re not trying to get our wine into grocery stores across the country. We’re not hiring reps to sell in bulk. We’re focused on making the best North Carolina wine we can and sharing it directly with people who want to learn about it.”

Lance is especially excited by a new addition to the Marked Tree labels afforded by Skyward. “We have the first five wines that say ‘Bottled at Marked Tree.’ That feels really good.”

Skyward Dreams Realized

The vision for Skyward was not accidental and has been part of the vision for Marked Tree from the beginning. Lance, who has an architectural background, designed the building himself before passing plans along for permitting. “Each room was designed to serve multiple uses and provide different experiences,” he says.

From the start, he and Tim were aligned on what Skyward needed to be. “We complement each other,” Tim reflects. “Lance stays in the creative and design lane. I stay in the organizational and hospitality lane. And that’s why it works.”

Launching the building has not been without its challenges. Staffing has been a major focus, with Marked Tree currently run by seven full-time employees and a larger part-time team, bringing the total staff to about 20, not including vineyard workers.

Despite the long hours and constant motion, both Tim and Lance have found moments of reflection. “I think we’re still trying to catch our breath,” Lance admits. “It’s been overwhelming. When we hosted our first dinner here during Cider, Wine, and Dine weekend. When we looked out at two long farm tables filled with people we knew that night, it was emotional for us. There are so many friends who have been cheering and supporting us from the beginning. It feels amazing to share this new building with them.”

Tim adds, “A boss once told me: ‘If you say you’ll do it, and you do, that’s leadership.’ We said we would build this, and we did. That’s what I’m most proud of.”

Leaders in the Crest of the Blue Ridge

The opening of Skyward is not just a milestone for Marked Tree—it signals a rising tide for the entire region. Wine Enthusiast magazine recently named the Crest of the Blue Ridge AVA one of the top five emerging wine regions to watch. Marked Tree was specifically cited in the article by Merit Wolffe from Wine & Sage Gourmet as a standout.

“We’re helping the wine industry,” Tim says. “This building gives people something they haven’t seen before in this region. It creates credibility not just for us, but for every winery around here.”

For those who have followed Marked Tree from the beginning, Skyward is a natural next step—ambitious but grounded, welcoming but refined, new but unmistakably part of the vineyard’s DNA.

Tim is also excited for the many ways Skyward will help Marked Tree connect with the surrounding community. “We're really proud of is that since day one we've been involved in the community. Especially the local arts community. Now we have more room to share with everyone.”

Skyward is not just a place to taste wine. It’s a place to learn, to connect, to celebrate, and to reflect. And for Tim and Lance, it’s the realization of a vision almost two decades in the making.

Read more about Tim, Lance, and the founding of Marked Tree Vineyard here.