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STOKESDALE — It’s Saturday night, and Natalie Wurz is uncorking another bottle of wine.

Standing behind the tasting bar at Stonefield Vineyards in Stokesdale, she chats and cracks jokes with the small crowd eagerly awaiting the completion of her task. Her husband, Robert, winemaker and co-owner of the winery, rushes past her, two bottles in hand for customers at the register. Nearby, locals of mixed ages sit around tables littered with half-empty bottles of wine and the remnants of a recently finished meal, chatting and listening to a bluegrass band play.

They’ve all gathered for the winery’s annual Grill Fest, held in conjunction with its monthly Soup and Sing event, a combination potluck and jam session. But to the casual observer, it looks like a big neighborhood party. And essentially, it is.

“There’s been a feeling of lack of community for people out in the suburbs,” Natalie says. “And there’s been a resurgence of downtown (Greensboro), but for people where we live, it’s not always convenient to go downtown.”

So the Wurzes, who are both musicians, saw an opportunity to offer something comparable to the entertainment city residents take for granted.

“People realize you don’t have to go into town; you’ve got something happening right here in your own neighborhood,” Natalie says.

Though many in Greensboro may not realize it, Stonefield Cellars is the closest winery to Greensboro. Just a short drive up U.S. 220, the winery, set amid the green fields of Stokesdale, almost looks like just another farm. A quaint, two-story white farmhouse sits just off the road, surrounded by shady trees and a landscaped yard. Just beyond the house, the massive barn-like winery looms. And in the fields, instead of corn and other crops, grape vines hang on wooden stakes.

It’s a scene not too unlike those Robert grew up with. A California native, he has been making wine since age 14, and has a Ph.D. in wine chemistry from the University of California-Davis.

But during the 1980s, the wine industry was in a slump, and he found the lure of good money from a corporate job too strong to resist. When he relocated to North Carolina, he only planned to stay for a short while, but he met Natalie, and they put down roots in the Stokesdale area.

Not long after, a wine movement began taking hold of the state. Realizing the rich soil and temperate climate could sustain growth of many different varietals — not just the sweet muscadine wines found in the coastal region — winemakers began flocking here, planting vineyards and creating a vibrant wine scene. Robert saw an opportunity to realize a long-held dream of running his own winery. But first, he had to familiarize himself with the types of grapes that could be cultivated in this region.

“Our climate is completely different (from California),” Robert says. “You need to compare our wine to southern Germany and northern France, because our climate is so similar.”

Once he’d learned the growing techniques for this region, he and Natalie began searching for a place to set up their winery. They ventured out, scouting locations nearly an hour from their home. Coming up empty in their search, they decided to take a second look at the area right in their own backyard.

“As my ties to this community grew, I said, 'I want to be as close to here as possible,’ ” Robert says.

And so, they planted their grapes and built the winery on a plot of land in Stokesdale, within five miles of their home. Though they weren’t sure if it would take off in the rural small-town setting, their neighbors embraced the winery, making it an unofficial community meeting spot.

“It’s a great place to gather with your friends and have a good evening out,” Stokesdale resident Elizabeth Toto says. “Everybody’s so hospitable toward each other, and it’s such a relaxed atmosphere, with a real feeling of community.”

Nowhere is that feeling of community more evident than during its Soup and Sing events. Once a month, musicians — most of them friends of the Wurzes — gather for a potluck meal followed by an informal jam session. Friends and members of the community often attend, as well.

“Picture the way your church potluck used to be back in the day,” Toto says. “Everyone brings their dish and gets together to enjoy a meal.”

While open to the public, the event is really about the musicians, some of whom travel from as far away as Asheville to jam together. For those in the audience, respect is key — there’s no loud talking or hollering out requests, like you’ll find in a rowdy bar. There’s a code of jam etiquette, and spectators follow it.

“People are a little more respectful of the music; it’s more about a respect for the musicians who just want to get together and play,” Natalie says. “The musicians get to eat first because when we’re done eating, we’re ready to play. It’s a way to show respect and appreciation to people who are musicians.”

The music varies, but most often the jams feature bluegrass and traditional tunes. The skill level of musicians varies as well, from the less experienced who just play for fun to professional musicians who’ve played all over the country.

“That’s the cool thing about this –– a lot of the people who come out just want to play,” says Dave Tedford, an Asheville guitarist who regularly drives to Stokesdale for Soup and Sing.

“There’s a good mix; it can be anyone, and it’s inclusive. You don’t have to be of a particular talent, you can just have fun.”

Soup and Sing also motivates part-time musicians to reconnect to their passion.

“You may be a musician, and life just kind of gets in the way. And you put your guitar aside and don’t make time for it,” Natalie says. “And that’s where having something like Soup and Sing is helpful, because it’s a regularly scheduled event, and you can get back into playing and find joy in playing music again.”

Beyond the Soup and Sing, Stonefield Cellars also hosts concerts featuring local and national artists, as well as other events throughout the year, such as wine classes, ladies’ nights and even a pirate party.

For the Wurzes, offering their neighbors a venue where they can enjoy a meal with good wine and entertainment, without having to drive all the way into Greensboro, makes them feel like a vital part of the community.

“We’re just about being open and appreciating of what others have to share and offer, and creating a loving community,” Natalie says. “I want to be a catalyst and be someone who can facilitate the gathering of kindred souls who love music, and live to share music with others.”

Contact Jennifer Bringle at jenniferbringle@gmail.com

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