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Cheerwine, It’s A North Carolina Thing:Called the “Nectar of North Carolina,” this hyper-carbonated, cherry-flavored soda may just course through Carolinians’ veins. Cheerwine is a cherry-flavored soft drink by Carolina Beverage Corporation of Salisbury, North Carolina. It has been produced since 1917, claiming to be "the oldest continuing soft drink company still operated by the same family. But where did this wild cherry concoction begin? The story begins in 1917, when inventor L.D. Peeler bought out a bankrupt beverage company out of Kentucky, and brought it back to his home state of North Carolina. Soon after, Peeler bought the syrup formula from a Saint Louis salesman for a “unique cherry flavoring,” and Cheerwine was born. Cheerwine has a mildly sweet flavor with strong cherry notes, most notably black cherry; is burgundy-colored; and has an unusually high degree of carbonation compared to other soft drinks. It’s almost like a cross between Cherry Coke and Dr Pepper. The product was named for its color and taste. The company website states that "it made sense to name a burgundy-red, bubbly, cherry concoction—Cheerwine.