North Georgia Vineyards (Dahlonega)
As my French wine scholar program has come to an end and we have just taken our final exam (gosh, I hope I passed!), I was able to get away for a day trip for wine tasting in North Georgia. Here were some of the highlights….
FROGTOWN CELLARS
Frogtown Cellars was our first stop on the Georgia Wine Trail. Here, my friends and I were greeted by Chauna, who was our hostess and pourer for the tasting. She’s also the manager and has a good bit of knowledge about wines, and has a fun personality. That’s always a plus!
Native Atlantans, the Kritzers, started Frogtown back in the late nineties, planting a wide variety of French and Italian grapes such as Merlot, Chardonnay, Viognier, Sangiovese, and the list goes on and on. Have you ever heard of Cynthiana? Chauna was the one who schooled me on this grape, also called Norton. While Zinfandel got all the press and recognition for being America’s true wine grape, Norton is also one of them (some say the first) and is indigenous to the southeast United States. The fruit is represented in the Frogtown Norton red wine, blended with Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Today, Frogtown Cellars produces award-winning wines competing with California. My favorite was the 2008 Bravado, a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, and Tannat. The Frogtown Family also hosts numerous festivities such as barrel tastings, brunches, citizens’ soirées, as well as private events. Tasting room is open year round.
Frogtown Cellars
http://www.frogtownwine.com/
THREE SISTERS VINEYARDS
Three Sisters, named after Lumpkin County’s Three Sisters Mountain, was our next stop. Many people, including residents of Dahlonega don’t know that this is the county’s first legal winery since prohibition. Three Sisters also holds the distinction of being Dahlonega’s first family run winery. How about that!
While their wine selection such as the “Fat Boy Red” paired with Cheetos isn’t quite my style, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with their Georgia Port dessert wine that was actually quite nice. Three sisters plays host to a number of events throughout the year such as VineDog Weekend and Georgia Wine Country Festival which are always fun. There’s also wine seminars if you’re like me and want to learn more about wine.
Three Sisters Vineyards
http://www.threesistersvineyards.com/main.asp
CAVENDER CREEK VINEYARDS
Cavender Creek is by far one of the most simple and basic wineries that I have seen in a long while, yet it is so rich with southern hospitality. Raymond and Donna Castleberry, two former Gwinnett County school teachers, share their story of how this all started. Apparently, one year Donna gave a wine making kit to her husband Raymond as a gift just for him to have as a hobby. Little did she know that this “hobby” would turn out to be a full blown winery and even included as a destination on Georgia’s official wine map!
What I love about Cavender Creek is the feel. Driving up to the tasting room behind the two-story log cabin offers the impression of going to grandma’s house. When we first arrived, Donna was out on the front porch brushing Tinkerbell’s (the big fluffy dog) coat. While there are people around to help out, there’s not really a “staff” so to speak, but more so friends and neighbors. We were even welcomed to stay for as long as we wanted to relax and enjoy a picnic anywhere on the property. The Castleberrys (and their neighbors) are gracious folks and really go out of their way to make one feel at home. Speaking of which, should you want to make a weekend out of the North Georgia wine experience, Cavender Creek offers a small guesthouse for rent.
Accommodation available for rentals
Cavender Creek Vineyards
http://home.windstream.net/ccvw/
WOLF MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS
My good friend Sue and I first discovered Wolf Mountain Vineyards about six years ago. It’s one of the places that I continue to go back to over and over again, as it is one of my all time favorites here in Georgia.
The winery includes a beautiful antique bar, fireplace and dining room with lots of windows, as well as a large deck overlooking the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. The cellar with a striking resemblance to Old World vineyards is underneath and houses handcrafted fine-quality Estate, Reserve, and sparkling wines. Tastings are available by the glass, by flights and if so desired, guests can also choose to add a tour to complete the wine experience. Events here are first-class and include Sunday brunches, cafe lunches and gourmet dinners.
As it turns out, the welcoming ambiance is indeed no accident at all. Since the late seventies, owner and winemaker E. Karl Boegner’s focus has been Hospitality Operator’s, Inc, a consulting company for restaurants, hotels and private clubs of which he is president. Since then, he has also managed Chateau Elan’s luxury golf course, resort, and winery in Braselton, Georgia. Boegner was able to further develop his experience with wine and hospitality as he was also once coordinator of the Atlanta International Wine Festival and Wine Summit competitions with more than 150 judges and 1500 wines!
Jazz in The Vineyard
The Boegner family has welcomed guests at Wolf Mountain Vineyards since 2003 and continues to offer outstanding quality not just in wine selection, but also in dining, private receptions, ambiance, and customer service.
Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Winery
