Georgia's Wine Country

BlackStock Vineyards and Winery in Dahlonega, Georgia. (photo by T. J. Rutherford)


I HAVE TO SAY, right off the bat, that I am not a wine drinker. My husband is a wine and spirits columnist for Savannah Morning News, and he was invited to tour the wineries of the Dahlonega Plateau over the past five days.

We traveled to the gorgeous North Georgia mountains and stayed in a cabin in the foothills of the Appalachian trail. Breathtaking is not a strong enough word for the vistas that we drank in.

I took photographs of a couple of the vineyards as my husband talked with the owners. He is planning a wine-tasting travel event for July. The trip will include dinners, tastings and tours of the beautiful wineries.

The North Georgia wine region is in its infancy; it is reminiscent of California's Napa Valley in its early days. A passionate group of people have moved to the area over the past 10 years and they have contributed to the local economy. The Pied Piper of the collective is a man named David Harris. He performed the preliminary research of the wine country for his BlackStock Vineyards and Winery, and has served as willing consultant to the growing number of grape-growers who have followed in his footsteps.

Dahlonega is just a few hours from Savannah and only a couple from Atlanta. The trip makes for a perfect blend of a long week-end: you can have a city experience in Atlanta and a relaxing countryside adventure in and around Dahlonega.

It's romantic, relaxing and fun. I feel like I've experienced an amazing piece of heaven right here in my home state. North Georgia is definitely the wine country to watch!

Yours-
Miss T.J.