La Tanya Eiland is from Compton, California and is passionate about wine. So when she moved to Atlanta in 2013, she asked the locals the questions she always asks when traveling to new places. “Where is the country of wine?”
In Atlanta, the most common answer was “north.”
Located at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, about 90 miles north of Atlanta, the city of Dahlonega has 12 wine tasting rooms and 8 wineries. Neighboring communities such as Helen, Cleveland and Sortina Coochie also have several facilities offering local, regional and national wines. North Georgia has a total of more than 40 wineries and tasting rooms in an increasingly popular area for day trips and weekend trips.
Georgia actually has a long history with vineyards. Prior to Georgia’s Prohibition in 1907, the state was reportedly the sixth largest producer of wine grapes in the United States. After Prohibition ended, Georgia’s wine industry struggled. The Georgia Capitol passed the Farm Winery Bill in 1983, and the state’s wine business began to turn around.
Today, the state has more than 70 wineries, up from about 45 10 years ago. Enotourism is very popular and has spawned several businesses next to wine, such as tour operators, restaurants, and adventure companies that take people to hiking and biking. Winery owners said the pandemic was unable to travel abroad, resulting in increased traffic from people eager to be outdoors. The winery has benefited as local outdoor travel flourishes.
“I remember thinking that people in the Atlanta region didn’t really know about this beautiful wine country to the north of us. If they knew it, many wouldn’t be able to visit it. It was, “said Mr. Island.He runs a wine tour company in North Georgia Pop Cork Wine Tour, With my husband Chuck. It is one of the few black-owned companies in the Georgia wine industry.
Winery tour trove
Pop the Cork began operation in 2015 in a 12-seater van. Currently, the company has four vans and SUVs, touring daily. Thursday-Sunday is the most popular day for tours starting from a parking lot on the outskirts of Danwoody in Stone Mountain or Atlanta. The location of Dunwoody is easily accessible by public transport or by car. If you book a private tour, we can arrange a pick-up at your chosen location.
The company’s public tour, where strangers share the same van and spend the day exploring together, costs $ 170 per person and includes lunch and tasting at three wineries. Group private tours are $ 190 per person and require a minimum of 8 people.When booking a tour online, guests can choose from several menu items created by Natalie Jane’s Catering, A popular local catering company, including brisket tacos, Cobb salad, and croissant chicken salad.Other companies that take people on tours from Metro Atlanta to North Georgia include: Georgia Wine Tour And that Vinovan..
At Pop the Cork, drivers like Jarome Wilson are also guides to share the region’s history, talk about the wine industry’s contribution to the state economy, and explain wine tasting practices.
“I know you know how to drink wine, but I want to make sure you know how to taste it,” Wilson told the group on a recent public tour. I did.
Each stop on the tour has its own highlights, such as the wine itself, a row of vines over the hills, a seasoned winemaker, or a compelling history. In 2018, Dahlonega The plateau was given the coveted designation by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Trade Department under the Treasury as the first viticulture area to include the border in Georgia. According to the agency, the soil quality, exposure to sunlight and climate of the 133 square mile area are ideal for growing grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Chardonnay.
At the Cleveland Pop Cork stop, a city northeast of Atlanta Serenity CellarsKnown for its Tuscan red blend, it makes music an integral part of the experience. Wine tasting flights are offered daily, but not after 6pm on Friday when live music begins. You can have a 5-sample tasting for $ 20 or a 6-sample tasting for $ 35, including souvenir glasses. The owner, Eduardo Deverasco, will give you advice on the music and wine you need for your meal.
The Cottage Vineyard & Winery We are hosting the Sunday program “Jesusn’Jeans”, which offers mountain views and allows people to come to the accommodation chapel for worship before drinking wine. (Sake is not available until 12:30 pm on Sundays in the state.) Reservations for 4 or more people are required. Four wine flights start at $ 12 per person. Accent cellarWith a pure white interior and a new outdoor patio, it has a fun and youthful atmosphere. Comedy shows are held regularly. Winemaker and co-founder Tyler Burns makes tasting intimate for professionals and beginners, explains the difference between astringency and dryness, and encourages people to try wines that are not normally thought of. .. Tasting costs $ 20 to $ 24.
Mr. Burns’ brother-in-law, Tristen Vanhof, is an Accent winemaker as well as an Accent. Jona Mountain Vineyards, About 25 miles away. Its 200-acre family-owned winery features a barrel-filled wine cave and a spacious outdoor patio. Guests may see owner Bob Miller and his son, general manager Eric, playing the piano. The winery offers four samples of two ounces of wine from red, white, mixed, or off-dry flights for $ 35. Wine cave tours are $ 100.
It’s not just a day trip
Visitors who want to extend their day trip will find it easy. As the area became more famous, some wineries invested in accommodation. Island’s tour companies often drop people off and pick them up in a day or two.
One of the facilities that offers accommodation Cavender Creek Vineyards & Wineries In Dahlonega. A laid-back operation with a picnic table, playground, children’s slashes, and adult-popular frozen wine slashes. No meals are currently served while the winery waits for local authorities to inspect the newly refurbished kitchen, but guests can relax to the photogenic alpaca and donkey. The winery’s accommodation has a cabin with two king bedrooms, each with a private bathroom, a sofa bed in the living room, a kitchenette and two fireplaces. Prices start at $ 289. Accommodation also includes 2 queen bedrooms, 1 bathroom and a cottage with kitchen. Cottages start at $ 239.
There are 4 artisan style cottages in Kaya Vineyard and WineryLocated on a ridge, it offers panoramic views of the mountains. Cottages start at $ 499 per night and can accommodate up to 8 people. You can choose from 5 different wines from the wine list for a $ 25 tasting.