Nestled against the foothills and peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the southern terminus of the ancient rolling Appalachian Mountain chain, North Georgia’s vineyards slope and sprawl from high elevations, offering majestic views from all angles. Initially associated with sweet and Muscadine wines, the latter a native southeast grape grown for commercial purposes since the 18th century, the state’s wine industry has undergone a metamorphosis since the first post-Prohibition grapevine plantings of popular European varieties in the early 1980s.
Now, there are more than 90 wineries spread across the Dahlonega Plateau AVA and the Upper Hiwassee Highlands AVA that produce complex bottles from locally grown vinifera, like Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Petit Manseng, as well as hybrids such as Chambourcin, Seyval Blanc, Chardonel and Traminette. Because the area boasts warm days and cool nights during the growing season, viticulturists can achieve the acid levels needed to make impressive wines “with good fruit chemistry that expresses climate and region,” says Fritz Westover, a vineyard consultant known locally as “the vineyard whisperer.”
You May Also Like: Welcome to Georgia’s Dahlonega Plateau AVA
Prominent wineries like Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Frogtown Cellars are typically placeholders in major domestic wine competitions. Others, like Cloudland Vineyards + Winery, Crane Creek, Limoges Cellars and Stonewall Creek Vineyards, are similarly acclaimed for terroir-expressive wines. But with so many options these days, it can be hard to narrow down an itinerary for a North Georgia wine weekend. To make the most of this bucolic
This Article was originally published on Wine Enthusiast
