The Love of Georgia Wine Begins
Looking back at our notes and pictures, the first wineries Peter and I visited were around the Dahlonega area. On our anniversary in September 2015 we stayed for a weekend, did some hiking and drank some wine.
Friday afternoon we drove up to Dahlonega and stopped in the Naturally Georgia Tasting Room. They have wines from several local wineries available for tasting and to buy. We browsed their collection of local art and products before heading over to the Habersham Tasting Room.
After trying the Habersham wines, we checked in at our B&B, Cedar House Inn & Yurts. Gorgeous property, yummy breakfast and comfortable room, it was a great base for our weekend. The owners are passionate about living green and encourage recycling. The yurts are perfect if you want to try “glamping”.
Waterfalls and Wine
Saturday morning, we headed over to Amicalola Falls State Park. The hike up the East Ridge trail was challenging, but it was nothing compared to the people we saw hiking up 600 steep steps to the top! We wandered around the lodge for a bit, and sat on the back deck enjoying the view.
Next on the agenda, wineries, starting with Three Sisters Vineyards. It was early Saturday afternoon, so not terribly crowded. The server was a local college student with an interest in wine, who helped us navigate the tasting menu. Our favorite wine was the Fat Boy Red, which we were told is their most popular wine. We had a bottle with a cheese and meat tray on their porch overlooking the winery. Sitting there, enjoying the wine cheese and spicy meat, with beautiful weather and scenery, I had one of those life moments. This is what I want to keep doing. Good company, perfect setting and exploring good wine.
I always tell people that I’m a bad loser, and that’s why we aren’t taking up golf in our retirement. That’s true, to a certain extent, but learning about and experiencing different wines is the perfect pastime for Peter and me. There’s travel and history, beautiful places for hiking, and good wine and food that we can explore for years and years.
Next, we drove the ½ mile to Frogtown Cellars. We had wines from their Premium Red tasting, and talked with other patrons about the wineries. Frogtown is a beautiful property, with an extensive wine listing including many estate wines. You can buy cheese plates and enjoy then on the deck overlooking the vineyards, and they now are serving a Sunday brunch.
More Wine, More Waterfalls
Sunday morning, we went to see more waterfalls. First was a short hike to DeSoto Falls and then a bumpy drive to Helton Creek Falls, shown at the top of the post. When you first turn onto Helton Creek Road, you’re driving in a secluded neighborhood. However, long before you finish the 2.2 mile drive you find yourself on a one lane, twisty gravel adventure. We were easily able to navigate the road, but with no prior knowledge, couldn’t believe how long it took! It’s an easy walk to enjoy the upper and lower falls, and well worth the drive.
We concluded our wine tastings with a trip to Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Winery. The restaurant and tasting room sits atop Wolf Mountain, and has spectacular views of the vineyard and surrounding mountains. After our tasting, we sat down for their Sunday brunch buffet. Not your usual fare, each month the restaurant offers a menu with a different theme.
You can see our trip at our Roadtrippers page in Wine and Waterfalls in Dahlonega. Let us know if you like this trip, or what your first trip to a winery in Georgia was like.