Visit Wolf Mountain Vineyards to sample a range of delicious wines and learn about how they are made. This Georgia winery produces handcrafted red, white, sweet, rosé and sparkling wines on a 30-acre (12-hectare) hilltop estate.
Go on a guided tour of the vineyards, which starts where the grapes are grown. They're cultivated on top of Wolf Mountain at an elevation of 1,800 feet (549 meters). There are 10,000 vines, and among the grape varieties are cabernet sauvignon, malbec, mourvedre and tannat. Pick up insights into the importance of the red clay soil, elevation, climate and other growing conditions.
Examine the crush pad where the grapes are initially processed after being harvested by hand. The juice is then gravity fed into one of the fermentation tanks. See the settling tanks where the wine settles for a few days before being aged in barrels in the cask room.
Ask your guide about the production of the winery's four types of sparkling wines, which involves a second stage of fermentation. This follows the traditional French method of producing sparkling wines.
Enjoy a tasting session in the adjacent tasting room, which features a large four-sided stone and cedar bar. Step into the antique Wine Library and Cellar and browse the collection of 19th-century French wine artifacts.
Stay for lunch or a snack in the café or on the veranda, which overlooks the vineyards and surrounding green landscape of hills. Note that reservations are required for lunch. Visitors can also reserve gourmet winemaker dinners where each of the four courses is paired with one of Wolf Mountain's award-winning wines.
Located in the North Georgia Mountains, Wolf Mountain Vineyards is 5 miles (8 kilometers) north of Dahlonega. On-site car parking is free. The winery is open for tastings from Thursdays through to Sundays, and tours are held on Saturdays and Sundays. Visit the vineyard's official website for more details and prices.
