Winter Wine Highway Weekend - December 11, 12, 13

The Winegrowers Association of Georgia will hold its first Winter Wine Highway Weekend December 11-13. Plan ahead to take a break from the holiday hustle and bustle and spend a few days in the northeast Georgia mountains where you can find unique and authentic "Georgia Made/Georgia Grown" items for everyone on your gift list!

For more information on the Wine Highway Weekend, please visit www.georgiawine.com

Sunflowers and Southern Fare Dinner

With mouths waterin’ and appetites rearin’ up, Persimmon Creek Vineyards is eager to welcome gourmand aficionados, Virginia Willis and Tasia Malakasis for the Sunflower and Southern Fare Dinner on July 25th at 7 PM! Chef Virginia Willis will prepare a multi-course Southern spread featuring seasonal specialities from her book, Bon Appetit Y’all, paired with Persimmon Creek Vineyards wines. In addition, the meal will feature Tasia Malakasis’ Belle Chèvre goat cheeses from Alabama. Elaborately decorated tables will celebrate the sunflowers grown on the vineyard property. www.persimmoncreekwine.com Cost is $95 per person, please call 706.212.7380 for reservations.

Wine Weekend Stimulus package at Spendor Mountain

The 2nd annual Georgia Fine Wine Festival returns to Black Stock Vineyards and Winery the weekend of June 6-7. Reserve your tickets today! It's a weekend festival of the finest food, wine, music, and art in the beautiful Georgia Mountains.

Splendor Mountain in Tiger (Rabun County) offers a wine weekend stimulus package. Enjoy the wine weekend and rest in a comfortable luxury cottage, perfect for a family or group of couples, for only $500/weekend. This is a real deal! Splendor Mountain also offers a romantic suite for two at the Shadow Rock Pavilion for just $300/weekend.

Bring your Georgia wine and relax on the wraparound porch and enjoy the 8 o'clock Saturday night movie showing of "The Good Year" at Sunrise Lodge.

For reservations, call 706.212.2897

"Awakening of the Vines"

The annual "Awakening of the Vines" at Tiger Mountain Vineyards is coming up on Saturday May 16, from noon to 3 p.m.. Join Tigerwine Tasters and the Abominable Seed and Feed Band for a gourmet picnic, with great entertainment and great wine! E-mail tigerwine@windstream.net or call 706-782-4777 to make your reservations by Monday, May 11.

Wine Highway Weekend

It's a great weekend to visit the Georgia Mountains! Visit our Northeast Georgia wineries and taste award winning wines grown and produced in our region.

The Winegrowers Association of Georgia sponsors it's fourth annual Wine Highway Weekend this Saturday, March 21 and Sunday, March 22. There is a $20 charge per person, which is collected at the first winery visited. Travelers receive a "Wine Highway Weekend" collectors' glass, which gives admission to all participating wineries. Hours are 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Saturday and 12:30 - 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Stay and dine! Many restaurants are offering exceptional dining opportunities, including the Beechwood Inn and Lake Rabun Hotel, with overnight packages available at these properties and others. Please call for more information.

Take your camera along and capture the beautiful sights and views along the rolling countryside of the Northeast Georgia Mountains. We'd love to hear your comments.

Chocolate and Wine at Tiger Mountain Vineyards

Martha and John Ezzard invite the public to a chocolate and wine week end at Tiger Mountain Vineyards Feb. 14-15, 1 to 4 p.m. — live music, artisan cheeses and breads, chocolate fondue and truffles — and Tiger Mountain’s latest award winning wines! The winery will also release its 06 Malbec, the only locally grown Malbec in Georgia.

The Ezzards are kicking off the winery’s 10th anniversary year and the “15th leaf ” of the Ezzard vineyards, planted on the 170-year-old Arrendale -Ezzard farm at Tiger Mountain in 1995. Recently Bill and Leckie Stack, former co-owners, sold their shares of the winery. The Ezzards, who hold the majority ownership, are creating a new board to focus on “Georgia Grown” wines with the aim of utilizing sustainable growing methods and wine consulting expertise to further enhance their quality wine making.

Major new investors in Tiger Mountain Vineyards are John and Marilyn McMullan. John McMullan, a high school classmate of John Ezzard, is an Atlanta businessman and wine collector. Also joining the new board is Dr. Carl Fackler. He and his wife, Carla, started Stonewall Creek Vineyards in Tiger three years ago. The Facklers will process most of their grapes and create their wines at Tiger Mountain. “ With record sales in 2008 and a distinctive brand image,” said John Ezzard, “the winery has a bright future.” "Our first priority remains our commitment to the local community and the growing North Georgia wine industry,” said Martha Ezzard.All of the winery staff will continue in their positions, including winery manager Jabe Hilson and winery administrator Judy Ruth.

For details on all upcoming winery events, see www.tigerwine.com