People have always come to Dahlonega looking for a brighter
future. In 1828, it was the gold rush. Today, it’s more of a
grape gush.
On a recent Saturday, Doug and Sharon Paul gathered friends
at their Three Sisters Vineyards, a 184-acre vineyard estate
just
out of Dahlonega, to help harvest their inaugural crop.
Busy clipping grapes from the vine was Greg Sheppard, a
Lumpkin
County Extension Service agent who has helped the Pauls since
they came here in 1996.
“We’ve had to learn a lot about grapes,” Sheppard
admitted. “With any crop, insect and disease problems must
be managed. We’ve been developing management practices that work
in our area.”
Saving Farmland
Sheppard isn’t alone working with this emerging crop. More than a dozen wine vineyards are now scattered
around north Georgia.
“The fescue pastures being converted to vineyards are
less expensive to establish than if (growers) have to clear
land,” Sheppard said. “This is an industry that preserves our
farmland and offers good potential income for producers.”
Grape growers have found the rolling north Georgia hills
perfect for growing grapes. A region once known for brewing great
‘shine is now producing some fine wine.
Paul is growing several varieties of grapes, including
Cabernet
Franc, Merlot, Touiga, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and
Cynthiana-Norton.
“Each vineyard has its own specialty,” Paul said.
“Our initial estimated harvest is 35 tons, and we will
produce
a small amount of wine here.”
Pesky Pests
While this generation of grape growers is fairly new, taking
root in the late 1970s and early ’80s, grape growing in Georgia
dates back to the Cherokee Indians and other early settlers.
James Oglethorpe, Georgia’s first colonial governor, tried to
introduce European viticulture as part of his economic plan. His
attempts failed when the grapes contracted a New World disease
and were attacked by indigenous insects.
Those pests persist today.
“Pathogens are prevalent in middle and south Georgia that
prevent those areas from being good for growing grapes,”
said Phil Brannen, an Extension Service plant pathologist with
the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
“Pierce’s disease is a problem even in some areas of
north
Georgia,” Brannen said. “But elevation helps us out
with pests and disease, so you’ll have most vineyards above
1,200
feet.”
Over the decades, native muscadines were cultivated
throughout
Georgia for table grapes and sweet wine production. European
wine
grapes, though, are relegated to these high elevations.
“Georgia features both large and small vineyards,”
Paul said.
Chateau Elan and Habersham Wines are two of the mainstays.
“Literally across the highway from Chateau Elan is smaller
boutique vineyard-winery Chestnut Mountain,” Paul said.
“Another
small winery is Fox Vineyards & Winery in Social
Circle.”
Tourism and Agriculture
Mix
Georgia’s northernmost vineyard, Crane Creek Vineyards in
Young
Harris, hopes to anchor the top of the Georgia Wine Trail.
Beautiful, rolling hills of neatly tended rows of vines
aren’t
just attractive economically. They make for pretty agribusiness.
That helps attract income from another source.
“Tourism is big business in this area,” Sheppard
said. “This type of business works well with tourism and
I think can actually bring tourists in.”
Like most Georgia vineyards, Paul included special events as
part of Three Sisters’ business plan. The estate has an outdoor
gazebo with a spectacular view for weddings and outdoor
functions.
“We see this as ‘agritourism’ at its finest,” he
said.
“The producers are optimistic,” Brannen said.
“They
certainly have the opportunity to make a nice profit, especially
if it’s tied to tourism and provides a good escape from the
city.”
So will north Georgia be the next Napa Valley?
“In order to compete with Napa, it will take some
time,”
Brannen said. “But these vineyards are going to produce some
good wines, and some will be very competitive. This is an
industry
with a bright future.”
