Wineries cultivating an array of grapes dot the region, climbing the mountains and hills of North Georgia and Tennessee, and three vineyards are just a short drive for Scenic City residents.
Georgia Winery in Ringgold, which was started 31 years ago, was Georgia's first farm winery and now produces more than 13,000 cases a year of 30 different muscadine and fruit wines.
Muscadine grapes are native to the region and can be grown organically, said Patty Prouty, owner of Georgia Winery. They are known for their sweet taste, making excellent dessert wines. A bottle of white muscadine wine, Muscadine Gold, is $16.95.
Prouty said their winery sells wines for every palette and offers free tastings Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Winery tours are offered on Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
DeBarge Winery, Chattanooga's first urban winery, operates out of a historic brick building on Rossville Avenue near Main Street. The tasting room offers samples of the winery's wines from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. from Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday, then from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
DeBarge wines are made from grapes grown at the winery's local vineyard on Pigeon Mountain in Walker County, Ga., as well as grapes from California, Oregon and Washington. Ten varieties are being sold including riesling, chardonnay, syrah and pinot noir.
"White grapes are then pressed and the juice chilled in the crush room while the red grape must be chilled on crushed skins followed by an overnight cold soak," the DeBarge web site says in describing the process of wine making.
Ocoee Winery in Cleveland on Waterlevel Highway also sells a variety of local wines including muscadine and fruit wines. The Ocoee Red, a concord blend, is perfect with cheesecake, the winery's web site says, and a bottle sells for $11.50.