Explore Georgia: White County Wineries (2024)

Wineries in northeast Georgia were once known for producing mostly muscadine wines. Not everyone liked the strongly sweet and fruity taste and so the area was largely discounted by oenophiles as a true wine destination. But in 2018, the Dahlonega Plateau (where Helen and White County wineries are located) was designated its own AVA (American Viticultural Area), meaning its soil quality, exposure, and climate make it an ideal region for growing wine. Now, White County has eight wineries (there are 17 vineyards within the Dahlonega AVA —with more on the horizon—and is producing award-winning wines with a wide range of varietals.

Using the quirky, kitschy, Bavarian-inspired town of Helen, Georgia, as a home base for a long weekend, here’s what I discovered about White County wineries.

First, a little bit about Helen. In 1969 the town was seeing a decline in business, so it was turned from a logging town to a replica of Alpine Helen in Germany (complete with street names that end in strausse instead of street). Local artist John Kollack had previously spent time in the Bavarian Alps and had deep roots in the Helen area. By fall 1969, the town had put new facades on many of the buildings. Visitors come to experience a bit of German culture and the town’s Oktoberfest each year.

After perusing the downtown shops, and eating some authentic German pastries and schnitzel, it’s all about the wines. The very best way to get a good overview of the area and experience several different wineries in a day is to take a private wine tour.

White County Wineries Tour

Charles Ernst, owner of VIP Southern Tours, picked my husband and me up from our hotel, Valhalla Resort, at 11am on a Saturday. We didn’t need to plan our routes, drive the steep mountain roads after drinking all day, make reservations, or worry about lunch and snacks; we just got into the clean SUV and off we went.

Having done these tours for 11 years, Charles and his team are very knowledgeable. Personal relationships make the experience better as they connect you with owners, managers, sommeliers, and staff to provide additional insight into the wines you are tasting. As you progress from winery to winery, you’ll also learn about the history of the area.

Limoges Cellars opened in 2018 with a goal to produce “approachable wines” that aren’t super high in tannins, are very fruit forward, and are made with sustainable methods. Daniel and Kristina Limoges met while living in Bregenz, Austria, and traveled throughout Europe before moving to the North Georgia Mountains. Their travels influenced not only their decision to open a winery and vineyard, but the types of grapes they have planted on their 37 acres. Limoges has French blends, sparkling wines, vidal blanc, albarino and cabernet franc. Don’t miss their blanc de pommes, a Champagne-style apple wine, or their petit verdot red.

Owner Joe Smith of Serenity Cellars used to be a music producer for The Backstreet Boys and other bands before turning to winemaking. He became pretty adept at it as he not only has his own boutique winery but has also consulted for other area winemakers. Serenity Cellars features Tuscan-inspired, old-world style wines. A grotto used for tastings and a piazza with outdoor seating adds to the Tuscan vibe. If on-site, sommelier Eduardo will provide recommendations for food pairings with each wine. Serenity has several blends, two dessert wines, a chardonnay and a sangiovese. Eduardo says Contentment, an American Meritage blend of cabernet sauvignon from Napa and Sonoma, petit verdot, and merlot, is his favorite. “It’s the one wine that I save for my best meal.”

Our third winery of the day was Yonah Mountain Vineyards. One of the largest wineries in Georgia at over 200 acres, the winery has a large indoor and outdoor tasting area with gorgeous views of Yonah Mountain. On busy weekends, this winery can host up to 1,000 people. But don’t let crowds scare you off; there’s plenty of space and they keep adding more. The family-owned, Napa-style winery has twenty planted acres of sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, petit manseng, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec, and petit verdot. Genesis, a Bordeaux-style blend, was the first wine produced by owners Bob and Jane Miller and is still the most popular, says their son, Eric, who is now general manager. Katherine Cabernet, a cabernet sauvignon, is a staff favorite.

On the tour, we had plenty of time at each winery to enjoy our tasting and enjoyed the catered picnic lunch. We were dropped back off at our hotel by 5pm to enjoy dinner and a nice evening. Definitely the best way to experience the wineries.

In less than a two-hour drive from Greenville, Helen and White County make for a great weekend getaway. If you’re not into wine, there’s still plenty to do and enjoy.

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