Prior to arriving to North Georgia, a wine lovers’ rendezvous just north of Atlanta, I spent a little time perusing the web in anticipation of my trip to wine country.  Much to my surprise and dissatisfaction, there is no single site that covers the industry as a whole.  Instead, visitors are left to choose between 3 poorly designed websites that attempt to represent the Georgia Wine Industry.  The Georgia Wine Council, The Winegrowers Association of Georgia and finally Georgia Wine Country (in my opinion, the best of the 3) do their best impression of an all encompassing website for tourists and visitors alike.  With little help from the state, wineries are left to fend for themselves and/or band together via trade associations to help spread the word.

Now numbering in the high 30s, the growth of the wine industry is nothing short of astounding.  From the fruit and Muscadine wine grapes grown and produced in the south to the American, European and Hybrid grapes in the north, Georgia is producing a variety of wines to satisfy every palate and budget.

Three Sisters Vineyards and Winery owner and winemaker, Doug Paul, recently published a great piece on the Georgia Wine Industry, State of The Grape – A Year End Review of 2010 Wine Production in Georgia.  Doug Paul, who I had the pleasure of meeting on my visit and the focus of an upcoming post, provides a recap of 2010 and a recommendation that sums up my thoughts exactly:

It is my thought and the thought of many of my colleagues that the State of Georgia and the citizens would benefit from the formation of a state managed “Georgia Wine Commission”  charged with the task of promotion, marketing and educational research. To be successful and fair to all concerned, a Georgia Wine Commission must be completely nonpartisan, inclusive and not controlled by private business or any personality in the wine business.  It should be state funded through a portion of all alcohol excise taxes collected on behalf of retailers, wholesalers and farm wineries. In Georgia, these taxes are currently collected and paid directly to the Georgia Department of Revenue.  All excise taxes collected on alcohol in the state are placed in the “general fund.”  As with successful neighboring states with wine regions, an annual budget should be established by the General Assembly to support an impartial Executive Director to manage promotion, marketing and oversee research grants.

Outside of the single, nonpartisan organization, I believe the state needs more vintage consistency and a grape variety the state can hang its hat on.  Until the state realizes its own potential, I’m afraid the industry will continue to be saddled in silos trying to find their voice…

BlackStock Vineyards and Winery located in Dahlonega, Georgia

Wishing you and yours a happy and safe holiday.  TheOther46.com will be back in action in a few days live from Virginia wine country.  Until then, don’t forget to leave Santa a glass of local wine. Cheers!

A Snack for Santa

As the years passed and the magazines filled up shelf space, I noticed a change in my wine education.  I began to develop a palate for local wines and a great appreciation for the individuals supporting the local movement and pioneering efforts to produce world class wines.  Certainly the Spectator would pick up on this trend and include a spotlight on these exciting industries on a regular basis.  But issue after issue, the other 46 states went unnoticed.  Maybe that last statement isn’t fair; how could I forget to mention the 90 words in the February ’09 issue (read more here).

And so I Bid Adieu and close this chapter on my wine education and in typical Amazon.com fashion, give the Wine Spectator 1 star (out of 5) for lack of clarity and depth.

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Remember, wine is more than just a bottle sitting on a store shelf or tucked away in a cellar; rather it’s the stories and memories created while enjoying wine that last a lifetime, long after the last pour. So with that, I raise a toast to 2010. Stay thirsty my friends and drink local. Cheers!

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So tonight I toast the next 100 and to the great friends I’ve met along the wine trail.  Cheers!

1. Plan your trip in advance.  In most states (outside of the big 4), wineries are spread out.  Do your due diligence and check hours of operation and print directions in advance.
2. Do not bring along alcoholic beverages or wine to drink while visiting a winery. Have respect for the winery you are currently visiting and enjoy a glass or share a bottle of their wine on the grounds.
3. If you are with a group tasting, please be considerate of those around you. Best advice to parties, call ahead and pre-arrange your visit so your party can be accommodated.
4. If you bring children to a tasting room, please keep them quiet and behaved. Do not let them run around and disrupt the atmosphere.
5. Do not get drunk and act stupid. A tasting room associate can refuse to serve you if they suspect you are drunk.
6. If other people are waiting for an open spot at the bar, politely wait your turn to taste.
7. Crackers are to cleanse your palate between wine tastings, not to satisfy your case of the munchies.  Most wineries have food that can be purchased and enjoyed on the grounds.
8. Record you tasting notes.  If you visit more than one winery, it’s difficult to remember what you tasted and enjoyed.
9. If you dislike a wine, politely pour out the wine and record your notes.  No need to verbally share your thoughts with everyone in the winery.
10. Stay hydrated.  Bring along water between tastings, or better yet, pack a picnic to enjoy outside with a bottle of wine!

I hope you find the above rules helpful.  I also suggest you check out fellow blogger and friend Dezel Quillen of Virginia Vine Spot.  He put together a great guide.  Did I miss any?  Would love to read your comments.  Cheers!

The Other 46 blog has been nominated for the Orlando Sentinel’s Orbbies (Orlando’s Rockin’ Blogs).

Please take a moment to vote for “The Other 46″ in the following two categories: Foodies & Out of this World (Unclassified). You can also vote it as the “Best Overall Blog“.

In order to vote, you will need to take a second and create an online Orlando Sentinel account. You will be prompted to do so once you vote.

Please remember to vote daily! The contest ends on November 20, 2009.

Thank you so much for the support, it is appreciated! Please spread the word.

It seems like every week there is some kind of special event, dinner, or wedding where the average visitor is either ignored or pushed towards the back.  I hear and read many complaints about wineries that turn down large crowds, or limit special events.  But last time I checked, isn’t it about the wine?  Virginia has everything in its corner, great wine, terroir, local and state support, among many others.  Please don’t lose sight of the goal, producing great wine, vintage after vintage.

Quoting Walt Disney, “I only hope that we don’t lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse.”  Well Virginia, remember it was all started by a grape…

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Click here to vote TheOther46.com as your favorite wine blog!

Click here to vote The Other 46 as your favorite wine blog!