The University of Georgia Bulldogs may have won the college football national championship, but wineries in Dahlonega are also winning some awards. Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Winery took top honors in both the red and white varietals in the prestigious San Francisco International Wine Competition (SFIWC). Founded in 1980, the SFIWC)\ is the oldest American wine competition and second only to the International Wine and Spirits Competition globally. This year, more than 20 judges gathered in San Francisco to evaluate and score more than 2,900 wines from around the world.
Winning “Best in Show Sparkling,” and also “Best Blanc de Blancs” was Wolf Mountain Vineyards 2020 Méthode Champenoise Blanc de Blanc Brut, Dahlonega Plateau. Retailing at $36, the sparkling wine received 95 points and a Double Gold medal. The official SFIWC described it as: A distinctive yeasty aroma on the nose with green and stone fruit notes and a core of minerality with a bright brisk acidity.
For the red wine competition, Wolf Mountain Vineyards 2016 Claret Estate Grown Red Blend, Dahlonega Plateau was selected as the “Best Premium Non-Bordeaux Blend The official SFIWC described it as: A noticeable mocha note of rich chocolate and dark espresso on the nose along with rich red and black fruit, and hints of prune. A full-bodied wine, that offers both balance and weight and which is capable of extended maturation.
Situated atop a mountain ridge and surrounded by vineyards, The Winery at Wolf Mountain commands a spectacular view of the rolling foothills of the Appalachian Mountains with 10,000 square feet encompassing wine production, a restaurant and tasting room. The wines are more European in style than Californian and utilize French, Hungarian and American Oak Barrels for the aging of all wines to emphasize rich fruit flavors without excessive oak flavor. Wolf Mountain Vineyards also produces four types of sparkling wines using the French-style Méthode Champenoise.
www.wolfmountainvineyards.
www.dahlonega.org
