Explore Georgia's Wine Highway

Three Sisters Vineyards & Winery

With a spectacular view of the mountains, Three Sisters Vineyards & Winery has almost 10,000 premium vines, featuring Cabernet Franc, Pinot Blanc, Touriga Naçional, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Cynthiana grapes. Owners Doug and Sharon Paul, as well as Sharon's brother Ken VanDusen, welcome you Thursday through Sunday to sample their best while checking out the gallery of folk art. The Cynthiana--an American grape grown by the Cherokee and early Virginia settlers--creates a memorable black cherry taste that goes perfect with dark chocolates.
439 Vineyard Way, Dahlonega, GA 30533; (706) 865-9463 or www.threesistersvineyards.com.

Can't Make It to the Mountains?

Wine shipping laws vary by state, so if you want to enjoy some bottles at home, you may have to carry them. Check with the individual wineries about shipping to your state, or look in wine shops and fine restaurants across Georgia for these labels.

Sipping and Spitting With Scott Jones

Our resident wine expert, Southern Living Executive Foods Editor Scott Jones, offers these tips to get the most out of your experience.

• Start by sampling lighter, chilled, younger wines, and then move up to the full-bodied ones and those with more age.
• First smell the bouquet; then take a sip and swish it around in your mouth. Close your eyes, and think about what flavor memories come to mind. Use your own vocabulary to describe it.
• Cleanse your palate between varietals with the bread or crackers and water most wineries provide.
• Don't get hung up on other people's ideals of lowbrow and highbrow wines. Decide whether you like the wine as you taste it. It's all about discovering.
• When you want to have fun trying lots of different wines but don't want to get loaded, simply don't swallow. Use the spittoon. It might seem awkward at first, but the winemakers expect it.
• For more details on Southern wines and pairings with meals, go to www.southernliving.com/foods, or read Scott's blog, Eating My Words.

Wining and Dining Weekends

Visit the Beechwood Inn, a bed and breakfast run by a Clayton couple who is passionate about fine wine; (706) 782-5485 or www.beechwoodinn.ws.