Georgia was one of America’s greatest wine producers until Prohibition put a pin in the industry. Rebuilding didn’t start until the 1980s, but new local wineries are working hard to reestablish the state’s reputation. Most are in Georgia’s north, but don’t underestimate the wineries in the eastern part of the state and neighboring South Carolina. These are just a few of the exceptional vineyards around Savannah.
Butterducks Winery: 3332 Blue Jay Road, Guyton
Butterducks is a charming boutique winery around 30 minutes from Savannah. It has an extensive selection of dinner and dessert red and white wines, from sauvignon blanc to sangiovese. The winery imports grapes that don’t grow well in Georgia, then works with them to ensure every bottle meets Butterducks’ exacting standards. Order a meat or cheese platter, and savor your tasting experience out on the patio. Make sure you say hello to Brodie, the winery’s official dog, his feline pal Ed, and the local ducks that give the winery its name before you leave.
Butterducks Winery’s tasting room and gift shop opens from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
Watermelon Creek Vineyard: 2977 Mt. Zion Church Road, Glennville
Watermelon Creek Vineyard is roughly an hour’s drive from Savannah, so it’s the perfect spot for a daytrip. It’s a friendly family-owned winery specializing in Georgia-grown muscadine wines. If you’ve never had muscadine wine, you’re in for a real treat. These white and red grapes typically make sweet wine, but Watermelon Creek also turns this grape into satisfying dinner wine. Muscadine grapes are equally delicious in homemade jams, jellies, and preserves, which the winery proudly sells. Blueberry wines round out the unusual collection.
If you want to linger after your tasting, enjoy a leisurely lunch or supper at Watermelon Creek Vineyard Restaurant. Chef Patrick’s creative meals are perfect paired with the vineyard’s wines. The winery also hosts events including full moon celebrations, wine and art pairings, and private weddings.
Watermelon Creek Vineyard welcomes visitors between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays.
Island Winery: 12A Cardinal Road, Hilton Head
Island Winery is another exciting winery around an hour from Savannah. It’s a small boutique operation, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in quality. Its winemakers handcraft every wine in small batches, and you can taste the love they put into each one.
The winery imports its grapes, allowing it to make an old-world style chardonnay, an authentic Italian sangiovese, and more. It looks closer to home for its low country specialty wines. These unique wines feature southern fruits. Southern Passion, made with South Carolina grapes and peaches and Florida oranges, is a fantastic alternative to sangria. The apple cinnamon wine and elderberry honey wine are two more options you won’t find anywhere else.
Island Winery opens 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays.
Designate your driver, and hit the road for a wine-tasting excursion this weekend. The winemakers around Savannah would love to share their local reds and whites with you.
Do not drink and drive.
Image via Pixabay.com
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