Make your plans now to attend the 2020 Georgia Wine Highway Week. This annual wine tasting event lasts for 10 days to give you plenty of time visit and enjoy each of the participating vineyards!
Friday, March 20, 2020 to Sunday, March 29, 2020
General information is shared below. Please check back for more details as the event gets closer!
2020 Wine Highway Week in the Georgia Mountains
The Winegrowers Association of Georgia is sponsoring the 2020 annual Wine Highway Week from Friday, March 20th through Sunday, March 29th 2020.
This tour of some of the finest North Georgia Mountain vineyards includes a commemorative souvenir wine glass and 4-5 wine tastings at each participating vineyard. There is a $50 charge per passport, but with the opportunity to sample multiple wines from 20+ vineyards, it is one of the best deals in the Georgia mountains!
To participate, visit any of the participating wineries and request a Wine Highway passport. You will receive a “Wine Highway Week” souvenir glass for your tastings and and an admission “passport” punchcard for the participating wineries. Be sure to keep the Passport and Souvenir Glass with you at all wineries visited to receive your wine tastings!
Each winery provides it’s own wine tasting format, and many will offer complimentary food and live music as well (bonuses are usually on the busier weekend days).
- Monday – Thursday: 1-5
- Fridays: 12-5
- Saturdays: 11-5
- Sundays: 12:30-5
2020 Wine Highway Week Participating Vineyards & Wineries
Although most of the North Georgia vineyards do participate in the Wine Highway Week event, you should know that there are a few select Georgia mountain vineyards that do not participate. The full list of 2020 participants is not available yet, but details will be posted as they are made available. Currently, these vineyards are signed up to pariticpate for 2020:
- 12 Spies Vineyards & Farm, 550 Black Branch Rd, Rabun Gap, GA
- Cartecay Vineyards, 5704 Clear Creek Rd, Ellijay, GA
- Chateau Meichtry, 1862 Orchard Lane, Talking Rock, GA
- Currahee Vineyard & Winery, 3301 West Currahee, Toccoa, GA
Additional participating wineries will be posted online (with a complete map) as the details become available. Stay tuned and mark your calendar now for this fun event and opportunity to enjoy the North Georgia Wine Trail!!
See the previous Ga Mountains Guide post about the great value when we visited all 22 participating wineries for the 2018 Wine Highway Week!
Tips for Enjoying the 2020 Wine Highway Week
Follow a few simple steps to ensure that everyone has a safe and fun trip to the Georgia mountains.
Designate a sober driver for the excursions!
Each one of the participating vineyards is located in the scenic Georgia mountains and provides gorgeous views of the area. However, the routes and roads are twisty, country, mountain roads and require an alert driver for safe navigation.
Plan to visit no more than 3-4 vineyards per day
Although there are some areas where vineyards are close together, most vineyards require at least a 15 minute drive to each other. Plan in advance to visit groups of vineyards that are close together.
Share a passport to help keep a clear head
Each tasting provides at least a few sips of each wine, so if you don’t mind sharing your glass, you can share the tasting with someone. This will allow you to keep a clearer head — plus you can almost always purchase an extra glass (or bottle) of your favorite wines!
Wear comfortable shoes that can handle dirt and gravel
Most of the tasting areas are located indoors, but many of the vineyards have dirt or gravel roads and pathways to access their main buildings. You will not want to be wearing fancy heels for this event.
Stay hydrated and well fed during the tastings
Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink water. Take your own water bottle and make sure to drink plenty to stay hydrated. Make sure that you have some food in your stomach as well — either travel with your own snacks or plan to visit one of the great nearby restaurants in the Georgia mountains for a full meal.
What to Take to Wine Highway Week
Be sure to do a little bit of advance planning to get the most out of the Wine Highway Week event. Keeping a few key items with you can make the event even more enjoyable.
- Wine glass markers or charms – since everyone will receive the same identical glass for the wine highway week, having a way to mark your own can be very helpful to avoid confusion in the tasting room
- ID / proof of age – make sure that you can prove that you are old enough to drink wine legally (you must be 21 years old to drink alcohol in Georgia)
- Crossbody bags – a hands-free bag for men or for women will make it much easier to walk around the grounds with your wine glass, passport, and any snacks that have been offered
- Water bottles – grab a case of spring water or take a Hydro Flask to make sure you drink plenty of fluids throughout the day
- Polarized Sunglasses with UV protection – eliminate glare and protect your eyes while enjoying the mountain weather and vineyard views
- Sunscreen – don’t let the mild Spring temperatures fool you – the sun is still powerful enough to burn on these gorgeous days
- Maps – some of the vineyards are in remote areas and you may not have data coverage on your cell phone – download Google maps of the areas you will visit in advance of your trip to make sure you can easily find your way around
- Tide To Go Instant Stain Remover Liquid Pen – be ready to clean up any spills before stains set into your favorite clothes
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Which are your favorite North Georgia wineries and which Georgia mountain vineyards are you most hoping to visit this year?
