North of Atlanta, a treasure trove of vineyards

Georgia actually has a long history with wineries. About 90 miles from Atlanta, in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, there are more than 40 wineries and tasting rooms.

The Tanya Eiland hails from Compton, California and has a passion for wine. So when she moved to Atlanta in 2013, she asked locals the question she always asks when traveling somewhere new: "Where is wine country?"

In Atlanta, the most common answer was "north".

About 90 miles north of Atlanta, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Dahlonega Town has a dozen wine tasting rooms and eight wineries. Neighboring communities, including Helen, Cleveland, and Sautee Nacoochee, are also home to several establishments that offer local, regional, and international wines. In total, North Georgia has more than 40 wineries and tasting rooms in an area that is becoming an increasingly popular destination for day trips and weekend getaways.

By The New York Times

Georgia has actually a long history with the vineyards. The state would have been the sixth largest producer of wine grapes in the United States before the Georgia Prohibition took effect in 1907. When Prohibition ended, the Georgian wine industry struggled . It wasn't until 1983, when a winery bill was passed by the Georgia Legislature, that the state's winery business began to pick up.

< p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Today, the state has more than 70 wineries, up from about 45 a decade ago. Wine tourism has become so popular that it has spawned several wine businesses such as tour operators, restaurants, and adventure companies that take people on hikes, bike rides, and more. Winery owners said the pandemic had led to increased traffic from people who couldn't travel overseas and were eager to be outdoors. As local outdoor travel has boomed, wineries have benefited.

ImageThe tasting room at Kaya Vineyard and Winery in Dahlonega.Credit...Kendrick Brinson for The New York Times

"I remember thinking that people in the Atlanta area really don't know about this beautiful wine country north of us and if they do, many, many of them don't haven't been able to visit it," said Ms. Eiland, who runs a wine tour company in North Georgia called Pop the Cork Wine Tours, along with her husband, Chuck. It's one of the few black-owned businesses in the Georgia Wine Industry.

Treasures of Touring Vineyards

Pop the Cork began operating in 2015 with a 12-passenger van. Today, the company has of four vans and an SUV that make rounds every day.Thursday to Sunday are the busiest days. Most popular for tours, which start either at Stone Mountain or at a parking lot in the Atlanta suburb of Dunwoody. The Dunwoody location is easily accessible by public transit and car. Customers can arrange to be picked up from a location of their choice if they book a private tour.

The company's public tours, where s...