So the legend goes, a group of fancy people and one well-known celebrity were having dinner at The St. Regis Atlanta with the hotel’s sommelier and former Director of Wine Harry Constantinescu. Everyone had brought their own expensive, rare wines to share and Constantinescu decided to surprise the guests with an unknown white wine hidden in a black bag. The guests tried to guess: “A Montrachet from France?” one inquired. No. Constantinescu told them that it was from the best Georgia winery he’d discovered.
They balked. Therefore, he pulled off the bag to reveal a Chardonnay from Yonah Mountain Vineyards, made with 100% Georgia grapes. They were shocked. Constantinescu told them there was a vineyard doing remarkable things right here in our state. As the story goes, they all stood up and clapped. Including the celebrity. The Chard got a standing O.
That bewitching vineyard in Cleveland, Ga., has enjoyed surprising people over the last 15 years. Its owners Bob and Jane Miller find it an absolute delight to shock and awe those who poo poo Georgia wine country.
“I love for the wine snobs to come,” says Bob. “It’s my favorite.” For instance, a master sommelier (only 269 people in the world have earned that title) was visiting a friend of Bob’s in Georgia. The friend—through much coaxing—convinced the highly skeptical somm to come visit Yonah Mountain Vineyards. He left at the end of the day with four cases of wine. And a whole new perspective.
“Most people think Georgia wine isn’t good,” he says. “I like to prove them wrong.”
Bob has spent a small personal fortune in that endeavor. Moreover, Yonah Mountain Vineyards is as pretty as any plot in Napa Valley or the Loire Valley. It’s arguably the best Georgia winery. The octagonal tasting room (the only one I’ve ever seen), sprawling patios and event venues are luxurious. Yet the staff is still down home and friendly. I think that comes from top down. The Millers lived in Snellville, Ga., for 31 years, raised three kids there and now have eight grandchildren. In fact, Bob exudes jolly grandpa vibes all over the place.
While taking me on a tour, Bob explains why his wines are so good.
- “We spend more money on equipment, production, and barrels than anyone around here,” he adds. Good wine, after all, is very expensive to make.
- The soil at Yonah Mountain is 480 million years old and mature wines grow well here. It’s at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. And, at over 1 billion years of age, the Blue Ridge Mountains are among the oldest in the world, second only to South Africa’s Barberton greenstone belt.
- It’s the only winery not on the East Coast that ferments some of its wines in concrete. “Concrete creates wines that are like velvet on the front end. I don’t like the wines that bite,” says Bob.
- Yonah Mountain Vineyards also uses French oak for most of its wines. French oak costs $1,200 a barrel, where American oak will only set you back $300 a barrel. Most wineries in Georgia use American oak because it’s more cost-effective. He’s also trying out some Hungarian oak because it’s not as overwhelming and powerful as French. He then sells the barrels to beer makers and others.
- “I believe if you make great wines and focus on that, everything else will fall into place,” he shares. So he brought in California wine consultants early on, and winemakers who had worked all over the world.
All of this combined is what Jane refers to as “Bob being O.T.T.” Translation: Over the top.
Above all, that over-the-toppedness is how you become the best Georgia winery. And it’s a vibe reflected throughout the 200-acre property, the production (of which I got a behind the scenes sneak peek) and in the wines. In the end, I was enamored by both Elizabeth’s Estate Chardonnay and Genesis 11 (their best selling bottle.) The 2020 Sauvignon Blanc was also exquisite.
Red wine drinkers will enjoy the softened tannins and lower sulfites in these pours. As I emerged from Bob’s private cellar and tasting room, it was lovely to see that the patio was packed with wine lovers and oenophiles listening to live music. Everyone was laughing or canoodling, and the staff was having a great time interacting with guests. I would invite anyone who loves California, Italian, French or Spain wine country to take an hour and a half drive north from Atlanta to this lovely hamlet.
In fact, once a month, Yonah Mountain Vineyards does a blind tasting where Bob and Jane put fine wines ($400 and $500 bottles) up against their own wines. The next one is November 14, 2021, from 2-5pm. But check the site for future tastings. I’d start there. I’ve heard the results can be, well… surprising.
