Brigadoon is a place that is idyllic, unaffected by time, and distant from our world of tension and stress. Crane Creek Vineyards fits this definition perfectly. Gayle and I have traveled the world in quest of food and wine and few locales feel as cozy and comfortable as Crane Creek Vineyards.

Owners Eric and Deanne Seifarth have assembled a “family” of employees and constructed a small “village” of operations at the very northern boundary of Georgia in the Shadow of Brasstown Bald. With an infectious smile, Eric told us “wine is second; the experience for our visitors is the first priority. Making wine is just the controlled spoilage of grape juice.”  We can certainly attest that Crane Creek has assembled a wonderful crew of helpers. They ensure that every guest gets greeted immediately; people are not left to feel anonymous. They instantly make you feel like part of the extended Crane Creek family.

What pleases us about visiting Crane Creek Vineyards is that it has old world European charm. It remains rustic and outdoorsy, yet comfortable and inviting.  The tasting room is a restored vintage farm house with beautiful old wood floors. It is surrounded by wood decks and porches that overlook the vineyard and its large pond. There are many different gardens, nooks and benches where visitors can take a bottle of wine, some cheese and bread and have their own intimate picnic. And visitors are encouraged to do so.  Not that we don’t like the large stone and mahogany California-esc wineries near Dahlonega – they are gorgeous.  But Gayle and I are both drawn to Crane Creek because of the reuse of the old farmhouse, barns and outbuildings.  New construction retains the theme of the old farm, which suits this location perfectly.

The winery and vineyards have grown since our last visit.  Crane Creek is now on its third extension to the winery building.  Soon they will have more room for storing cases of bottled wine.    Additional bathrooms have been added to the pavilion to facilitate larger events.  Eric indicated they have many weddings, bridesmaid lunches and rehearsal dinners scheduled as the weather warms.

The vineyard encompasses 15 acres of grapes, and this includes a few leased acres nearby. In addition, Eric purchases some grapes from area farmers.  Altogether Crane Creek now produces about 3400 cases of wine in what is likely the coolest zone for grape growing in Georgia. The vineyard looks south toward Brasstown Bald. With these growing conditions in mind Eric concentrates his effort on grapes that thrive in cool climates.  Spring is chilly with unpredictable freezes, but the Georgia Mountains are blessed with long warm summers and cool nights.  Current grapes planted include Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc that need lots of micro-management in the vineyard; easier are Vidal Blanc, Seyval Blanc, Chardonnel, Villard Noir, Traminette, Norton and Chambourcin.  From these grape varieties Eric renders 13 different wines that are available to taste and purchase.

We have always been a big fan of Eric’s style of winemaking.  As a chef, I prefer my white wines to have good acidity, a certain steeliness that comes from minerality with little or no oaking.  They are just easier to pair with food.  And, at Crane Creek you can find plenty of white wines made in this style. Eric’s red wines are medium to light bodied and also pair well with food.  The Norton Eric poured us during our visit may well be one of the best and most restrained I have ever tasted. It just won a gold medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition in California. Our hats go off for Eric’s ability to tame this indigenous and unruly American grape.

Eric has more vineyards to plant. In the near future he plans to add several more cold hardy varieties.  These include Austrian native Gruner Veltliner (dubbed Gru-Vee) which makes a lovely tart white wine that we see little of in this country because the Austrians drink most of it.  Another Austrian grape he plans to add is Lemberger.  This is a red skinned grape that offers a coat of many colors for wine lovers.  It can be dark and brooding or it can be light and quaffable. And finally, Eric would like to experiment with some plantings of Petite Sirah, a very thick skinned grape with tight bunches that I normally associate with much warmer locations of California.

Well I love the vineyard and I adore the old world charm, but do you know what excites me the most? Along Crane Creek where grapes don’t’ do especially well Eric constructed a culinary garden. The bounty of produce from the garden’s daily harvest is transformed into of-the-moment, wine-friendly creations by resident Chef David Sanford.

The garden features antique specimens and heirloom cultivars, all grown with 100% organic farming principles. Each month, throughout the growing season, new and delicious offerings from the gardens find their way into dinners at the vineyard. The vineyard family also tends a small flock of free range chickens and Guinea hens that provide a steady supply of farm fresh eggs. Finally, there is a small apple orchard that features a wide variety of old heirloom and antique North Georgia apple varieties, some being quite rare. Each fall the apples are transformed into pies, cider, and other delicious offerings for vineyard visitors. In mid-summer, don’t miss their “Tomato Festival.”

Eric and Chef Sanford have opened Crane Creek Café which offers Prixe Fixe seasonal dinners on Fridays, and “stimulus package” Soup Kitchen Saturdays. Once a month Chef Sanford offers farmer’s Pasta Dinners. The dining room is an inviting patio under the sky adjacent to the vineyard with views of the mountains. I love Al Fresco dining.

If you are feeling stressed out, and need some time away in a relaxing pastoral setting, Crane Creek also offers a guest cottage in the vineyard. If you plan ahead Chef Sanford can even offer a wonderful meal for you. Well Toto, how close can you get to Napa-Sonoma and still be in Georgia?  Pack your bag, Gayle, we’re getting away from the Beechwood Inn for a couple of days.

Crane Creek Vineyard: 916 Crane Creek Road, Young Harris, GA 30582; (706) 379-1236. www.cranecreekvineyards.com

At the traffic light in Young Harris, GA go north on GA 66 3.3 miles then left on Crane Creek Road .7 mile.

Editor's Note: David and Gayle Darugh own and operate Beechwood Inn in Clayton, GA. It is considered Georgia's premier wine country inn and is a member of the prestigious Select Registry. It also has been named a winner of Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence. (706) 782-5485.

I love to visit and eat at chef operated restaurants.  I can count on getting the most inspired andauthentic food and service. This month I took a short trip to Hiawassee and met Chef Michael Collins at Michaelee’s Chocolate Caffe. The Caffe features fresh Mediterranean style dining with a definite Italian bent.  During this visit I sat down with Chef Collins to learn more about what brought him to North Georgia. Chef Collins said he came to Georgia for a short visit nearly 29 years ago and never left.

 His interest in food started as a child. He grew up in Bridgeport Connecticut, an area with many ethnic families, so he was exposed to many types of food – and his favorite was Italian. He was the youngest of 6 children, and spent much of his early years hanging-out in the kitchen with his mother and older sisters.  By the time he went to high school, he selected a technical school that offered an exploratory culinary program.  That experience solidified his interest in food. 

While in school he worked for an upscale kosher catering firm and learned many new recipes and how to do ice carving.  From high school he was accepted at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park New York. Upon completing culinary school he took a short trip to Georgia to visit one of his sisters. He fell in love with the area and has been here ever since.

His first job was at a TGI Fridays in Atlanta’s Buckhead area.  After several years he was selected to help create and develop new menu items and recipes for the chain. Not long later he was recruited by Innovative Restaurant Concepts in Atlanta.  They owned a number of large restaurants including Ray’s on the River and they were developing a new brand named Rio Bravo Cantinas. Chef Collins worked as a kitchen manager but quickly worked up to become the company’s Commissary General Manager.  He moved further up the corporate ladder to serve as area and regional manager. Before leaving the company he was responsible for 7 restaurants each with multi-million dollar revenues.

The corporate food world is all about numbers, and while he had huge responsibility, he was no longer a chef.  He left the company in 2000, thinking it would be a short sabbatical.  At this time his wife, Lisa, was running an international adoption agency, so he joined her firm and was able to travel the world.  This lasted for 4 years, but then he got the itch to get back to his first love, the kitchen.

With Lisa by his side their first private venture was “A Touch of Class,” a gourmet cooking shop in Helen.  He demonstrated how to use prepared sauces and other products and turn them into unique and creative meals. The shop enjoyed success, so they opened a second one in Hiawassee. A developer friend mentioned that he was preparing to construct a row of new store fronts in Hiawassee and he invited Chef Collins and Lisa to think about a new shop. After much thought they decided on a small coffee shop, a limited menu with a few baked goods. Michaelee’s Chocolate Caffe was the result, offering full lunch and dinner menus 6 days a week as well as baked goods, chocolates, gourmet products, and a selection of beers and wine.

I asked Chef Collins does he regret opening their own “full service” restaurant.  He said “absolutely not.  I enjoy it, I love it, and hands down it is better than the corporate world.” He and Lisa chose to raise their daughter in a small town. All three of them love the mountains and its people.  They now have a loyal following.  Many of their regulars come from Murphy, Blairsville, Helen and Clayton to enjoy the Caffee’s wonderful foods and exquisite service.  He said Lisa has full charge of the front of the house. She hires staff, ensures prompt courteous service, and selects the wine and beer. She visits every table to ensure each diner is satisfied.  

Chef Collins’ brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our mountains. He personally prepares almost every item available at the Caffe, including lunch sandwiches, entrees, desserts, baked goods and their wonderful fudge. I asked, okay “what’s behind the name Michaelee’s?  He explained that it is actually a contraction of their two names.  Lisa is known as Lee by their family.

The restaurant is adorable.  It has hardwood floors, huge windows looking out at the mountains and a cheerful outdoor seasonal veranda. 

Chef Collins’ dinner menu is extensive and includes such homemade creations as Jumbo Florentine Raviolis, Steak Au Poivre and Veal Saltimbocca. Lisa’s effort to ensure beautiful table service and wonderful presentation will make you forget you are not in a big city.  While I am partial to Chef Collins Italian selections, Gayle is a serious fan of his several decadent chocolate creations sitting in the dessert case. Okay, Chef Collins, maybe we need a Michaelee’s Chocolate Caffe in Clayton so I don’t have to drive as far.

Michaelee's Chocolate Caffe, 142 N. Main Street, Hiawassee, GA 30546, Phone (706) 896-2752 Cafe@Michaelees.com, www.michaelees.com

David  Darugh is co-owner of the Beechwood Inn, located in Clayton, GA. www.beechwoodinn.ws.  The inn includes a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence Restaurant that features fresh and local products.  David was the General Counsel of the American Wine Society from 1990 to 2001. 

Submitted by chuck on Wed, 05/13/2009 - 06:00

Here's a little bit about our amazing getaway to the Beechwood Inn in Clayton, Ga back at the beginning of April. Thank you David and Gayle for providing everything we needed as we recharged and explored Rabun. Salut!

Beechwood Inn's Website

From Beechwood Inn

We arrived Saturday afternoon and got settled in our room. It was upstairs with a great view of Blackrock Mtn, a queen bed and fireplace and a nice little porch to enjoy.

Dinner Sat night was exquisite. We began the evening on the front porch of the Inn where we enjoyed a light shrimp appetizer paired with a Pinot Grigio. We moved inside and received the next course which was herb and vegetable beggar's purses paired with a Rubiro Montepulciano. Next we had a locally grown green salad with asparagus and fresh tomatoes. We took a break for a palette cleansing red wine and raspberry sorbet. The main course was a chicken breast topped with the best back I've ever eaten (http://bentonhams.com). We finished the evening with a chocolate and caramel macadamia torte prepared by Gayle and a nice tawny port. Excellent, excellent, excellent!

Sunday we did some hiking at Tallulah Gorge and later discovered some things about Sundays in small town Georgia. Basically, everything is closed except for the Mexican restaurant and the only place to get adult beverages was back at the Inn. So, we had some dinner and headed back...

Monday we were going to tour some of the local N.Georgia wineries, but learned another lesson about winter hours in N.Georgia. Luckily for us, David agreed to do a wine tasting for us that evening during Wine-Thirty. We were the only guests that evening and had a intimate and educational walk through Chardonnay and all the complexity therein. I was reminded what a novice I am in the wine department.

Tuesday we got some early spring excitement and were greeted with snow. We planned to drive up to Highlands, NC that day and didn't let the flurries stop us. We had a lot of fun being touristy and accidentally had lunch at the most expensive place in Highlands. That night we enjoyed getting to meet Lorrie and Glen during Wine-Thirty where we shared a special bottle of Barolo that we had been saving. We were going to eat our leftovers that night, but after hearing about the place that David recommended to Glen we decided to go there too. We beat them there and the four of us had a fun dinner then say up drinking more wine til the wee hours. Salut to Lorrie and Glen!

Sadly, we had to pack up and leave on Wed. We stopped at the Spring Ridge creamery on the way back to Chattanooga and bought some of the best ice cream you can get. We also picked up some cheeses for home.

All in all, we had a great time. We are so glad we found you Beechwood Inn. We'll be back!

-chuck and callie

Chucks Blog

One more vineyard and winery has joined the growing list of North Georgia producers of fine table wine.  Real Estate investor Hue Rainey and wife Jane have planted grapes, built a new winery and tasting room, all in the historic village of Sautee.

Hue Rainey has been a longtime fixture of the North Georgia Mountains, having owned a bed and breakfast inn, motel, been in construction and is currently President of the Helen Chamber of Commerce.  After selling off some of the investment properties and retiring from the inn-keeping business, Hue started casting about for something else interesting to be involved in. One day his daughter called him while touring Napa California and suggested he get in the vineyard and winery business. A seed was planted.

Hue and Jane did not make this leap without some serious study and constructing a business plan. They visited a number of North Georgia wineries seeking advice on equipment, grape varieties, trellising and farming.  Three Sisters co-owner Doug Paul proved instrumental in offering advice on uncomplicated trellising for grapes and sizing his operation and investment. In addition, Steve Gibson of Habersham Winery, and former President of Wine America, allowed as how nearly 90% of all wineries from New York to California are Mom and Pop operations, and many are very successful in their niche. Finally, in order to get an additional perspective the Rainey’s toured the growing Missouri wine country and studied several small operations that offered a good model for their vision.

After much study the two concluded there was room in North Georgia for a small family run winery making carefully handcrafted wines. The Rainey’s already owned about 8 lovely acres of land that looked optimum for a vineyard, so no new land purchase would be necessary.  The family also owned a former veterinary office in Sautee that they refurbished into a beautiful tasting room offering a spectacular view of part of the vineyards. An old barn located on nearby land has been remodeled into the winery operation. The first vines were planted in April of 2009 to Cabernet Sauvignon. The tasting room was opened on Halloween 2009. In 2010 they expect to produce about 1,000 cases of wine. The winery currently has a capacity of about 3,000 gallons. While Hue and Jane are insistent that their operation will remain small and focused on quality wines, Hue also has a vision of building an amphitheater near the winery that will facilitate live music in the vineyard and offer a venue for weddings and special events.

Currently the Sautee Nacoochee Vineyards offers 7 wines.  We tasted through the wines and would characterize each wine as exceptionally well made and each perfectly reflects the soils and micro-climates of north Georgia. I was especially pleased with the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, which had medium body, nice round tannins and a lovely blueberry and blackberry bouquet.  Another favorite was the White Merlot, which was very crisp, barely off-dry and smelled of fresh strawberries.

I asked Hue about the wonderful deer logo on their tasting room.  Hue indicated that his farm was part of historic hunting lands of the Cherokee and Creek.  He and Jane believed that the winery and vineyard’s image should pay homage to the earth and its rich Native American history. Hue quipped “sipping our wines is like slipping into your favorite pair of jeans and enjoying the sunset with someone you love.  We want everyone who comes into our tasting room to feel like part of our family.” After our visit we sure felt like we had made new friends. Congratulations to Hue and Jane, you are off to a great start. 

 Sautee Nacoochee Vineyards

98 Nacoochee Way (Just off Highway 17)

Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia 30571

(706) 878-1056

http://www.sauteenacoocheevineyards.com

What an exciting interview I had with Chef Yati Lang of Yati’s International Bistro in Franklin, Georgia.  Chef Yati is a native of Indonesia, and has traveled the world in her quest of new and interesting foods and recipes.

 When I arrived at the Bistro I met her husband Dr. Bert Lang, who talked to me about Chef Yati’s background.  She grew up on the island of Sumatra.  Her name, Yati, means “sunshine.” Her family name was Tala, which means brook or stream.  Her culinary inspiration comes from her mother who was from Amsterdam and from her Indonesian grandmother. As a young girl the two would take her into the rainforest to forage for herbs and wild foods. Together they shared with her European and Indonesian recipes using foraged ingredients.  With this wonderful heritage, Yati chose to major in restaurant management at the University of Singapore. 

Her first job was with the American Embassy – but not as a chef.  Next, she moved to the United States and worked for the Indonesian Consulate General in Houston, Texas. After several patient years she finally got her first opportunity as a chef in the United States with a Bennigan’s Restaurant in Houston.  Over the next 10 years she worked at a number of restaurants and traveled the world seeking new and unique foods, herbs and recipes.

In 1996 the Lang’s moved to Asheville, NC, where Dr. Lang worked to establish a new dental program.  They later moved to Silva, and expanded the dental practice to include Franklin. Year’s before, however, Dr. Lang promised Yati that one day he would help her establish her own restaurant. That finally happened in 2008 when together with her sons James, Allen and husband Bert they opened Yati’s International Bistro just south of Franklin, NC on Highway 441.

After getting this background information from her husband, Yati and younger son, James, arrived at the Bistro. The whole room lit up with her vivacious personality.  Chef Yati was genuinely excited about my visit and she spoke effusively about food and cooking.  It is her therapy, her passion and takes her to another world.  She passionately talked about food as her form of art and creativity, just like paint on a canvas. Cooking is also her embodiment of personal freedom. In Indonesia food is tied to politics, religion and history and there are very specific boundaries.  Here she is free to cook what she wants, as long as it is delicious and beautiful.

I was nearly as excited as Chef Yati.  I have talked to and interviewed too many chefs that look at cooking as an occupation, and in most cases it shows.  The Chefs that have passion, at least the ones that I have met (e.g. Michael Touhey, Craig Deihl, Sean Brock, Louis Osteen) make my taste buds tingle with anticipation, and then jump for joy with satisfaction.

But most of all what Chef Yati enjoys is people eating her food and loving it.  With that she tugged me into her kitchen.  While my camera and I snapped photos she and her son started grabbing pots and pans, fresh Ahi tuna, seaweed, Wasabi, red cabbage and several homemade sauces.  Within minutes they presented to me seared tuna salad that was a perfect fusion of Pacific rim cuisines. I was politely ushered to a beautiful table setting to sample the nearly instant preparation.  I would say my wow factor was off the scale.  This was some of the most exciting seared Tuna I have experienced, and very handsomely presented. And even better, Dr. Lang opened a bottle of Conundrum (how did he know this is one of my favorite wines, has he been spying on my Blog?).

But, the food did not stop there.  Soon arriving at my table was a bowl of homemade venison Chile.  The flavors were one standard deviation away from the comfort food we know as Chile and beans. Chef Yati’s version included the expected dose of southwest Chile powder, but it was taken to the next level with the inclusion of wild venison, lean ground ham, heirloom beans, Asian Chiles and a drizzle of sugarless chocolate.  It was garnished with fresh cilantro and crisp coconut ribbons. It was un-expectedly superb. Gayle will be sorry she missed this interview.

The Bistro is simple, intimate yet elegant. Dinner guests will enjoy fine linens. The open stainless steel kitchen is compact, immaculate and permits diners to view Chef Yati and her family as they prepare your meal.

Chef Yati’s inventive menu reflects a passion for fresh regional and organic ingredients of the highest quality.  You will see a number of familiar foods but with a creative twist (her Chile and beans) and a number of unique foods artfully cooked and presented.  Her style of cooking reflects the many places she has visited in her world travels, while paying homage to her mother and grandmother’s traditions.  Based on my visit, I would characterize Yati’s International Bistro as a high level culinary destination for people with an inquisitive pallet.  When you visit you will receive warm friendly service, an elegant fine dining experience and some wonderful international cuisine. As a committed foodie I am placing Yati’s on my list places to visit on a regular basis.  And, more importantly, after only one visit I claim Chef Yati as my friend.  What a warm creative woman with a very supportive wonderful family.  

Yati’s International Bistro

2726 Georgia Road (Highway 441 just South of Franklin)

Franklin, NC 28734-7335

Get Directions

(828) 349-9284

http://www.yatisbistro.com

Lunch: Thursday - Sunday 11:30 AM - 2:30PM 

Dinner: Thursday - Sunday 5:00PM - 9:00PM 

David  Darugh is co-owner of the Beechwood Inn, located in Clayton, GA. www.beechwoodinn.ws.  The inn includes a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence Restaurant that features fresh and local products.  David was the General Counsel of the American Wine Society from 1990 to 2001. 

All active and retired members of the U.S. Military, Guard and Reserves are eligible to receive a 10% discount on their lodging for leisure travel.  This offer is subject to availability and the eligible member must occupy the room. Please ask for this discount at the time you make your reservation as that is when we create an invoice for your stay and calculate your deposit.  Also, please have your military identification available at check-in. This discount may not be combined with other discounts and is not applicable to Special Packages, Holidays and Events (e.g. New Year’s Package, Valentine’s Package).

WinterGreen Vacations™

We are one of a few small, independently owned, eco-friendly inns and B&Bs across the country that will be beta testing WinterGreen in 2010. We are all committed to supporting those wild, beautiful areas across our country that we feel embody a good part of our American history and spirit. If WinterGreen is effective, we hope it will become a national program for thousands more in 2011. Just think what we can all accomplish together. About The Wilderness Society: Founded in 1935, The Wilderness Society’s mission is to protect wilderness and inspire Americans to care for our wild places. From writing and passing the landmark Wilderness Act to winning lasting protection for more than 109 million acres of permanent wilderness across the country, The Wilderness Society is America’s premier public lands conservation organization. TWS and its 500,000 members and supporters are dedicated to protecting America’s wilderness and to developing a nationwide network of these iconic wild lands through public education, scientific analysis and advocacy.. Please visit their website to learn more about everything they have done and are planning to do...with your help. http://wilderness.org/

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Tucker moved his approving eye around the dusty wine cellar. Emma had just reproached him one more time to clean it up, at least just a little. They had just returned from Europe, their first vaca­tion since his retirement. While there they purchased a small quantity of local Burgundies not available in the United States and some Bordeaux’s. Tucker enjoyed the romance of France and the challenge of air freighting it through cus­toms and Georgia’s Beverage Control.  Anyway, likely as not the air freight company will successfully steer it right to his doorstep in Rabun County without mishap.

Now, where to put it? It would start arriving in the next few days. Certainly the Bordeaux would go in the far corner with the rest of the Bordeaux’s . . . the Magnum of Pétrus was gone! Surely not. His eyes quickly surveyed the familiar dusty bins and shelves. He and Emma had built the cellar more years ago than he cared to remember, with the help of a local stonemason. It was passive and cool. Although he did have occasional mold growth, especially now in the early spring when the dampness crept in.  It was an effective cellar. The Pétrus, however, was definitely gone. But where?

Its vintage was the same year Tucker and Emma wed and would be drunk on their 50th wedding anniversary, no sooner. He looked forward to the uncorking of the bottle and sharing it with close friends. He had often thought out loud that maybe 40 years of marriage would be celebration enough. But Emma merely smiled and said, “You’re not planning on leaving me before our 50th, are you Tucker?”

 But it was gone now. And so were several other cases of fine wines. He need not look at his inventory. He knew almost every bottle by heart, and there were indeed many to remember. The cellar and a small vineyard he maintained on their property were the only lavishments that he allowed himself.  Tucker made some excellent wine from his Georgia grapes. He thought of the cellar as his, although Emma also enjoyed fine wines and dining. The collection had started modestly over 30 years ago, and continued to grow.

Tucker checked the cellar against his mental inventory and discovered that at least ten cases of fine Bordeaux from exceptional years, several cases of old Burgundy, and a marvelous vertical collection Mondavi Reserve Cabernets were gone, in addition to the Magnum. Whoever did this picked some of his best wines.

He quickly climbed the stairs to tell Emma that the house had been burglarized in their absence. Together they quickly checked their valuables, jewelry, cameras, stereo, silver — all present and accounted for. No signs of forced entry anywhere. A call to the security company dis­closed no record of an alarm during their absence.

The police department would not in­vestigate because there was no evidence of forced entry. While apologetic, the deputy indicated they were not staffed to investigate every mysterious disappearance. A mystery it was. Tucker and Emma scoured their home for any clue. Tucker called their insurance company, which dispatched an adjuster. He made a polite but cursory walk-through, and ventured that without evidence of forced entry he doubted if a claim would be paid. “Could you have drunk the wine and just forgotten?” Right, thought Tucker we downed a Magnum of 30-year-old Pétrus and then forgot.

     The security installer appeared several days after Tucker’s call. “Never wired a wine cellar before;” he said. “Must be pretty valuable stuff, huh? Do you drink all this wine yourselves?” The newly installed all-seeing plastic motion detector protruded from an inconspicuous corner, but its blinking red eye detracted from the old world ambiance of the stone, brass and wood. It appeared to work, though. After the installer left, Tucker played with the all-seeing eye. He moved ever so slowly into the cellar at various angles testing the plastic sensor. Wherever Tucker moved it eventually sensed his presence and winked its scorn.

    Tucker observed an unusual bloom of mustard-colored mold creeping up the legs of his grapevine table. Emma always found the best gifts. This one was from a 100 year old Zinfandel grapevine.  It had been carefully sawn off and shellacked and it was topped with a thick sheet of nicely beveled glass. All visitors to Tucker’s cellar oohed and ah’d when they saw it. Tucker momentarily puzzled over the yellow color of this new mildew. He had his collection of antique cork pulls displayed on the tabletop. He picked up and caressed one of his favorites, an aged grapevine carefully polished and fitted with a metal corkscrew.  Darn, it has that yellow mildew eating its way right through the varnish. He thought to himself, perhaps a little diluted bleach and a sponging down wouldn’t hurt. It would placate Emma.

      Weeks passed, but neither Tucker nor Emma lost the sense of having been violated. Someone had been in their home, at least in the cellar. But that meant elsewhere, as well. The cellar had but one entrance and that was from the main floor. Tucker sat in the study absently dozing while trying to read the latest Rabun Laurel. His eyelids drooped again. Emma was out, and the inactivity of retirement was quickly becoming tire­some. Maybe another trip was in order. Something caught Tucker’s eye as he started to drift into sleep. Not move­ment, but something. He opened his eyes and surveyed the study. No move­ment, yet something had definitely caught his eye. A reflection maybe? There it was again. He froze his head and stared in its direction. The security panel! The security panel light blinked a scarlet eye. Again it blinked. Someone was in the house with him. Tucker’s heart raced and cold sweat welled under his arms. He stared again at the panel and once more it blinked.  Zone 12 - the wine cellar. Someone was moving in his wine cellar! How could that be? The only entrance was the stairwell in the foyer. The only way there was across the path now separating Tucker from the security panel.

     Tucker nervously walked to his desk, opened the file drawer and removed his old revolver. Should he call the police? Could be a false alarm and how embarrassed he would be. Several times during his business travels of years past Emma had called the police, only to find a failed switch or some other non-emergency. They were always polite, but Tucker knew they had more important things to do than to respond to false alarms. The cellar had the new motion detector, so probably it was an electrical defect. Armed as he was, he would just make sure.

Tucker crept quietly down the stairs. The wine cellar took up about half the basement. Tucker stopped in front of the Gothic door Emma had designed for the cellar. The stonemason had done a marvelous job of setting the stone around the doorway. The door was closed, but not locked. Tucker moved close to the door and listened. Nothing. Still nothing. Tucker relaxed a bit; perhaps it was just a false alarm. His hand was already tired from gripping the revolver. He tightened quickly when he heard the clink of wine bottles. It was an unmistakable clink. Cold perspiration dripped inside his shirt and beaded on his forehead, despite the coolness of the cellar. He dried the hand holding the gun on his pant leg and thought of what to do next. Should he yank the door open, or slowly inch it open? The antique wrought iron hinges would squeak like banshees so he would need to act quickly.

Without allowing more time to talk himself out of his foolishness, Tucker jerked the door open, rushed in and caught the intruder with an armload of wine bottles. “Freeze, or I will shoot you dead!” The intruder was bent over a bin. He dropped the load in a loud crash and clank, startling both of them. He was a wiry young man clad in a metallic jump suit, like Mylar.

“Raise your hands and then freeze; I do not wish to kill a wine thief, but I don’t aim to be your victim either, so just freeze.” Slowly the thief turned to face Tucker. He was dark, handsome, slight of build, but looked quick and athletic.

Dangerous, thought Tucker. His luminous cloak had a soft hood pushed back. The garment extended toe to neck and reflected the soft electric candle glow of the brass sconces on three of the walls. Tucker could not identify the color; it seemed to reflect all colors. Most unusual. About his neck, ankles and waist were metal collars arrayed with softly glowing lights. He looked somewhat wild-eyed. His attire was curious. No intruder would likely dress in such a gaudy costume. Especially the glowing collars. Very curious indeed.

“Don’t move a muscle; now tell me what you are about.” Silence. “Okay, you can talk to the police. Move yourself slowly across the room and up the stairs. I will shoot to maim the first time, but I suggest you not give me need to take such action?” Nothing. No acquiescence. No refusal.

“Do you understand? I said move!” The man made no indication that he had even heard Tucker’s order. But, he must have. He was certainly observing Tucker’s order to freeze and raise his hands. Obviously he was assessing his situation too. Tucker now really started to worry. What had he gotten himself into? Perhaps he should have just called the police.

“Do you understand? If you don’t start moving I will shoot you in the foot to disable you and go call the police. So make up your mind.” Tucker took aim at a foot.

“Do not shoot me,” said the intruder in an accented voice, “I must drop my hands to my belt, and then I will do as you wish.” Tucker boomed, “If you drop your hands I shoot, so start walking slowly to the stairs. Just what are you doing with my wine? I assume you are the one who stole from me before!”

“I know you will not understand. But you must not turn me over to the authorities as it will be a violation of our traveler protocols and will have reper­cussions beyond imagination?” Tucker thought, what kind of tale is this fool going to lay on me? “Okay, try me!”

“I am a voyager from your future,” he said with apparent reluc­tance. “Sure,” said Tucker with wry amusement, “stealing wine and making a bundle in wine auctions, right?” “Well sir it is a little more compli­cated than that.  I am a specu­lator of sorts.” “If that’s the case, how come we aren’t overrun with you time voyagers plundering wine cellars and baseball trading card collections. Just start moving to the stairs real careful-like.” “I cannot be discovered, if I were, it would inalterably change the past, uh, I mean your future. Ever since time travel has been technologically proven, it has been banned. The technology is closely guarded and the few devices that were assembled and demonstrated are now museum pieces. I just happen to be a technician in the classified museum where many sensitive and dangerous things like this are protected. I was merely curious and greedy about wine. You see it’s all gone now . . . I mean now where I come from.”

Tucker was drawn into the explana­tion. “You’re not really from the future are you? Just when are you from? What do you mean all wine is gone? What happened?” The intruder explained “there was a grapevine plague over two centuries ago. I have heard several theories. Perhaps space travel brought back a new virus or disease. Many discount that theory because it struck earth and decimated all grapevines before interplanetary travel commenced in earnest, and it apparently started in a small and obscure wine growing region far from spaceports. We had several unfortunate experiences with the intro­duction of interplanetary exotics, so now everything is carefully quarantined. Perhaps it was a mutation of an earth virus or some other vector. It acted like a mold but attacked the woody parts of grapevines and turned them to dust. Anyway, it spread quickly around the world and killed every variety of grapevine. Nothing escaped. After several decades they were all dead. In the museum in which I work we have samples of this wine plague. Someday our scientists hope to unlock its virulence – but we have no living vines to replant. Scientists and horticulturists have labored over developing alternate winemaking species. Chemists even make artificial wine. But nothing compares to the wine from real grapes. The few remaining bottles of wine, secreted in private collections command astronomi­cal prices, and for wines the experts say are merely shadows of what they once were. I just figured that I could make a small fortune by collecting wine from the past and bringing it back to the present along with some cuttings from your vineyard.”

“Well, how in the world did you settle on my cellar you thief-from-another-time? And what am I supposed to do now, just turn you loose, so you can go steal from another cellar or in another eon somewhere? If this time travel is so dangerous, just what do you think you have already wrought by being here now?”

A door opened upstairs. “Tucker, is that you downstairs?” “I’m in the cellar Emma, and I need your help!” With surprising speed and deftness the intruder swept his leg across Tucker’s gun-wielding wrist, smashing it with considerable force. The gun skidded across the cellar and under some shelves. The intruder pulled the hood over his head, retreated to a far corner and waived his hands over the array of lights glowing on his waist collar. The room filled with a static charge. Tucker’s hair and loose-fitting clothing were drawn, then repelled, by the charge. White light flashed shadows on the walls. As quickly as the charge had come, it faded into a dim blue glow, and the intruder was gone. All that lingered was the smell of ozone, as after a lightening strike. Tucker trembled. He was covered with cold sweat.

‘Tucker, are you all right? You’re not sick, are you?” Tucker could see the concern in Emma’s eyes. What to say? Should he confess the whole incident? It had happened, hadn’t it?

“I’m fine Emma. I just got over­extended from moving wine boxes.”

“Well you had better be more care­ful. We may no longer have that large bottle of Pétrus to share on our 50th, but be assured you had better be there, or I will be very displeased. Also, you must do something about this mildew. It really does smell odd down here.”

Tucker looked at his grapevine table. It was now covered with the unusual mustard-colored dust. Just then there was the clink of metal hitting glass. Together their eyes followed the move­ment of a metal corkscrew, absent its handle, as it rolled across the glass tabletop and plunked down hard on the stone floor.  It had fallen out of the old Burgundian grapevine branch that was part of Tucker’s collection of antique cork pulls. The vine that had held the metal screw was now a pile of mustard-colored dust and rotten wood.  Emma swept the dusty debris into a dust pan and threw it out the back door into Tucker’s small vineyard.

Glen Ella Springs Inn and Meeting Place has always been one of my favorite respites in the north Georgia Mountains.  To arrive at Glen Ella Springs Inn is to step back in time to a slower pace of life.  Take a stroll through their perennial gardens or just relax in a rocking chair overlooking their pasture.  But first, make sure you turn off your cell phone and leave your laptop behind. 

Once you arrive at Glen Ella Springs be sure to make time to dine in the century old wood paneled dining room and enjoy their wonderful regional cuisine.  Magazines and food critics have awarded Glen Ella Springs Inn many compliments and distinctions, including: 

• 2004 Silver Spoon Award by Georgia Trend Magazine
• Voted one of the top ten dining destinations in Georgia
• Food Writer John T. Edge, Author of Fodor’s Compass Guide to Georgia said, “Probably the best white tablecloth restaurant in the mountains can be found at Glen Ella.”

 Two years ago new owners Luci and Ed Kivett took the helm at Glen Ella, and immediately committed themselves to offering the highest quality hospitality and service, and have worked to make sure the inn’s long reputation for memorable fine dining continues.  To that end, they recently announced the hiring of Patrick Hodge as Executive Chef. 

Luci Kivett shared with me that after an extensive regional search they discovered Chef Hodge to be among the foremost of rising chefs in Georgia today.  He has an impeccable record of accomplishment at several well-known caterers and restaurants, contagious energy, expertise in the culinary arts, and a passion for seeking out the finest in ingredients for use in Glen Ella’s regional American cuisine.  With Chef Hodge on board Glen Ella is poised to become one of the most distinctive restaurants in North Georgia.     

With all this build-up, I was excited to meet and talk to Chef Hodge.  He is a young looking 26 years old but has already accumulated 10 years of culinary experience.  He was raised in Rock Hill, NC where his first culinary experiences were working along side his mother.  After high school, he was motivated to work in the restaurant business and become a chef.  He moved to Columbia, South Carolina where he worked for 4 years at the California Chicken Grill, while holding a number of chef and front of the house positions.  At the conclusion of his stint with the grill, he had risen to the position of general manager and had gained significant experience in both kitchen skills as well in restaurant management. 

Next Chef Hodge moved to Athens with his girl friend, Katrina Carroll, who enrolled in veterinarian school at the University of Georgia.  Chef Hodge first worked at Hallie Jane catering in Madison, GA under Chef Brett Clark quickly became his mentor.  After a year of working together, Chef Clark encouraged Hodge to seek formal culinary training. Based on this advice he enrolled in the Cordon Bleu Institute in Atlanta.  While commuting to school each day he worked evenings as a chef at Copper Creek Brewing Company in Athens.  This proved to be a very difficult time in his career.  He attended morning and early afternoon classes in Atlanta and then had long nights at the restaurant.  About ½ way through he wondered if he could complete the program.  However, he said he got strong encouragement from both Katrina and Chef Clark. 

After graduating from Cordon Bleu, he once again worked with Chef Clark at Center Stage Catering for about 15 months.  It was about this time that he saw the chef advertisement for Glen Ella Springs on Cordon Bleu’s “hot jobs” list.  After a series of interviews, Glen Ella now has a new Executive Chef. 

Both he and Katrina love the north Georgia Mountains.  She accompanied him on his first in-person interview and encouraged him to accept the position at Glen Ella when it was offered.  This is his first executive chef position and he is thrilled with the challenge and appreciative of the Kivetts’ confidence in his talents and skills. 

Both he and the Kivetts agree that extensive changes in the menu are not likely to occur any time soon because many of the dining “regulars” expect consistency.  Where Chef Hodge will be free to experiment with his talents and creativity is in offering daily specials.  Some of the specials he has offered to date include Pan Seared Ahi Tuna with Ponzu Sauce and Goat Cheese and Pistachio Crusted Wahoo.  Chef Hodge will continue to tap into local farmers for seasonal, fresh produce and meats embracing the "farm to table" concept that has become Glen Ella’s hallmark.  "I'm very much looking forward to seeing what Georgia’s Mountain farmers and local markets have to offer, and creating seasonal menus that honor and pay tribute to the farmers who have grown these products," he said. 

When cooking for himself and Katrina he said his favorite foods include beef and Cajun-style spicy foods.  His favorite cookbook to experiment with is “Savoring Mexico.”  I asked if he had any seriously funny or embarrassing moments in the kitchen.  He said one afternoon he was making a Habanera Pepper Extract in a pressure cooker and he forgot to take the vent off.  The brew exploded and nailed him with hot boiling Habanera extract.  While not seriously scalded the extract itself burned every body part it contacted.  In addition, of course, he had to clean-up the kitchen, which only added to the embarrassment.  But, he added, “one learns valuable experience from events like this.” 

Based on what we have tasted from Chef Hodge so far it looks like Glen Ella can only improve upon it’s already wonderful dining experience.  We look forward to the subtle menu changes that will occur as Chef Hodge gains more experience and confidence. We heartily congratulate the Kivetts on their approach to honoring Glen Ella’s rich tradition while also embracing change where it can offer significant improvements to each guest’s experience.

David  Darugh is co-owner of the Beechwood Inn, located in Clayton, GA. www.beechwoodinn.ws.  The inn includes a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence Restaurant that features fresh and local products.  David was the General Counsel of the American Wine Society from 1990 to 2001. 

Gayle and I go out to lunch frequently.  It has become almost a daily ritual in order to get out of the Beechwood Inn just for a small change in scenery.  Invariably, the first place that comes to mind is “Fromage.”  While we try to make the rounds of local restaurants, we would have to say we are Fromage “regulars.”  Excuse me folks, but you are sitting at our favorite table.  What attracts us to Fromage is that Chef Jenny Wilson’s philosophy on cooking matches our style, which is to use the best ingredients available, avoid pre-prepared and packaged foods, and make everything from scratch.  So, yes, Chef Wilson is at least partly responsible for our slow but steady increase in girth.

 Jenny Wilson has been in Clayton about 5 years, but she did not come here as a chef.  Rather, she sold clothing at the Tanner store that was on Main Street.  That is where she met Linda Webb, her business partner in Fromage.  While at Tanner they became fast friends.  They often got together with their husbands, and Jenny would end up cooking an exquisite meal.  Well it turns out that Jenny is a classically trained chef.  She graduated from the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts in 1996 and later worked at a series of restaurants.

 About two years ago, the company closed the Tanner store in Clayton leaving its employees searching for new occupations.  Jenny and Linda talked about what the future would offer and decided that they would open a restaurant.  At about that same time Inger’s Fine Foods closed and the building and equipment became available – so they formed a business partnership and made the jump.

 Chef Wilson acquired her interest in cooking largely from a neighbor who had emigrated from Hungary.  During and after high school she was often found at the neighbor’s house cooking and eating. She took that interest in cooking and eating and enrolled in culinary school.  After graduation, her first cooking job was in Colonial Williamsburg at Josiah Chownings Tavern as a grill chef.  The tavern specializes in barbecue and other Colonial fare.  It is also known for evening entertainment, including balladeers, colonial games and other 18th-century diversions.  She left Chownings and moved to Anastasia’s, which at the time was a well-known restaurant in Williamsburg, to work for their wonderful chef.  In two years, the chef moved on and Chef Wilson took over as head chef.  However, after another change in jobs and some disappointing kitchen experiences she decided to change occupations.

At the time, her mother was working for Tanner clothing, so Chef Wilson joined Tanner and started selling clothing.  Tanner moved her 5 times before she settled in Clayton.  That is all history now, and Fromage is a great success.  Chef Wilson is a creative dynamo in the kitchen, often spending long hours prepping and cooking.  Fromage offers wonderful lunch fare, catering to go, artisan cheeses, and fine dining once a month featuring foods prepared from scratch.  While Gayle and I have not been able to attend her dinner offerings, (on weekends we are always working in the Beechwood kitchen) we hear great praise from our guests.

Together Chef Wilson and Linda are very involved in our community.  You will often see the two of them, along with their husbands, donating time, effort and food for charitable and civic events.  At the present time, Chef Wilson is the President of the Clayton Merchants Association.  She and Linda were the primary instigators of this summer’s very successful “Clayton Crawl.”  This downtown Clayton evening event was attended by over 500 people and offered live music, samples of local award winning wines and tastes of foods prepared by some of the areas best restaurants. 

Fromage also participated in this year’s Rhapsody in Rabun and served Vermont goat cheese, pistachios, grape truffles, and herbed phyllo purses stuffed with French brie and salmon lox.  They were also participants in the Mountain Lakes Antique Show and the Grow Cook Eat Mountain Harvest Celebration.  Chef Wilson is already working to improve and enlarge next year’s Clayton Crawl.

I asked what her favorite ingredient is and without a split second’s hesitation, she replied heavy cream.  Her favorite tool is the cheese knife, hence the name Fromage.  And when considering where to go for a vacation or a trip, the destination will always involve food.

Fromage has quickly become an extended family operation.  Chef Wilson’s mother has planted herbs and flowers around the restaurant.  They all got together and dug up a part of the lot next door and planted flowers, tomatoes and herbs. Her sister came to town to help staff the Fromage tent at the Clayton, Crawl.  Husbands Mr. Wilson and Jody Webb can often be spotted in the Fromage trademark colorful aprons helping serve or clear tables. 

Yes, Chef Wilson loves food and she loves what she does.  We are certainly glad she has settled in Rabun County and is cooking up a storm at Fromage.

by David Darugh

 Chef Louis Osteen is legendary, and he is now offering his practiced culinary skills at Rabun County’s own Lake Rabun Hotel. Chef Osteen has more than 30 years of experience, and he is also author of “Louis Osteen’s Charleston Cuisine: Recipes from a Lowcountry Chef,” made famous by his original recipes and signature southern flavors. His passion for cooking and love of southern fare ignited his career with an apprenticeship under Atlanta’s then most acknowledged chef, Francois Delcros.  

 Chef Osteen has a lengthy resume of culinary achievements that are too long to be recited.  Here are but a few: Bryan Miller of The New York Times called him “the spiritual general of the new Charleston chefs.” He has received Restaurants & Institutions’ Ivy Award, was named to DiRoNA’s Fine Dining Hall of Fame in 1994, and received a Golden Dish award from GQ. He has been recognized by the James Beard Foundation as “Best Chef, Southeast,” and entertained the Prince of Wales during his 1990 visit to Charleston. When President Clinton and other heads of state gathered aboard an aircraft carrier in 1994 to celebrate the 50th commemorative ceremony marking the Normandy Landing, Chef Osteen trained the cooking staff for the event. 

Back in 1980 Chef Osteen moved to Pawley’s Island, S.C. and opened the Pawley’s Island Inn where he used the rich bounty of the region and its culinary traditions to both champion and redefine Lowcountry cuisine. After nearly a decade at Pawley’s Island, Chef Osteen’s desire to reach a larger audience led him to the Omni Hotel at Charleston Place where he redesigned their restaurant. In October 1989, Louis's Charleston Grill opened to immediate praise, receiving national media attention when it was selected by Esquire magazine as one of the country's "Top 25 New Restaurants.” Chef Osteen is widely credited with elevating Southern cuisine from down home to upscale. I dined at Louis’s Charleston Grill on a tax-subsidized business trip during the 90’s and recall an exquisite experience with the best in service, food, wine and ambiance. Following Chef Osteen’s lead many other fine restaurants now crowd the Charleston streets.

He left the Grill to open Louis's on Meeting Street, and has since owned several variations of Louis's Restaurants. Most recently, Chef Osteen had two restaurants on Pawley’s Island at the “South Seas Resort” and was opening two more in Las Vegas when the bottom fell out of the economy. So, what brings him to the north Georgia Mountains is a story mostly about the economy and timing. But Chef Osteen is nothing but upbeat and enthusiastic about coming to our beautiful North Georgia Mountains. He was born in Anderson, South Carolina, and still has family in the region. He also has fond memories of family visits to the lake Rabun Hotel in the 1970’s, long before the wonderful rustic renovations accomplished by new owner Gwen North.

Chef Osteen said that compared to the sprawling “South Seas Resort” on Pawley’s Island coming to the Lake Rabun Hotel is “more like right-sizing than down-sizing.”  He adds “I am certainly not ready to retire, and the mountains offer a great life-style and a new culinary challenge.”

 Chef Osteen, his wife Marlene and owner Gwen North all envision an expanded culinary program for the Lake Rabun Hotel.  He plans to partner with the Southern Foodways Alliance and is looking to enliven visitor’s culinary experiences when they visit our region.  When I talked to Gwen about the future she said “having a chef of Osteen’s caliber will advance dining options in the north Georgia Mountains to a whole new level and I am thrilled to have him on-board.” They indicated that cooking and culinary classes, expanded catering and other ventures may be in the offing. 

 In the past several weeks since Chef Osteen’s arrival we have sent many Beechwood Inn guests to the Lake Rabun Hotel for dinner or lunch.  All have returned with rave reviews of Chef Osteen’s Lowcountry cuisine now offered in the midst of a cove forest alongside a mountain lake in North Georgia. Okay, let’s not fret over this seeming lack of symmetry and just focus on enjoying some great shrimp and grits or a crispy crab cake. Welcome to Chef Osteen and his wife Marlene, and we look forward to some great Lowcountry cuisine in our high country setting.

David  Darugh is co-owner of the Beechwood Inn, located in Clayton, GA. www.beechwoodinn.ws.  The inn includes a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence Restaurant that features fresh and local products.  David was the General Counsel of the American Wine Society from 1990 to 2001. 

Up-and-Coming Chefs in the North Georgia Mountains by David G. Darugh[1]  

The North Georgia mountains have been known for moonshine, agriculture, traditional values and a broad spectrum of geologic and cultural riches. These assets remain, but their impact is changing as visitors are now associating the North Georgia Mountains with beautiful new wineries, fabulous dining, luxury resorts and the abundance of wonderful fresh and local products.  Of course, you can still find a mason jar of good ‘shine if you know who to ask. 

This perspective has not been lost on Georgia’s grape-growers.  One of the first to appreciate and understand the association of wine and culinary tourism was Eric Seifarth, founder of Crane Creek Vineyards near Young Harris, Georgia, just a stone’s throw from North Carolina.  Owner Eric Seifarth has a spectacular pastoral setting with a view of Brasstown Bald, Georgia’s highest peak.

On our visit to Crane Creek Vineyards we met and talked to Chef David Sanford who is excited about working at the vineyard.  I love to talk to chefs with a passion, and I could sense that David had found his calling in the north Georgia Mountains.

David is not classically trained in culinary arts. He started his career in marketing, and traveled the world on business and was exposed to many wonderful cuisines. He heard the calling and joined a catering company in Atlanta known as “Rich Bits.” While starting only part-time, over the course of the next 15 years he left his white collar job and became a full-time partner in the catering firm.  He served as a private chef and did many large private events.  One evening a catering event brought him to Crane Creek Vineyards.  Eric Seifarth was so pleased with the dinner that he started hiring David for more and more events.  Finally, David sold his interest in the catering firm and took up residence at Crane Creek Vineyards.  He lives on-site in a small farm house, and is studying viticulture, winemaking and hospitality management and could not be more thrilled.

David is committed to using as many fresh and local sources as possible. This includes local beef from “Holy Cow,” local produce and dairy.  According to David the perfect complement to Crane Creek's vineyards and winery is their culinary garden. The Garden features antique specimens and heirloom cultivars, all grown with 100% organic farming principles. Each month, throughout the growing season, new and delicious offerings from the gardens find their way to the dinner tables. In addition, there is a small apple orchard providing a wide variety of heirloom and antique North Georgia apple varieties, some of them being quite rare. Each fall this bounty of apples is transformed into pies, cider, and other tasty offerings for vineyard guests. Finally, David adds, “our small flock of free range chickens and Guinea hens, supply a steady supply of farm fresh eggs, and round out our sideline agricultural activities.”

Eric and David have started Crane Creek Café which offers Prixe Fixe seasonal dinners on Fridays, and “stimulus package” Soup Kitchen Saturdays. Once a month David offers farmer’s Pasta Dinners.  Crane Creek also hosts weddings, receptions and offers private dinners for large or small groups. Their dining room is an inviting patio under the sky adjacent to the vineyard with views of the pond and the mountains. I love Al Fresco dining.

Now home in the North Georgia Mountains, he has found his bliss.  He said that restaurant business is one of the most lethal operations to be in, so he and Eric Seifarth are growing their food service slowly and cautiously but with a goal of opening a full service restaurant.  So - if your senses are craving dining under the stars with a walk through the vineyard we’ll meet at Crane Creek Vineyards.

By David and Gayle Darugh[1]

The North Georgia mountains have been known for moonshine, agriculture, traditional values and a broad spectrum of geologic and cultural riches. These assets remain, but their impact is changing as visitors are now associating the North Georgia Mountains with beautiful new wineries, fabulous dining, luxury resorts and the abundance of wonderful fresh and local products.  Of course, you can still find a mason jar of good ‘shine if you know who to ask.  

Just this year owners of many North Georgia vineyards, farms, orchards, mills, herbalists, dairies and restaurants founded the Georgia Mountains Foodways Alliance[2], dedicated to preserving the heritage of our mountain foodways and to promoting fresh and local products.  This Alliance encompasses a field to table spectrum from agriculture to fine dining, with emphasis on all the specialty foods, farm markets, and hands-on restaurants in between that are so dear to the hearts of southerners who love homegrown/homemade local food.

 The notion of using fresh and local ingredients is not new to the Georgia mountain people who have planted gardens and orchards, raised farm animals and foraged or hunted in the wild to supplement what they might purchase at the market.[3]  However, the unique development is the birth and growth of North Georgia’s Wine Highway.  While the first modern Georgia wineries started back in the 1980’s, in the past decade many new vineyards have been planted and wineries built dedicated to making fine table wines from Georgia grown grapes.   

Viticulture and winemaking have steadily gained importance in Georgia’s agri-economy.  North Georgia is currently host to more than a dozen wineries, and the rate of new vineyard plantings is amongst the highest in the Eastern U.S. Production is now about 115,000 gallons annually.[4] In 2001, Georgia’s legislature recognized the significance of the industry and authorized the designation of roadways and signage to create the Georgia Wine Highway.  This designation and more recent legislation permitting Georgia wineries to ship wine will encourage increased planting and production. 

Along with the development of wineries is an explosion of wine and culinary tourism in the North Georgia Mountains – in particular there is a growing interest in fresh and local products.  Fruits and vegetables grown thousands of miles away are harvested long before peak ripeness so they can survive shipping and be market ready weeks later.  Local products are fresher, have better flavor and more nutrient benefit, offer more seasonal variety, lessen the environmental impact of transportation and packaging, and keep more money in local economies.  

Although we are both Southerners, our parent’s employment took us to Northern California in our youth, well before Napa and Sonoma became synonymous with food and wine.  We observed the growth of California wineries during the 1970’s, but what really contributed to the development of culinary and wine tourism was the location of fine dining venues in Napa and Sonoma Valleys, along with the birth of California Cuisine.[5]  When John Ash & Company, The French Laundry, Auberge du Soleil and others built fabulous restaurants (and lodging) they quickly developed loyal followings – and that is when tourism exploded.  With over 5 million visitors annually, Napa is California’s second most visited tourist destination after Disneyland. 

Together we have traveled the world in pursuit of food and wine destinations.  Some of our most romantic memories include wine dinners and wine tastings in a winery hosted by the winemaker.  Few experiences, at least for the wine enthusiast, can be better than sitting next to red stained wine barrels, breathing in the smell of wine-soaked oak, dining on the best of fresh and local cuisine, while the winemaker offers secrets on how she coaxed her grapes into offering their very best.  Once you have experienced this personal treatment you will understand what makes Napa more attractive to the tourist than Disneyland- at least for many adults. 

A new survey reveals that the emerging phenomenon of culinary tourism-defined as travel to learn about or enjoy unique and memorable eating-and-drinking experiences-is taking hold in the American vocabulary.  One-quarter of all leisure travelers say food is central to their destination selection, and that number increases to 51 percent for culinary travelers (those engaging in culinary activities during leisure trips).  Deliberate culinary travelers also indicated that culinary or wine-related activities were either a key reason to take the trip or helped them choose between destinations.  According to the survey, two in five (40 percent) of leisure travelers self-identify as traveling to learn about or enjoy unique and memorable eating-and-drinking experiences.[6]   

The study demonstrates that a sizable proportion of the U.S. leisure market does indeed make travel decisions based on a desire for wine and culinary experiences.  In fact, it confirms that wine and culinary experiences are a driver of destination choice. 

This perspective has not been lost on Georgia’s grape-growers.  One of the first to appreciate and understand the association of wine and culinary tourism was Karl Boegner, founder of Wolf Mountain Vineyards near Dahlonega.  Karl opened the winery in 2002 and operates it with his wife Linda and son Brannon and daughter in law Ashley.  Karl is an old hand in the tourist, food and accommodation industry.  He was in charge of food service for the opening of Disney World in 1971.  He was also the Executive Vice President for Chateau Elan Winery from 1985-1989.  He and Linda owned and operated the Founder's Club in Roswell, GA a high quality events venue.    

Wolf Mountain was built as a destination for the wine and culinary savvy.  Karl spared no expense to create of a wonderful ambience in the lodge, tasting room, patios, and winery.  The lodge sits at the top of the mountain and enjoys a spectacular view with southern aspect for his 8 acres of grapes, which include Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Mouvedre and Touriga.  Wolf Mountain makes some of Georgia’s best and most highly rated wines. 

In the winery, tasting room and barrel room, the architecture is a modern rendering of traditional craftsman style.  Karl has collected a stunning array of wine antiques that add an historic European flavor to the cellar ambience.  The floors and walls could easily be mistaken for a timeworn castle’s wine cave.  Wolf Mountain specializes in hosting weddings and banquets in the gardens and patios.  In addition, the Boegners offer themed wine dinners, live music, tours and tastings to the public.  Karl is a proponent of fresh and local products and is a supporter of the Georgia Foodways Alliance.  Karl has proven success in the delivery of fine food service has quickly made Wolf Mountain a popular and successful wine and culinary destination.   

Not far away is another beautiful winery destination, Frogtown Cellars.  Owned and operated by Craig and Cydney Krietzer, this three level California-style gravity flow winery was designed to accommodate receptions, weddings and large events.  The facility is a timber-frame structure with cathedral ceilings, hand-carved Tennessee flag-stone walls and Brazilian cherry floors.  Two large decks and a wrap-around porch envelop the structure with breath-taking views of the mountains and their vineyards. 

Frogtown makes award winning Georgia wines from 15 varieties of grapes planted on 32 acres of well-tended vineyards.  Craig is passionate about farming and making wine, and he is certainly one of Georgia’s most knowledgeable growers.  He and Cydney knew that the combination of food and wine in the development of winery events is a powerful determinate for the traveling public.  The winery facility includes a well-designed commercial kitchen and they now offer events on-site to experience food and wine.  Frogtown hosts regular multi-course winemaker dinners and receptions where guests can talk to the winemaker.  You can even plan your own Al Fresco dinner in the vineyard with live guitar or violin music.   

The newest winery destination in Georgia is Montaluce, a Napa-Tuscan themed winery and residential estate development near Dahlonega.  Its commitment to food and wine tourism and to fresh and local is certainly the most ambitious so far.  The estate includes the brand new 9500 square foot Tuscan themed winery, Le Vigne Ristorante, estate home-sites and, finally, Montaluce claims to offer a Napa-Tuscan lifestyle for its residents and for visitors right here in the North Georgia Mountains. 

To ensure culinary success Montaluce hired Steve Hewins as Executive Chef.   After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), Chef Hewins landed a job in San Francisco at the renowned Stars Restaurant, working under Jeremiah Tower (see fn 5) where he spent his four most formative years.   

Chef Hewins has a passion for fresh seasonal ingredients and a commitment to sustainable produce.  Le Vigne Ristorante's recipes reflect the Italian proverb of "eating by the calendar.”  Organic vegetables, fruits, and herbs are either estate-grown or handpicked by the restaurant's forager from local farms and ranches.  Chef Hewins oversees the planting of organic vegetable and herb gardens on the Montaluce estate with the guidance of a full-time master gardener.  

Finally, Montaluce says it offers a Napa-Tuscan lifestyle for its residents and visitors.  It will offer wine and culinary festivals throughout the year including wine seminars with guest speakers, visiting winemakers and its own winemaker.  Chef Hewins and visiting chefs will host culinary classes in their state of the art demonstration kitchen. There will be art exhibits with some of the finest artists and galleries in the south and visitors will have the opportunity to meet the artist, sample fine wines, and enjoy the finest in gourmet dining.  Finally, Montaluce will host Artists and Farmers Markets.  Reminiscent of the age-old street markets throughout Tuscany, the weekend artists and farmers markets will feature the area’s finest arts, crafts, and organic produce.

 Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Frogtown Cellars are wonderful examples of wineries built to be wine and culinary destinations from the outset.  Montaluce goes another step and offers its visitors and residents a Napa-Tuscan “fresh and local” immersion and lifestyle.  All three are exciting venues offering culinary, wine and lifestyle events that will encourage visitors to make the North Georgia Mountains a destination choice.

 In addition to these mega-venues, North Georgia has smaller wineries that, while they did not initially invest in large event facilities or commercial restaurant kitchens, are nonetheless devoted to culinary, wine and lifestyle tourism.  Tiger Mountain Vineyards in Rabun County, nestles at the foot of its namesake mountain.  Co-owned by two couples the winery itself is located on the fifth generation family estate of Dr. John Ezzard.  John and wife Martha farm about 10 acres of grapes, including Norton, Tannat, Viognier, Malbec, Mouvedre, Cabernet Franc, Touriga and Petite Menseng.  Co-owners Bill and Leckie Stack farm about 5 acres of grapes nearby including: Norton, Malbec, Viognier and Cabernet Franc.

 At Tiger Mountain Winery almost everything is done by hand – farming and winemaking.  Martha Ezzard, journalist and author, showed us the different varieties of young trees, each one selected and planted by their young grandchildren.  She and John want to give them a love of the land and a personal investment in it.  John is a farmer at heart and spends as much time as possible in the vineyard. 

Over at the Stack property, Leckie, a life-long gardener, has extended her skills to manage the vineyard as Bill spends weekdays at his law practice in Atlanta.  She is a devotee of the fresh and local movement and is a co-founder of the Georgia Mountains Foodways Alliance.  The Stack’s farm is a tribute to Rabun County’s fresh and local mountain heritage as it includes a 100 year-old apple orchard, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, persimmons, and Asian pears to name but a few.  Her yard is a wonderful wild jumble of perennials, wild flowers, lilies, flowering bushes and indigenous mountain plants.  Something is always in bloom.

 Both families agree they do not plan to plant many more grapes.  They want to keep the acreage of vineyards at a manageable level, as their objective is to provide the highest quality hand-made wines from less commonly known grapes that prosper in north Georgia (e.g. Tannat, Malbec and Touriga).  We think they have found a wonderful niche.

 The owners provide plenty of wine events and culinary celebrations for their visitors and for the local community.  In May they annually hold an “Awakening of the Vines” Festival with wonderful food and live music that may include the 100 piece Atlanta Chamber Orchestra set up in the vineyard.  The vines are serenaded by classical, show tunes, jazz, and of course, “I heard it Through the Grapevine.”  Late each summer they celebrate harvest with a stylish picnic, wine tasting and live music.  Visitors can help harvest grapes and may even participate in a grape stomp.  This spring Tiger Mountain Vineyards added a “Fiddle and Author Festival” to raise funds for Forest Watch.  The winery offers more casual celebrations to commemorate the release of new wines and vintages.  In addition, romantic Al Fresco picnicking and dining is available in the vineyard.  One will always find a large assortment of local artisan cheeses and many other seasonal products from local farms and gardens.  All of these wonderful products taste better with a glass of one of Tiger Mountains Vineyards award winning wines.

 Crane Creek Vineyards in nearby Young Harris, owned by Eric and DeAnne Siefarth, is another wonderful small family owned operation that offers visitors a variety of events and festivals throughout the year, all of which include fresh and local products.  Spring includes an artfest, in summer a tomato festival, in fall a harvest festival with hay-rides for the kids.  The tasting room is located in a restored 1880 farmhouse that also contains a quaint guesthouse for visitors.  Eric and DeAnne host monthly wine dinners featuring Crane Creek wines, often with live music.  The setting is the tasting room in a beautiful garden location with expansive patios with a view of the vineyards, ponds and the mountains beyond.  The resident Crane Creek Chef is a supporter of the Georgia Mountain Foodways Alliance.  Eric also sells grapes to amateur winemakers and conducts home winemaking and pruning seminars.  The tasting room has many local products including art and amateur wine making supplies.      

Blackstock Vineyards, owned by David Harris, with 40 Acres under cultivation, qualifies as the largest Vinifera vineyard in Georgia.  David is a graduate of the oenology and viticulture programs at Fresno State, in California.  He started his winemaking career as an assistant winemaker at Biltmore Estate in North Carolina.  His reputation and interests eventually led him to become the winemaker at the successful Habersham Winery in Helen, Georgia.  Ten years ago, he “semi” retired from winemaking to concentrate on the development of his own vineyard near Dahlonega, GA.  At this beautiful mountain estate he works in the vineyard daily, giving personal care to his 24,000 vines.

Last year David completed construction of a new winery and tasting room on the highest location on his vineyard.  The tasting room opens onto a large covered porch with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains.  Blackstock frequently uses the porch for wine, food and music events.  Visitors can also rent this area for their own private event.

One of the most gorgeous vineyards in the eastern United States is Persimmon Creek Vineyards located in Rabun County.  Set in a secluded valley encircled by high mountain peaks, trout flit through  Persimmon Creek as it meanders through the vineyards.  Sonny and Mary Ann Hardman searched for two years to find the vineyard site.  Currently there are 15 acres under cultivation planted to Seyval Blanc, Riesling, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.  Laid out with a painterly eye, the couple studied the undulations of the land and selected the planting areas for not only the specific conditions required of each grape variety, but also so the rows follow the land in a way that leads the eye to absorb exquisite natural contours and textures.  The couple has three young sons and find that working with them in the vineyard is a way to pass on a love of the earth and knowledge of the basic rhythms of the ecosystem. 

Mary Ann Hardman is the marketing maven, flying and driving around the state to resorts and fine restaurants to offer tastes of Persimmon Creek wines to wine directors, sommeliers and chefs.  She emphasizes the fresh and local aspect of Georgia wines – and reminds them that wine is a farm product.  To a growing number of restaurants and resorts that brag about serving local Georgia products the point is not lost

The Hardmans are nearing completion of three farm cottages on land overlooking the vineyards.  These cottages will provide an escape and haven for visitors seeking the peaceful solitude of Persimmon Valley.  In addition, until they build a new winery, they have moved their tasting room to a building they refurbished in downtown Clayton.  “Persimmon on the Square” offers wine tastings, and it has a number of high quality fresh and local products and upscale gifts made or designed by Georgia artists.

 We asked Mary Ann about her culinary philosophy and the phrase “what grows together goes together” and “farmers are our local heroes” rolled quickly from her lips.  She is definitely a strong proponent of fresh and local.  Their oldest son, Mitchell (age 14), has plowed up much of what is not planted to grapes and is growing wildflowers, silver queen corn, heirloom pumpkins, tomatoes, and vegetables. 

 Persimmon Creek offers a number of scheduled dinners throughout the year featuring well-known regional chefs that are proponents of fresh and local products.  They also offer private luncheons and dinners either in the winery, on their terrace or Al Fresco in the vineyard.  Sonny and Mary Ann will make sure you have the perfect Persimmon Creek wines to match your meal. 

 If you are looking for wonderful culinary and wine experiences, seek beautiful romantic scenery, want to relax and enjoy our mountain hospitality, and to sample the abundance of our fresh and local foods and wines then the Georgia Wine Highway should be your destination of choice.  The North Georgia Mountains are truly an exciting place to live or to visit.

[1] David and Gayle Darugh are owners of the Beechwood Inn, located in Clayton, GA. www.beechwoodinn.ws.  The inn includes a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence Restaurant.  They taught Wine Appreciation classes at the University of Tennessee during the 1980’s.  Gayle is a former National President of the American Wine Society and David was the General Counsel from 1990 to 2000.  Gayle is co-founder of the Georgia Mountains Foodways Alliance.

[2] http://www.georgiafoodways.org

[3] Rabun County resident Patricia Kyritsi Howell, author of “Medicinal Plants of the Southern Appalachians,” is the South’s foremost expert on native medicinal plants.  She operates Botanologos an herb school that specializes in teaching about Southern Appalachian medicinal herbs and their therapeutic uses.  Ms. Howell is also co-founder of the Georgia Mountains Foodways Alliance.  http://www.botanologos.com.

 [4] The Oxford Companion to the Wines of North America, Bruce Cass, Oxford University Press, 2000.

[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_cuisine: Alice Waters, of the restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, is credited with originating California cuisine and retains the reputation of offering the ultimate California cuisine experience. Her cuisine emphasizes the freshest ingredients in season and procured solely from local farms.  Jeremiah Tower worked for Alice Waters at Chez Panisse and then opened his own restaurant, Stars, in San Francisco.  Tower, who held a degree in architecture from Harvard, was the first to implement  the "stacked presentation.”  The success of Stars restaurant helped the hype of California Cuisine as "what the stars eat.” 

[6] The URL for this study is:http://www.travelindustrywire.com/article26325.html

Georgia Wine Trail Haven

By Jennifer Whitford Stoddard*©

We have known David and Gayle Darugh, long time AWS members, for 7 years, ever since Gayle founded the Garden City Chapter of the American Wine Society in Augusta, Georgia. Last year we received the following fairy tale notifying us that they had acquired The Beechwood Inn, a 1920’s Lodge-style bed and breakfast inn located in the North Georgia Mountains . . .

Once upon a time, when Gayle McClain was 6 years old her first grade teacher asked what she wanted to be when she grew up.  Gayle answered that she wanted to be a gracious and gentle hostess in a wonderful and beautiful cottage surrounded by lush gardens filled with wildflowers, herbs and gentle birds. There would be views of mountains, valleys, forests and waterfalls.  Her guests would sleep on fine scented linens and be surrounded by rare art and handsome antiques.  The dining would be exquisite.  Fine meals would be served on beautiful china in a garden-room filled with flowers and gentle breezes.  Her guests would all be charming and filled with wonder, manners and grace.  She also wished for world peace.

 About 12 months later when little David Darugh was 6 years old, his first grade teacher asked what he wanted to be when he grew up.  Little David said he wanted to be a champion racquetball player, an accomplished white water kayaker and balding.  He also wanted a Yellow Labrador that could catch Frisbees and a job that gave him 6 months of vacation each year.  During the 6-month long vacation he would travel the world in search of fine wines and wonderful cuisine's that he could bring back to share with his family and friends.  He said he wanted the best wine, gastronomy, hospitality, and culture from exotic places, and that all of this would be tax deductible.  Little David also wished for world peace.

It now appears that both Gayle and David’s wishes for their grown-up future have been granted – with the exception of the world peace thing.  You are invited to the Beechwood Inn . . . a luxury bed and breakfast in the North Georgia Mountains.

 My husband, Jeff, and I have now had several opportunities to visit the Beechwood Inn and explore the newly designated Georgia Wine Trail.  The trail crosses northern Georgia from east to west and the Beechwood Inn is located in Clayton at the very northeast corner of the Trail.  The Inn has quickly become our favorite respite. 

The Beechwood Inn is a very special place – in large part because of the wonderful ambience and hospitality provided by David and Gayle.  The inn is not just a nice place to visit...you WILL want to live there. The southern states are blessed with many fine bed & breakfast inns that don’t elicit this same reaction. You may be awed by their antique appointments, lacey coverlets and elaborate breakfast spreads, but you also feel as if one wrong, clumsy move could destroy an heirloom and draw the scornful looks of your hosts for the remainder of your stay. At the Beechwood Inn you will instantly feel as if you're staying with family. The Inn is historic yet not fragile.  It is filled with wonderful period antiques, but it does not feel formal or stiff.  It is altogether homey and comfortable.

The Beechwood Inn was built in 1916-1922 as a summer home for the Buckholz family of Atlanta. It provided a welcome mountain respite from heat and humidity.  Known for her wonderful hospitality, Mrs. Buckholz added room after room in order to accommodate  a growing list of family and friends who came to stay. Today the fully restored lodge-style inn offers the traditions of the past with the conveniences of a modern luxury inn. While the original heart pine floors and plaster walls reflect its 1920’s lodge charm, it has all new plumbing, wiring, and rich Williamsburg-style painted woodwork, antiques and fine reproductions.  Giant stone fireplaces in the public rooms add an air of yesteryear.  On chilly mornings Jeff and I enjoy sipping freshly ground piping hot coffee in front of a warm fire and smelling breakfast aromas coming from the nearby kitchen.   

 The inn sits near the top of Beechwood Hill overlooking Clayton and the Mountains of Tiger, Georgia.  Guests are greeted by an enormous wrap-around porch offering tree top views of nearby Black Rock Mountain, one of Georgia’s highest peaks.  Comfortable chaises beckon guests to slow down and relax with a glass of wine and enjoy the spectacular view.  Acres of gardens and green-space surround the Inn, providing habitat for wildflowers, herbs, birds and other wildlife.  The gardens include thousands of daffodils, orange daylilies and purple wild-iris that bloom in the spring and early summer. A ten-minute walk will take you to Clayton’s historic main street with antique and craft shops, art galleries, and several fine restaurants.

The inn features flawless décor that is comfortable and usable. Each spacious guestroom has a private bath, ceiling fan and air conditioning. Our room had a fireplace, private balcony with spectacular view, dressing area, a queen size bed with luxurious 300-count linens and a warm down comforter for the cool mountain evenings that ensured a restorative night's sleep.  Every corner in the Inn is spotlessly clean and filled with eye catching and captivating features.

Despite all the wonderful features, the best thing about the Beechwood Inn is the hospitality of David and Gayle.  To Jeff and I they have quickly become Uncle David and Aunt Gayle (no relation, they just adopted us - and we them). They are both evocative of the old story about the difference between 19th-century British Prime Ministers William Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli. It was said that, when you had dinner with Gladstone, you left feeling he was the wittiest, most brilliant, most charming person on earth. But when you had dinner with Disraeli, you left feeling that you were the wittiest, most brilliant, most charming person on earth. David is witty, generous and a gifted chef, while  Gayle is charming, engaging and filled with grace.  Together they provide a level of service, warmth and hospitality that is second to none.  They will entertain and charm you with wine, fine food and engaging conversation.

Dave and Gayle’s breakfast creations are beautiful to view and scrumptious. For a romantic weekend visit request David's heart shaped waffles dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with homemade blueberry syrup, made fresh from the Inn’s own berry patch.  Jeff’s favorite is Gayle’s thick-sliced homemade cinnamon bread made into French toast, covered in real maple syrup and Crème Fresh. Each breakfast also includes a fresh fruit course, homemade muffins (I love Gayle’s nutmeg muffins!) or David’s tender biscuits, juice, fresh brewed coffees and herb teas. 

The Beechwood Inn is perfectly situated for experiencing a wide variety of activities. A favorite of cycling, hiking and whitewater enthusiasts, the Inn is equally convenient for the pursuit of history, antiques, art, folklore, or those seeking the perfect wine from the many wineries flourishing on the newly established Georgia Wine Trail. When you've satisfied your thirst for adventure, retire to the Beechwood for an afternoon snack, a glass of wine, a good book and the sweeping views of the southern Blue Ridge Mountains.  But, if you want a truly wonderful experience, you need to coax David into providing you a wine and gourmet cuisine experience from the Beechwood kitchen.

David and Gayle have each trained in Dijon, France; Sonoma, California and in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  To help celebrate the return from our honeymoon David and Gayle treated us to the following wine dinner: a warm-up sample of Tiger Mountain Winery 2000 Viognier disguised in a brown paper bag (we guessed it was from Santa Barbara, California); Appetizer of Tort de Pesto, a rich blend of cream cheese, Olorosa Sherry, fresh basil and fresh garlic on crustini paired with Ken Wright 1995 Canary Vineyard Pinto Noir (Oregon); Salad en Verte, an exotic green salad of Bibb lettuce, field greens, edible flowers and aged balsamic vinaigrette; Shrimp Piccata, an entrée of pan seared fresh jumbo shrimp with whole roasted garlic cloves, grated Pecorino Regiano fresh basil, roasted red peppers, lemon wine sauce and capers, served over fresh angel hair pasta paired with a 1997 Puligny Montrache and a 1997 Rombaur Reserve Chardonnay; and finally Gayle's Stilton Cheesecake served with an aged Banyul.   The wine-food pairings were superb.  The Inn’s breakfast parlor is an enclosed porch with views of mountains and conifers, and when filled with soft candlelight it is as romantic as you would find in Provence or Tuscany. 

Gayle designed and David recently constructed a romantic hide-a-way cellar for their 2000 bottles of collectible wines.  The temperature-controlled cellar features faux leather walls, antique gold-leaf floor and David's collection of antique corkscrews and wine cellar collectibles. Be sure to wear a sweater and carry a wineglass with you for the cellar tour. David also makes wine, so ask for a sample of his latest effort made from Georgia grapes.

Beechwood Inn sponsored special events and packages focus on wine education activities such as wine dinners at local restaurants, tours and small wine conferences.  The Inn recently secured a retail wine license and it offers a selection of Georgia and other fine wines.  David and Gayle also arrange wine tours to local wineries.  They scheduled a number of wine tours for us to local wineries.  The clear highlight was a tour and private tasting at Tiger Mountain Winery hosted by co-owner/winemaker Bill Stack.  This small winery was founded 4 years ago by urologist John Ezzard and attorney Bill Stack. .Most of the grapes are on grown on John's family farm (he is the fifth generation farmer). Bill has a nearby apple orchard and vineyard.  Together their families choose to produce quality Vinifera grapes; wines from grapes suited to Northern Georgia's cool Mountain Viticultural region.  They have experimented with Touriga Nationale, Tannat, Cabernet Franc, Viognier, Malbec and several other lesser known Varietals and native Cynthiana-Norton. Their success was recently recognized at the 2001 AWS Commercial Competition where Tiger Mountain Winery collected an unheard of 5 medals including Gold for their 1999 Cabernet Franc, competing against a crowded field of French and California entries. 

Bill offered us a barrel tasting of their latest vintage wines and provided an informative discussion on their viticulture and winemaking techniques.  Tiger Mountain is clearly a winery that will secure a national reputation for its wines.  Ask David or Gayle to arrange a visit to this small winery.  You will not regret the experience.  Other local wineries that you should include on your itinerary include Three Sisters Vineyards and Frogtowne Vineyards in Dahlonega, Habersham Winery in Helen, Crane Creek Vineyards in Young Harris and the very large and tourist oriented Chateau Elan.  New wineries expected to open in the next year include Wolf Creek in Tiger, Persimmon Creek in and Chota in Clayton.

We award the Beechwood Inn the five Pineapples Award for hospitality. The pineapple has been the symbol of hospitality since the mid-1600s, when sea captains would place pineapples brought back from the West Indies outside their doors as a sign that they had returned from their seagoing voyages and were welcoming visitors. Fromtheir warm, genuine greeting on our arrival, to the wine and hors d'oeuvres that were set in front of the common living room's cozy fireplace, it took no time at all for us to feel asif we were staying with family or old friends.

If you had friends or family who lived along the Georgia Wine Trail that were kind enough to invite you to come and stay, you'd want them to own a place just like this. The Historic Beechwood Inn is a delight.  David and Gayle offer guests a variety of  seasonal packages that include wine dinners at local restaurants, wine tastings, tours, and tickets to local events. Best of all, unlike friends and family who might invite you to stay with them once a year if you're lucky and bring good gifts, you're literally welcome at the Beechwood Inn any time you fancy an escape to a vibrant North Georgia Mountain Retreat. From spring's blossoms, to the booming summer mountain festivals, to fall's colorful shadings and Foxfire events, to the holiday season when the mountains are decked out for Christmas, the northeast Georgia Mountains offer an ever-changing swirl of activities.  If you plan just right, you might even be able to participate in an event of the newly formed Foxfire Chapter of AWS (yes, she's at it again!). This comfortable B&B is the perfect place to put up your feet after a day of embracing it all.

© Ms Jennifer Whitford Stoddard is the new Chair of the Garden City Chapter of the AWS in Augusta, GA.  She and her husband Jeff are avid Bicyclists and students of fine wine.  Jennifer is also a doctoral candidate of psychology at the University of Georgia.

Aperitif: Gougere; Gruyere Cheese Pastry,2004 Domaine Chapuis, Chorey les Beaune, Burgundy, FR

 Appetizer: Wild Salmon Confit with Shallot and Red Wine Reduction, 1997 Marchese Antinori, Chianti Classico Reserva, Tuscany

            Appetizer: Appetizer: Duck Confit and Fois Gras, with Leeks, Mizuna and Ginger Cherry Compote, 1996 Cain Five, Napa Valley

 Salad: Fresh Spring Greens with Goat Cheese and Candied Pecans with Los Villares Sweet Pedro Ximenez Vinaigrette (aged 25 years), Spain

 Intermezzo: Pink Champagne and Lavender Sorbet

 Entrée: Grilled Painted Hills Organic Beef Tenderloin with Cracked Black Peppercorns, Caramelized Leek Fondue, Chef Darugh’s Potatoes Gratin, Roasted Fresh Vegetables with Garlic Sauce, 1997 Beaulieu Tapestry, Meritage, Napa Valley, CA, Fresh Baked with Local Creamery Butter

 Dessert: Gayle’s Almond Tart, 1998 Chateau Rieussec, Grand Cru Sauternes, France, Fresh Brewed Coffee or Herb Teas

 Amuse: Asian Tuna Tartar, with Cucumbers, Chile Glaze, Shitake Mushrooms and Chinese Flatbread, 2006 Carabella Chardonnay, Chehalem Mtns, OR

 Appetizer: Duck Confit and Fois Gras, with Leeks, Mizuna and Ginger Cherry Compote

2006 Bastianich La Mozza I Perazzi, Tuscany

 Salad: Arugula Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette, Goat Cheese and Toasted Walnuts

 Intermezzo: Green Tea Sorbet

 Entrée: Roast Pork Shoulder, with Choucroute and Gruyere Potato Fondue, Fresh Baked Herb Bread with Local Creamery Butter, 2000 Teldeschi Terranova Dry Creek Valley Estate,Proprietors Reserve (Carignane, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah

 Warm Molten Chocolate Cake, Old Tawny Port, Fresh Brewed Coffee and Herb teas

Aperitif: Dream Dates – Medjool Dates Stuffed with Feta and Wrapped with Apple wood Smoked Bacon, 2008 Beechwood Inn Viognier

 Appetizer:  Seared Scallops and Capers with Warm Madeira Mirin Glaze, 2005 Chateau Mourgues Du Gres Les Galets Rose, Nimes, France

 Salad: Lemon Couscous, Capers with Arugula and Citrus Marinade 

Entrée: Brined and Seared Pork Tenderloin Medallions, with Green Peppercorn and Juniper Berry sauce, Shallot Marmalade,  Jasmine Rice with Caramelized Peppers, Fresh Spring Asparagras, Fresh Baked Bread, 2004 Kilikanoon Prodigal Grenache, Clare Valley, Australia          

Desert: Chocolate Espresso Syrup Cake, 10 Year Old Tawny Port, Fresh Brewed Coffee and Herb Teas

The Inn's Dining Room is perfect for small family gatherings, corporate retreats and freinds' get-to-gethers. Our Chef's specialty is wonderful themed multi-course wine dinners.  Here are some of the themes we offer: 

• Tuscan/Italian Cuisine: The essence of Italian cuisine includes authentic sauces, homemade pastas and gnocchi’s’, pestos, duck, veal, and desserts.
• Mediterranean Cuisine:  These include bold and robust foods and flavors from Spain, Italy, Southern France, Greece, Algeria, Morocco, etc. Sample foods include: Gougères, fresh and local salads, olives, olive oils, exotic couscous, shellfish and sea foods, chicken tangine, paella, tapas.
• Santa Fe, New Mexico Cuisine: We love to go to Santa Fe because the fusion of Native American, Latin America, Spain and the Southwest play such a vital role in defining the flavors of the foods. Dishes include: salsas, moles, relishes, tortillas, empanadas, ceviches, smoked and dried peppers, chicken, cabrito, flans.
• Asian Pacific Rim Cuisine: This cuisine features foods from around the Western Rim of the Pacific starting at Korea, China and Japan in the North and moving South to the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and the Atolls of the South Pacific. Sample dishes include: Asian Sauces, Wasabi & Sashimi, Sesame Crusted Shrimp, Tempura, Thai Basil Rolls, Curries, Asian Oils, Gyoza, Beef Panang.

Wine Tastings:  Would you like a personal wine tasting for you and your friends?  Our Sommelier can set up beginer, itermediate and advanced wine tastings.  Just let us know what your interests are and we will exceed your expectations.  Costs for wine tastings start at $15.00 per person.

Aperitif: Cheddar Tart with Hot-Pepper Jelly, 2008 Persimmon Creek Seyval Blanc, Rabun County

Appetizer: Lemon Catfish with Angel Hair Caggage Slaw, 2008 Beechwood Inn Viognier, White County

 Salad: Fresh Corn and Black-Eyed Pea Salad on Taylor Farm Farm Rocket, 

Entrée: Eden Farm All Natural Frenched Pork Chop, With Vidalia Onion Gravy, Twice Baked Potatoes with Garlic and Cheese, Buttered Spring Peas, Leek and Gruyere Spoon Bread, 2006 Sautee Nacoochee Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, White County

 Dessert: Molasses Chess Pie with Vanilla Cream, NV Blackstock Vineyards Touriga Dulce (Port-Style), White County, Fresh Brewed Coffee

Drive a Hybrid car to the Beechwood Inn and stay for a minimum of two nights and we will give you a $25.00 discount off your total bill. And, if you come stay at least two days including Earth Day 2010 (April 22) you can save $50.00. 

Please be sure to mention that you will drive a hybrid vehicle to the Beechwood Inn when you make your reservation as this is when we create an invoice for your visit.

Click here for a list of qualifying vehicles.

• Luxury lodging in one of our queen suites or in the secluded Blueberry Cottage
• Chilled Sparkling Wine in your suite (Real French Champagne is also available)
• An exquisite seasonal flower arrangement by one of the areas most creative florists delivered to your room prior to arrival 
• Chocolate truffles custom made and packaged in a decorative container 
• Southern breakfast for two each morning
• Pair of Keepsake Beechwood Inn Logo Wine Glasses

60 Minute Therapeutic Massage can be added starting at $75.00/person based on therapist and availability). 

Kingwood Resort: Spa. (706) 212-4125 http://www.kingwoodresort.com/

Mind and Body Haven, 8538 Old 441 S. Lakemont (706) 212-0062

Occasionally we are able to offer discounted rates for rooms booked at the last minute. These rooms normally are available Sunday through Thursday, but may be available anytime depending on the circumstances. Last Minute Get-Away Discounts are available no earlier than 24 hours prior to the desired arrival date. To inquire about the availability and rates for the date you are interested in please call us (706) 782-5485. 

This special is not available through our online booking engine "Webervations."  

Starter: Fresh Morel Tarts with Goat Cheese, NV Casteller Cava, Spain

 Appetizer: Sea Scallops with Sugar Snap Peas and Chervil, 2006 Do Ferreiro Albariño, Rias Baixas, Spain     

 Salad: Asprargras, Country Ham salad with Georgia Muscadine Vinaigrette

 Entrée: Veal Chops with Mustard, Capers and Endive, Smokey Mountain Ramp Risotto with Jack Daniels, Fresh Steamed Spring Vegetables, Fresh Organic Local Bakery Bread with Spring Ridge Creamery Butter, 2001 Cecile Chassagne Gigondas, Cotes du Rhone, France         

 Dessert: Lemon Chess Pie with Opal Basil Syrup, Fresh Brewed Coffee and Herb Teas, 2005 Girardet Frostbite Late Harvest Gewurztraminer (375) Umpqua Valley, OR

Starters: Goat Cheese Crostini with Sweet Pea Pesto, 2007 Vasse River Verdelho, Margaret River, Australia       

 Appetizer: Asparagras Soup with Saffron, 2006 Bastianch Tocai Friuliano, Friuli, Italy

 Salad: Caramylzed Pears, Local Blue Cheese, Fresh Spring Artisnal Lettuce, Balsamic Reduction

Entrée:  Sausage Stuffed Whole Roasted Quail with Dried Tomato Conserve, Farro Risotto with Broccoli Rabe, Spring Vegetable Ragout with Garlic Sauce, Fresh Organic Local Bakery Bread with Spring Ridge Creamery Butter, 2006 Beaux Freres Pinot Noir, Beaux Freres Vineyard, Yamhill, Oregon    

 Dessert: Chamomile Poached Pears with Late-Harvest Gerwuztraminer Crème Anglais, Fresh Brewed Coffee and Herb Teas, 2005 Three Rivers Winery Late Harvest Gewurztraminer (375 ml), Walla Walla

To view the dinner a menu and see the activities we have planned please visit our Wild Food Package page.

Join us at the Beechwood Inn for a romantic evening with cuisine from Provence matched to some wonderful regional wines. Dinner with one glass of each wine is $85.00 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Additional wines may be purchased from our wine list.

Amuse: Seared Foie Gras with with Spiced Peaches & Apricots, 2007 Domaine Alary Roussanne, La Grange Daniel Principaute d”Orange, France

 Appetizer: Butter-Poached Lobster with Truffle Polenta Cake and Lobster Glacage, 2005 Domaine de Verquiere, Sablet Blanc, Cotes du Rhone, France

 Salad: Salad Nicoise, with Lavender Honey Vinegar, Olive Oil and Roasted Garlic

Intermezzo: Lavender and Raspberry Sorbet 

Entrée: Crisp Pan Seared Golden Tilefish or Wild Salmon with Shallot Butter, (Based on Availability), Confit of Spring Vegetables, Smoked Heirloom Tomatoes, Baggette with Herbed Butter, 2004 Bunan Moulin Des Costes Rouge, Bandol, France

Dessert: Chocolate Jasmine Pot De Crème, 1995 Banyuls

Menu

Aperitif: Mushrooms Stuffed with Roasted Garlic and Goat Cheese

2007 Xarmant Txakoli (Basque)

Appetizer: Fresh Angel Hair Pasta with Walnut Sauce, Gorgonzola and Fresh Herbs

2003 Chateau Mourgues Du Gres Galets Rosé (Cote du Rhone)

Salad: Avocado, Grapefruit and Mango Pieces with Citrus Vinaigrette on Local Artisinal Greens

Intermezzo: Fresh Mango Sorbet

Entrée: Café Salmon

Fresh Early Season Seared Wild Salmon Served on

Spinach Sautéed with Niman Ranch Applewood Smoked Bacon

Citrus Couscous with Spring Vegetables

Asparagus with Orange Butter Sauce

Warm Home Baked Bread with Local Spring Ridge Creamery Butter

2007 Youngberg Hill Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR

Dessert: Chocolate Paté

Old Tawny Port

Fresh Brewed Coffee and Herb Teas

Amuse: Citrus Marinated Baby Shrimp with Wasabi, 2009 Arbios Malbec Rose, Chile

 Appetizer Plate: Sticky Chile Garlic Chicken, With Roll Cut Asparagras,  2005 Chateau Fantin, Bordeaux Superier, Bordeaux, FR

Salad:  Spring Roll with Angel Hair Cabbage, Rice Wine Vinaigrette, Heart of Palm, Sesame Seeds and Fresh Greens

Entrée: Seared Wild Salmon with Sweet and Sour Glaze, Udon Noodles with Spicy Peanut-Ginger Sauce, Roasted Garlic and Edamame Beans, 2004 Cecile Chassagne Gigondas, Cotes du Rhone, France

Dessert: Stuffed Poached Pear with Tropical Fruit Coulis, 2007 Carabella Late Harvest Pinot Gris, Oregon, Fresh Brewed Coffee and Herb Teas

 If you love great Bluegrass we have put a package together that includes a great Saturday Night barbeque dinner at the Beechwood Inn and General Admission tickets to the festival on Saturday. Complimentary glass of wine at 6:00pm; Three course casual dinner starts at 6:30pm.

One Night Package Saves 15% on Lodging & 10% on Jamboree Tickets: $336.13 (Queen) $355.17 (King), inclusive of all taxes and gratuties

Two Night Package Saves 20% on Lodging and 10% on Jamboree Tickets: $503.29 (Queen) $539.13 (King) inclusive of all taxes and gratuties

Call us at (706)782-5485 to book this package. Two day general admission Jamboree Tickets are also available.

 Salad: Beechwood  Southern Spring Salad with Local Organic Greens, Red Onions, Candied Pecans, Fresh Pears and Molassis Vinaigrette

Entrée: Slow Roasted and Smoked Barbeque Pork Shoulder, Tomlin’s Famous Barbeque Sauce, Warm German Potato Salad, Fried Green Tomato with Tomato Marmalade, Green Beans with Benton’s Smokehouse Bacon Stingers, Skillet Corn Bread with Local Creamery Butter

 or

Entrée 2: Pan Seared Blackened Catfish, Warm German Potato Salad, Fried Green Tomato with Tomato Marmalade, Green Beans with Benton’s Smokehouse Bacon Stingers, Skillet Corn Bread with Local Creamery Butter

 Dessert: Gayle’s Apple Crisp with Spring Ridge Creamery Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Fresh Brewed Coffee and Herb Teas

The Tariff for dinner and music is $90.00 per person, plus tax and gratuity.  Georgia dinner wines will be available by the glass or by the bottle from our wine list. Lodging ranges from $199 - $219 plus tax, per night per couple. Aperitif wines and music at 5:30pm, dinner starts at 7:00pm.  For reservations contact the Beechwood Inn at (706) 782-5485 or toll free at (866) 782-2485 or email at david-gayle@beechwoodinn.ws   More information at www.beechwoodinn.ws

 Amuse:  Wild Mushroom and Shallot Tart with Fresh Herbs and Gruyere Cheese, 2008 Beechwood Inn Chardonnay or Viognier (Habersham County, Georgia, with Live Music by Lisa Deaton and Marty Nix

 Appetizer: Edisto Beach Pickled Shrimp with Mild and Hot Peppers and Corriander, 

Salad: Dyers Trout Farm Smoked Trout and Fennel Salad with Arugula, and Aged Balsamic Dressing

 Entrée: Slow Roasted All Natural Pork Shoulder with Vidalia Onion Gravy, Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes with Garlic Puree, Early Season Apsparagras with Benton’s Smoked Bacon, Iron Skillet Cornbread with Fresh Creamery Butter 

Dessert:  Beechwood Inn Bread Pudding with Jack Daniels Sauce, Fresh Brewed Coffee and Herb Teas

Marty Nix will play guitar and Lisa Deaton will sing and play guitar

Marty Nix is a great guitarist; hear and see a video

All members of the AAA Auto Club are eligible to receive a 10% discount on their lodging.  This offer is subject to availability and the eligible member must occupy the room. Please ask for this discount at the time you make your reservation as that is when we create an invoice for your stay and calculate your deposit.  Also, please have your member identification available at check-in. This discount may not be combined with other discounts and is not applicable to Special Packages, Holidays and Events (e.g. New Year’s Package, Valentine’s Package).