I'm not quite sure how to start this post. And you know me...I'm never at a loss for written words. Suffice it to say that my experience at Montaluce Winery this past weekend was sublime.
As a precursor to this weekend's Dahlonega Wine Trail event, I was invited to Montaluce for a tour, tasting, and lunch by Chef Austin at Le Vigne. This post is about the tour and tasting. The dining experience at Le Vigne deserves its own highlight, coming soon.
I've been on a number of wine experiences—wineries, tastings on sailboats, wine flights at some of the best wine bars, and personalized wine pairings, too—but Montaluce was a far superior, yet a wonderfully friendly experience. How do you describe feeling like you've made new friends and being treated like a VIP, at the same time?!
On this visit, we—my best friend Barry, an oenophile who is quite wine savvy—were treated to a GRAND tour of the winery and a tasting of several of the winery's offerings. "Thank you", Kara, for giving us such a wonderful greeting and making all the arrangements!
Getting there from Atlanta couldn't have been easier (We'd visited the Dahlonega Gold Museum last year, so knew it was an easy trip). The reveal of Montaluce after a drive in the country could not have been more spectacular! I had no idea!
Our tour guide was sommelier (extraordinaire), John. I appreciate John more than he probably realized. He's obviously gifted in discerning his tour guests' level of wine savvy, as well as their vocabulary quotient.
As a lifelong writing enthusiast, I'm captivated by an elevated vocabulary (and continually strive to improve my own). John not only has an elevated vocabulary, he possesses the skill to discern at what level his commentary should be. Whether clever and witty or in depth and scientific, he's going to provide a wonderfully tailored tour for each of his audiences.
As a precursor to this weekend's Dahlonega Wine Trail event, I was invited to Montaluce for a tour, tasting, and lunch by Chef Austin at Le Vigne. This post is about the tour and tasting. The dining experience at Le Vigne deserves its own highlight, coming soon.
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| Montaluce Winery & Estates |
I've been on a number of wine experiences—wineries, tastings on sailboats, wine flights at some of the best wine bars, and personalized wine pairings, too—but Montaluce was a far superior, yet a wonderfully friendly experience. How do you describe feeling like you've made new friends and being treated like a VIP, at the same time?!
On this visit, we—my best friend Barry, an oenophile who is quite wine savvy—were treated to a GRAND tour of the winery and a tasting of several of the winery's offerings. "Thank you", Kara, for giving us such a wonderful greeting and making all the arrangements!
Getting there from Atlanta couldn't have been easier (We'd visited the Dahlonega Gold Museum last year, so knew it was an easy trip). The reveal of Montaluce after a drive in the country could not have been more spectacular! I had no idea!
 |
| Montaluce Winery & Estates, John |
Our tour guide was sommelier (extraordinaire), John. I appreciate John more than he probably realized. He's obviously gifted in discerning his tour guests' level of wine savvy, as well as their vocabulary quotient.
As a lifelong writing enthusiast, I'm captivated by an elevated vocabulary (and continually strive to improve my own). John not only has an elevated vocabulary, he possesses the skill to discern at what level his commentary should be. Whether clever and witty or in depth and scientific, he's going to provide a wonderfully tailored tour for each of his audiences.
 |
| Montaluce Winery & Estates |
The beginning of our tour began with some magnificent views of the vineyards. And there are more than just the one pictured above, which is pretty magnificent itself.
Montaluce produces up to 2,000 cases of wine every year, from a harvest of 30 tons of grapes! On 12 acres, Montaluce produces nine varieties—seven of European heritage grapes and two are from grapes native to the U.S.
John shared with us quite a bit of history of the winery and the history of the grapes used in their wines, including vineyard family histories. We learned a LOT!
Montaluce produces up to 2,000 cases of wine every year, from a harvest of 30 tons of grapes! On 12 acres, Montaluce produces nine varieties—seven of European heritage grapes and two are from grapes native to the U.S.
John shared with us quite a bit of history of the winery and the history of the grapes used in their wines, including vineyard family histories. We learned a LOT!
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| Montaluce Winery & Estates, Tour |
Montaluce distinguishes themselves as more than a winemaker, they're a "wine grower". By time the tour is complete, you totally get the "wine grower" distinction, but learning about the wine making process in the meantime is quite cool.
And speaking of cool, the insulation jackets, pictured above, are awesome. Seen out of context you could tell me they were part of a space-faring experiment and I'd have believed you. In real life, they sustain the white wine's fermentation optimum temperature.
The red wine is fermented in open vats, but a layer of heavy gas is used to prevent oxygen reacting with the wine. Ask questions...you'll learn as much as you want!
We all know that "freshness" is a significant component of the farm-to-table mega-movement...and I'm a fan! So get this...Montaluce harvests its grapes, by hand; sorts them, by hand; juices them and starts the fermentation process...all in the same day! That's fresh.
When John showed us the de-stemmer, I had to know what they did with the stems and skins...they compost! Great to know they're being Green.
I can see why so many choose Montaluce Winery as the setting for their wedding—or any other special occasion for that matter. It's truly beautiful and magical. There's a fantastic bridal party suite on the winery observation level. It's comfortable, luxurious, and a respite from an ongoing upstairs party.
Montaluce is such a beautiful location to announce something as important as one's love for another person and an amazing post-nuptials party space!
It'd be a fantastic venue for any special occasion—I'd love to host a party there...party-party!
The Tasting Room is wonderfully spacious and beautifully appointed. And it's right next to Le Vigne Restaurant, which has a huge window open to the kitchen, so you can imagine the amazing aromas! But don't worry, you're going to, without distraction, enjoy the terroir, aroma, and bouquet of each of the wines you taste.
But if you can, enjoy lunch or dinner at Le Vigne. More about that in another post!
And speaking of cool, the insulation jackets, pictured above, are awesome. Seen out of context you could tell me they were part of a space-faring experiment and I'd have believed you. In real life, they sustain the white wine's fermentation optimum temperature.
The red wine is fermented in open vats, but a layer of heavy gas is used to prevent oxygen reacting with the wine. Ask questions...you'll learn as much as you want!
 |
| Montaluce Winery & Estates, Tour |
We all know that "freshness" is a significant component of the farm-to-table mega-movement...and I'm a fan! So get this...Montaluce harvests its grapes, by hand; sorts them, by hand; juices them and starts the fermentation process...all in the same day! That's fresh.
When John showed us the de-stemmer, I had to know what they did with the stems and skins...they compost! Great to know they're being Green.
 |
| Montaluce Winery & Estates, Bridal Suite |
I can see why so many choose Montaluce Winery as the setting for their wedding—or any other special occasion for that matter. It's truly beautiful and magical. There's a fantastic bridal party suite on the winery observation level. It's comfortable, luxurious, and a respite from an ongoing upstairs party.
Montaluce is such a beautiful location to announce something as important as one's love for another person and an amazing post-nuptials party space!
It'd be a fantastic venue for any special occasion—I'd love to host a party there...party-party!
 |
| Montaluce Winery & Estates, Tasting Room |
The Tasting Room is wonderfully spacious and beautifully appointed. And it's right next to Le Vigne Restaurant, which has a huge window open to the kitchen, so you can imagine the amazing aromas! But don't worry, you're going to, without distraction, enjoy the terroir, aroma, and bouquet of each of the wines you taste.
But if you can, enjoy lunch or dinner at Le Vigne. More about that in another post!
 |
| Montaluce Winery & Estates, Tasting |
I've been to tastings before, but this was the first time I felt like I knew what I was doing, largely in part due to John's tutelage in how to enjoy the wine, down to swirling each sample the same number of times so that your comparisons are relatively accurate. The man is brilliant!
We sampled two whites and a few reds. Both whites were splendid, but one really surprised me. When I first started drinking wine—many, many moons ago—I only drank Chardonnay. Today, Chardonnay is the last varietal I would order. In a white I enjoy light, crisp, grassy wines...a Savignon Blanc is a favorite.
The 2012 Primaluce, which is 50% Pinot Gris and 50% Chardonnay, was absolutely delightful. Totally unexpected, and totally enjoyed.
In a red, I love a full-bodied, robust wine. Cabernet Savignon is a favorite. Go ahead, call me an extremist...but I truly enjoy a crisp white and a full red.
John had us try two red wines that were the same except for vintage and how they were processed. The 2008 Blackstock was subtle and fruity...quite nice. But surprisingly, the 2011 Centurio—aged 24 months compared to the Blackstock's 12 months—was my favorite of all that we tasted...peppery and indeed robust!
John reminded us that what every person's taste observations is correct—we all have unique palates and varying degrees of experience in "tasting" wine. Of course, practice makes perfect!
When I asked about distinguishing characteristics of Montaluce's wines, John noted—among other distinctions—their wine's minerality. Personally, I agree and would add that it's the wines' magnificent taste!
Before I went, I had more than one friend tell me to try the honey Mead wine, that it was fantastic. But, I forgot to, so that's on my list for the next visit. When you go, tell me what you think of it...
While we were at the tasting station, I couldn't help but notice the gorgeous bar—treated cement with wine bottle composite. I recognized what I was sure was a DEX Industries masterpiece...and I was right!
I'd seen their work at a Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA) exhibition and we went to DEX Industries on a MODA Field Trip. I called DEX Monday morning and they confirmed that it was indeed one of theirs—and they were quite happy that someone noticed their work (but how could you not...it's amazing!).
I want to offer a "Thank you" to Pineapple PR for connecting wanderlust ATLANTA with Montaluce Winery and Le Vigne (Look for that post soon!). Montaluce had been on my radar, so it's with sincere gratitude that I am thrilled to have finally visited.
Remember, this weekend is the Dahlonega Wine Trail. "Passports" are only $30 and included visits to five (5) local Dahlonega wineries and Dahlonega Square. I encourage you to visit with a desire for a phenomenal wine experience and bring an interesting question or two for your Montaluce sommelier.
We sampled two whites and a few reds. Both whites were splendid, but one really surprised me. When I first started drinking wine—many, many moons ago—I only drank Chardonnay. Today, Chardonnay is the last varietal I would order. In a white I enjoy light, crisp, grassy wines...a Savignon Blanc is a favorite.
The 2012 Primaluce, which is 50% Pinot Gris and 50% Chardonnay, was absolutely delightful. Totally unexpected, and totally enjoyed.
In a red, I love a full-bodied, robust wine. Cabernet Savignon is a favorite. Go ahead, call me an extremist...but I truly enjoy a crisp white and a full red.
John had us try two red wines that were the same except for vintage and how they were processed. The 2008 Blackstock was subtle and fruity...quite nice. But surprisingly, the 2011 Centurio—aged 24 months compared to the Blackstock's 12 months—was my favorite of all that we tasted...peppery and indeed robust!
John reminded us that what every person's taste observations is correct—we all have unique palates and varying degrees of experience in "tasting" wine. Of course, practice makes perfect!
 |
| Montaluce Winery & Estates, Tasting |
When I asked about distinguishing characteristics of Montaluce's wines, John noted—among other distinctions—their wine's minerality. Personally, I agree and would add that it's the wines' magnificent taste!
Before I went, I had more than one friend tell me to try the honey Mead wine, that it was fantastic. But, I forgot to, so that's on my list for the next visit. When you go, tell me what you think of it...
While we were at the tasting station, I couldn't help but notice the gorgeous bar—treated cement with wine bottle composite. I recognized what I was sure was a DEX Industries masterpiece...and I was right!
I'd seen their work at a Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA) exhibition and we went to DEX Industries on a MODA Field Trip. I called DEX Monday morning and they confirmed that it was indeed one of theirs—and they were quite happy that someone noticed their work (but how could you not...it's amazing!).
 |
| Montaluce Winery & Estates |
I want to offer a "Thank you" to Pineapple PR for connecting wanderlust ATLANTA with Montaluce Winery and Le Vigne (Look for that post soon!). Montaluce had been on my radar, so it's with sincere gratitude that I am thrilled to have finally visited.
Remember, this weekend is the Dahlonega Wine Trail. "Passports" are only $30 and included visits to five (5) local Dahlonega wineries and Dahlonega Square. I encourage you to visit with a desire for a phenomenal wine experience and bring an interesting question or two for your Montaluce sommelier.
1 comment:
Montaluce is a North GA treasure. Thank you for sharing your experience at the winery and Le Vigne. It is truly an amazing place.
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