WINE NEWS AND SPECIAL EVENTS

UPCOMING:

Recent Happenings at the Winery

Buz Stone, chairman of the Lake Rabun Foundation, wins first place in Tiger Mountain's crazy wine hat contest!

Denny Webb with the elephant wine sippin' contraption on his head was a winner too! The party attracted a record crowd for the foundation's annual fundraiser, with proceeds for scholarships and other local causes.

A party highlight was guitar music by Chris Busbee. Mary Cobb Stone with another crazy hat.

Model A car club visits the winery - declares Tiger Mountain '05 Norton a vintage for the ages!

The Abominable Feed and Seed Band entertained at Tiger Mountain's May 16 Awakening the Vines Party which drew a record number of wine club members and guests

Winery Manager Jabe Hilson reports from UC Davis

The University of California, Davis is widely regarded as the top school for viticulture and enology in the U.S. So, you can surely imagine my excitement when it was decided that Dr. Carl Fackler, Tiger Mountain Vineyards board member, and I would be attending a two-day seminar on microbiology.

In all there were fourteen topics covered by both academics and professionals. There was an excellent balance between science and practical application with time for sharing questions and personal experiences. Some of the more interesting and applicable topics dealt with the sources of off-flavors in wine. For example, some of the bacterium, which we rely on for secondary fermentation, can be mutated forms that affect the final taste. We were given a sample of wine that was so bitter that I would liken it to eating coffee grounds. The seminar gave me a greater appreciation to the value of the more tedious and time-consuming aspects of our work that prevent undesirable strains from entering our wine.

The best part of the entire trip however, was being able to discuss winemaking with other wine producers. In Georgia we have very few wineries and even less resources for viticulture and enology. California seemed like the Promised Land.

Tiger Mountain wins awards in California contest, Jefferson Cup Invitational

Shelly Ezzard Smith designed Tiger Mountain's labels which have won awards in the San Francisco International Wine Festival and the Los Angles County Fair

Tiger Mountain Vineyards latest Cabernet Franc vintage, 2006, recently won two medals, a bronze and a gold in different categories in a 2009 California contest, Lodi International. The Rabun County winery's Touriga National, made from a Portuguese grape cultivated in the Ezzard vineyards, won three bronze medals. A unique competition headed by three professors at the University of California at Davis, the contest combines the knowledge of academic experts, experienced winemakers and wine writers. The judging is based in part on research by sensory scientist Dr. Tim Hanni, one of few Americans to hold a Master of Wine degree. Judging includes assessments of fruitiness, acidity, tannins, oaked aging and other components of wine character.
Tiger Mountain also won two bronze medals for its labels, described as "artistic and graceful." The unique tri-color labels, which portray a profile of Tiger Mountain vertically on each bottle, were created by Shelly Ezzard Smith and printed by Wright Labels of Thomasville, N.C. The latest awards bring to four the number awarded for label design in international contests--the previous two at the Los Angeles County Fair and in the San Francisco International wine competition.

Tiger Mountain won medals for the '06 Cabernet Franc and the '07 Petit Manseng. in the most recent ('08) American Wine Society contest. Last June, the Petit Manseng won a silver medal in the international competition sponsored by Vineyard and Winery Magazine. The 32-year-old contest attracted more than 2,000 wine entries from around the world and wines from 38 states.

Southern Living Magazine, April 2009
PEOPLE & PLACES peach page .....

TOASTING THE TIGER

Besides winning awards in tasting contests, wineries often measure success by what top-tier establishments pour their vintages. Tiger Mountain Vineyards of Northeast Georgia supplies the finest restaurants in Atlanta, including Bacchanalia, Quinones, The Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton in Buckhead, Woodfire Grill and the Floataway Cafe. It also stocks the Beach Bar at the Cloister on Sea Island. Look for Tiger wines at other fine eateries, from Harry Bissett's Bayou Grill in Athens, to Grits Cafe in Forsyth.

New Tiger Mountain board members, Marilyn and John McMullan, Carl and Carla Fackler at 2009 High Museum Wine Auction, at which Tiger Mountain wines were a feature.

Petit Manseng Wins Acclaim from Top International Wine Critic Doug Frost

The '07 Petit Manseng took its second gold medal ("A Great American Wine") in the most recent Jefferson Cup Invitational. The contest, to which wineries must be invited to participate, is headed by Doug Frost, one of three wine experts in the world to hold both Master Sommelier and Master of Wine credentials.

Choosing Tiger Mountain's '07 Petit Manseng as one of his "10 most exciting and unusual wine finds," Doug Frost writes in Tom Stevenson's 2009 global Wine Report:

Is Petit Manseng the right grape for Georgia's elevated vineyards in the northeast? Who the heck knows? But this (Tiger Mountain's '07 Manseng) is very,very interesting, balanced with honey, lemon, apples, and some ripe melon. And it's not the first delicious Petit Manseng the region has produced, just the best one this year.

The '07 vintage was also awarded a gold medal by the nation's oldest and largest wine competition, the Vino Challenge International and is listed in top metro area restaurants, including Restaurant Eugene, Fleming's at Perimeter, Woodfire Grill, the five-star Ritz Dining Room in Buckhead and Bacchanalia, as well as at the fabulous renovated Lake Rabun Hotel in Lakemont.

HOT NEWS

Taste our wines at Bacchanalia, Quinones and the Cloister Beach Bar - the only Georgia wine listed at these three five star spots

John and Martha Ezzard helped harvest their '08 Petit Manseng grapes. In Georgia the unique seven year old vines are exclusive to the Ezzard vineyards.

Bacchanalia and Quinones are Atlanta's most celebrated restaurants. Chef/owners Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison have won dozens of national awards including the coveted James Beard "Best chef in the Southeast." Bacchanalia has been rated #1 in the Zagat Guide City of Atlanta for the past seven years. Top gourmet shop Star Provisions is also located at the restaurant site. TMV wines have also been selected for Bacchanalia sister restaurant, Floataway Cafe, located between the Emory campus and Virginia Highlands. Floataway features locally grown produce with a Mediterranean flare. See www.starprovisions.com for more information on the restaurants.

The Cloister at Sea Island is an elegant 80-year-old southern tradition, now updated with lively food and entertainment for young families. Five star is synonymous with the Cloister and its nationally known chef Scott Peacock. Sommelier Heath Porter has selected Tiger Mountain vineyards '04 Norton, a hearty, dry red wine made from a native American grape, to serve at the Cloister Beach Bar. This four-year-old vintage exudes some Bordeaux characteristics with its deep cherry aromas, hints of chocolate and slight peppery finish.

Tiger Mountain is also proud to be listed in the Ritz-Carlton Dining Room Buckhead, the first metro area five-star to recognize the quality of locally grown wines. Sommelier Robert Evans gives his dinner guests unique recommendations for food and wine pairings.

Tiger Mountain Satellite Tasting Room Open in Dahlonega Square

Naturally Georgia offers wine tastings and cheeses Wednesday through Sunday. Its new location is 90 Dahlonega Square. Wine expert Vickie Cooper pairs Tiger Mountain wines with local cheeses. She gives terrific advice for entertaining with wine. The colorful shop offers pottery and local art, jewelry, hand made candles and soaps. See www.naturallygeorgia.com or call 706-864-0832 for details.

UGA College of Agriculture plans to create enology chair

The University of Georgia College of Agriculture held its first viticulture course in Cortona, Italy last spring. Recognizing the growing North Georgia wine industry, Dean Scott Angle also created a program to place students in vineyards over the past two years. Working with Dean Angle and the Winegrowers Association of Georgia, TMV co-owner Martha Ezzard along with Stonewall Creek Vineyards co-owner Carla Fackler, and Donna Masinter, a former chair of the High Museum Wine Auction, are heading an event June 11, "An Alfresco Evening on the River," to raise money for a viticulture and enology professorship at UGA. John McMullan, whose father was a UGA professor, is chairman of corporate fundraising for the effort. The event will be held at the home and gardens of Richard and Sherri Smith on the banks of the Chattahoochee River. For more information, contact Rob Cooper, College of Agriculture Development Director, rkc@uga.edu

UGA student Josh Urich worked in Ezzard vineyards all summer

UGA intern Eric Millard of Dahlonega learns about thinning vines from Dr. John Ezzard

Welcome new retailers

Aria Restaurant is an Atlanta institution, largely because of its well-known creative chef-owner, Jerry Klaskala and its extensive fine wine list. Tiger Mountain is proud to see its exceptional 2004 Touriga Nacional and its 2006 Cabernet Franc newly listed at Aria. www.aria-atl.com

The Ninth Street Wine Market in Augusta concentrates on the finest wines, period! Customers depend on the wine savvy advice of Donna Thompson for food and wine pairings. Tiger Mountain is pleased to be among the wine market's selections. The Vineyard Wine Market in Evans is another outstanding Augusta area find for wine lovers, and Tiger Mountain continues as one of its featured local wines. www.vineyardwinemarket.com

Other gourmet shops and restaurants which have recently added Tiger Mountain wines include: The Chef's Pantry in Loganville, Liam's Restaurant in Thomasville, Christopher's Restaurant and The Midtown Wine Cellar in Statesboro, Southern Spirits and Fine Wines in Alpharetta, Mountain Fresh Market in Highlands, N.C.

See "Where to Buy" for contact information on all of our vendors.

Media spotlight on Tiger Mountain Vineyards

Tiger Mountain Vineyards '06 Tannat was mentioned in the Feb. 15, 2009 Wall Street Journal Food and Drink section. Tiger Mountain is featured with other Georgia wineries in the May, 2009 edition of Seasons Magazine. The history of the winery and a description of the Ezzards' vineyard venture is the subject of a June 3, 2009 Gainesville Times piece by wine columnist Randall Murray.

Locally Grown Food and Locally Grown Wine: A Perfect Match!

A "locally grown" vineyard dinner for visiting artists at the Hambidge Center for the Arts with local Chef Cindy Halbkat

Georgia Mountain Foodways Alliance Promotes Local Products

Locally grown food and locally grown wines go hand in hand. Celebrating and promoting both, the non-profit Georgia Mountains Foodways Alliance sponsors events i involving farmers, vintners, chefs, artisans and culinary tourists. Tiger Mountain Vineyards is helping plan the events which will include the second annual "Grow, Cook, Eat" festival of local foods and wines on Sept. 26 at the Center on Warwoman in Clayton. See www.georgiafoodways.org for more details.