Join David Zelski on a visit to Tiger Mountain Vineyards in the mountains of northeast Georgia and explore the vineyard that helped establish Georgia’s modern wine industry. Learn how the Tiger Mountain team pioneered European vinifera grapes in Georgia, preserved wine history, and discovered the future signature grape of North Georgia wine country.

Tiger Mountain Vineyards grapes in a crate

Credit: tigerwine.com

 

In the hills of Rabun County, Tiger Mountain Vineyards stands as one of the foundational names in Georgia wine. Founded by the Ezzard family in the late 1990s, the vineyard became the first in the state to successfully harvest and bottle European vinifera grapes grown in Georgia soil. Today, owner Lenny Vitello continues that legacy while embracing experimentation, research, and a younger generation of winemakers determined to shape the future of Southern wine.

Host David Zelski meets winemaker Luke Anderson and the close-knit crew behind the vineyard, including longtime friends who now work together across the cellar, kitchen, and tasting room. Their shared sense of adventure extends beyond wine production into mountain hikes, culinary collaboration, and hands-on farming. Along the way, you hear how science, agriculture, and creativity intersect in the vineyard’s research block, where dozens of grape varieties are being tested for resilience in Georgia’s humid climate.

This episode also explores the deeper history behind American wine culture. From the revival of Norton grapes after Prohibition to opening a rare 1999 Tannat bottle signed by the vineyard’s founders, Tiger Mountain Vineyards becomes a place where history is preserved one bottle at a time. The result is a story about friendship, craftsmanship, and a North Georgia vineyard still pushing toward what comes next.

 

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