Tiger Wine

North Georgia wine has experienced strong growth in recent years, and Tiger Wine is one of the strongest and best growers in the area. The winery is 12 years old now, and although tucked out of the way, between Lake Rabun and the town of Clayton, its easy to spot with its vibrant purple and yellow color scheme.

We were welcomed by John Ezzard, who along with Bill Stack, founded the winery on a five-generation old farm where he was born. The Ezzard's roots in North Georgia go back to the 1800s.

The tasting room is large and clean, plus its full of details of the press clippings and prizes that that winery has won. When you taste the wine you can see why. They've grown only grapes that have been tried and tested in Virginia, in a very similar climate. The winery seems to specialise in full-bodied red wines, including Cabernet Franc and Tannat.

Only 10 minutes from Lake Rabun, the winery is an ideal part of a visit to the lake. The winery lies along Old Highway 441 and is open Tuesday to Fridays, 1 to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.