140 SouthernDistinction.

Com
Wine Department
C U R R A H E E
VINEYARD & WINERY
C U R R A H E E
VINEYARD & WINERY
3301 West Currahee, Toccoa, GA 30577
CurraheeVineyards.com
(706) 768-5383
S
ometimes, beautiful things are born of tragedy, and thats
the story of Currahee Vineyard and Winery. In 2008, the
Dunson family began looking at the property and in 2009
began planting the grape vines that would soon produce award-
winning wines. Over the years, four wines have doubled to eight,
and the intended hobby became a lucrative commercial business.
Located in scenic Toccoa, Ga., amongst waterfalls, mountain
terrain and picturesque landscapes, Currahee Vineyard and
Winery is a Georgia gem.
Te fve acres of land had belonged to owner Marvin
Dunsons parents, who once had an apple orchard there before the
climate eventually stopped being conducive to apple growth. It
was supposed to keep the family busy and out of trouble, Dunson
refects, but he jokingly says the orchard really just worked them to
the bone. Now with fve acres of vineyard on the property, Dunson
is humble yet happy to talk about his family business.
My daughter Ashley was a strong foundation for getting it
started, he says. We used it to get our mind of of other things.
One of the original four wines, Sweet Cheryl, serves as a subtle
reminder of why it all got started.
My wife had cancer and never got to see the place, Dunson
says. Te vineyard began as a distraction for the family and in
her honor it produces Sweet Cheryl, a sweet red wine with a rich
cherry favor.
What else does the family produce? All of Currahees wines
are made from grapes native to America. Gold Harvest, another
of the original four, is a sweet white Muscadine wine, 3 Mile is an
of-dry white Muscadine wine and Currahee Rose is a berry wine
By April James
Wine Department
141 SouthernDistinction.Com
Wine Department Wine Department
Friday: 126pm
Saturday: 11am6pm
Sunday: 16pm
Somethi ng
to Remember
CurraheeVineyards.com
(706) 768-5383
3301 West Currahee, Toccoa, GA 30577
GEORGIA
Wine Tasting Room
C U R R A H E E
VINEYARD & WINERY
with hints of Eucalyptus. Te Blanc du Bois and Lenoir are currently the vineyards
fagship plants.
Dunson had no idea that his small family vineyard would take of and become
such a success, but since the frst grape vine was planted, Currahee has won several
medals for its wines. Te results of the Indy International Wine Competition showed
him that the winery was more than just a hobby. Te competition, now in its 23rd year,
accepts more than 2,000 entries from more than a dozen countries to be judged by
more than 50 distinguished wine growers, writers, makers and more. It is the largest
scientifcally organized independent wine competition in the United States.
We sent four wines and three came back with medals, Dunson says. Currahee
3 Mile is named after the 506th infantry in Normandy during World War II. Te
regiment was formed in Currahees home town of Toccoa and according to Dunson, they
ran three miles up the mountain and three miles Currahee Mountain daily, hence the
name 3 Mile. Te white Muscadine wine won a bronze medal at the Indy International
Wine Competition in 2014. Currahees Blanc du Bois, another white wine made from
the Blanc du Bois grape with tastes of peaches, mangoes and other fruity favors, took
home a silver medal and the familys newest wine, Old Blue, a blueberry and Muscadine
wine, also took home a silver medal.
Whats more? 3 Mile is on display in one of Napa Valleys top wineries. But Dunson
was never in search of fame or glory. He says he only sent the wine to competition to be
sure hes performing at a good level to ensure he delivers the best product to his customers.
Our customers mean more to us than any medals, he says. And the family
has worked hard to ensure that the vineyard performs well in 2014. Although his daugh-
ter Ashley, a biology major and registered nurse for a local hospice doesnt have the huge
hand in vineyard work as she used to, during the winter months that ushered in the new
year, the family met with a new wine consultant and got to work creating four new wines
to add to its collection.
We have an extremely talented wine consultant that guided us in the right direction,
Dunson acknowledges. New in 2014 are the Blanc du Bois and Old Blue, which are
already award winning, but the winery also produces Misty Rose, a Sangiovese pattered
of a Zinfandel, and Currahee Red which is a vintners blend with merlot as the dominant
grape. All of the 2014 wines are made with juice from 2013 grapes.
Dunson is also looking to expand the vineyard in order to plant even more grapes to
deliver more great wines. In March he got to work incorporating another 4 to 5 acres
of land on which to plant the Blanc du Bois, doubling the vineyards current size. But he
couldnt have done it alone. Te agriculture departments at the University of Georgia,
University of Tennessee and University of Florida have all helped with diferent phases of
getting that done, from planting trellis systems, gathering foliage which protects the top
soil and spreading fungicides and fertilizers. Te county agent has also been a big help,
but Dunson particularly enjoys working with the universities.
Someday I would like this to be a teaching vineyard, he explains. It is his hope that
students from the colleges that really helped the vineyard grow will spend time at the
vineyard and earn internship credit, learning about agriculture and wine production.
Until then Dunson continues to work to please his customers. Te winery has been
semi-commercial for the past three years, as the focus has been on growing the crops larger,
and 2014 served as the frst commercial year. Te vineyard recently got approved to distrib-
ute its own product throughout the state. Now wine shops, grocery stores and more can
sell Currahee Vineyard wines, provided by the vineyard itself. Ask where Currahee wines
are sold, or stop by the winery itself on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons and visit
the tasting room where you can sample any of its delicious wines and take a bottle to enjoy.