Habersham Winery

Habersham is where most Helen visitors have their first glass of Georgia wine, and for good reason: it's close, it's easy, and you don't need a reservation. The winery has been in business since 1983 and calls itself one of North Georgia's oldest and largest wineries. The tasting room sits in Nacoochee Village, a short drive from the Alpine streets, with the pasture and ridgelines of the valley around it.

It works as a first stop or a last one. Taste in the morning and wander the village shops afterward, or come in late afternoon on a Saturday or Sunday when there's live music. Plan on about an hour for a tasting and a browse.

Tastings stop 30 minutes before the tasting room closes, so don't roll in at the last minute.

Children and anyone under 21 can come into the tasting room as long as young kids stay with an adult. Service animals are welcome inside; leashed dogs can join you outside and in the pavilion. Georgia's drinking age is 21, so if you're tasting, plan your ride. The visitors bureau lists wine-tour services such as Elite Excursions & Wine Tours and VIP Southern Tours / Georgia Wine Bus if you'd rather not drive.

Habersham makes wine under three labels: Habersham, Creekstone and Southern Harvest. The range covers vinifera, French-American hybrid and muscadine grapes, so a five-wine tasting can jump from a dry white to a native Southern muscadine in a few sips. The winery's about page also lists heritage grape varieties among its plantings.

The fruit comes from two vineyards: Stonepile Vineyard in Clarkesville, planted in the late 1970s, and Nacoochee Vineyard near Sautee Nacoochee at about 1,700 feet, where planting began in 2017. If a bottle wins you over, the online shop ships to most states through VinoShipper, with volume discounts on 6, 12 and more bottles.

Habersham keeps the weekends lively with free live music from May through October, and wine by the glass or bottle is on hand while you listen. The sister winery, Creekstone, picks up the evening shift. The events page has the current lineup and WineFest details, and both wineries take private-event bookings.

Nacoochee Village is right around the winery, and the Nacoochee Indian Mound with its white gazebo is a minute up the road. The village guide covers the shops and galleries nearby. For a longer wine day, pair Habersham with Creekstone (about three minutes away) and Yonah Mountain Vineyards, or follow the route in the wine trail guide.

Vineyards in the Nacoochee Valley

Grapevines on a North Georgia hillside

Barrels aging in a winery cellar

A pour during a tasting