Wineries of the Sautee Nacoochee Valley

Tasting rooms south of Helen, with Hardman Farm and the Nacoochee Mound close by

By The Explore Helen Editorial Team Updated October 8, 2026 Hours and prices checked on each winery's own website

The short answer

The Sautee Nacoochee Valley, just south of Helen, holds Habersham Winery, Creekstone Winery and a few other tasting rooms, all within about 10 minutes of each other. Tastings run $17 to $35 depending on the stop. Pair a pour with Hardman Farm and the Nacoochee Indian Mound, which sit in the same stretch of valley.

A valley with a wine habit

The Sautee Nacoochee Valley opens up a couple of miles south of downtown Helen: open pasture, a ring of ridgelines and Mount Yonah's granite face over it all. The valley's tasting rooms sit along GA-17/75 and the side roads near it, so you can taste, look at some history and eat lunch without a long drive.

Habersham and Creekstone are the two Habersham family wineries, and Yonah Mountain Vineyards is the estate vineyard a little farther south toward Cleveland. A few smaller tasting rooms round out the list. All of them are listed in the visitors bureau's wine, vineyards and breweries directory.

Tasting rooms at a glance

Hours and prices come from each winery's own website. They change with the season, so confirm before you drive.

Wineries and tasting rooms in and near the Sautee Nacoochee Valley
Winery	Where	Hours	Cost	Phone
Habersham Winery	7025 South Main Street, Helen	Mon to Thu 11 AM to 7 PM; Fri and Sat 11 AM to 8 PM; Sun 12:30 to 7 PM	$18 plus tax, five wines	706-878-9463
Creekstone Winery	295 Hardman Farm Road, Sautee Nacoochee	Mon to Thu 1 to 7 PM; Fri and Sat 11 AM to 9 PM; Sun 12:30 to 7 PM	$20 plus tax, five wines	706-878-0004
Yonah Mountain Vineyards	1717 Highway 255 South, Cleveland	Mon to Wed 12 to 6 PM; Thu and Fri 12 to 7:30 PM; Sat 11 AM to 7:30 PM; Sun 12:30 to 7:30 PM	Flight $35 (two for $60)	706-878-5522
Sweet Acre Farms Helen Tasting Room	8016 S. Main St., Suite B-1, Helen	Thu and Fri 1 to 7 PM; Sat 11 AM to 7 PM; Sun 12:30 to 6 PM	$17 for five 1-ounce tastes; $19 flight	See winery website
Sylvan Valley Lodge & Cellars	747 Duncan Bridge Road, Sautee Nacoochee	Tasting room by reservation only	Ask when you book	706-865-7371

What each one is like

Habersham Winery

The easy, central stop, pouring since 1983. Walk-ins are fine and there's live music on weekend afternoons through October. Full guide.

Creekstone Winery

The hilltop sister winery in a French-style mansion, with a kitchen Thursday through Sunday and evening music Friday and Saturday. Full guide.

Yonah Mountain Vineyards

An estate with about 20 planted acres, weekend cave tours and a daily tasting room. Full guide.

Sweet Acre Farms and Sylvan Valley

Sweet Acre's Helen tasting room pours Georgia wines, though the family's own Alto winery was lost to a fire. Sylvan Valley Lodge & Cellars is a small lodge with a reservation-only tasting room.

History worth adding to a wine day

Hardman Farm is a Georgia state historic site with an Italianate house built in 1870 by Captain James Nichols. Georgia State Parks lists it open daily 10 AM to 4 PM from March through December, with mansion tours Thursday through Saturday, and grounds-only admission is $7. The ancient Nacoochee Indian Mound, a burial mound that state park interpreters say was likely used long before the Cherokee lived here, is right across the road.

In Nacoochee Village, the village shops and Nora Mill Granary are a short walk from Habersham. The valley guide has the rest of the area.

Getting around safely

Georgia's drinking age is 21, so choose a designated driver. If you'd rather leave the driving to someone else, the visitors bureau lists Elite Excursions & Wine Tours and VIP Southern Tours / Georgia Wine Bus (2279 GA-17, Sautee Nacoochee, 706-348-8747) on its transportation page. For a full route, see the wine trail guide.