Wolf Mountain
Wolf Mountain Vineyards & Winery
180 Wolf Mountain Trail
Dahlonega, GA 30533
Phone: 706-867-9862
FAX: 706-867-9031
In their first five vintages, the Boegner family, owners of Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Winery in Dahlongea, have garnered over sixty medals at major U.S. wine competitions. This recognition gives them much to celebrate. Now, after releasing three sparkling wines, they have the perfect libation with which to toast their notable success.
According to Brannon Boegner, vineyard manager and assistant winemaker, Wolf Mountain Vineyards is the only winery in the Georgia Winegrowers Association that is producing a sparkling wine. Working with their 2006 harvest of Chardonnay grapes, Wolf Mountain has produced three distinctive selections. The Blanc de Blancs Brut is dry, with a style that is light, crisp, fruity and elegant. Wolf Mountain bills it as their premier sparkling wine. A second option is Vintner’s Reserve Brut Rose’, a complex wine full of red berry flavors. It is said to be “… wonderful with richer foods such as smoked duck breast.” A small amount of Claret, added during winemaking, gives this Rose’ its distinctive light salmon color. Completing this trio of these effervescent wines is Sparkling Demi-Sec, which is French for half-dry. A medium-sweet wine, it is created expressly for people who enjoy a softer taste. The vintner suggests that it’s the perfect complement to an afternoon picnic.
After just one of vintage of their sparkling wines, Wolf Mountain won a silver medal for their Blanc de Blancs Brut at the Atlantic Seaboard Awards competition. Boegner is quick to point out that one reason for their success is the way they create their champagne-style wines.
“We are not one of those vintners that infuse our still wines with carbonation to create a sparkling wine. We start with a 100% Chardonnay base, harvesting two to three weeks earlier than we harvest the grapes for our still wines. Then we use a method called Methode Champenoise. It is a multistep process, developed in France’s champagne region, that puts the still wine through a second fermentation in the bottle. It was originally developed by Dom Pe’rignon and his fellow monks.” This intricate, complex, “hands-on,” process is described in more detail on the winery’s website at www.wolfmountainvineyards.com.
Wolf Mountain, which specializes in weddings and receptions, hosting over sixty last year, finds that these sparkling wines are a perfect addition to the celebratory nature of these events. “My dad, Karl, has always enjoyed fine champagne, so we decided to make our own. I think it brings a level of elegance not only to our wedding events, but also to our Sunday brunches, where we sometimes serve over two hundred guests in a day.
Even though the sparkling wine is very labor-intensive to produce (each bottle is actually handled twenty-five times), the outcome is well worth the effort,” says Boegner.
In order to maintain the superior quality of their wines, Wolf Mountain invested in a state-of-the-art press called a Euro Press, manufactured by Scharfenberger. It is one of the highest quality presses on the market. This sophisticated equipment features multiple computerized cycles that allow for the pressing of various styles of wine. A very slow and delicate press cycle is used to make the sparkling wines. This cycle avoids crushing the grape seeds, which would otherwise impart a distinct bitterness to the final wine.
Although prices vary between the three sparkling wines, all sell for under twenty-five dollars a bottle. While enjoying one of Wolf Mountain’s gourmet meals, these sparkling wines are available by the glass. Guests who wish to experience these unique wines, or any of Wolf Mountain’s other offerings, may visit the tasting room Thursday-Saturday 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday 12:30 to 5:00 p.m.
However, Boegner warns that if you are looking for a bottle or two of the bubbly for your own celebration, you will need to visit Wolf Mountain before December 20th. “That is our last open house for the year. After that the winery will close until March so that the vines can sleep and the Boegner family can re-coop.”
Sante! Salud! Cheers!
