A stone’s throw away from the breathtaking Appalachian Mountains sits three gorgeous wineries in Jasper, GA. Enjoy a nice glass of wine while listening to live music and taking in the North Georgia mountain views. These wineries are just a short distance from Atlanta or Blue Ridge, making the perfect day trip or a stop if you pass through to see the mountains.
To help you plan your wine day, I’ve listed information about each Jasper winery below and helpful visiting tips. They are all near each other, about 18 to 25 minutes apart, so it’s easy to see two or all three in one day or afternoon!
Things to Know Before You Visit These Wineries in Jasper, GA
- The drinking age in Georgia is 21. They will not serve alcoholic beverages to anyone under 21.
- Check their social media pages or websites for updates on events, live music and concert schedules, and any changes to their hours of operation.
- If you plan on walking amongst the vines, you may want to put on bug spray before visiting and wear a good pair of shoes you don’t mind getting dirty.
- Are you thinking about a picnic? Not all wineries allow you to bring food from home, so you’ll want to check their website or social media for their policies.
Transportation to These Jasper Wineries
You may want to have a designated driver if you plan to do a self-guided tour of these wineries. Or you may want to rent a limo or taxi. You can also book a customized wine tour. Depending on what you book, your destinations, your group size, and how long you need transportation, these options might be costly.
Keep in mind that not all wine tours visit these three wineries in Jasper, GA, so you may have to request a customized tour. For example, VIP Southern Tours offers customized tours that include Sharp Mountain and Fainting Goat Vineyards and Winery. There are also wine tours that will take you to the Ellijay wineries, which often include Fainting Goat Vineyards and Winery or Cairn View Winery. Some wine tours have pre-planned winery destinations, but it doesn’t hurt to ask them if you can customize your day!
Three Wineries in Jasper, GA
Sharp Mountain Vineyards
Address: 110 Rathgeb Trail, Jasper, GA 30143
Parking: The parking lot is small and can be a bit tight. If you attend an event here, you may want to arrive early.
Tasting Room Hours: Friday & Saturday, 12pm to 6pm; Sunday, 12:30pm to 5pm. They are closed Monday through Thursday unless you have an appointment. Hours of operation are subject to change.
Can you bring outside food?: Yes.
Do they allow dogs? Yes, they are dog-friendly!
Sharp Mountain Vineyards is a small vineyard in North Georgia that began growing grapes in 1995. It’s not the oldest vineyard in Georgia, but they definitely have veteran status compared to the newer vineyards that are springing up in the region.
They are known for their estate grapes grown fully on their property, although, in the last few years, late freezes impacted this growth. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel, giving them the quality and unique flavors you taste today.
While we enjoyed their red wines, they are not my favorites. However, their white wines stole the show, specifically the chardonnay and pinot gris. I’m not a big fan of dry white wines, so I am happy when I find some that have a subtle touch of sweetness. The chardonnay is a balanced wine that is light on the palate and not too dry, whereas the pinot gris is medium-bodied. Both delectable.
And they have one of my favorite sweet wines: the cutely named “Pickens Pink.” It’s a sweet blush wine that tastes wonderful when chilled on a blistery summer day in the North Georgia mountains. It’s not cloying, but there is just enough sweetness to make an excellent after-dinner dessert wine. Also, try their Etowah if you like sweet wines. It’s a red wine and almost as good as Pickens Pink!
They have a little gift shop and small bites to eat if you’re hungry and didn’t pack a picnic. We ordered their charcuterie board and thoroughly enjoyed the cheeses. They have a few seats inside to eat, or you can go outside on their covered patio and enjoy live music when they have musicians there. View their live music schedule here.
Oh! I can’t forget this! Have you ever thought about what it would be like to pick grapes at a vineyard during harvest? Well, you can do that at Sharp Mountain Vineyards!
Each year, volunteers will help pick the grapes when they are ready, usually sometime in August. This event is popular, so you’ll want to sign up in advance when the list becomes available in July. Check their social media (Facebook) for frequent updates!
Fainting Goat Vineyards & Winery
Address: 201 Vineyard Way, Jasper, GA 30143
Parking: Parking can be limited. If you visit on a busy day, you may need to park further away and walk uphill to reach the tasting room.
Tasting Room Hours: Monday-Wednesday, 12pm to 6pm; Thursdays, 12pm to 8:30pm; Fridays, 12pm to 8:30pm; Saturdays, 12pm to 7pm; Sundays, 12:30pm to 6pm. Hours of operation are subject to change.
Can you bring outside food?: Yes, but remember to bring your own utensils and plates.
Do they allow dogs?: They are dog friendly, but ask that they remain on a leash. There is a winery dog on the property.
Okay, their goats don’t actually faint (at least, I hope not)! In all seriousness, though, they really have goats on the property, but their creative name, “Fainting Goat,” did not originate from a fainting goat.
According to their website, the name comes from how they felt after an arduous day working in the vineyard, followed by a climb up nearby Burnt Mountain. Well, they felt like fainting, and I can understand why. That sounds like a very long day! I can’t imagine working all day and then climbing a mountain. I can barely climb a mountain in a day, with nothing planned before and afterward!
This family-owned mountainside vineyard and winery not only has a fun name and a fantastic view of Burnt Mountain, but they also have some pretty stellar wines. You can enjoy their wine in their many seating areas: the Garden Lawn, inside the tasting room, the lower terrace bar, and the upper deck.
We really loved their Romantics red blend wine that’s aged in French Oak; it’s the perfect blend of my two loves: cabernet sauvignon and merlot. If you want to buy a bottle, it’s pretty pricey, but I don’t mind a glass or two!
They also have a red muscadine wine called Tribute, which is probably an acquired taste for some. To me, it was very tart and had a plum-like flavor. Give it a try and see what you think!
In addition to their wine tastings, Fainting Goat Vineyards & Winery has many events and tours, which I’ve highlighted below. See their complete list and availability and prices on their website here.
- Winery Tours: On this tour given by Fainting Goat’s winemaker, you’ll see their new, modern winery and everything that occurs to make a bottle of wine. The $75 adult ticket (ages 21+) price includes the tour, samples of 7 wines, and a personal charcuterie board.
- Guided Wine Tasting: Guided tasting is a step up from standard wine tasting. Priced at $45 per adult ticket (ages 21+), a wine expert will guide you through the winemaking and tasting process. Your wine flight consists of 5 wines; you’ll pick if you want the dry or sweet wine flight.
- Picnic in the Vines: Having a picnic amongst the vines is a romantic date idea, or you may want to enjoy the vineyards with friends and family. You can bring picnic food and items from home, but to avoid that hassle, you can book a picnic in the vines. They will give you a charcuterie board for two, a bottle of wine, and a picnic basket and blanket.
- Sunset Suppers: Dinner in a vineyard sounds dreamy. The menu changes depending on what day you book, but you could have Southern fried chicken, pork roast, lasagna, pulled pork and peach BBQ sauce, and more. Of course, you can pair a wine with your dinner.
- Live Music and Sunset Concerts: In addition to live music on most weekends, every Friday evening during the summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day), Fainting Goat has a concert on their lower terrace stage. Enjoy live music while sipping a glass of wine as the sun goes down.
- Wicks & Sips on the Vines: Have you been to an art class before where you painted a picture and drank wine? Well, this is similar, but now you are at a winery learning how to make a candle. How cute is that! I hope to do this soon. This event includes making the candle (and the candle itself), a glass of wine, and small bites.
Cairn View Winery
Address: 299 Happy Trails Way, Jasper, GA 30143
Parking: Parking can be limited, and you may need to park a little further away from the tasting room. Also, parts of the road to Cairn View are not paved (it’s gravel).
Tasting Room Hours: Wednesday-Thursday, 12pm to 6pm; Friday, 12pm to 7pm; Saturday, 12pm to 7pm; Sunday, 12:30pm to 6pm. They are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Hours are subject to change.
Can you bring outside food? No
Do they allow dogs? They welcome leashed dogs but are not permitted inside the tasting room. There is also a cute winery dog named Zoë on the property.
Cairn View Winery is one of the newer family-owned wineries in Jasper, GA. They don’t quite have their own estate wines yet, but they hope for their first harvest this year!
However, they have many delectable wines from regions such as Columbia Valley, Oregon, and California. Cairn View Winery is known for its dry wines, so if you love dry wine, you’ve found your spot!
My favorite was the Red Blaze – Lenoir, made from Georgia-grown Lenoir grapes. I’ve never tried Lenoir wine before, let alone heard of it. The wine was smooth and light, with a hint of cherries. We also liked their full-bodied cabernet sauvignon. Delicious.
They also have small bites, including charcuterie boards, cheese and fruit plates, BBQ slider duos, dessert plates, and more.
Have your wine and a small bite in their pretty tasting room with their unique barrel-stave decorated fireplace, or sit outside in their Adirondack chairs next to the firepits. And if you fancy staying the night, they have a highly recommended bed and breakfast, the Bent Tree Lodge & Vineyard. I have not stayed at this property before, but it looks beautiful and is right next to their small vineyard.
The wine tastings are a little more expensive, but I like supporting local businesses, especially new ones. I’m excited to see this winery grow!
View their events and live music schedule here.
Want to Have a Picnic? Here Are Grocery Stores Near the Wineries in Jasper, GA
As mentioned above, Fainting Goat Vineyards & Winery and Sharp Mountain Vineyards allow outside food, so if you are looking for grocery stores nearby, check out the following:
Walmart Supercenter:
1100 Old Philadelphia Road, Jasper, GA 30143
Ingles Market:
1449 W Church Street, Jasper, GA 30143
Kroger:
115 Bill Wigington Parkway, Jasper, GA 30143
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