Originally published April 17, 2017. Updated in 2026.
On a bright, sunny Saturday, we hailed one another from across the Habersham Winery parking lot. Meeting in the middle, we shared hugs all around. Good spirits and the anticipation of time together swept us through the entry gate into WineFest.
Twenty tents representing 20 wineries from around Georgia rimmed the yard, surrounded by people, tables, and plenty of wine to discover.
Moving from tent to tent, looking at the list of wineries and their wines, ours was not a linear, or even circular, exploration of WineFest. We went here. She tried one wine. We went there. He tried a couple. We went over there. I tried some.
Live music played in the background. I entered the Kentucky Derby Hat Competition. We enjoyed lunch from Mully’s Nacoochee Grill, which was serving on site.
On and on we went until the afternoon had floated away. We saw friends. We talked and laughed with strangers. We visited the Habersham Winery tasting room and bought some of the wines we had tasted.
Then it was time to go. We’d used up all of our tasting tickets, plus some. Parting, we went our separate ways, each with our own WineFest glass.
What a great day.
WINEFEST TODAY
WineFest has changed over the years, just as Georgia’s wine industry has changed.
When Habersham began hosting WineFest decades ago, Georgia’s modern wine industry was still developing. Bringing wineries together gave visitors an opportunity to discover wines being made around the state and helped encourage interest in Georgia wine.
Today, with a thriving wine industry established across Georgia, WineFest has evolved into an annual celebration of Habersham Winery itself, our history, our wines, and the community that has supported us through the years.
CELEBRATE WINEFEST WITH US
Learn more about today’s WineFest and join us as we celebrate the past, present, and future of Habersham Winery.
