Hubby and I decided to take a few days and come up to Asheville, North Carolina to recover from what always turns out to be a crazy time of year with his job. Since we were going right past it, we stopped by Tiger Mountain Vineyards in Tiger, Georgia.
The tasting room itself is inside a barn, but was still comfortable temperature-wise, a relief on a cold, cloudy day. The tastings are complimentary, and they have crackers, dried apricots, and cheese out for munching and palate-clearing.
Here are my notes:
2008 Viognier:
crisp and citrus-flavored with a tart finish
Rating: Very Good
Burton Blanc: 100% Viognier
smoky nose with herb and grapefruit on the palate
Rating: Good
2008 Petite Manseng: an "ancient grape," this was the first time I'd tried it
A little funky on the nose, but has a nice melon-citrus finish
Rating: Good to Very Good
2006 Touriga Nacional:
Beautiful spicy-clove-dark fruit nose, but palate doesn't follow through. Light-bodied with dry cherry. Would probably go better with food.
Rating: Good
2006 Cabernet Franc:
Berry with a tart, spicy middle, this one smoothed out with notes of caramel once the bottle had been open a bit.
Rating: Very Good
2005 Mourvedre:
Syrupy nose, earthy with somewhat medicinal finish
Rating: Okay
2006 TNT: 50% Touriga and 50% Tannat
Nice nose and very straightforward fruit.
Rating: Good
2006 Rabun Red: Norton, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Mourvedre, and Tannat blend
Fruity and acidic, definitely a food wine, as cheese took the edge off.
Rating: Good to Very Good
2005 Norton:
Plum/cherry nose and tart fruit
2007 Tannat:
Smooth tannins, fruit with less tartness and more elegance
Rating: Very Good
We bought bottles of the Viognier, Cabernet Franc, and Tannat. Alas, they were sold out of the Malbec. Overall, it was a great tasting experience with good, knowledgeable staff who managed to keep pace with tasters and shoppers, all of whom had their own agendas. Definitely worth the detour from the beaten path.
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