Dahlonega's Newest Winery

 

Open less than a year, Cavender Creek Vineyards, with its donkey branded wines, is no longer one of the area's best kept secrets. Located oddly enough just off Cavendar Creek Rd., the 15 acre winery is producing some memorable wine that D&B predicts will be winning gold medals soon.

For owners Raymond and Donna Castleberry, both retired Gwinnett County school teachers, Cavendar Creek Vineyards is a dream-fulfilled. Several years ago, the couple purchased the Cavendar Creek property, planted three acres of grapes, and began creating their own line of Georgia wines. Then this spring the couple began marketing their hand-crafted wines to the public, opening a tasting room at the vineyard.

A week ago when D&B stopped in at the winery, the tasting room's bar was crowded and the parking lot filled with cars bearing out-of-county and out-of-state tags. We were there to sample Cavendar Creek's newest release, Petit Manseng, made from the rare petit manseng white grape. Vintner and owner Raymond Castleberry describes his newest wine as "springtime in a bottle, full of delicate floral notes with crisp clean finish that lingers just long enough to make you want another sip." 

Obviously we liked our sample, since we promptly purchased a bottle. While Cavendar Creek fans love the winery's best sellers - Donkey Hotie Red and One-Eyed Jack - one local taste tester we know says that Petite Manseng stands ears above the label's other wines. 

Like all of Cavendar Creek's wines, the Petit Manseng wears a printed label with a drawing of a white nosed donkey. The donkey labeling, according to Castleberry, is in honor of the Castleberry's rescue donkeys, which you can view from the winery's large back deck. 

You'll have to go there to do your own taste test and see why our tester loves the crispness of the Petit Manseng white wine. After sampling the winery's red and white wines, you'll be buying your own bottle, as well as a bottle or two of the other labels.

Cavendar Creek Vineyards is five miles east of Dahlonega. The tasting room is open 2-5 Friday and Saturday and 1-5 on Sunday.