Just before harvest, Chardonnay grapes hang on the vines at Blackstock Vineyard near Dahlonega, Georgia. The backlighting makes the grapes seem to glow.

Bagpiper George McClellan inspires the grape pickers at Tiger Mountain during their annual members harvest. George writes for the Ellijay Times Courier and served in Naval Intelligence.

David Harris, co-owner, along with wife Trish, of Blackstock Vineyard, supervises the loading of Chardonnay. Each bucket holds 22 pounds of Chardonnay, and many of the workers will fill and carry four buckets at a time.

I'm proud of this image of Sangiovese. It appeared in the November 15, 2003 issue of WINE SPECTATOR. The magazine selected it from a stock site in the UK specializing in wine and spirit images. Oddly, this image - taken at Blackstock Vineyard - was used in the magazine to illustrate an article about the declining cultivation of Sangiovese in California.

John Ezzard, co-owner of Tiger Mountain Winery loads grapes during the fall members' harvest party. Tiger Mountain members arrive and pick grapes, then enjoy a wonderful catered lunch under shady trees. There's a band and plenty of Tiger Mountain wines to sample.

Every year, the third weekend in May, good friend David Hedges leads a Southern Bicycle League ride known simply as the "Wine Ride." For the past few years, David and Trish Harris of Blackstock Vineyard have been kind enough to host this event. After doing a few very hilly miles on the roads around the vineyard, we have a nice catered lunch, a band entertains us, and David Hedges pours local wines. This image appeared on the cover of "Freewheelin," the magazine of Atlanta's Southern Bicycle League to advertise the 2004 wine ride!

Merlot grapes aren't red or purple, but actually more blue. Blackstock Vineyard.

A foggy spring day at Blackstock Vineyard. David Harris found the ideal vineyard property near Dahlonega. Planting rows on the sides of a hill facilitates run-off, so the grapes don't get "soggy feet" during heavy showers.

How different the vineyard looks in late fall! The grapes have long since been harvested, and their juice is aging nicely at Horton, Shelton, Habersham, or some other southeastern winery. Yes, that's a weather station owned by the University of Georgia. You can access this weather station to see what the grapes are experiencing! Neat!