Dr. John Ezzard punches down cap at fermentation.

"As you contemplate the wine in your glass, recognize it has a personality - it comes from a place with a name and a history."

- Hugh Johnson, author, "The World Atlas of Wine"

According to Hugh Johnson, one of the world's foremost wine experts, wines reflect the earth from which they come and their character includes the soul of the winemaker. Tiger Mountain's fine dry wines reflect the rich berry, cherry and apple flavors of a region known for its fruit growing. Our winemaking philosophy is to enhance the natural characteristics of the grape itself, to interfere with its distinctive aromas and flavors as little as possible. That is one reason why most of our wines are varietals - more than 75 percent a single grape.

Partners John and Marilyn McMullen.

Tiger Mountain Vineyards began making wine in 1999 with the seven unusual varieties of European vinifera and the American Norton that Dr. John Ezzard selected to plant after studying east coast viticulture with Dennis and Sharon Horton of Horton Vineyards in Virginia. With new winery partners, John and Marilyn McMullan of Atlanta, the Ezzards celebrated the winery's 10th anniversary, proud to have won more than 125 medals and awards for TMV wines!

Jabe Hilson and Jon Engel pressing grapes.

After crushing, the grapes begin fermentation in open-top tanks where the grape skins, "caps," rise to the top and are gently punched down by hand with wooden paddles. After several weeks, the grapes are pressed, and the fermented juice is transferred to oak barrels for aging. Red wines are aged 18 to 24 months in a temperature controlled barrel room before bottling. The white wines undergo cold stabilization and are aged up to six months in neutral French oak.

Tiger Mountain Vineyards takes great pride in its handcrafted wines, adhering to the belief that winemaking is as much an art as it is a science.