4506 Hudson River Church Road, Danielsville, Georgia 30633
We have had a flyer on our refrigerator for months from Boutier Winery, and I can not say where I picked it up, but we decided to visit the Sunday after Christmas. The crowd at the winery was very light as it was a holiday weekend, and Boutier was hosting a private party in their party and banquet space, but we were able to enjoy a fine tasting and catch up with the owner and winemaker, Victor Boutier, a real privilege and fine start to a great tasting. The tasting room is set up like a bar, with barstools which we loved.
Mr. Boutier shared that he welcomes a number of regulars who sit at the bar, and we started asking right away why don’t other tasting rooms have barstools?! The atmosphere at Boutier is light hearted and not stuffy at all, as you will see in their wine menu’s colorful names and descriptions of their wines, and also their recommendation to “Serve, See, Swirl, Sniff, Sip, Slurp, Swallow, Score, and Spend!” We learned that Boutier was the 16th winery established in Georgia and their wines are a range made from California grapes and also from their own local grapes grown on their property. Here are our observations of the wines we tasted.
White Wines:
Riesling 2023 – Very pleasant, lovely and easy-drinking. Absolutely dry and crispy with pineapples on the nose and green apples on the palate and
P.M.S. 2022 – Creamy blend of Pinot Blanc, Marsanne and Sauvignon Blanc with a nice, dry finish.
Blanc DuBois – Fruity but dry and easy for an afternoon in the sun.
Villard Blanc – Madison County 2020 – French hybrid aged in stainless steel, with both dried and fresh citrus notes.
Villardonnay – Madison County 2020 – Light blend of the Villard Blanc and Chardonnay, with notes of pineapple, mango and passionfruit balanced by aging in oak.
Red Wines Tried:
Pinot Noir 2019 – Silky smooth and easily approachable. Great for fall drinking while watching the leaves turn.
Let the Big Dawg Drink 2023 – This one is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with the cherry and currant flavors you’d expect, with 1/4 Merlot blended in and aged in French Oak. Very smooth; grab a bottle and go sit outside and enjoy it; a meal or food are not even needed.
Caberana – Madison County 2022 – Inventive blend of local Cynthiana grapes (AKA Norton) and Cabernet Sauvignon. Jammy, but dry and balanced between the fruit and the tannins.
Old Vine Zinfandel 2020 – Like most Zinfandels, a big red full of blackberries and black pepper flavors that will pair well with a winter meal.
Hot Flash 2020 – This one is mostly Malbec, with a splash of Shiraz. Hungarian oak is used to round out the fruit and provide a long finish. While fruity it did not have the sweetness.
Geordeaux – Madison County 2020 – Surprisingly complex blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Aged in French oak – screams for a steak.
Boutier also offers cheese and charcuterie boards that we would expect to be very nice, based on the fine spread we noticed in the adjacent banquet room where they were hosting a private party. We recommend Boutier especially if you are in that part of North Georgia as there are not many other drinking or eating establishments or wineries, and Boutier hosts live music, happy hours, and special events regularly. When you visit Boutier, please tell them you read a review on NorthGeorgiaCulture.com!
