The North Georgia Mountains serve as home to quaint towns, scenic hiking trails, and beautiful vineyards and wineries that rival those anywhere in the world. “I was in California and had the thought that I wish that we could have people of the South see the beauty of the wine valleys of California,” remembers Marie Lee, Concierge Consultant with FOCI Destination Management. “Then, my sister told me about the beautiful wineries in North Georgia and I started checking them out for myself.”
“What makes North Georgia so special is that it encompasses the small town feel with the gorgeous view of the winery,” says Marie. It’s these unique combinations of factors, and the desire to offer such experiences to those in the Augusta area, that led the FOCI Destination Management team to add specialty wine tours to their list of custom excursions and tours. Now, Marie has made it her mission to explore and share with others the wineries of the Dahlonega, Cleveland, and Helen areas.
Clients can expect all of FOCI’s core values and dedication to shine through with their custom wine excursions. “FOCI Destination Management provides our clients with an opportunity to create new experiences,” explains Marie. “We believe in capturing, connecting, and embracing your ideas through the art of authentic experiences. Our goal is to captivate your imagination, develop a shared vision and make the explorable, executable. Ultimately, we offer our clients experiences that will last them a lifetime.”
Through FOCI, each wine tour experience can be personalized to meet the needs and desires of the travelers. If you’re not sure where to start, there is a basic tour package which includes visits to three wineries. Wineries rotate through the schedule based on season and capacity of number of people they can accommodate, with each winery having been vetted and approved by the FOCI team. Three wineries that often make the list for tours are Kaya Vineyard & Winery, Dahlonega Resort & Vineyard, and Sylvan Valley Lodge & Cellars because they align with FOCI’s core values and consistently provide high quality, personalized experiences for their guests.
The FOCI team structures wine tour itineraries for maximum gratification, with a minimum of two hours allotted for each stop. “We like to give you the chance to get the feel of the winery,” says Marie. “When we design our tours, we give you the time to experience and enjoy the wine and the ambience of that particular area. We want you to sit back, take in, and enjoy your experience.”
You can also turn the wine tours and tastings into blended experiences, which can include other elements such as a dinner paired with a tasting and live music. Blended experiences are perfect for a romantic trip for two, a group of friends, a senior adult excursion, group retreats, and corporate experiences. The length of the tour depends entirely on your preferences and can easily be a day excursion, an overnight trip, a weekend away, or paired with previously scheduled special events or retreats.
Packages can be as extensive as an all-inclusive, fully managed trip to as limited as having FOCI simply provide the transportation and itinerary for the excursion. Whichever package you choose, these tours are a great way to celebrate any special occasion or just time away from the normal routine.
For more information about wine tours and other excursions and experiences offered by FOCI, visit www.focidestination.com. To begin planning your personalized experience, you can call 888-316-FOCI, email info@focidestination.com, or fill out the contact form found on the website. Also check out the new Brunch Spot excursions as a way to sample the best brunches in Georgia.
