Montaluce Winery

farm to table with an incredible view. impeccable service. welcoming and inviting. I felt hundreds of miles away in another country yet I was just a short drive from home. fresh and full of flavor. this is our new go-​to place.

We visited this beautiful venue last weekend. We did a wine tasting that was ok at best. We certainly didn’t take any home. There were four of us. We had lunch. I ordered the clam chowder. I tasted it, and it was so salty I couldn’t eat it. My wife tasted it and agreed. There went my lunch. The menu was very expensive. Others at our table had expensive, mediocre hamburgers. The fries that came with the burgers were greasy and even the ketchup was not good. The other three plates went back with lots of fries and some left over burgers on each plate. NEVER AGAIN.

For atmosphere and view, I give Montaluce 5 stars, for food, I give it 1 ½. The chef apparently is very stubborn and will not accommodate special requests. It is a very meat heavy menu (they even put gelatin in their shrimp) and there is very little on the menu I can eat. I would not go here to eat again, but it is worth sitting on the patio with a glass of wine.

the winery is beautiful. unfortunately, the restaurant food was just awful. we had the pefixed menu & each course was just worse than the other. we just had to force ourself to eat it cuz it was a $ 75 but man was it not good. don’t even venture their rissotto because it was so salty & undecooked. Gordon Ramsey would prolly shut this place down if he ever ate here. I’m sure their wine is excellent but the food was just awful. be warned about this place.

Took the tour, which was just a view of the wine making room and barrel room from a mezzanine level. Learned a little. Had the white wine flight. It was packed after the tour and service was a little slow when I was ready to check out. Was happy to support the small boutique winery. Very tasty white wines!

We were here for the NYE celebration and driving up to the property at night was almost like a scene in a horror movie but upon reaching the restaurant, it does make it feel like you’ve teleported to Tuscany!
We partook in the 6 course meal with wine pairings. We thought that the menu was well thought of but for the price we paid (close to 300 USD), we expected so much more than that and a more festive atmosphere given it was a NYE CELEBRATION. There were definitely some highs but a lot more lows unfortunately. As for the wines, we only really liked their Vidal Blanc. The rest were acceptable.
Can’t complain about the service though. We were well taken care of!
That said, I would still give Montaluce another try on a normal day if we’re ever back in Dahlonega.
Lesson learned though, I’m never spending that much unless it’s Michelin starred/​James Beard awarded.

am i in italy?
what i ate:
— charcuterie plate: super fancy. house made, including some of the pickles. very tasty. i wish though we had asked for bread or something. the chips that came with this dish were not as tasty. but the charcuterie was very very good
— wine tasting: what generous pours! she very kindly split our tasting and her pours seemed like regular tasting pours.
pros:
— the major draw of this place is the décor, setting, and view. it really is stunning. you feel as if you’ve been transported to a vineyard in italy. the verdent hills covered with grape vines, the small manmade lake. it was just soooo beautiful.
— the view from the patio is exceptionally stunning
— bar was very impressive
— venue. i dont know if they do any events, but this space was meant for it. i could see a wedding being held there. the ceremony outside by the small pond, the cocktail hours in the bar area, and the reception in the restaurant space.
cons:
— a bit off the beaten path. it took us a while to get there, but it was kind of worth it
— restaurant… it seemed really sad to me that they were so empty on a friday afternoon. maybe business is better on the weekends, but it didnt seem like anyone was eating. i took a peek at the menu and… seemed a bit confused. for an italian style villa/​space you’d expect delicous italian food, but the menu was a bit all over the place. there were touches of asian influences. i duno, maybe the food IS amazing, i dont know. but… it felt a little haphazard.
would i come again? sure

Was it the wine or did I really go to a beautiful vineyard/​community last Friday?
This was the second vineyard I visited in a day with a friend and I’m glad it was the last one because the views were beautiful. As far as the wine goes, there were some good ones and some that I didn’t enjoy. I’m not a connoisseur, so don’t trust my word on wines. Wine tastings are completed in the bar area where there are a few tables and comfortable booths. The bar felt a little hip with its modern design and colored lights, but I really like the amount of space so even if it were full of people, it wouldn’t feel cramped.
Service was a little subpar as in there’s no dedicated person at the bar to pour tastings. We waited a bit and then just explained to the bartender that we were here for a tasting. Even though my friend and I were sharing a tasting, they were generous with the pours for separate glasses. Additionally, if ordering any plates/​apps/​snacks, the orders must be placed at the bar even if you’re sitting at the tables. The service just felt a little lacking.
But despite the lack of service, it’s beautiful at the vineyard even in the fall. They also have wedding packages and the ceremony site appears to be right at the pond with the vineyard in the foreground.

We were the first guests to arrive right when they opened at 11. We were greeted by a very friendly woman that enthusiastically showed us the different areas we could go to. We went downstairs to see where the wine was made, then took the elevator to the top floor for gorgeous views of the vineyard.
We took a white wine flight, very generous pourings, 5 wines for $ 16 you can’t beat it! There was a list describing each one and we took out time trying them all by the fire.
Then we went in for lunch. We had the charcuterie plate, which was delicious. The salami was my favorite!
We also got the BLT with smoked mayo and the burger. They both came with twice fried fries and housemade sauce. Both were delicious!
Overall it’s a gorgeous location with wonderful people, delicious food and amazing wine!

Living in close proximity to Napa, our expectations were not very high when we invited to wine tasting. My family of four toured Georgia for two weeks and found Montaluce to be one of the highlights of our experience This setting is perfectly lovely and the staff were very knowledgeable about the flights we were served. We had a very enjoyable time there.

A dream. A little bit of Tuscany 75 minutes away from Atlanta.
My longtime Atlanta friend took me for lunch at this gem north of the city. Every detail of the restaurant, winery, shop is exquisite. If you’re interested in its history, you an Google, but the property was originally a combination of winery and real estate development with 400 or so luxury homes (1.5 million in this part of GA is unheard of).
For various reasons, that didn’t happen. But the winery is spectacular and the food is memorable. The dining room furnishes panoramic views of the hills which in fall evoke New England. In fact, when I posted pictures, my New York and New England friends thought it looked like upstate New York, CT, or possibly Virginia.
The other popular winery near Atlanta is Château Élan. It’s tap water by comparison. This is the real deal, even if you’re from CA and measuring by those standards.

Every time i come up here, the staff makes all the difference. Jessica and Joseph really go the extra mile to make my guests feel welcome. The sommelier, Bill, will literally spend 3 hours with his deluxe tasting. We went down to the vineyard, tasted the actual grapes, had some vino right out of the oak barrels. We drank 10 different varietals accompanied by a beautiful cheese/​chocolate plate. The vineyard and estate is like stepping back in Italy (right here in north Georgia). Check this place out.

Driving up the winding roads to Montaluce you are transported back to Italy… I totally forgot I was in Dahlonega. Gorgeous sweeping views of the mountains as the backdrop, complete with rows of grapes all lined up in perfect formation… the Italian style villas and old world charm completed the overall experience.
Montaluce is a very cute villa a top a hill overlooking a Vineyard. The space itself was very warm with beautiful high wooden beams that opened up to a back covered patio offering the same gorgeous views.
We had the flight of mixed wines for $ 16 each. The pourings were very generous. However I only liked 2 put of the 6 wines poured. This place is totally perfect for a wedding or for a day getaway with the girlfriends. I didn’t have the opportunity to dine here but the restaurant looked pretty great. I believe there are free tours on the weekends starting at noon.

The scenery is amazing. Beautiful rolling hills and Tuscan architecture. The wines are mediocre and very young, but it is Dahlonega, after all. If you have a Clef du Vin, definitely bring it.

Went to this beautiful winery with a few friends last year and had the deluxe tour with a very knowledgeable sommelier. Not only is the wine unique but the grounds are beautiful, makes you never want to leave. Will definitely return!

I have attempted to go here 2x now. Each time I have driven over an hour to get here, thankfully many vineyards in the area. The 1^st trip we were well within the hours of operation but we were told by attendants they were closed as a wedding party and guests would be arriving in 15 minutes. Poor business set up that you can’t do both but fair enough. 2^nd time I went was this weekend, yes there was a wine thing this weekend and it was busy, however we parked our car as did many people and we were told as we were getting out of the car that it was valet only, 1) they were driving the cars like maniacs to keep up with the number of people and I wasn’t about to let them drive my very nice car when they were driving other cars crazy And 2) they didn’t tell anyone else that they had to be valet. So needless to say 2 strikes and they are out.

If I could give this place another 5 stars, I would! I feel in love with Montaluce last year while visiting for a bachelorette party, so much so that my husband and I decided to get married there this past April. Everything was absolutely flawless! The staff was so helpful and attentive during all the planning and especially the night of, they anticipated everything we needed even before we knew we needed it. We designed a custom menu and had so many compliments on the food, it’s definitely not your typical wedding food. The venue is absolutely stunning and the view is amazing!
I seriously can’t say enough wonderful things about Montaluce, we will most definitely be returning every chance we get.

Had no idea wine country is just one hour away from the city! Wonderful place! The food, the service, the wines are first class! The experience for one day and one night is like we’ve taken a vacation. Highly recommend for a short getaway from the city!
I wish (and recommend to the owners) that there was a hotel on the property so we don’t have to drive 2 – 3 miles into town. I think it would be booked months in advance! Keep up the great work!

All I can say is, wow! I couldn’t ask for a better experience! Hubs and I decided to stop in on a whim after a weekday afternoon in Dahlonega. We had already eaten dinner somewhere else, but since we weren’t quite ready to call it a day, we checked Unilocal for a winery to enjoy a glass of wine.
We walked into the bar area and we were struck at how empty the place was! No one was at the bar which made it all the better for us! We were warmly greeted by a very attentive bar staff. Hubs and I each selected a flight (a generous sample of five different wines) and listened to the bartender describe the flavor, aroma, & character of each our selections. Very interesting!
We took our samples outside to the balcony and had our pick at where to sit. We literally had the place to ourselves! The setting is so romantic and just plain gorgeous! The view of the vineyard & the mellow jazz playing overhead really seem to transport you to the Italian countryside! We ordered a cheese plate & the charcuterie meat platter — both were absolutely delicious and at this point we were really regretting the fact that we had dinner elsewhere because I’m sure their dinner items would have been just as fantastic! Our server was attentive, professional, and described every detail of our appetizer platters down to how to pair them with our wine to bring out certain flavors.
I seriously did not want to leave! The sun was slowly setting over that gorgeous vineyard and I knew it was almost time to head back to the hustle and bustle of life! We will *definitely* be returning!

Not the usual fare for us when it comes to wineries, but alas, a change of pace is nice… sometimes?
First and foremost, I need to address the promoting that this place needs. When you think about wineries in Dahlonega, you tend to think only about Wolf Mountain as «the venue» type place for weddings, food, and gifts. Being an Eyetalian, I’ve about had it with Tuscan architecture, but this place is a boon for the area, and Dahlonega REALLY needs to include Montaluce on their AgriTourism shtick. I imagine that Montaluce could sell more properties also if they showed off the area, as it’s pretty damned nice.
The Wine. The place is very upscale, so as usual I look like a three-​eyed man. No one warned me about dressing «presentable» today, so whatever… The bar area is very clean, nice and the staff are very professional. The wines are of the usual French/​Italian varieties, so don’t be prepared to be surprised with new flavors, but old consistency. This is in no way to degrade the wine, but after visiting other local wineries, it’s nothing new for us.
The view from the lower deck behind the bar area is cool, but again, nothing too extreme, and should make for some decent FaceSpace pictures. Please keep the cell-​phone pictures to a minimum please, as other people are trying to enjoy the view as well, and you with your hand-​held computer doesn’t really do anything for their experience.
Overall a cool place, but not really my thing personally. I can see this being really popular with the mid-​to-​upper-​middle-​class folks that think Tuscany moved to Lumpkin County, Georgia is the next best thing to slice bread.

The only bad thing I can say about this place is that I am upset that the restaurant wasn’t open for dinner on the day we came! This place looked amazing. It was a bit confusing getting to the winery and a bit of a trip out of Dahlonega, but it was so worth the drive. It’s a treasure in the hills of Georgia.
I enjoyed the scenery and my wife enjoyed the wines. She was spoiled by the gentleman serving the wines as she was the only customer at the time. She sampled 5 different wines for $ 16 and found one of them to be «the best I have ever had.»
Her words obviously. She loved the wine and I loved the scenery!

What a Beautiful winery here at Montaluce! This past Mothers Day was Amazing and topped it off with a nice drive out to this tuscan inspired vineyard.
I really enjoyed the serene atmosphere, delicious food from Le vigne. The restaurant had a very professional staff. All smiles and very attentive.
The view was so calming to look out at from the restaurant. The calmnest on the property was perfect it was a beautiful sunday and it made everything even better. I can see making a few more trips here for the view and wine tasting.
A girls trip might be the next visit who knows. Wine, relaxation and food is all we need… Oh yeah did i say wine!

It is absolutely gorgeous here! Although Montaluce is located well off the beaten path, it is worth the trip for the views alone. I couldn’t believe I had the pleasure of spending the day there. We began with brunch. Our server shared that most of the vegetables used were grown at a garden at Montaluce, and that the food was so fresh they didn’t even own a freezer. First, we tried the irish coffee donuts (3 mini sized) which were tasty. I had the french toast with bacon and potatoes, and ordered a side of scrambled eggs. I didn’t even have to doctor up the eggs like I usually do… they were perfect as served. The syrup for the french toast was a bit different – it wasn’t your usual maple and was light in color and taste. The potatoes were yummy. My friends enjoyed their meals as well. As for the wine… I ordered the white wine flight which was 5 samples of their white wine offerings. It was filling. And there was live music. The performers were great.
The only thing I didn’t like was the amount of yellow jackets flying around us outside. There were several nests around. Not sure if they can do much about that, though. But it was definitely worth driving from Atlanta for, and I hope I can return soon.

It was only after we left did I learn that Montaluce Winey was in financial distress, that in June there was an attempt to auction off the once projected $ 300M property development for a measly $ 1.5M. Now I understand why Ellen had to take her un-​dirty martini to the bar herself to dirty it up. Or why we had to go get appetizer plates ourselves for our entire party of six long after the appetizers had been delivered. Or why it took so long to have our wine poured, even given this was a winery. Everybody working there was busy getting their resumes in order.
The place is beautiful, I’ll grant you that. When we walked in on Valentine’s Day, it literally took my breath away — high ceilings, expensive furnishings, elaborate decorations, spectacular views. It is modeled on a Tuscan villa nestled in a rolling vineyard. But that’s not enough. Especially given its expensive price points. Without solid service and tasty food, it’s a great big fail. The place reminds me of that old saying: It’s a pretty house but nobody’s home. I definitely won’t be coming back.

Visited this property specifically for the wine tasting and just to check it out. The setting is pretty attractive, with the vines scattered among the hillsides (though it doesn’t seem there are an awful lot of them). The greenery and the rolling hillsides are pleasant, though the drainage pond visible from the terrace of the tasting bar/​restaurant is a very dubious and bilious green. The main building is a faux Italian villa situated on a rise.
This place is wedding central, so there will be groups of people who think they’re more important than you running about and generally getting in the way. The tasting hall is a wide space adjacent to the restaurant dining room with a large, long recycled glass bar and several tables and banquettes. The tasting is $ 16 for five wines and the pours are quite generous. There are probably about 10 – 12 wines to choose your five from and they also have a cheese and charcuterie menu. We did the tasting and ordered a generous selection of the meats and cheeses, plus a really great red pepper and feta spread with pita slices. The snacks were a success. The wines were OK, better than those at most of the other wineries in the area, but this ain’t Napa, folks.
We had quite a time getting served when we first got there. There was space for us to stand at the tasting bar, but it took forever to be acknowledged, then more time to get menus, then more time to place the order, then more time to actually get the wine poured. Yes, they were pretty busy, but it still seemed inefficient and the first impression was a little off-​putting.
You have free roam of most of the main building and the grounds, so if the weather’s nice, it would be a fun stroll.