Natural Beauty 2009
It's hard to compete with the romantic country vistas at Persimmon Creek Vineyards, but the recent addition of three charming cottages on the property have upped the ante.
For a decade, Mary Ann and William “Sonny” Hardman’s Rieslings, Seyval Blancs, Cabernet Francs and Merlots have wowed Atlantans. The wines from their Rabun County estate, Persimmon Creek Vineyards, have long graced the menus of the region’s top restaurants, including Bacchanalia, Restaurant Eugene and The Cloister at Sea Island. But these days, there are exciting new things emanating from the bucolic North Georgia hills.
With the introduction of three new luxury cottages, guests can now stay right on the grounds of the 110-acre property, enjoying hiking and winery tours. Named for vegetation found in the area, the fully appointed one- and two-bedroom cottages—Hickory, Fiddlehead and Sassafras—were inspired by the philosophy of 19th-century landscaper A.J. Downing of creating a home that has a “taste of the place, a gout de terroir.”
“Like bottles of wine, each of the three cottages has a distinctive personality,” says architect Tim Adams of T.S. Adams Studio, who designed the cottages. Assisting him on the project was a dream team of Atlanta talent, including Pineapple House Interior Design, led by Stephen W. Pararo, and legendary landscape designer Ryan Gainey.
“The design connects the natural environment with the indoors,” says Adams. “It is closely tied with Mary Ann and Sonny’s values for Persimmon Creek Vineyards.”
(706) 212-7972; persimmoncreekwine.com.