Elberton, GA |
Once the sixth largest wine producing state in the country, Georgia has really seen an industry resurgence over the past decade with new wineries opening up every year. And one of the newer ones is Blue Cielo Farms in Elberton. It’s a business idea that came about while tending to some land on a completely different property.
“One day we were spraying the tree farm in Commerce and we came across some grapes. And it was a really hot summer day, and I was getting really tired of spraying these weeds and what not on the tree farm. And so, when we came across these grapes, I said ‘wow, why are we getting rid of these grapes? Let’s just grow them,'” says Cassandra Wiseman, owner of Blue Cielo Farms.
That was the beginning of the Wisemans journey into grapes, which eventually lead to the purchase of this property ten years later. And while there was some initial hesitation to expand their business, it was an opportunity they just couldn’t pass up after speaking with the owner Helen Lyman, who was looking to continue her late husband’s dream of opening up a winery in Elbert County.
“We just really bonded with her and just had a sort of kinship and, it sounds a little bit trite, but I just felt that there was a connection and that maybe this is what we were really supposed to do was to take over this property as she was furiously searching for someone to take it over and continue her husband, Dale Lyman’s dream rather than turning it into pasture and just building houses,” says Cassandra.
In February of 2023, that dream officially became a reality as this thirty-three-acre farm, which grows eleven different varieties of grapes, was opened to the public. It’s a labor of love that doesn’t come without plenty of hard work and patience.
“Really, the weekends I’m spending in the vineyard on Saturdays and Sundays really tending to the vines. It’s a lot of fun, but it is a lot of work and it’s very gratifying going from pruning right through to harvest. They come with challenges. Muscadines grow easiest I would say, here in Georgia. On the hybrid side, the viticulturists and specialists have done an amazing job of coming up with varieties; hybrid vinifera that grows well here in Georgia. We have a lot of red clay here on this property. It holds the moisture, the Ph levels are pretty decent, but with the right vineyard management program you can grow grapes very successfully that produce wonderful wines here in Georgia,” says Gary Wiseman.
Those wines are on full display here at Blue Cielo Farms, along with a relaxed atmosphere and plenty of views. It’s a little slice of heaven that inspired the name, which is an homage to Cassandra’s previous job as a Spanish teacher.
“So, I wanted to bring that with me into my new career. That’s where I came up with the name Cielo. Cielo means sky or heaven, and so, that’s why we call it Blue Cielo. We believe that Cielo means tranquility, optimism, and serenity. So, that’s what we try to carry in our brand and at our winery,” says Cassandra.
By: Damon Jones