Lunch with a VIP - Mary Ann Hardman, Persimmon Creek Vineyards

March 1, 2008

The Restaurant:  Ritz-Carlton Atlanta

When it comes to creating the perfect vineyard, Mary Ann and Sonny Hardman are putting Georgia on the map.

There's something you should know about the Persimmon Creek Vineyards (PCV) – it's a small boutique winery that sits on 110 acres in Clayton, Ga., just outside of Athens. But there's more to the story. The vineyard is helping put Georgia on the radar screen of wine connoisseurs and restaurateurs around the world.

Persimmon Creek, which began as a labor of love by Dr. William "Sonny" Hardman, and wife, Mary Ann, produces four varieties of wine – Riesling, Seyval Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Merlot – that are served in more than 25 leading restaurants and hotels in Atlanta and the Southeast, as well as San Francisco and New York. The vineyard, started in 2002, now is in production for its fifth vintage of whites and fourth of reds, selling out each year.

Persimmon Creek is the only Georgia wine on the list at Quince, the San Francisco restaurant owned by one of the world's most famous chefs, Michael Tusk – the same Michael Tusk who spent years as the head chef at Chez Panisse, considered to be the world's finest restaurant. Tusk handpicked the Persimmon wine.

Persimmon Creek was the only Georgia wine represented at the International Wine & Spirits Fair in London, held earlier this year. PCV's booth actually was  across the aisle from a count from Austria. In addition, the PCV Riesling was the first Georgia wine to appear on Whole Foods Market's summer top 10 wines list last year.

 "When you drink wine from Persimmon Creek, you're drinking a story; you're drinking a family; and you're drinking the love of the land it was created on," says Mary Ann, a former kindergarten teacher who serves as co-owner, salesperson, marketer and distributor.

Mary Ann is well aware of the perception that people have about wine made in Georgia. Asked her how she responds to those who view Georgia wine as an enigma and she'll tell you a wine should not be judged on where it's made, but rather how it's cultivated.

During a recent Georgia frost, where the temperature dropped to around 33 degrees, Sonny stayed up for five straight days to ensure the crop was not destroyed. And when a distributor from Jekyll Island wanted an order delivered yesterday, Mary Ann and her three children loaded their neighbor's five-seat Cessna and hand delivered the order. The neighbor is none other than WSB Radio's Scott Slade.

The five-person Persimmon team is a do-it-all-ourselves operation, from laying down the stakes, pruning the vines and picking the grapes, to topping the bottles, punching the corks, and applying the labels and distribution.

Last year, PCV produced 2,000 bottles of wine. (The winery operates under strict green parameters, including recycled by-products, biodiesel fuel and a wind machine.)

"We are not trying to be Napa Valley [or] Tuscany. We are who we are," she says.

And they're growing. Along with weekend wine tastings, PCV is opening its first retail store, Persimmon on the Square, complete with a tasting room and bakery, in downtown Clayton in May. The Hardmans also are building luxe cottages at the vineyard, which will be available for rent, as well as a larger winery, both scheduled for completion this year.

Says Mary Ann, "In every call I make on local distributors, I tell them: ‘We want to grow with you. We are locally owned and operated. What grows together; goes together.'"
About the restaurant

Stylish and comfortable, Atlanta Grill, located in the Ritz-Carlton Atlanta, serves grilled steaks, chops and seafood as well as Southern regional specialties in a warm, club-like atmosphere. Live jazz entertainment adds a spirited ambiance five evenings each week, while the veranda overlooks Peachtree Street. Inside, captivating murals and vintage photographs depict early downtown life, political leaders and celebrities. The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta (Downtown)181 Peachtree St., Atlanta, GA 30303, 404-659-0400. Reservations 404-221-6550, www.ritzcarlton.com