10 days, 20 Georgia wineries, $40

Here’s a thought to warm your heart during these last, cold and dark days of winter:

Wine Highway Week is just around the corner.

And they’re serious about that “week” part this year. Like a bumper crop of merlot grapes, the annual vine-stravaganza put on by The Winegrowers Association of Georgia has outgrown its roots — instead of taking place on two weekends, like last year, the 2017 “vintage” begins on May 24 and runs straight through April 2.

That’s 10 days for those of you keeping score at home. Better yet, start studying the map, available here on the GWA web site, of the 20 participating wineries, plus four more “affiliate members’” tasting rooms. The locations stretch from Jasper and Ellijay as far north as Rabun County (Tiger Mountain Vineyards, which was the subject of a fascinating book a few years back, is one of three Rabun wineries on the tour).

The tour costs $40, however many or few wineries one hits. The fee will be collected at the first winery visited, at which point “travelers” will receive a “Wine Highway Week” collectors glass and a passport good for admission at all participating wineries throughout the week (There’s no advance sale of passports, although they’ll be available at every winery, so you can start the tour wherever and whenever you like).

Like the wineries themselves, no two stops should be exactly alike, according to the GWA:

“Member wineries and Affiliate Members will each provide their own unique openhouse format, with many offering food and wine pairings, music, barrel and library wine tastings, discounts, drawings and other special attractions.”

For additional information about Wine Highway Week 2017, visit www.georgiawine.com.