Dr. William “Sonny” and Mary Ann Hardman, owners of Persimmon Creek Vineyards, today announced the addition of California-based consultant Marco Cappelli to their team. Through periodic trips to Georgia, Cappelli will work closely with Dr. Hardman, Persimmon Creek’s winemaker to help take the boutique winery’s production “to the next level.” 

Cappelli, who earned a B.S. in enology from U.C. Davis, was mentored by legendary winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff and apprenticed in Italy and France before beginning his career in the United States.  Cappelli is widely known for his 17 year tenure at the award-winning Swanson Vineyards in Napa Valley, California, where he earned the respect of fellow winemakers, critics and wine enthusiasts alike. His approach to growing grapes and making wine is based soundly in the science of the craft, one of the elements that attracted him to working with the Hardmans and Persimmon Creek Vineyards.

Cappelli now owns his own vineyard in the Sierra foothills and serves as consultant to many California wineries; he never intended to expand his business outside the state. He met Dr. Hardman through a mutual friend and says he was struck by the winemaker’s scientific perspective and commitment, piquing his interest in the Georgia vineyard’s operation.  An exploratory trip followed.

“I was impressed by how Sonny had set up his vineyard and winery. The wines are very clean and well crafted,” says Cappelli. “Persimmon Creek is better outfitted than many much larger wineries and has tremendous promise for further accomplishment. I feel very strongly these wines can be as good as any produced in the world – all the raw components are there.  Also, as any wine professional knows, winemaking is only half the equation; the other half is sales and marketing, and with Mary Ann Hardman promoting the product, the winery is positioned to take advantage of its winemaking successes”

Dr. Hardman and Cappelli will focus on the vineyard, working with elements such as: vine trellising, canopy management, the positioning of chutes and leaves, and pruning. The shared goal is continuous improvement and growth for Persimmon Creek wines, their concentration, intensity of color and flavor, and how they express the terroir – or sense of place – of the site in North Georgia. 

“Engaging Marco’s consulting expertise is an important step for Persimmon Creek Vineyards,” says Dr. Hardman. “The success and recognition we’ve already realized with our wines is beyond our wildest expectations; yet we learn every day from what is still a relatively young vineyard. We seek to raise the bar with each year’s vintage.”

Persimmon Creek Vineyards sits at 2100 feet elevation on 110 acres in Clayton, Georgia. It is privately owned by Mary Ann and William “Sonny” Hardman. Persimmon Creek produces four varieties of wine: Riesling, Seyval Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The wines are served in more than 25 leading restaurants and hotels in Atlanta and the southeast including: Bacchanalia, Restaurant Eugene, The Cloister at Sea Island, The Ritz Carlton Hotels Buckhead, Atlanta and Reynolds Plantation, Old Edwards Inn in Highlands, NC, Bluepointe, Chops Lobster Bar and many more. The wines are also featured on the wine lists at Quince in San Francisco, Apropos in New York and have garnered national and international acclaim. They are available retail at Sherlock’s Wine Merchants and Whole Foods Markets.  Persimmon on the Square, the enoteca-style shop and tasting room in downtown Clayton, GA, serves as an extension of Persimmon Creek Vineyards: a welcoming outpost for Clayton area visitors and residents.  Winery and vineyard tours are offered during special events and by appointment. More information is available at www.persimmoncreekwine.com.