DAHLONEGA - There was a time, and it's still true under certain circumstances, that when revenue agents visited a place in the north Georgia hills were alcoholic beverages were being made it was not a good thing.
But, times have changed - and a visit recently by state Department of Revenue agents from the four corners of Georgia to Lumpkin County and Three Sisters Vineyards is an example of that.
The tours were organized by Special Agent Carter Leverette, who serves as the official liaison to the Georgia Wine Industry.
Agents viewed the crushing of grapes, processing, fermentation and bottling equipment, winery laboratory equipment, tasting room set-up and licensing. The tours were conducted for "special training and familiarization of the
farm wine industry."
Of course, revenue agents still occasionally breakup illegal operations, such as moonshine stills - just as they did in the mid-20th Century when there wasn't too much "legal stuff" being made in Georgia.