Romantic wine weekend getaway in Glennville

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Looking for a romantic wine weekend getaway? You can find a full-service farm winery just an hour away from Savannah in Glennville.

A couple said that they own one of the oldest farms in Georgia. They shared the story of how they got started with WTOC and said that it’s not just about the wine, but the land’s history.

Charles and Deborah Tillman, the owners of Watermelon Creek Vineyard said that making wine takes a year-long process.

Deborah Tillman said that during the winter months, they cut the vines.

“From April they start growing and they go wild in the summer and make grapes. Then come fall after harvest the leaves start turning yellow. So the winter time they are sleeping when we cut so the new growth can produce more growth next year,” said Deborah.

The two opened their doors to the community in 2012, but the history of the 300- acre site goes back to 1812.

“In 2003 I got a call from my cousin in Little Rock Arkansas who inherited this piece of land. He says I am going to sell our grandmother’s homeplace do you want to buy it so I said yeah. So two or three weeks later Deborah and I came over and looked to see what we bought and then began the romance I say with history,” said Charles.

Charles, the 8th generation to live on the land said that at the time, they didn’t know what to do with it, but eventually fell in love after learning more about who lived there before them.

He mentioned that a small child named Hopkins Padgett and his mother and grandmother had a residence on the southbank of Watermelon Creek.”

The property also included a sawmill, grist mill, general store, and post office back in the day.

And today --the couple continues the legacy with their destination venue.

“In about 2007 we got this place cleaned up enough to plant the vineyard, it all started because of a trip to Sonoma Valley.”

Charles says that the vacation inspired them.

“The guys was about 30 years old and growing grapes and I told Deborah I think we can do this. I think this will work, said Charles.”

That is when his life partner turned into a business partner.

The two who will be celebrating 40 years of marriage in March say they are living the American dream.

Charles said he couldn’t have done it without his other half.

“This person told me this, you sound like me and my wife he tells me. I said what do you mean. He said, well we’ve been married for 50 years and now I got half a brain and she’s got half a brain and apart we can do nothing but together we can get by and that’s pretty much what happened.”

Tilman says the vineyard not only brought him and his wife closer but also gives them the opportunity to meet people from all over...

Sot " you know literally in the next hour a car can pull in her from Montreal, or Jamaica or brazil.”

The couple hopes everyone can get a chance to experience what they call their ‘enchanted’ place they call home.

The winery is located at 2977 Mount Zion Church Rd, Glennville, GA 30427. Wine tasting and behind-the-scenes tours of the property are held Wednesday through Saturday. To learn more about what they offer click here.

Copyright 2023 WTOC. All rights reserved.