Cavendar Creek Vineyards and Winery, Dahlonega, Georgia, USA

In this first piece of this regular series, Doorways International would like to profile a unique North Georgia property. Combine an 1820s hand-hewn log cabin, 11 acres of land with donkeys, sheep and a “pasture guardian” dog, an additional four acres of land planted with grapevines, a tasting room, a working winery, set in the beautiful rolling North Georgia hills and, collectively, you have Cavendar Creek Vineyards and Winery.

It’s not every day that a property like this comes along. Dr. Claire Livingston knew that to be the case and snatched it up before it was officially listed on the market. Ironically, Dr. Livingston’s career and life had, previously, been about as far away from wine-making as one could get. Possessing a Ph.D. in Anatomy and Cell Biology, she spent most of her career in academia, teaching everything from neuroanatomy to cytology to embryology at colleges in middle Georgia.

A native of Dublin, Georgia, Claire admits she has always loved wine, including its culture, the history, as well as the art and science of wine-making. For many years, she went around saying—half-seriously and half-joking—that she was going to retire to North Georgia and buy a winery. Well, the universe must have heard her because, like a success story out of the popular book The Secret, that is exactly what eventually happened.

In early 2015, an opportunity came up that Claire could not pass up. She had found a Realtor by searching the internet. Dan Easton, a very involved and known agent/real estate company owner in the North Georgia Mountains region, began making calls on Claire’s behalf. He found a man whose winery was not for sale, but who was willing to give Claire a tour of the property and talk about owning a vineyard. Over several weeks, the relationship with the original winery owners, Raymond and Donna Castleberry, grew. They decided it was time to retire and sell the unique property to Dr. Livingston.

“I knew nothing about grape growing or wine production when I purchased Cavender Creek,” explained Claire Livingston. “However, I’ve learned to embrace this drastic change. I’m absolutely loving it! I’m living the dream! This was one opportunity that I felt, if I didn’t take it, I would regret for the rest of my life.”

Today the vineyard produces around 15 different types of wine. Production from year to year varies, depending on the harvest, and averages about 2,400 cases of wine annually. Livingston revealed plans are already in place for expansion. A barn is planned that can be turned into an event venue. They have recently been taking on some new lines of wine that they don’t make themselves at Cavender Creek. Staying true to their local roots, all wines are grown and made in Georgia. Measures are being taken so the winery can eventually sell wines online and ship wines.

And how many wineries do you know where you can go for a tasting and spend the night in a pre-Civil War log cabin? The cabin was originally built in Tennessee. Cavendar Creek’s original owners purchased the cabin, had it dismantled and shipped to the property in Dahlonega, Georgia. Their timing was critical, as the historic property was scheduled to be torn down to make room for a subdivision.

The cabin has been modernized to incorporate electricity and running water and now rests on a concrete foundation, as opposed to the dry-stacked pile of rocks it was originally built upon. It features two, king-sized bedrooms, each with a full, private bath, a wood-burning fireplace in the living room and upstairs bedroom, kitchen and three covered porches.

It was intended to serve as the tasting room for the winery, but it quickly became clear it would be too small for that purpose. So the nearly 200-year-old structure was turned into a guesthouse and a tasting room building was constructed behind the cabin area.
While Claire Livingston’s unconventional real estate purchase came about in an equally unlikely way, it is absolutely clear that she is loving this next phase of her life. And we want that to be part of the form and function of Doorways International. We strive to have people find the real estate of their dreams. Whether it’s an Italian villa, a tropical island property or a sprawling mansion on acreage, the properties featured in each issue are the stuff of dreams.

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” If part of that dream involves owning amazing real estate, Doorways International is the right place to begin the process of making those dreams come true.