Before California had a wine industry, America already had Catawba.
It’s one of the oldest cultivated grape varieties in the country, with a history that reaches back to the early days of American winemaking. At Doghobble, it’s part of what makes our lineup feel like a living museum of native and heritage grapes, the kind you can’t taste just anywhere.
Here’s the full story of the grape and the wine. —
What is Catawba wine?
Catawba is a wine made from the Catawba grape, one of the oldest cultivated grape varieties in the United States. An American original, it has deep roots in the country’s early winemaking history and remains a distinctive part of the heritage-grape tradition that Doghobble champions on the DahlonegaPlateau.
Why is Catawba historically important?
Catawba was one of the grapes that helped launch American wine long before European varieties dominated the market. It was widely planted in the 1800s and became one of the country’s most recognized native grapes of its era, used for still wine, sparkling wine, and everything in between. Drinking Catawba today is a direct link to that early American wine story, a variety most modern drinkers have never tasted.
What does Catawba taste like?
Catawba is known for its distinctive, aromatic character and is often made in a lighter, approachable style. At Doghobble it fits naturally alongside our other heritage grapes as a wine with genuine personality and a sense of place, one more flavor with no California equivalent. For the specific tasting notes and style of our current Catawba release, the best reference is always our wines page or a visit to the tasting room, since seasonal releases evolve.
Is Catawba a native American grape?
Catawba belongs to the family of American and heritage grape varieties that thrive in the Southeast’s hot, humid climate, where European vines Vitis vinifera struggle with disease pressure. That natural hardiness is the whole reason Doghobble’s vineyard is built around grapes like these rather than imported vinifera. Read more on why we grow native grapes »
Is Catawba wine sweet or dry?
Catawba can be made across a range of styles, from dry to sweet, which is part of what made it so popular historically. Doghobble’s approach leans toward dry and off-dry, food-friendly wines with balanced acidity and structure. For the current style of our Catawba, check our wines page or ask our staff when you visit.
How does Catawba compare to Norton?
Both are American original grapes grown at Doghobble, but they sit at opposite ends of the spectrum. Norton, our signature “queen vine,” is a full-bodied, age-worthy red. Catawba is the older, lighter, more aromatic counterpart. If Norton is the bold headliner, Catawba is the heritage piece that puts it in context. We wrote a whole post on this exact matchup. Read Norton vs. Catawba: Two of America’s Native Grapes »
Where can I try Catawba wine?
Doghobble Wine Farm grows and makes Catawba on-site and pours it at the Trellis tasting room in Dahlonega, GA. Come in for a guided or self-guided tasting, meet the alpacas and goats, and see the property where these historic grapes still grow. See where Catawba fits in the complete guide to Doghobble’s wines », or browse our full wine list »
Doghobble Wine Farm
10 Roy Grindle Road, Dahlonega, GA 30533
(470) 310-0491 · hello@doghobblevineyard.com
Sunday–Thursday 12–6pm · Friday–Saturday 12–7pm · Walk-ins welcome
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