John and Martha Ezzard of Tiger Mountain Vineyards are living the kind of life some of us only dream of; the classic Park Place-to-pastoral story of how two people, wanting to save a family farm, left the known and ended up creating something all together new, different — and after ten years — successful.

Martha says it best, via email: “John (pictured) and I returned to Georgia (both of us are natives) from 23 years in Colorado to save a five-generation-old farm where John was  born and where he milked cows as a boy. I dumped my law career to return to journalism at the AJC (1993-2003 on the editorial board) and John traded a busy city medical practice in Denver for a part-time country one to make this work. We built a house in the vineyards, designed by our daughter, and have loved the whole adventure, not without its bumps, of course.”

Now, after ten years, they are celebrating with a party on October 17, billed as the Old Highway 441 Rabun Red Bash. It will feature some of the vineyard’s older vintages, including Tiger’s benchmark Rabun Red wine, a five grape blend. It’s $15 per person, and includes barbecue, mountain music and a picnic overlooking the vineyards.  For reservations, email tigerwine@windstream.net or call 706-782-4777 by October 12.