< Back to Oral History project: Wine in the South

ORAL HISTORY

Robert Taylor

Tilford Winery & Farms

Tilford Winery, in the central Georgia town of Kathleen, is named in honor of Tilford Taylor, the father of proprietor Robert Taylor. The winery (and some of the grape arbors) sit behind Robert’s white clapboard home in a suburban neighborhood. Robert, who works a full-time job at the Warner Robbins Air Force Base, believes his operation is the only one in Georgia owned and operated by an African American.

Robert’s family hails from downstate Mississippi, specifically the small town of Utica. Although there is a tradition of winemaking among members of the family, Robert did not consider making wine from native muscadine grapes until, in 1999, he was diagnosed with lymphoma. He was out of work for fifteen months, and during that time he began exploring the health-giving properties of resveratrol, a compound found in muscadine grapes and the wines made from them. Resveratrol is now being employed as a nutriceutical in response to a number of ailments.

Tilford Winery uses Magnolia and Carlos varieties of muscadine to make white wine. Noble is their red wine grape of choice. They sell their products to consumers online.