Imagine yourself taking a long hike through the Smoky Mountains and finding the perfect spot for a picnic. You unpack your food and a bottle of fabulous local wine and enjoy your meal as you gaze at magnificent hills and valleys. If you are planning a getaway to Gatlinburg, there are a few wineries that you should visit. Some of them offer tours and they all have delicious libations that will let you relax and appreciate your time in the Gateway to the Smoky Mountains. The town has a wine trail where you can find some of the best vino in the region. Here are the wineries you will find on the trail during your Gatlinburg getaway.
Gatlinburg Wine Trail
The Gatlinburg Wine Trail features five local wineries – Cades Cove, Cades Cove Wear Valley, Sugarland Cellars, Bootleggers, and Little Bear Winery. As you work your way along the trail, you’ll sample the unique wines from each winery, and get gifts at your third and final stops.
You can taste your way through all five wineries or take a private “Gatlinburg VIP Wine Tour” featuring three of the local wineries: Cades Cove Townsend, Cades Cove Wears Valley, and Sugarland Cellars. On your personalized tour, you won’t have to worry about having a designated driver and everyone can enjoy the tastings. Plus, you’ll get extra samples, (yay!) special discounts—including a 15% discount on any purchases you make during the tour—and a complimentary swag bag full of goodies. Book your tour online, where you can also pick up a few bottles of the wine you enjoyed from the comfort of your lovely Gatlinburg rental or once you’re back home.
Little Bear Winery
631 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Located in Baskin Square, this winery is open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm Sunday through Thursday and 10:00 am to 10:00 pm Friday and Saturday, and they have free tastings daily. It is the newest winery in town. All the wines are made from local fruits, and they serve traditional wines like Merlot and Pinot Grigio. They use a lot of flavors that are unique to the Smokies. A few of their popular flavors include Two Berries (a delicious blend of blueberries and blackberries), Black Forest Wine (customers liken this popular wine to a cherry tootsie pop or black forest cake), Blackberry Peach (blackberry, peach, and grape blend), and Raccoon Red (a unique combo of blackberry, pomegranate, and watermelon). You can also pick up a hard cider (try the Berry Patch), wine freezers and spices glasses and gifts.
Cades Cove Cellars (and Cades Cove)
7126 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Townsend, TN
Founded by two generations of two local families and located in the community of Townsend (on the “peaceful side of the Smokies), this winery is housed in a rustic building that was constructed in the 1800s. You may see wildlife that is indigenous to the area and you will taste some truly fabulous homemade wines. You can purchase a dry or sweet sampler pack that includes six bottles of wine. They also have a best-seller sampler pack. They are open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm daily. Cades Coves offers free tastings, and a gift shop with a wide selection of wine accessories, gifts, and crafts made by local artists
Sugarland Cellars
1133 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
If you want to enjoy a free wine tasting right in the heart of the city during your Gatlinburg getaway, you will love this place. Sugarland has partnered with local Gatlinburg artist Robert A. Tino and the non-profit group Friends of the Smokies and each season, Sugarland releases a limited-edition wine with Robert’s artwork to raise funds for the preservation and protection of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
They have free wine tasting seven days a week and offer wine slushies, cheese trays too, as well as wine-by-the-glass. They have a wide selection of sweet, dry, and semi-sweet wines. A few of their popular wines are a loganberry wine named Elkmont and a cherry wine called Cherry-Kee. They are open on Sunday through Thursday from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm and from 10am to 9pm on Friday and Saturday.
Bootleggers Homemade Wine
903 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
The two sisters who own this winery make their vino in small batches with equipment that you would find in your own kitchen. They bottle each batch by hand! The sisters make wines that pair with cheese, meats, sweets, and veggies. Popular flavors include the Homegrown Muscadine Blush or Homegrown Scuppernog (a rich, mellow Southern staple with a soft, apple-pear finish!).
They are open from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm on weekends and holidays and 10am to 10pm Monday through Thursdays and offer free tastings. Bootleggers is a must if you love fruity, earthy wines.
Where to Stay
Unfortunately, you can’t walk down the streets of town sipping wine. You are going to have to have a place to enjoy your drinks. The folks at The Cabin Rental Store can find you the perfect vacation home. Call us today to book a home for your wine tasting getaway to Gatlinburg!