Visit The Smokies this Summer for Wine Tastings, Wine Trains and Winefest
Summer will be here before you know it and with it comes The Smoky Mountain Gatlinburg Wine Fest in June. Canceled in 2021, this usually annual event, is a full weekend of wine and fun and crisp mountain air.
The Wine Timeline
Wine Fest includes the Gatlinburg Wine Tour on Friday night that takes visitors on a guided tour of Gatlinburg’s wineries and wine establishments. Specific dates are still TBD.
On Saturday, the Gatlinburg Smoky Mountain Wine Fest is sanctioned by the Tennessee Farm Wine Growers Alliance, Inc. The festival features wineries from across Tennessee providing samples of their labels along with small dish fare from the best restaurants in the Smoky Mountains.
Visitors typically sample 1 oz of wine from each of the many vendors. They also have the choice to purchase full bottles of wine to take home. They also get to sample staple dishes from the best restaurants in the Smoky Mountain region. And if you’re interested in learning more about wine, talk to the best sommeliers who will do some wine and food pairings. Visitors must be 21 years of age or older to attend this event.
VIP Tasting
A VIP experience has been offered in addition to regular admission. This includes a VIP hospitality room, early entry to the venue, exclusive sampling opportunities, and more.
For details and information about tickets, contact Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau or the Tennessee Farm Wine Growers Alliance.
If you can’t get tickets or just want to enjoy a weekend of wine and fun, there are many wine tasting options.
Sip Wine, and Ride
Take a train ride while sipping wine!
At The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad in nearby Bryson City, NC, hop aboard for a unique Rail Line and Wine experience that “fuses the adventure of railroading with the love of good wine and good company.”
Uncorked offers a full service All-Adult First Class ride in the railroad’s First Class cars on the Nantahala Gorge Excursion with a private attendant and plush, well-appointed dining seating. A narrator presents each pour to guests and shares knowledge and history of the wines selected. Passengers on this specialty car will enjoy an exclusive sampling of cheeses and a surf and turf meal prepared fresh. Go home with a GSMR souvenir stemless wine glass.
The Menu and the Schedule
On the menu are a sampling of cheeses, a fresh seasonal soup or salad with a warm dinner roll, fresh fish accompanied by tender beef slices topped with a port wine reduction and a carrot souffle. The chef will surprise you with dessert.
Uncorked is offered on the Nantahala Gorge Excursion departing April 23, May 7, June 4, July 30, Aug 6 and Sept 3. Tickets are $139 per person.
Just 46 miles from Gatlinburg, Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is a memorable and relaxing experience. Purchase tickets online or call reservations at (800) 872-4681. All aboard!
Want even more wine? Take on the Rocky Top Wine Trail, made up of five wineries in driving distance of one another. Even better, don’t drive, book a VIP tour that will take you in style to three of the wineries.
Visit The Smokies this Summer for Wine Tastings, Wine Trains and Winefest
Summer will be here before you know it and with it comes The Smoky Mountain Gatlinburg Wine Fest in June. Canceled in 2021, this usually annual event, is a full weekend of wine and fun and crisp mountain air.
The Wine Timeline
Wine Fest includes the Gatlinburg Wine Tour on Friday night that takes visitors on a guided tour of Gatlinburg’s wineries and wine establishments. Specific dates are still TBD.
On Saturday, the Gatlinburg Smoky Mountain Wine Fest is sanctioned by the Tennessee Farm Wine Growers Alliance, Inc. The festival features wineries from across Tennessee providing samples of their labels along with small dish fare from the best restaurants in the Smoky Mountains.
Visitors typically sample 1 oz of wine from each of the many vendors. They also have the choice to purchase full bottles of wine to take home. They also get to sample staple dishes from the best restaurants in the Smoky Mountain region. And if you’re interested in learning more about wine, talk to the best sommeliers who will do some wine and food pairings. Visitors must be 21 years of age or older to attend this event.
VIP Tasting
A VIP experience has been offered in addition to regular admission. This includes a VIP hospitality room, early entry to the venue, exclusive sampling opportunities, and more.
For details and information about tickets, contact Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau or the Tennessee Farm Wine Growers Alliance.
If you can’t get tickets or just want to enjoy a weekend of wine and fun, there are many wine tasting options.
Sip Wine, and Ride
Take a train ride while sipping wine!
At The Great Smoky Mountain Railroad in nearby Bryson City, NC, hop aboard for a unique Rail Line and Wine experience that “fuses the adventure of railroading with the love of good wine and good company.”
Uncorked offers a full service All-Adult First Class ride in the railroad’s First Class cars on the Nantahala Gorge Excursion with a private attendant and plush, well-appointed dining seating. A narrator presents each pour to guests and shares knowledge and history of the wines selected. Passengers on this specialty car will enjoy an exclusive sampling of cheeses and a surf and turf meal prepared fresh. Go home with a GSMR souvenir stemless wine glass.
The Menu and the Schedule
On the menu are a sampling of cheeses, a fresh seasonal soup or salad with a warm dinner roll, fresh fish accompanied by tender beef slices topped with a port wine reduction and a carrot souffle. The chef will surprise you with dessert.
Uncorked is offered on the Nantahala Gorge Excursion departing April 23, May 7, June 4, July 30, Aug 6 and Sept 3. Tickets are $139 per person.
Just 46 miles from Gatlinburg, Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is a memorable and relaxing experience. Purchase tickets online or call reservations at (800) 872-4681. All aboard!
Want even more wine? Take on the Rocky Top Wine Trail, made up of five wineries in driving distance of one another. Even better, don’t drive, book a VIP tour that will take you in style to three of the wineries.
Rocky Top Wine Trail Continues
The Rocky Top Wine Trail is in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains and offers more than 75 unique, high-quality wines to try. The trail is free to do. Start at any of the wineries on the list. Pick up a passport and then present that passport at each location to receive a stamp. After visiting three locations, receive a free souvenir wine glass, and if you finish the trail by visiting all five locations, receive another free gift.
Each winery along the trail offers a “unique style of wine. At Hillside Winery, 229 Collier Drive in Sevierville, visit the vineyards of Tuscany in The Great Smoky Mountains. Featuring Italian-style and celebratory wines, Hillside Winery from more traditional wines like Sangiovese, to its best-selling Black and Blue, to the award-winning Muscadine Mist.
Partnering with local grape farmers, Hillside Winery crushes more than 856,000 pounds of Tennessee grapes annually for its wines. The winery offers outdoor seating, tours, wine slushies, cheese trays, tastings and wines by the glass.
Beyond The Grapes
Apple Barn Winery at 220 Apple Valley Road in Sevierville, uses locally grown apples instead of grapes for its wines, made on site.
Located on the banks of the Little Pigeon River in the Apple Barn Village, the Apple Barn Winery offer outdoor seating, those popular wine slushies and has a restaurant on site.
Next door is Apple Barn General Store & Cider Mill at 226 Apple Valley Road. Find another restaurant and a bakery along with freshly pressed hard ciders.
Mountain Valley Winery – 2173 Parkway, Pigeon Forge – is one of the oldest wineries in the state and it features some of the most unique wines in the country. Since 1991, Mountain Valley Winery has produced more than 200 exclusive wines garnering more than 1,000 medals from various competitions. Mountain Valley specializes in sweet, fruit wines with popular options including Watermelon, Rhubarb, and Red Velvet — the wine that tastes like a slice of cake. Visit between the hours of noon and 5pm to enjoy a personal tour of the winemaking area on site.
Variety Of Local Wines
Mill Bridge Winery – 3331 S. River Road, Pigeon Forge – is located in the Old Mill Historic District of Pigeon Forge and offers both a variety of local wines and handcrafted hard cider. Spend the afternoon sitting on the outdoor patio overlooking the Little Pigeon River with your cider flight tasting or glass of wine.
All five locations offer free limited samplings gifts, and two of the five offer tours of the winemaking facilities.
Buy VIP Tickets
Don’t want to drive? Take a Private VIP Tour of 3 Wineries. Receive a few extra samples, unique discounts, a swag bag and a personalized experience. Locations currently include Mountain Valley Winery, Hillside Winery, and Mill Bridge Winery.
VIP tickets can be purchased online. Contact Rocky Top Wine Trail at (865) 366-1664.
When you’re finished take a bottle (or two) back to your American Patriot Getaways cabin to enjoy as you take in the view.
Fun Wine Facts
Here are some fun wine facts:
1. Usually defined as the fermented juice of grapes.
2. Wine was being cultivated in the Middle East by 4000 BCE and probably earlier (Britannica.com)
3. Grapes are the most planted fruit all over the world (Newsweek)
4. Fear of wine is real and it’s called oenophobia
5. There are 10,000 varieties of wine grapes existing worldwide
6, The top three most significant producers of wine in the world are France, Spain, and Italy. The US (California) ranks fourth, followed by China in fifth place (Newsweek)
7. You need to drink 7 glasses of orange juice or 20 glasses of apple juice in order to get the same amount of antioxidants in wine (Newsweek)
8. The oldest known wine cellar is on the Titanic. When divers went down to the wreckage, surprisingly most of the bottles were still intact (Gooseneck Vineyards)
Toasts From Around The World
Today in Ireland, Sláinte! (SLAHN-juh) will due.
- Spanish:¡Salud!(sah-LOOD)
- French: Santé !(sahn-TAY)
- German: Prost!(prohst)
- Swedish/Danish/Norwegian: Skål!(skohl)
- Russian: За здоровье!(zah zdah-ROHV-yuh)
- Italian: Cin cin!(cheen cheen)
- Turkish: Şerefe!(cheh-reh-FEH)
- Portuguese: Saúde!(sah-OOH-jeh)
- Japanese: Kanpai!(KAHN-pai)
Book A Cabin!
Ready to book an amazing cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains and start planning your wine-tasting adventure?
Check out our cabins with incredible mountain views to inspire you!
Check out all of our cabins on our website, or give our friendly Reservations team a call at 800-204-5169. They would love to help you find the perfect fit for your next Smokies vacation.
Already booked your stay? Let American Patriot Getaways help with these useful guides that include insider tips to help you plan the perfect Smoky Mountain vacation. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest area information!
