Anyone who loves wine will want to go wine tasting while they’re in the Smoky Mountains! There are plenty of wineries in Gatlinburg to visit, but you’ll have the best time if you follow along the Gatlinburg Wine Trail! Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about this tasting trail.
What to Expect
The Gatlinburg Wine Trail is made up of 5 wineries, and you can visit them yourself as a self-guided tour, or you can book a VIP Wine Tour for more of an experience.
If you choose to do the self-guided route, you can visit any of the wineries in any order. At the first one you visit, just let one of the employees know you plan on doing the wine trail. They will give you a passport, or you can print it yourself.
At each of the stops, you will get a few wines to sample. The wines will typically be the most popular flavors or signature wines that the store offers. Wine tasting doesn’t cost anything at any of the wineries.
When you get to the 3rd stop on the trail, you will receive a free gift. You’ll receive another gift after the last stop as well!
The VIP Tour
For a more elevated experience, you can sign up for The VIP Wine Tour on the Gatlinburg Wine Trail.
This is a private tour with a guide that drives you to the wineries. On this tour, you will only visit 3 of the wineries, and they are Cades Cove Wears Valley, Cades Cove Townsend, and Sugarland Cellars Winery.
Along this tour, you will receive more free samples compared to the self-guided tour. You’ll also get access to discounts on any purchases at the wineries, a swag bag, a charcuterie board at Sugarland Cellars, and expedited service in the tasting rooms.
Wineries on the Trail
So which Gatlinburg wineries are on the Gatlinburg Wine Trail? Here are the wineries on the list:
Sugarland Cellars Winery
Sugarland Cellars Winery takes pride in the Smoky Mountain area. Each wine is named after a historic figure, landmark, or significant area. They offer traditional wines, like Pinot Noir and Malbec, as well as unique wines like Elkmont and Cherry-Kee.
Cades Cove Wears Valley and Townsend
Cades Cove Cellars has two locations along the Gatlinburg Wine Trail. The first is located on Wears Valley Road, and the second is in Townsend. They also have named their wines after things in nature and areas specific to the Smoky Mountains. You’ll get to taste some of their most popular flavors, like Roaring Fork or Laurel Bush.
Little Bear Winery
Little Bear Winery is located in downtown Gatlinburg. They have a variety of wine flavors, with some of the most popular being Two Berries that is the perfect blend of blueberries and blackberries and Black Forest wine, which tastes just like the cake.
Bootleggers Winery
Bootleggers Winery is also on the trail, and they are in downtown Gatlinburg right off the Parkway. The owners are sisters who are passionate about Appalachian wines. You can’t go wrong with their muscadine wines, and they even have holiday wines you should try if they’re available!
Now you know all about the Gatlinburg Wine Trail. We know you can’t wait to experience it for yourself the next time you’re in town! Ready to start planning your trip? Look through our Gatlinburg hotel rooms, and book one for your next vacation!
