Page 58 - Cityview_Jan_Feb_2014

SMOKIES SPOTLIGHT

by Katy Koontz
THREE CHEERS

FOR THE SMOKIES:

Wine, ’Shine, and Suds

T

here’s no sense whining
about winter when you can wine warm your winter months with a tour of some of

about it instead. While wineries the many wineries, breweries, and distilleries in
in the area have been around for the Smoky mountain region.

quite some time (in fact, one of
them happens to be the oldest winery

in the state), two are fairly new and five
sister wineries (all owned by local busi-

nessman Don Collier) are now part of the
Rocky Top Wine Trail. If you visit any

three of the five wineries that participate
in the trail, you’ll be rewarded with a

souvenir wine glass. Visit all five, and you
can add a free t-shirt to your haul. Want

maximum class with your glass? Arrange
for a stretch limousine to take you on a

four-hour tour of the trail (www.rocky-
topwineries.com; 865-389-9490).

If you’re more into mash (or even
microbreweries, for that matter), the

Smokies have that covered, as well.
Since it’s become legal to sell moon-

shine in Sevier County (as of 2009), two up the last drop of your holiday eggnog, (made from 100 percent honey). Nectar
distilleries have sprung up right on the head to the mountains for a little more is the name of a popular honey and

Parkway in downtown gatlinburg. And liquid cheer to keep you warm this win- mango wine, Courage blends honey
a third (Sugarlands Distilling Co., whose ter. It certainly beats relying solely on and apples, while Screaming Apricot

labels sport quotes from legendary the hand-knit socks you got from Aunt mixes honey with, well, apricots (big
Smokies author Horace Kephart) is Agatha for Christmas.
surprise). A blend of honey and musca-

poised to open any day now.
dine called Pride of the South is espe-
Below is a round up of wineries, WINERIES
cially popular. To please the purists in

distilleries, and one prominent micro- Eagle Springs Winery (www. your entourage, Eagle Springs also sells
brewery in the Smoky Mountain region. eaglespringswine.com; 865-465-3186) a few traditional dry and semi-sweet

All the wineries and distilleries offer in Kodak is the newest winery in the wines, as well.
free tastings, and the microbrewery sells Smoky Mountain region. It opened in A few times a year, Eagle Springs

samplers of up to six different beers in october 2012, right off of I-40. The sells a thousand bottles of a limited
5-ounce glasses. So after you’ve lapped
specialty here is honey-based wine
edition wine called Sanctuary to ben-

56 cityviewmag.com january february 2014