Tennessee's Wine And Cider Trail Is Everything You Need For The Perfect Autumn Adventure
By Meghan Kraft|Published October 19, 2020
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Meghan Kraft
Author
Meghan Kraft loves to travel the world, but she makes her home right here in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a degree in English, and has worked in the digital marketing realm with companies such as Apartments.com, USA Today and HarperCollins Publishing.
East Tennessee is known for its beautiful, soaring mountains, and these very mountains make for an incredible environment in which to grow grapes, apples, and many other varieties of produce. It’s no surprise, then, that the region is full of wineries and cider mills that make some of the best wines and ciders you’ll find anywhere in the country. The Foothills Wine and Cider Trail is the perfect way to sample some of the best out there, and we’ve put together a guide just for you. Check it out!
Stretching through the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, the Foothills Wine and Cider Trail can easily be done in a day, with a responsible designated driver, of course.
The Tsali Notch Vineyard has over 35 acres of vineyards, producing many award-winning wines from the region's native muscadine grapes. Visitors are welcome to sit and enjoy the wines at their outdoor tables or to bring a picnic for themselves! Tsali Notch is open Wednesday and Thursday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Find more information on the Tsali Notch website.
Located near one of the most iconic sites in the Great Smoky Mountains, Cades Cove Cellars has only been around for 8 years, but the owners are expert winemakers with over 80 years of experience. You can taste their award-winning wines any day of the week, with hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m on Sundays. Find out more at the Cades Cove Cellars website.
Located right in the heart of the historic district of Pigeon Forge, Mill Bridge Winery offers some of the best locally-made wines and ciders in Tennessee. Their patio looks out over the historic Little Pigeon River, making this one of the most scenic tasting spots around. They're open for tastings from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Find out more about the winery at the Mill Bridge Winery website.
The last stop on the Foothills Wine & Cider Trail is the Wylie Cider Mill, known for making some of the best hard ciders in the region. They always have unique and varying ciders, which makes this a great spot to visit over and over again. They're open every day of the week from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Find out more at the Wylie Cider Facebook page.
