Top 4 Wineries to Visit in Pigeon Forge

The Pigeon Forge area wine scene runs deeper than most visitors expect — four tasting rooms within easy reach of Pigeon Forge cabins, all pouring locally made Tennessee wines with free tastings and the kind of regional flavors that simply don't exist back home.

Mountain Valley Winery

Mountain Valley Winery at 2174 Parkway is one of the oldest wineries in Tennessee — founded in 1991, it has produced over 200 exclusive wine varieties and garnered more than 1,000 awards from various competitions. The focus is French and German-style wines alongside an extensive sweet fruit wine selection: watermelon, rhubarb, peach, berry blends, Red Velvet (described as tasting like red velvet cake), and muscadine. The winery offers free tastings, wine slushies, and behind-the-scenes production tours — in September and October, visitors can watch or participate in grape crushing. The location is right on the Parkway across from the Titanic Museum, making it an easy addition to any Parkway afternoon. Dog-friendly outdoor seating available. Mountain Valley is a Rocky Top Wine Trail stop, so a visit earns a passport stamp. Check mountainvalleywinery.com for current hours.

Elkmont Winery

Elkmont Winery takes its name from the historic Elkmont community in the upper Little River valley of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The winery's Pigeon Forge location sits at 3331 S River Rd, adjacent to the Old Mill district — a natural pairing with an afternoon in the Old Mill shops and distillery. The signature wine is the Peach Cobbler Moscato, the most regionally distinctive bottle in any Smokies tasting room: sweet, fruit-forward, and rooted in local flavors that imported wine varieties don't replicate. The Huckleberry Moscato and Blueberry Pie wine follow the same locally-sourced approach. Tastings are complimentary. Elkmont also has a Gatlinburg location on the Parkway if you're making a day of both cities. Check elkmontwinery.com for current hours at both locations.

Bootleggers Homemade Wine

Bootleggers is the winery at The Island — located next to The Island Creamery in Pigeon Forge's entertainment complex, with a second location in Gatlinburg. Small-batch production: each batch bottled by hand, focused on native Southern grape varieties and local fruit blends. The muscadine and scuppernong wines are the most regionally distinctive offerings on the menu — muscadine is a thick-skinned native grape of the American South with a flavor that European varieties don't produce, and the Muscadine Blush (with a blackberry note) and Scuppernong (medium-bodied, apple-pear finish) are both straightforward expressions of the variety. The blackberry, strawberry, and peach fruit wines cover more familiar territory. The Island location makes Bootleggers a natural addition to a Wheel ride and dinner evening — visit the tasting room before or after the fountain show. Check bootleggerswine.com for current hours.

Tennessee Homemade Wines

Tennessee Homemade Wines' location nearest Pigeon Forge guests is at 1645 Parkway in the Tanger Outlet Mall — the winery itself describes it as the spot for visitors staying in the Pigeon Forge or Sevierville area. Founded by Gatlinburg locals rooted in Appalachian winemaking traditions, the wines are made from local fruits using local craftsmen: blueberry, blackberry, muscadine, strawberry, and the Old Apple wine made from a century-old recipe using locally grown apples. Free tastings across more than a dozen flavors, plus hard ciders in the same location. The tasting menu is extensive enough that spending time working through the options — rather than defaulting to the first thing that sounds good — is worth it; the staff are knowledgeable and steer visitors toward what actually suits their palate. Take-home bottles available, as well as shipping to states where it's legal. Check tnhomemadewines.com for current hours.

The Rocky Top Wine Trail

The Rocky Top Wine Trail connects five wineries across the Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and Sevierville corridor with a passport stamp program — collect a stamp at each stop and receive a free gift for completing the trail. Free tastings at every location. Both self-guided (free map at rockytopwinetrail.com) and VIP shuttle tours (guide drives, you taste) are available. Mountain Valley Winery is one of the five trail stops. For visitors who want to cover multiple wineries in a single day without the driving logistics, the shuttle tour is the practical choice — particularly useful given that tasting adds up across five stops.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are wine tastings free at these wineries?

Yes — Mountain Valley Winery, Elkmont Winery, and Tennessee Homemade Wines all offer free tastings. Bootleggers offers tastings; confirm current tasting policy at bootleggerswine.com. Tasting policies can change; check each winery's website before visiting.

What is muscadine wine?

Muscadine is a thick-skinned grape native to the American South — sweeter, earthier, and more aromatic than European wine grapes. Scuppernong is a bronze-colored muscadine variety. Both Bootleggers and Mountain Valley produce muscadine wines from locally grown fruit. If you've never tried muscadine, the Pigeon Forge area is the right place to start.

Can I take wine back to the cabin?

Yes — all four wineries sell bottles to go, and Tennessee Homemade Wines ships to states where it's legal. A bottle from a local winery opened on the cabin deck is considerably better than the same wine in a hotel room — the outdoor space and the mountain setting are part of the experience.