Old Mountain Wine Company

We've hit Old Mountain Wine Company probably six times now, and honestly, the guy behind the counter pours like he's trying to get you drunk. Free tastings of all 60+ flavors they make right there in Gatlinburg, and he's not stingy about it. They've got everything from elderberry honey wine to watermelon wine — stuff you won't find anywhere else.

The Artist Series bottles are gorgeous if you're into that. Local artist does the labels with Smoky Mountain scenes, and part of the sales goes to park conservation. We bought three bottles last time just for the free glass deal, but ended up loving the blackberry lemon wine way more than expected.

It's right at the end of the Parkway strip, which means you can actually find parking nearby without walking half a mile. The outdoor seating area gets packed on weekends though — everyone's sitting around the fire pits nursing their tastings and watching tourists stumble by.

One warning: those generous pours add up fast. We made the mistake of doing the full wine trail in one afternoon and had to call an Uber back to our cabin. The staff knows their stuff and will steer you toward sweeter or drier options based on what you actually like, not just what's popular.

They're open until 11pm every night, which is great for an after-dinner stop when downtown's winding down. Just don't expect quiet wine country vibes — this is Gatlinburg, so there's always a crowd and someone's kid running around the retail area.