Wiederkehr Wine Cellars, Wiederkehr Village
Micro Breweries & Wineries in Arkansas
Arkansas wine is a natural byproduct of The Natural State. Back in 1880, two European families settled in the Arkansas River Valley, attracted by its fertile sandy soil and moderate climate. The two pioneers of the American wine industry were Jacob Post, who came to America in 1872, and Johann Wiederkehr, who immigrated to Altus from Switzerland in 1880. Area conditions reminded them so much of the fine wine-making regions of Germany and Switzerland that they each established vineyards, which was the beginning of a wine heritage and wineries in Arkansas. Wine was made from grapes, berries and fruit native to their new homeland. Since those early years, each added new grape varieties, and cultivated, improved and expanded their vineyards. Today, fourth and fifth generations of these two families, plus Robert Cowie and Audrey House, have contributed to making Arkansas the largest and oldest wine producing state in the South.
Want to visit an Arkansas winery? Paris, Ozark and Altus are located in Arkansas Wine Country, just off Interstate 40 northwest of Little Rock and east of Ft. Smith, near where the Arkansas River winds between the Ozark Mountains and the Ouachita Mountains.
Several wineries in Arkansas that offer free tours, wine tastings and special events are:
Chateau Aux Arc, (pronounced "ozark") established in 1998 by Audrey House, is known
for chardonnay and cynthiana grapes; tasting room open daily (479) 468-4400 or 800-558-WINE.
Mount Bethel Winery, an Arkansas winery that has been owned and operated for more than 100 years by a Post family member, produces a wide variety of locally-grown fruit wines:
sip some blueberry, strawberry, blackberry, elderberry, peach, wild plum and, of course, grape! (479) 468-2444.
Post Familie Vineyards & Winery, Taste some wine, shop for gifts and local wine, juice, jelly and vinegar; tours available by request.
Established in 1880. Open daily. (479) 468-2741
Wiederkehr Wine Cellars and Vineyard Tour the original wine cellar (listed on the National Register of Historic Places), which has been
converted into the Weinkeller Restaurant, which serves Swiss and European specialties, and wine. Closed major holidays. 800-622-9463.
In Paris, Cowie Wine Cellars
Vintner Robert Cowie began making wine in 1955; free wine tastings following tours of the cellars; wine making
supplies for sale; amateur wine making competition held in April; home to the Arkansas Historic Wine Museum.
(479) 963-3990. Visitors to the area can also learn more about the region's coal mining history at the Altus Heritage House Museum (479) 468-4684.
Keels Creek Winery opened in 2006 in Eureka Springs in the Northwest Arkansas Ozark Mountains. In addition to its own label, Keels Creek offers one of the largest selections of Arkansas wines in the state. The 10-acre vineyard contains more than 10 varieties of grapes. Co-owners Doug Hausler and Edwige Denyszyn estimate that the optimal production from this Arkansas winery will be about 40 tons of grapes which will make about 5,000 gallons of wine. The retail wine sales and tasting room are located in a Spanish-style building that is shared with Keels Creek Art Gallery.
Another Arkansas winery, the state's newest, is a small farm winery known as Raimondo Family Wines. Raimondo operates its tasting room and produces its wines at Blue Lady Resort in Gamaliel. The Raimondo Family Winery has been producing wine in California for more than two decades.
Brew Pubs & Micro Breweries
Refreshing regional beer and microbrews are available on tap and in bottles, but you can also find a micro brewery in Arkansas in downtown Little Rock, and several popular brew pubs known for their handcrafted ales and lagers found in restaurants and bars in Little Rock and Fayetteville. Tour the breweries and brew pubs of Arkansas.
Diamond Bear Brewing Company in Little Rock is Arkansas's only production brewery. Its craft beers include Southern Blonde Ale, Pale Ale and Irish Red, which can also be purchased in western Tennessee and northern Louisiana. Public brewery tours, which take 45 minutes to an hour, are offered at 2 p.m. every Saturday on a first-come, first-serve basis. Private group tours are available by special arrangement. The 6,000-square-foot brewery may also be rented for catered private parties. The Diamond Bear Brewery is located three blocks from the Arkansas State Capitol at 323 Cross Street, Suite C, Little Rock (501) 708-BREW (2739)
Less than a mile from the State Capitol is Vino's Pizza Pub Brewery. This Arkansas micro brewery produces 6 Bridges Cream Ale, Firehouse Pale Ale, Lazyboy Stout, Ouachita ESB, Rainbow Wheat, Quawpaw Quarter Porter, Aphrodite Red Ale, English "Old Style" Ale, Pinnacle IPA and Shamrock Stout. The Little Rock restaurant, well known for New York-style pizza, calzones and live music, provides beer growlers for brew to go. 923 West 7th, Little Rock (501) 375-8466;
Bosco's, a restaurant for beer lovers, is located in downtown Little Rock's River Market area. Bosco's has numerous beers brewed on-site and available on tap. Food offerings include appetizers such as smoked duck spring rolls, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, pasta and entrees such as black bean and goat cheese tamales. 500 President Clinton Ave., Little Rock. (501) 907-1881
Hog Haus Brewing Company, a popular gathering spot and restaurant on downtown Fayetteville's Dickson Street, serves numerous seasonal and special brews, plus an eclectic menu of traditional pub food including steak, fresh seafood, pasta, salads, appetizers and more. 430 W. Dickson, Fayetteville.