On my recent media trip to Sevierville, Tennessee, I got to tour and participate in a wine tasting at Hillside Winery. Our group got to go in the back, right where the wine is made, and see first hand what goes into making a great, local wine. After that, we got to sample one of the dry and one of the sweet wines.
Wine Tasting At Hillside Winery
One of the big perks to blogging is that I have gotten to learn about a lot of different things that I was not really exposed to before. One of those things is wine and other alcoholic beverages. Don’t get me wrong, I have partaken in many alcoholic beverages in my day, but it was a very small variety mostly consisting of beer and cheap, convenience store wines. As a person turning 40 this year, it’s time to class it up and expand my horizons a bit, wouldn’t you agree?
If you are like me and still learning what pleases your palate, then a wine tasting at Hillside Winery is a great place to start. Wine tastings are free, so if you are looking to buy a wine to add to your collection, you can try a sample first to make sure you buy something that you will enjoy. I am partial to the sweet wines myself. I have tasted a couple dry that I liked but, if given the choice, I will take sweet or semi-sweet every time.
Touring the back of the house was really interesting. I had no idea that it took so much machinery and man hours to put together a nice bottle of wine. With all of this, added to the cost to maintain the plants and fruits used in producing the wine, I am really shocked that they can sell it for as little as they do.
Everything about the wine bottle is strategic. You know the big indention in the bottom of some wine bottles? The one that makes you think you are getting less wine {not try by the way – you still get the same ounces}? Well, that is on purpose – it’s for your safety. That indention helps to keep the bottle from shattering in case the clumsy among us {me!} drops the wine bottle on the floor. Nothing spoils a nice glass of wine like a cut foot. Or a messed up ring finger {shout out to Jimmy Fallon} Am I right?
And the cork takes about 1,000,000 pounds of pressure {my calculations might be exaggerated just a smidge} to get that baby in the bottle. You can’t do it. So a machine does. It was all very cool to check out in person. Next time you drink a glass of wine, think about all the work and care that went into producing it and making it perfect, just for you. 🙂
Get Social With Hillside Winery
I love, love, love wine tastings! I have found a few new ones that I really liked by going to these kind of tastings 🙂
Me too. It’s a perfect way for those who don’t know much about wine to learn what they like.
Love wine tastings. I was at one on the Cape and really enjoyed it…and then brought bottles home. Interesting little factoid about the bottom of the bottle! I never knew that! Thanks for sharing with us… now I know the reason!
Karen | GlamKaren.com
I am glad he shared about the bottom of the bottle. I never knew that either. 🙂
This is so cool, we love wine and visiting winery’s around the country. The pink/blush wine looked delicious!
I’d love to visit that winery. The only winery I’ve ever been to was at the Biltmore and I forgot my ID 🙁
Oh no, I can imagine that wasn’t a lot of fun without your ID. I live near the Biltmore and have never been.
I am nearly 35 and I have never been to a wine tasting! We live within driving distance of Door County, WI and I REALLY want to try wine tasting there. Maybe for my birthday coming up . . .
I am 39 and just did my first one. It’s never too late to start. 🙂
I’ve only ever been to 1 wine tasting in my entire life. It’s something that I would like to do more. Seems like you had a great time there.
I love wine, but I never been in wine tasting. I’d love to join the wine tasting as there’s so much information about wine that we can learn. Thanks for touring us to this lovely winery.
Oh wow that looks like a blast!
XO Ellen from Ask Away
I haven’t gone to a wine tasting at a vineyard since I was a little girl.
Which really wasn’t all that much fun at 12 (lol!!) I love that your able to sample the different wines before you buy a bottle. Such a great way to make sure you have the right match!
Mmmm wine tastings are so much fun!
I have never been to a wine tasting, but I know many who have, its a great way to spend a day with the girls! And shopping of course!
Now, did you have to spit out the wine? Because that is where wine tastings always lose me 😛 I love pinot noir – my favorite wine ever! I started with the sweet ones, but as the years have gone on, I have moved towards the reds. But, Pinot Noir is still fruity, yet a little dry – yum!
Nope. I drank it down. Granted, I didn’t drink that much, but I definitely didn’t spit it out. 🙂
I love going to wine tastings. I used to work for a wine company and they were so much fun!!
Wow I never knew that the indentation in the bottle was to prevent clumsy people -me- to not cut their foot open. What a neat idea.
I love going to wine tastings – aren’t they so fun? I will have to make it a point to do one soon as it’s been a couple years since I’ve been to one and I always enjoy them
So much fun! I love learning (and drinking) about wine and all the different varietals. I didn’t know Tennessee had wineries!
I also enjoy sweet wines. I really want to go on a wine tasting. Le Sigh, someday
This winery is so cute! I would love to go to a wine tasting!
Southern Soul
It looks like you guys had a lot of fun! I love going wine tasting. We have been to both Napa and Sonoma (we live about an hour away), and it’s nice to find a small winery and get to talk to the wine maker, and take in the scenery.
Omg I live for a good wine tasting!!!!! Tasting of any sort really lol. This looks like it was a fabulous one!
I love to go to local wineries. There are so many now found in the Midwest.
I live by a lot of Wineries here in California I don’t drink but have been to a few tastings with family and friends.
We go to wine tastings all the time in California. It’s part of the reason we moved here.
What a cool experience. I’d love to go to a wine tasting one day to learn more, I’m not very savvy when it comes to wine lol I let my sister pick it out for me since she’s better at it. 🙂