You do not have to drive into the busiest part of the Smokies to find Tennessee whiskey, local wine, moonshine, and tasting rooms.

Townsend has both a winery and a distillery right in town, while Wears Valley, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg add enough options to turn an afternoon into a full tasting trip.

For guests staying at Tremont Lodge & Resort, Cades Cove Cellars and Company Distilling are the two closest places to start. From there, you can head through Wears Valley for more wine and moonshine or make a longer day of it in Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg.

This guide covers some of the best distilleries and wineries near Townsend, TN, with addresses, phone numbers, what each stop is known for, and how we would work it into a Smoky Mountain trip.

Staying with us? Browse Tremont Lodge rooms and suites or see more things to do in Townsend, TN.

Business information and hours were checked in September 2026. Tasting policies, hours, and experiences can change, so confirm directly before making a special trip.

Distilleries in Townsend, TN

You only need to drive a few minutes from Tremont Lodge to find one of the most complete distillery experiences on the peaceful side of the Smokies.

Company Distilling combines whiskey and bourbon tastings with cocktails, food, riverfront outdoor space, events, and a Townsend-exclusive bottle experience. It feels much more like somewhere you can spend part of an afternoon than a quick retail tasting counter.

Company Distilling

Company Distilling’s Townsend location sits on 13.5 acres along the Little River, with the Townsend Greenway passing beside the property.

The distillery offers tastings and tours, a bottle shop, handcrafted cocktails, mocktails, craft beer, indoor seating, a heated patio, and a riverside beer garden.

One of the most unusual options is its Fill Your Own Bottle experience, currently offered with an 8-year single-barrel wheated bourbon at the Townsend location.

As of September 2026, the distillery lists regular hours of Tuesday through Sunday, 11 AM–8 PM, with Monday closed.

This would be our pick if you want the closest full distillery experience to Tremont Lodge rather than simply a tasting counter.

Wineries in Townsend, TN

Townsend’s main winery is Cades Cove Cellars, and it is one of the easiest tasting stops to add before or after exploring the Smokies.

Cades Cove Cellars

Cades Cove Cellars is the primary winery in Townsend and produces its wine locally at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.

The tasting room offers free wine tastings every day with no reservation required, plus a gift shop, bottles to take home, and a viewing area where visitors can see parts of the winery’s laboratory, tank room, and bottling operation.

The winery produces everything from traditional grape wines to sweeter fruit-forward options, and wine slushies are especially popular during warmer months.

As of September 2026, published hours are:

Monday–Thursday: 10 AM–5 PM
Friday–Saturday: 10 AM–6 PM
Sunday: 11 AM–5 PM

This is an easy stop to pair with a scenic afternoon, dinner in Townsend, or a quieter couples trip.

Distilleries & Wineries in Wears Valley

Wears Valley is the next area we would look at if you want to expand beyond Townsend without committing to downtown Gatlinburg.

It sits between Townsend and Pigeon Forge and has a noticeably quieter mountain feel than the Parkway.

Cades Cove Cellars – Wears Valley

If you enjoy Cades Cove Cellars but are already driving toward Wears Valley or Pigeon Forge, the winery operates a second tasting room along Wears Valley Road.

The winery describes this location as a smaller alternative to its main Townsend facility, with best sellers, location-specific selections, and wine slushies available to enjoy on the deck.

Tennessee Shine Co. – Wears Valley

Tennessee Shine Company’s Wears Valley tasting room is the brand’s original Smoky Mountain location.

The company focuses heavily on flavored moonshine and whiskey, with tastings available at its regional locations.

If you want to try moonshine without heading all the way into Gatlinburg, this is one of the more convenient options from the Townsend side of the mountains.

Tennessee Mountain View Winery

Tennessee Mountain View Winery sits almost next door to Tennessee Shine’s Wears Valley location, making the two easy to combine if your group has both wine and whiskey drinkers.

The winery is known for a relaxed tasting experience and mountain views, with sweeter and fruit-forward options appearing frequently in visitor feedback.

Distilleries & Wineries in Pigeon Forge

If Pigeon Forge is already part of your itinerary, you can add several larger Smoky Mountain tasting-room experiences without planning a separate trip.

Mountain Valley Winery

Mountain Valley Winery has been producing Tennessee wine for decades and is one of Pigeon Forge’s established winery stops.

Its tasting room carries a wide range of wines, with sweeter selections and frozen wine drinks particularly popular with visitors.

Old Forge Distillery

Old Forge is one of our favorite Pigeon Forge options if someone in the group wants more than flavored moonshine.

The distillery produces moonshine, bourbon whiskey, gin, cream liqueurs, and other craft spirits beside the historic Old Mill.

Visitors can watch the stills, sample spirits, browse the bottle shop, or stay for a cocktail in the lounge or patio area.

Ole Smoky – The Barn

The Barn brings Ole Smoky’s moonshine experience into The Island in Pigeon Forge.

Expect guided tastings, whiskey and moonshine, shopping, outdoor activity, and live music rather than a quiet traditional winery atmosphere.

This is the better option when tasting is only one part of a larger Pigeon Forge day.

Tennessee Shine Co. – Pigeon Forge

Tennessee Shine’s Pigeon Forge location sits just off the main Parkway on Teaster Lane.

Like the Wears Valley tasting room, it focuses on moonshine and flavored whiskeys and works well for visitors who want a casual tasting experience without committing to a formal distillery tour.

Distilleries & Wineries in Gatlinburg

Gatlinburg has the highest concentration of major tasting rooms in the Smokies.

It is farther from Townsend, so we would only make this part of the plan if you already want a Gatlinburg day. Once downtown, though, several tasting rooms are close enough that you can explore more than one without repeatedly moving the car.

Sugarlands Distilling Company

Sugarlands is one of Gatlinburg’s major distillery experiences.

Visitors can sample moonshine and Appalachian-style spirits, order cocktails, shop for bottles, and book behind-the-scenes distilling experiences.

For travelers who want a more structured distillery stop rather than simply walking up to a tasting counter, this is one of the stronger options in downtown Gatlinburg.

Ole Smoky Moonshine – The Holler

Ole Smoky’s original Gatlinburg experience is built around Appalachian moonshine, whiskey, guided tastings, live music, and a high-energy downtown atmosphere.

It is one of the most recognizable distilleries in the Smokies and works best for travelers who want the tasting itself to feel like an attraction.

Old Mountain Wine Company

Old Mountain Wine Company is located near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park end of the Gatlinburg Strip.

The winery offers free tastings, sweet and dry wines, fortified wine, mead, hard cider, cocktails, and an outdoor patio with fire pits and games.

The outdoor patio is also pet-friendly.

Closest Distilleries & Wineries to Tremont Lodge

If you do not want your tasting day to involve a long drive, keep it simple.

The two obvious choices are:

Cades Cove Cellars for wine.

Company Distilling for whiskey, bourbon, cocktails, and a larger distillery experience.

Both are right in Townsend, which means you can enjoy a tasting and still have time for Cades Cove, hiking, the Little River, dinner, or an afternoon back at the lodge.

The next logical tasting area is Wears Valley, where Cades Cove Cellars, Tennessee Shine Co., and Tennessee Mountain View Winery are clustered along Wears Valley Road.

Best Distillery for a Full Afternoon

For guests staying in Townsend, we would start with Company Distilling.

It has more to do than a typical tasting room: spirits, cocktails, beer, food, outdoor seating, the Little River, games, events and the Fill Your Own Bottle experience.

Because it is in Townsend, you also avoid turning a tasting into a long round-trip drive through Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg.

Best Winery Near Townsend

For proximity and convenience, Cades Cove Cellars is the obvious choice.

It is located directly in Townsend, offers complimentary tastings without advance reservations, and lets visitors see part of the winemaking operation.

For a couples trip, it also fits nicely with a slower Townsend itinerary: wine tasting in the afternoon, dinner at Dancing Bear or another local restaurant, then back to Tremont Lodge.

See our full guide to restaurants in Townsend, TN when planning dinner afterward.

Can You Visit a Winery or Distillery With a Dog?

Policies vary by property, so always check before bringing a pet into a tasting room.

Company Distilling’s Townsend property welcomes friendly pets in its outdoor patio area, according to the Tennessee Whiskey Trail.

Cades Cove Cellars is also currently listed as dog-friendly, including its tasting-room experience.

Old Mountain Wine Company in Gatlinburg explicitly welcomes pets on its outdoor patio.

If your entire Smoky Mountain trip includes your dog, read our guide to a clean pet-friendly hotel in Townsend, TN.

Tips for Visiting Smoky Mountain Wineries & Distilleries

Do not try to visit everything in one day. Townsend and Wears Valley pair naturally. Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are better treated as separate outings.

Check hours before leaving. Hours can change by season, day of the week, weather, or private event.

Have a transportation plan. If several people in your group plan to taste, designate a driver or arrange transportation rather than building the day around driving between tasting rooms.

Mix tasting stops with other activities. A Townsend tasting day can work well with Cades Cove, Foothills Parkway, Tuckaleechee Caverns, shopping, or dinner.

Remember that not every stop is adults-only as a property. Several distilleries operate restaurants, outdoor spaces, stores, music, or other experiences that families can visit even though alcohol service itself is restricted to adults 21+.

Pair a Tasting With a Townsend Day

One of the advantages of staying in Townsend is that the winery or distillery does not have to become the entire itinerary.

A relaxed day could look like:

Morning: Drive Cades Cove Loop Road.

Lunch: Grab something from one of our favorite Townsend restaurants.

Afternoon: Taste wine at Cades Cove Cellars or visit Company Distilling.

Evening: Head back to Tremont Lodge for the pool, hot tub, fire pit, or a quiet night around the resort.

You can also browse the full guide to things to do in Townsend, TN if you are building a longer trip.

Stay Close to Townsend’s Wineries & Distilleries

You do not need to stay in downtown Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge to enjoy Smoky Mountain wine, whiskey, bourbon, and moonshine.

Tremont Lodge & Resort keeps you close to Cades Cove Cellars and Company Distilling in Townsend, with Wears Valley, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg available when you want to venture farther out.

Then, when the tasting is over, you come back to the quieter side of the Smokies.

See Rooms & Rates at Tremont Lodge

Planning the rest of your trip?

Read our guides to Cades Cove, horseback riding near Townsend, Tuckaleechee Caverns, and the best hiking trails near Townsend.