Difference between revisions of "Wineries"
(New page: '''Wineries''' have a long and storied history in the state of Arkansas. The Arkansas River Valley in particular has great natural potential for grape growing due to i...) |
(No difference)
|
Revision as of 20:24, 22 April 2011
Wineries have a long and storied history in the state of Arkansas.
The Arkansas River Valley in particular has great natural potential for grape growing due to its mountains, valleys, and well-drained sandy soil. Altus is home to four wineries: Post Familie Vineyards & Winery, Wiederkehr Wine Cellars and Vineyard, Mount Bethel Winery, and Chateau Aux Arc Vineyards & Winery. The wineries can be traced back to the 1870s when German-Swiss immigrants settled in the area and began to grow grapes. Johann Andreas Wiederkehr dug out his first wine cellar in 1880. German emigre Jacob Post, fleeing the Franco-Prussian War, founded the Post Familie Vineyards & Winery that same year. Later, his descendant Eugene Post founded Mount Bethel Winery on the original site of the Post Winery, which remains one of the largest in Altus. Each of these places offer free tours and a variety of other tourist attractions. In 1984, the federal government declared 12,800 acres around Altus an American Viticulture area.
