Tennessee is known for music, football and whiskey. Wine is not at the top of the list. Instead of wineries, Dollywood, Graceland and the Grand Ole Opry are top tourist destinations.
Oenophiles are committed to altering the landscape. Some Tennessee wineries are making wine that some enthusiasts pronounce rivals acclaimed wines from California and other known wine states.
At the April ABC meeting, the first Tennessee winery for amateur wine makers was approved. Under the new law, individuals can use a winery's equipment to make wine for personal consumption This is a huge opportunity - serious wine makers say that there is no reasonably affordable home wine making equipment comparable to a winery.
The first permit was approved for a Tullahoma winery owned by Cathy Manis. We have no details.
We suspect that the license will become more popular, particularly in cities with serious wine enthusiasts.
