Hillside Winery

Cassidy was amazing! Her knowledge and advice was truly the best, and she was so personable. She made going to a wine tasting alone, not seem like I was alone at all. Plus, the wines were so good that I ended up joining the wine club! You have to try the black and blue wine! It was my favorite.

This location was amazing! John our guide was knowledge and so friendly. He gave us great advice and we purchased a bottle on his recommendation! The GM Katelyn was also excellent! How do you get great service, products, and experience in one location?! I'll definitely return. I inquired about crackers after the wine and cheese sample and Katelyn gave me complimentary packets for my birthday. We stumbled across this experience but I'm so glad we did! John and Katelyn, thanks for helping make my birthday great camo style!

Hillside Winery offers a genuinely pleasant tasting experience, largely thanks to the staff. Service was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable without being pushy, which goes a long way in a busy tourist area. The standout was the Carnival Delight wine. It is well balanced, flavorful, and easily the most memorable pour of the visit. If you enjoy sweeter or dessert leaning wines, this one is worth stopping in for on its own. The main drawbacks are logistical rather than experiential. The location is a bit awkward to access, with a rough approach and very limited parking, which can be frustrating depending on traffic. As for the rest of the wines, they are good and enjoyable, but not particularly distinctive compared to other wineries in the area. Overall, a solid stop with excellent service and at least one wine that truly shines, held back slightly by location and a lineup that does not fully stand out across the board.

What would have once been a five star review from me is now a one star review. I’ve waited a little bit to write this so I wasn’t writing it out of a place of raw emotion. First thing’s first - I don’t consider myself a drinker. My husband and I purchased some wine from Hillside for our engagement trip and honeymoon to enjoy privately which was 8 years ago and have maybe purchased here once since then. It’s an extremely rare treat for us. We are local and were recently on a trip (our first overnight trip alone together since our honeymoon even if it was just down the road) and decided to stop by Hillside because it’s a tradition. This visit was a bit more busy than the previous ones but not terribly. I would say there were probably 3-5 people in front of us. Usually when we come we can walk right in without a wait. There was a small line so we decided to check out the merchandise and have a look around. After seeing the front room we tried to excuse ourselves around some folks waiting their turn for a tasting. As we were making our way around them, a woman at the tasting counter immediately scolded me for trying to cut the line. I explained that we were not trying to take anyone’s place in line and that we just wanted to have a look around until it was our turn to purchase what we came there for. I guess because it had been so long since I had been there I wanted to just check things out, see if there was anything new or different just for the fun of it. Taking a look around was never an issue on the previous visits and was encouraged so it didn’t occur to me that it would create an issue. She argued with me that we couldn’t get our own bottle of wine anyway and that it was better to wait our turn for a tasting. I told her we weren’t even interested in tasting anything because we already knew what we wanted but just wanted to look around while waiting our turn. She wasn’t happy. We looked around for a few minutes and during that time I expressed to my husband that I wanted to leave without making a purchase because it hurt my feelings. He insisted we get some because it’s a tradition and something rare and special. We got back into line. When it was our turn the same lady that scolded me scowled at us then pointed us into the direction of a young man with a much more positive and friendly disposition. He offered us tastings and we declined, asked for what we wanted and he went to get it. When he got back to the counter with our purchase he joked that “we were experts” and tried to soften the blow which I appreciated. Maybe the woman was having a bad day of her own. Maybe she was trying to practice crowd control…who knows? There couldn’t have been more than twenty people in there altogether. I’ve managed much worse crowds on jobs. I’m sure most people can relate to having certain experiences at places that stand out to you and become a core memory. I’ve had a few of those experiences here where something funny or endearing was said and it just stays with you. That’s what Hillside was to me. I had never had a bad experience before this trip so it was very shocking. I’m not the type to get embarrassed easily but it was humiliating I think because of how shocking it was. I know the woman doesn’t know me from Adam, but assuming I was trying to cut line (especially with all those eyes there to witness it) was hurtful. I’m the type of person that often feels guilt for holding up a checkout line with a buggy full of groceries. I’m sad because what was a special tradition has been tainted for me. Words stick to my mind like super glue. I don’t forget them. Even if something had to be said I think there was a much more professional way to go about it. Sad to say but my heart is “black and blue” after this encounter because Hillside was such a special place to us. I’m very disappointed, slightly angry and really just sad to have this sinking feeling inside when I think of this place as opposed to the once warm and fuzzy, butterfly, excited feeling it used to bring up in me.

Nice patio, wonderful selection of wines, easy parking, our waitress/server Kaitlyn answer all my questions and knows that she is serving. Nice winery did I mentioned they have a beautiful patio.

Kalan was so great! Excellent at explaining each wine and how they’re made, we really enjoyed our wine tasting experience at Hillside Winery!

This is another stop on the Rocky Top Winery Trail. We both loved the Cotton Candy and Carnival Candy wines and they really tasted like what they are named after. The staff is very friendly and helpful just like in their others locations! It’s great that they have a wide window to see the wine making equipment.

We did the Wine Trail today & started here! John was nice, friendly, & helped us with all of the wine tastings! $5 and we got to try everything! We bought one bottle while we were there. Thanks!

We stopped by Hillside Winery for a tasting. Here is what we tried: *Cantina Bianca - this has always been a favorite of mine. Good muscadine flavor. *Black and Blue - I used to really like this one, but it was only okay to me this time. *Hooligan - Blackberry, Bosenberry & Muscadine - this was only okay to me, definitely a lot going on in this one. *Spiced Sangria - definitely spicy. I did not enjoy this one chilled, but think it would be amazing warmed up as a mulled wine. *Poinsettia - I'm so glad they had this seasonal cranberry wine already in stock for the season. It is amazing, probably my favorite wine of all of our winery stops. I always enjoy coming to Hillside, they have some good selections and are friendly. Definitely recommend if you are in the area.

This is one of the stops on the rocky top tasting trail which you can do for free. Five stops gets you this fun water bottle. You get 4 samples to choose from here plus their wine slushies. The Sangria wine slushie was the best followed by strawberry lemonade. I was not a fan of the Vino Rosso, it had an odd taste, but the black and blue was pretty good and I got that to go with the Sangria slushie mix. Service was great and our server was very nice and informative. I didn't enjoy these wines as much as I did the other stops, but the frozen slushies convinced me to get a bottle that's how good they were.

We had such a fun time doing the Rocky Top Wine Trail over our visit and this was the last stop on our tour! We did the free sampling and then purchased a glass of wine to enjoy while we sat outside and took in the the amazing weather and views. We really enjoyed the wine that we tried and the employees were so friendly and helpful and even suggested some dinner ideas for us. We loved the cute butterfly mural they had outside and it was a great photo spot to commemorate our weekend in Pigeon Forge and completing the Wine Trail.

Lovely spot with really friendly staff. If you don't try the Indian Summer (lemon + blueberry) you're missing out.

I thought this was a great place to visit and try their wine! It was a fun experience and is well worth your time! The service was great! The ambiance was nice. I thought the wine quality to price ratio was too high for me although the wine was ok.

Very nice spot, nice variety of flavors to suit everyone. I'm not typically a wine slushy fan, but I really liked the peach. Don't miss the photo op with the wings on the building. Done by the same local artist that designs their labels.

We went on the Rocky Top wine tour and every other spot we stopped at was great! However this was our last stop of the tour and Monica was terrible. She was so unfriendly as soon as we walked through the door and disrespectful to our group, and rushed us out as soon as she possibly could. AND THEN as our group was leaving one of our members overheard her talking badly about us to other coworkers in the middle of the tasting group. Would not recommend to anyone.

We thought it was a very good experience and our taster did very well and explained all the wines and her preferences. We left with a block of cheese and bottle

Really enjoyed the tasting. The gents were also happy to share some restaurant recommendations. Ended up getting a bag of their spices to make warm mulled wine, and have been enjoying by the fire tonight. We like drier wines and reds. They have good choices.

Great tasting wine. Great people as well. Worth the trip. Only $11 to for a tasting. Not the whole vineyard experience (inside at a bar), but still great.

We stopped in on the last night of our trip for a wine tasting. Really chill atmosphere. No pressure to buy anything. The hubby and I tried the whole wine list which was only $5. The pours were the standard amount. We really loved the peach wine slushee and drank it on their porch. We definitely will go back the next time we visit. We bought a bottle for a friend and another for pasta night. I am not a big red fan, but their reds were on point.

Free wine tasting. You can pay a bundle for a bus tour but we opted for driving ourselves--with a designated driver. Five vineyards; 4-5 samples at each. Noncomplex wines, no palate cleansers, but engaging hosts and hostesses so a fun time with friends!

This was our first stop on the Rocky top Winery Tour and Ashlyn was our server and she didn't disappoint. Wonderful experience and we will be back next time we are in town.

Went on vacation & was visiting Tennessee from Maryland. During the week we were there we visited this winery along with their sister wineries and it was an amazing experience! If you participate in their pour trail by visiting 3 locations you get a free wine glass & if you visit all 5 locations you get a free tumbler. All the locations are very close to each other and were very easy to do in an hour or so.

This was a very pleasant surprise! Most every place that we have went to here in pigeon Forge have very sweet wines, this place has a variety. They have sweet, semi sweet, dry, and bubbly. Love love love this place. There is a wine for every pallet. The ladies behind the wine tasting are very sweet and personable. They do ship to any place that you need them to ship to and they do offer military discount. The more you buy the bigger the discount.

James was amazing with our wine tasting! I will be back the next time i'm in town! Lots of fun!

Stopped by the tasting room on the Wine Trail. James was an amazing server and helps direct our palettes to some amazing wines, hot wine, wine slushies, and other beverage options. Spoke to the benefits of the recurrent wine packages and the pros and cons of each package. Very helpful person and wonderful overall experience.

Great atmosphere. Enjoyed the conversations with the staff. Located in the center of Pigeon Forge.

Fun tasting experience! Thank you Shawnda you were a great hostess! Lots of yummy wines. Taste all for $5.50! 4 for free but come on go for all.

Beautiful view. Friendly, not rushed tasting experience w/Renee. She is knowledgeable and welcoming. We are dry wine drinkers & they have 2, Pinot Grigio & Barbera, which we liked enough to buy. Good place to get away & enjoy!

This is my go to place in Pigeon Forge. I have come here many times throughout my trips . I have been coming here for years. The employees are always nice . I love the frozen wine and yep we always get about 6 bottles of wine blk and blu. They are having tastings and have had tastings so to the person who said they werent you must b confused. The cheese is good too! This is by far the best winery!!!

James was GREAT. He is first to explain the wine club so of course, I joined. Hillside Winery is always my favorite!

Renee was sweet as strawberry wine! Very helpful on our wine selection and just delightful. Would recommend the Black and Blue

My wife and I were just out seeing the sights during a rain storm while waiting on a music show to start in the evening. We saw the winery sign and decided to stop in at the Hillside Winery. We were pleasantly surprised. We really enjoyed almost every variety of wine. Katelyn was very helpful in explaining the details of the various flavors. She also told us about the Wine Trail that this winery is part of. We decided to visit all of the other winery locations the next day with a free gift of wine glasses after visiting three of them. Each location was very friendly and inviting.

this was the first experience that we have had, and really did enjoy the wine walk. Each place that we went was very nice and everyone was helpful. However, James really set the bar when we visited Hillside. Thank you, James.

James is the best! He helped make sure our bachelorette party was a smash!

First time at Hillside Winery and all the wines were amazing! James gave us a great experience and was super kind and charismatic! Loved coming here!

Renee was very helpful in our finding the best wine for us. She was pleasant and very informed. Thank you.

I went in there earlier today and Becca helped me. She was so friendly and recommended wines that I would like in the free tasting. You can taste up to 5 wines but you can try all of their wines for only $5. I purchased the Barbara wine (I'm not a fan of dessert wines) I told her I was there on my honeymoon and she gave me and husband complimentary wine glasses. I highly recommend this winery! There gift shop was also very cute. I will definitely be back on my next trip to The Smokies

We had a good time sampling and Renee took care of us. The wines are mostly dry or sweet with one semi-sweet, which was delicious. You get to sample four wines free and then the bottles run around $30. The gift shop had lots of really cute stuff, so worth a look even if you aren't sampling. Renee was friendly and shared some tips, making our time there fun.

James was absolutely amazing his cx service was everything

Loved this place. Have searched for a good sweet red wine for a while. With help from one of the male employees (can't remember his name), I found my perfect wine.....Vino Rosso. Our last day, my husband got me 6 bottles to take home. Will be back for more!!!!

I am so glad we stopped in here. The gift shop is the first room when you walk in, and I loved everything in there. The wine tasting was amazing. You got to taste 4 different wines for free, and every single one was delicious. Renee was great to chat with while we tasted, too. We also got to taste their wine slushy, and it was so good we bought a cupful. You get to pick your cup from the shelf (all cute) and sit on the covered balcony while you enjoyed it. They also sell their wine slushees in bags, so you can enjoy it at home too! We signed up for the wine club, even though we are tourists, since they ship too. It gives you a really nice discount, and she also told us about the "wine trail" where you can taste from different wineries and get a stamp, which gives you rewards for your stamps. What a fun place.

My two best friends and I just stopped at hillside winery to check it out and little did we know, we had one of the best times! Our server, James was absolutely wonderful. He was so friendly and welcoming and introduced us to some of the best wines. We will definitely recommend this winery and server to anyone visiting the other- definitely a must go- to spot!!

My husband and I went in to make our purchase to be stop at entry and told we can make a purchase but no tasting. Umm hello there are couples in here of a different race and they are clearly tasting but whatever. I was a part of their wine club until they stop shipping to my state but every year I stock up. I think today's racism was enough for me.

We did the Wine Tour and Hillside Winery was our last stop. Allison was our hostess and was so sweet. We enjoyed tasting the wines and really enjoyed Black and Blueberry!! After the tasting we asked Allison about places to eat and she did not disappoint us with recommending Five Oaks!

Hard to limit to what you like. James very good at serving and conversation. I bought 6 bottles! But it was all good. Great experience. Recommend fully.

Stopped by here on a cold Sunday & were lucky enough to have Debbie pouring for us. 4 wine & 1 slush samples later, we were laughing along with her humorous quips, while learning about the wines. I would recommend visiting this winery and maybe you'll get lucky enough to have Debbie pour for you, too!

This was our first stop on a little wine trail adventure we took on a Saturday afternoon. They looked really "commercial" from outside, but it ended up probably being one of our favorites from the trip. There is a large gift shop upon entering, which seems to be sort of a theme with the wineries in the area. You can try up to 4 for free, or pay to try a little more. They only had 3 dry wines, so we tried to dry ones and one of the semi sweets that was supposed to be more on the dry end. The wines were pretty good, but we really enjoyed the Zinfandel. Our service was great, and the man who helped us was very friendly and informative. We may have taken a bottle home if we hadn't just bought a bottle elsewhere. If you're hitting the wine trail, I recommend starting here.

we had such a great time with Renee! we came for a bachelorette party and we really enjoyed ourselves!

These wines were trash, very syrupy and none were enjoyable in our tasting. The people are nice and all but we will not be back.

Well, what can I say? We stayed at the nearby hotel and decided to go to the winery for some wine tasting and fun. Turns out it wasn't quite what we were expecting. It's a very small winery and it was a few minutes before closing time. The ladies were every so gracious and allowed us to sample a few of their products and we purchased a bottle of wine and went back to our room. I was expecting a bit more of the place but that's just from my prior wine tasting experiences. It's a nice place.

This is a 4 star for a winery in the area of Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg, TN. No it is not Napa Valley or Sonoma people. It is a lot of mountain wine around here so lets clear this up - berries grow a plenty in the mountains and so there will be lots of blueberry/blackberry / raspberry based wines. So SWEET wines ok. (Our running joke after visiting 3 wineries in the area was when a wine was listed under "Semi-sweet" and tasted like pure syrup we would use the line from Princess Bride "I do not think that word means what you think it means". Whatever, you will understand if you ever visit the wineries in this area ). Now that we are clear on this, lets review. Our server was a doll! He was cute and sweet and funny. You get 4 samples of your choice for free but can purchase more if you want to try more. Of the 3 wineries we visited, the wine here was the best tasting in every category. My two companions liked the blueberry/blackberry blend to be used as a dessert wine the best. I liked the sparkling brut style wine the best. I won't get into comparing cabs or Sangioviese or pinot noir types with a mountain winery because they just wont be the same as a Napa, (or a French wine or Italian). But for the area it was good wine and kind service. I would go back here.

Nice place to get a couple of samples of free local wine Alex was great very informative about the wine and we even bought a bottle.

Your visit to Sevierville, TN, in the Great Smoky Mountains is not complete without a visit to the Hillside Winery. I have been to the wine tasting at Hillside Winery several times and always look forward to returning . Hillside Winery specializes in Italian Style and Bubbly Wines. They also make a large selection of sweet wines which I think are quite good . This year they had a special wine, 'Black and Blue', a blackberry blueberry wine which may be my favorite. It excited my palate, is very good tasting and is good for you too. I also really liked the 'Cantina Blanca', which was very aromatic and sweet and was a blend of Italian Muscato and Tennessee Muscadine! The cost per bottle is in the area of $15 - $19 at all of the 'Rocky Top Wine Trail ' wineries. The tours are educational and family friendly. (The kids usually get grape juice). Limited tastings were offered and we were lucky enough to arrive during that time ! All of their wine is made on sight and is a very good wine. We always bring a few 'souvenirs bottles' home.

My family and I were in town from Florida. God do we love the smokies. Unfortunately this is a stop we should have not made. The place is cute inside but the managers are HORRIBLE. As I walked in, I was greeted by a lady by the name of Sara. ( Manager later found out) she had on a tank top with a lot showing, which I don't think is appropriate. Especially with children and husbands coming in. It's a wine place!!!!! She was very rude to the customers in a fake sort of way. She was very bossy to the employees there and was very talkative about customers. How they should have bought stuff, wine tasting free doesn't mean to just come in a taste. You should buy something. I looked at her and she smiled saying " I was just kidding". Of course I didn't find it funny. Of course at this point I'm ready to go. The wine was good but the service was horrible. I asked earlier to the manager Sara. Who was the district manager of this location. She stated SHE WAS! Looking further into it because I was just so disappointed and disgusted. She is only the GENERAL MANAGER. What else could they be lying about? The vibe when you walk in, doesn't seem so friendly. My son was playing with his sisters Barbie and a gentleman with short facial hair, hat looked over at the wine stand to the employees to laugh. My son is 5!!!!!!!!!! I will never be back. I've called corporate and I will definitely tell people about this place! Don't Go Here. Especially if you have kids or lgbtq. You won't feel welcomed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is our favorite winery in the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area and look forward to visiting on every trip. We decided to bring our two friends this time to try a tasting together. We enjoyed the entire experience with great employees who are friendly and helpful! We can't wait to return to restock our wines!

I enjoyed the wine sampling here. We stayed at the Wyndham so we received 6 free samples with 10% off our purchase. My favorites were the Hillside Mist, which is a sparkling Asti and Black and Blue, a wine made of blackberries and blueberries. It is supposed to be a healthy, antioxidant wine, so that was my first choice. What I loved to do is mix the Hillside Asti and the Black & Blue, which tastes amazing by the way! I enjoyed both wines and our bartender was very informative in helping us choose our wines :)

We tried Hillside as part of the Rocky Mountain Wine Trail. The muscadine wine at most other place in the area blew us away. Here it was not good at all. We had a hard time even finishing our free samples at this winery.