Top 100 wines of Arkansas

Discover the top 100 best wines of Arkansas as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the wines that are popular of Arkansas and the best vintages to taste in this region.

Discovering the wine region of Arkansas

Arkansas is a state in the south-central United States, bordered by Texas to the southwest and Mississippi to the east. Although nearly half of Arkansas' 75 counties are "Dry" (the rigors of Prohibition are still with us), the state has a small but growing wine industry. It is concentrated mainly around the Arkansas River, on the southern edge of the Boston Mountains. Both vinifera and Hybrid grapes are grown in the state, with Chardonnay, Merlot, Niagara and Muscadine among the most important plantings.

Arkansas covers an area of approximately 137,000 square miles, ranging from the flat, wetlands along the Mississippi River to the mountains in the northern Part of the state. Most of the state's vineyards are located along the Arkansas River in the northwest. It is here that the state's three sub-AVAs are found, forming three concentric circles, one within the other. The relatively small town of Altus is in the Center, surrounded by the very large Arkansas Mountain, which in turn fits comfortably into the colossal Ozark Mountain.

News from the vineyard of Arkansas

Drinks industry ramps up efforts to raise money in aid of Ukraine crisis

In addition to the fine wine auctions reported on previously by Decanter, further initiatives have been set up to raise money for those in crisis. UK-based wine importer Les Caves de Pyrene has been helping to relocate families fleeing from war-torn Ukraine and settle them in safe havens across Europe, in accommodation provided by the importer’s European winemakers. To help cover the logistical costs of relocating families, the importer has announced it will hold a fundraising auction and charit ...

Lucio Tasca d’Almerita dies

Lucio Tasca d’Almerita died in Palermo this week, on 25 July, aged 82. In Sicily he was known simply as ‘Conte Lucio’, such was the reputation of the Count and the amount of respect and affection people had for him. Lucio was one of the pioneers of winemaking on the island from a technical point of view, but moreover he was able to demonstrate how effective the modernisation of Sicily could be from a cultural standpoint. Born in Palermo on 9 January 1940, he was an athlete in his youth and even ...

‘Historical Super Tuscan’ producers unite under new association

Sixteen founding members launched the new ‘historical’ SuperTuscan wine committee in Florence last week. Paolo Panerai, of Castellare di Castellina, is president of the newly formed Comitato Historical Super Tuscans, with Davide Profeti, of San Felice, as vice-president. Piero Antinori, whose Tignanello and Solaia are some of the best-known SuperTuscans, is the committee’s honorary founder. The association has set its headquarters in Castelnuovo Berardenga, near Siena, and its foundi ...

The best wines of Arkansas in other styles