Top 100 red wines of Arkansas

Discover the top 100 best red wines of Arkansas as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the red 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

Château Peyrabon in Bordeaux gets new owner

BCAP, a group controlled by the Castéja family, has agreed to acquire Château Peyrabon and Château La Fleur Peyrabon from Millésima, a subsidiary of the Bernard family, a joint-statement by both families said. Financial details weren’t disclosed. Peyrabon, in Haut-Médoc, was ranked as a ‘Supérieur’ estate in the Cru Bourgeois 2020 classification, which saw the ranking return to a three-tier system. ‘Supérieur’ is above standard Cru Bourgeois level but below ‘Exceptionnel’. Millésima and the Bern ...

Join Decanter’s Champagne Krug masterclass in New York

Decanter Fine Wine Encounter NYC is a one day event on Saturday 18th June bringing together prestigious wine producers and aficionados from around the globe in one of the world’s greatest cities – New York. We have curated a fantastic line-up of masterclasses which guests can participate in throughout the day and we’re very excited to host a unique Champagne masterclass with Krug – an opportunity to taste and converse with winemaker Jérôme Jacoillot from the renowned Champagne house. ...

The rise of California Cabernet Franc plus 20 top wines worth seeking out

In the wake of the second destructive wave of the phylloxera bug in California in the 1980s and 1990s, Cabernet Sauvignon rose to such prominence and dominance (especially in Napa Valley) that I, like most people, assumed it must now be the most expensive grape variety in the state. Wrong. That would be Cabernet Franc. Top 20 California Cabernet Franc wines Slowly, steadily and quietly, Cabernet Sauvignon’s father has displaced its son* as the priciest grape to buy and the grape that is generati ...

The best wines of Arkansas in other styles