Appalachian Region Wine Producers Association
The Winery at Seven Springs Farm is a member of the Appalachian Region Wine Producers Association (Nine Lakes) and participates in its wine festivals and wine trails. The Appalachian Region Wine Producers Association was formed in 2015 to promote the common interest of its members in the grape and wine industry of the Appalachian region of East Tennessee. The central mission of ARWPA is establishing identity for our wines, promoting quality and teamwork – fostered in participation in regional wine festivals and wine trails – and encouraging long-term investment in a vibrant and thriving wine industry in East Tennessee.
History of Nine Lakes
In the 1930s and ’40s, the Tennessee Valley Authority built 32 dams along the Tennessee River system to control flooding, generate hydroelectric power for remote regions, and create a 650-mile navigable route between Knoxville and the Ohio River. Six of those dams created nine lakes within an hour’s drive of Knoxville: Norris, Cherokee, Douglas, Melton Hill, Watts Bar, Fort Loudon, Tellico, Chilhowee and Calderwood Lakes. Today these Nine Lakes and their tributaries, combined with valleys and ridges surrounding them, provide a unique growing region for vineyards, which are flourishing on Tennessee’s gentle hills.