A Little Wine from Little Rock--and Beyond

Arkansas wineries are holding their own during the recession, partly due to the fact that they're not aiming at the high end of the market.

Michael Post of Mount Bethel Winery south of Altus which is the center of Arkansas' wine country noted, "However, our cost of goods and cost of doing business has risen, making our profit margins somewhat slimmer. Wine bottles, wine labels, sugar - all those things have gone up."

Arkansas wineries generally keep their prices in the $5 to $8 range. Indeed, luxury vintners - those producing wines selling for $25 a bottle or more - are hurt by the recession. But most Arkansan wines sell at prices well below would put them in a "luxury" category.