Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What does the name Chateau aux Arc mean?

A: Chateau is French meaning "house near a vineyard." Our owner's last name is House, so she thought that it was fitting. Aux Arc, pronounced "Ozark," is the original French spelling for the Ozarks.

Q: What is the history of your winery?

A: It is hard to compress ten years into one paragraph, but we’ll try. Audrey House purchased land in the Altus, AR area in 1998, while she was still a senior in Oklahoma. Camping out in tents during the weekends and during the summer, while still attending school, the vineyard started to take shape. Chateau aux Arc officially opened its doors in 2001 with Audrey’s 1999 Chardonnay and 2000 Altage. Jump to fall of 2005, the Chateau aux Arc tasting room was moved to its current location, just off of Highway 186. Click here for more information.

Q: What varieties of grapes do you grow?

A: Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Cynthiana, Cabernet...just to name a few. Chateau aux Arc currently is the largest propagator of Cynthiana grapvevines in the United States, as well as having the largest Chardonnay and Zinfandel vineyards in Arkansas.

Q: Where are you located?

A: We are located in the middle of Arkansas Wine Country, Altus, AR. While traveling on Interstate 40, take Exit 41 and drive two-and-a-half miles south down scenic Highway 186. The Chateau aux Arc tasting room is located on the right. Look for the white flags and our stone gardens.

Q: Who is Audrey House?

A: Born in 1976, Audrey is the oldest daughter of Byron House III. She is one of the youngest winery owners in the United States, as well as the only female winemaker in Arkansas. Dividing her childhood between Arkansas and Oklahoma, Audrey came to appreciate the scenic beauty of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas River Valley. Audrey is part Tom Sawyer. Who else could convince their friends that it would be fun living in tents in the middle of a vineyard during the summer of 1998? We could elaborate for pages, but why not visit the Chateau aux Arc tasting room and find out about Audrey for yourself?

Q: Where can I find your wines?

A: The easiest way to find our wines is by visiting our tasting room. Select liquor stores in Arkansas also retail our wine.

Q: How much do you charge for tasting?

A: We charge a small tasting fee for most of our wines. The fee, however, includes a complimentary wineglass to keep as a souvenir.

Q: Do you offer tours?

A: Currently Chateau aux Arc does not offer tours of our winery; however, our landscaped picnic grounds and surrounding vineyards lie just beyond our tasting room doors. We are the only winery in Arkansas that offers such panoramic views of our vineyards.