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Kentucky Winery Reviews Acres of Land Winery - No bells or whistles at this Richmond, Kentucky winery - but they do offer a couple of very good wines. The atmosphere in the tasting room was average (although peeking into the restaurant it seemed bright and cheery) and our hostess was lackluster and offered no information to us about the wines we chose to sample - but we did share a tasting tray and sampled a couple of interesting and unique wines. The winery sits on top of a
hill outside the small college-town of Richmond, KY. It was very windy
when we arrived and we hurried to the large building before getting blown
away. I was so eager to get inside, I entered With only 10 wines on the list, it wasn't hard to choose six of them. We left off a couple of the driest whites and the blackberry dessert wine and marked all the rest for sampling. I watched as our hostess poured our samples into shot glasses. She filled them pretty full, so we were getting our money's worth in the tasting fee. There are two wines that I enjoyed especially well. The first was the Maggie Adams Blush. It took a couple of sips to really appreciate the flavor of this unique wine. It's not your usual blush and it leaves a very nice apricot finish. The second wine worth mentioning is the Kentucky Chambourcin - a semi-dry wine with a fruity flavor. It would be perfect with pasta or pizza...or just for sipping. There is a restaurant on-site featuring everything from Country Fried Steak to Filet Mignon, but it was our first stop of the day and we had just finished our usual breakfast when we leave early from home and travel straight to our first winery (Sausage McMuffin). At this point we needed to move on, so we purchased some wine to take home and headed to our next stop. Since the samples are not personally poured at Acres of Land, you probably won't get any in-depth information about the wines you are sampling...but there are a few diamonds in the rough here. Favorites: Maggie Adams Blush and Kentucky Chambourcin. Visited: 10/13/2006. Barker's Blackberry Hill Winery - There's a big difference between those who love wine-travel and wine-travel fanatics. Those who love wine-travel will occasionally travel to areas heavily populated with local wineries. They will visit a couple of the larger, upscale wineries in hopes of finding a wonderful wine to take home with them and drink on their back deck while watching the sunset. Wine-travel fanatics will search out every small winery on a remote country road in hopes of a most memorable experience...plus a wonderful wine to take home with them and drink on their back deck while watching the sunset. We are wine-travel fanatics...and that's how we found this Crittenden, Kentucky winery. In Kentucky, there isn't a major wine region like you will find in a lot of states. Barker's Blackberry Hill is located approximately 30 minutes south of Cincinnati, Ohio on a small country road lined with white fences and horse farms. This was our first visit to a Kentucky winery, so we were anxious wondering what to expect as we pulled into the gravel drive. We saw no other visitors, and as we parked the car the winemaker hopped down from his tractor and began to unlock a rustic looking building. We stepped inside and he welcomed us to his winery - stating that his wife usually does the tastings, but she had gone up to the house to cook supper. He asked us what kinds of wine we liked...and our tasting began. Barker's produces a couple of different types of wine: blackberry, cherry and honey...but no grape varieties. Our host started us out with a honey wine. I thought it was unusual that he began with it...but I soon realized why. It is a dry honey wine and was actually quite good. I'm used very sweet honey wines and this one was a refreshing change of pace. We moved through a dry blackberry, cherry and then a sweeter blackberry. He was sold out of his sweetest blackberry wine that was bottled...although he told us we could buy a barrel of it if we wanted. I found it amusing when I started imagining us driving back up I-75 with a barrel of wine in the trunk of the car. Barker's Blackberry Hill is a unique place to visit. The winemaker offered friendly conversation and some nice wines. If you visit in July or August, you can even pick your own blackberries. I love fresh blackberries...so we may stop back if we're in the area. Visited 4/29/2006. Broad Run Vineyards - Thank goodness that we found one winery open on a Sunday when we visited central Kentucky...and that was this Louisville winery. Most Kentucky counties prohibit the sale of alcohol on Sundays, but not the Louisville area, so we were very pleased that we could make one Sunday visit on a long-weekend wine getaway. I'm glad that we could only visit one winery this particular day, because the sit-down tastings at Broad Run are very relaxed and take an extra-long time. It was a beautiful Labor Day weekend and we had a very nice drive to Louisville from our B&B. We arrived mid-afternoon and there were only a handful of cars in the parking lot. We entered the tasting room building, which was very large. The tasting counter seemed so small in comparison to the rest of the room. There were approximately 8 or 9 seats at the counter and the rest of the room was empty...with the exception of a table or two here and there. I got the impression the biggest portion of this room was mainly used for events and gatherings. The woman behind the counter immediately greeted and asked one woman to scoot down a seat so we could sit at the only two vacant seats that were beside each other. She announced that when someone new arrived...the tasting started over. I wasn't sure if she was serious...but the people beside us were only on their second sample and didn't seem to mind beginning again with us. We sampled almost all of the 18 wines available for sampling at Broad Run. It was a totally relaxed tasting and no one was rushed through their samples. I know we sat there for almost an hour tasting wine and partaking in the cheese, crackers, and other various munchies that were made available. Our hostess (who I believe was the winemaker's wife) was super friendly and her wonderful attitude and knowledge of the wines really added to the whole experience. At one point the winemaker, Jerry Kushner, came in from outside and gave everyone some Gewurztraminer grapes to sample that were fresh off the vine. The winemaker here certainly knows what he's doing, and I very much enjoyed all of the wines that we sampled. I will mention a few that seemed to stand out above the rest: I thought the 2002 Gewurztraminer was wonderful - it exhibited such a sweet floral aroma. I found the 2004 Chambourcin to be fantastic - a very mellow, easy-drinking wine. The 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon - this rare Cabernet aged in stainless steel was surprisingly tasty. I also loved the Rosette - a semi-sweet red with 3% residual sugar that wasn't syrupy sweet and was quite delicious. Since it was our only stop of the day, we decided to stay and enjoy a glass of wine. We could see the railings of a deck through the windows, and we asked our hostess if we could buy a glass and drink it on the deck. She said they didn't have any tables and chairs set up outside at the moment (which I thought was odd being Labor Day weekend - the weather had been wonderful for several months) but she was glad to accommodate us and helped us set-up a spot out outdoors where we could sit down. The view of the vineyards on the hillside was lovely from the back deck, and I wondered why they didn't encourage more people to spend time outside by keeping tables and chairs up at all times. I think it is something their customers would take advantage of if they saw there was seating outside. When we were done with our wine, we came back inside to make a few purchases to take home. It was near closing time and we chatted with the winemaker and his wife for a few moments before being treated to a tour of Broad Run's winemaking facilities. They have a huge area in the basement for production and storage and we were given the grand tour. The most interesting thing we found out was that the owners have kept two cases of every wine they have ever produced. I found that pretty remarkable and wondered if any other winemakers did the same thing. I was very pleased with our visit to Broad Run Vineyards. I especially enjoyed the ultra-relaxed sit-down tasting experience. I was also impressed with the quality of their wines. Though I did personally appreciate some more than others...I thought everything they offered was fantastic. If you're in the mood for some wine tasting in the Louisville area (especially on a Sunday), I highly recommend a visit to Broad Run. Favorites: 2004 Chambourcin and Rosette. Visited 9/2/2007. Chateau du Vieux Corbeau Winery - This winery, located in Danville, Kentucky, is a recent addition to the property of the Old Crow Inn Bed and Breakfast - which is the oldest stone house west of the Allegheny mountains. We were unsure of what we would find here. The website isn't very comprehensive. We knew this winery existed, but we were not sure what types of wine were being offered. Except for a man behind the counter, the spacious tasting room was empty when we arrived. You could tell it was fairly new. The decor was very nice and it was airy and spacious with high ceilings. They have created a perfect wine-tasting atmosphere. We walked up to the counter and the man put down his newspaper and stood to greet us. We told him we were visiting area wineries and he stood silent...almost as if he was unsure why were there. I asked if they did wine tasting and he produced a tasting sheet for us. Our host asked about what types of wines we generally liked, helped each of us pick out a good wine to start with and poured our first samples into clear, plastic party tumblers. Since this winery only produces one red wine at the moment (which is a sweeter wine), they offer several reds from Broad Run Vineyards of Louisville for sampling. He started me out with a few of these reds and started Gary with some of the dry whites. We each sampled 6 or 7 wines while we were there. None of the wines I sampled really stood out above the rest...though Gary did find one he really enjoyed. I wanted to purchase something to take home, but I was having trouble deciding which wine to choose. I thought the wines were priced fairly high compared to other area wineries. I finally decided to go with Gary's recommendation - the Chardonnay. It's actually a semi-sweet Chardonnay. Gary recommended it so highly I opted to purchase a bottle even though I had not personally sampled it. For $16.95, I hope he was right. Favorite: Chardonnay. Visited 10/13/2006. Chrisman Mill Vineyards & Winery - Geographically, Tuscany may be a long way from Kentucky...but this Nicholasville winery does a good job bringing a bit of Italy to the Bluegrass state. From the moment you walk in the door, the decor of the tasting room puts you into another world. The winery cafe also features Tuscan Night Dinners offering food prepared with traditional Tuscan ingredients. We found the tasting room very inviting - with light, creamy colors. It had a feeling of warmth and friendliness. There were so many interesting things to look at. Chrisman Mill had many gourmet foods, sauces and dip mixes on display and I took some time to peruse the gift items before beginning our sampling. A young girl greeted us a invited us to sample the wines. They do charge a nominal fee for tastings. She tried to get a feel for what types of wine we enjoyed, and finally determined that we should try all of them. I found all of their wines quite pleasing. A few worth noting are the Sweet Jessamine Rose (a fresh and fruity blush made from a blend of Vidal Blanc and Chancellor grapes), Sweet Riverbend Red (a wonderful sipping wine...but would make a great accompaniment with many foods for those who don't like dry wines) and the Blackberry (a dessert wine that is sweet, yet tart - one of the better fruit wines we have sampled). Our hostess was very hospitable and knowledgeable and we had her undivided attention throughout our tasting. We were getting close to our hotel and thought it was time to engage in a little more than sampling. We ordered two glasses of Sweet Riverbend Red so we could enjoy the atmosphere at Chrisman Mill for awhile. Though there is plenty of outdoor seating, it was much too chilly to go outside. Our hostess took us to the cozy cafe to have a seat. It was late afternoon and the cafe only serves lunch on a regular basis. We were the only people in the room and we took a seat near the fireplace. All the tables are covered with tablecloths and the high-back chairs are soft and comfy. The ambiance took me straight to Italy and I started taking a good look around at the beautiful wallpaper with some painted murals on the walls. I liked this room so much I started discussing with Gary how I might be able to achieve the same effect in my own dining room. I could tell by the look in his eyes he knew he would be coming to my house this winter to strip wallpaper. We had a lovely time visiting Chrisman Mill. Their wines are quite delightful and everyone is sure to find something they like. We certainly recommend a visit to this winery when in the Lexington area - Chrisman Mill is just south of the city. We would love to return sometime for one of their Tuscan Night Dinners. We saw a sample menu while we were there and it looked incredible...and it was a great price for everything that is included. Favorite: Sweet Riverbend Red. Visited 10/13/2006. Equus Run Vineyards - It was a beautiful, autumn Saturday afternoon and we were driving down a country road to visit our third of four wineries we would be visiting this day. We were in Midway, Kentucky looking at the numbers on each mailbox as we were driving. Sometimes we have trouble locating wineries and we like to know when we are getting close. In the distance I could see many, many cars parked near a few buildings. Could this be the winery? None of the other wineries we had visited had anywhere near so many visitors. As we neared the gathering, we realized it was indeed Equus Run. What could possibly have brought so many people to this particular winery? We pulled into the driveway and had to proceed slowly. There were people walking in every direction carrying wine glasses. There were no spaces left in the main parking area, so we drove down the driveway and into the grass where others had parked. When we got out of the car, I wasn't sure exactly where to go. In the building closest to the car, there was music playing and food being served. There didn't appear to be any wine sampling, so we walked toward the front of the property. We walked to the building I thought was the tasting room, but it turned out to be the winery offices. We realized the small building with the "retail sales" sign must be the tasting room. The room was pretty tiny and full of people. The counter only had room for six or eight people, and it was full. We stood near a wall for a few minutes - and I actually contemplated leaving. I wasn't sure how long it would take us to get to the counter and I wasn't in the mood to fight for an open spot. I decided to wait it out - and actually - it didn't take that long. Many people simply wanted to make purchases and didn't want a sampling at all. Our host was young, energetic and informative. When we inquired about all the people, he told us they were hosting a private party for their wine club members in the back building. For $5.00, members received all the food and wine they wanted...plus free entertainment. No wonder so many people showed up - I would too. Since we were not wine club members, we had to settle for their regular sampling. There were six wines on the tasting sheet for the day and our host proceeded to pour. He provided a lot of information about each wine he poured, which I really appreciate. After we had sampled approximately eight wines, I made a comment about six wines being listed on the tasting sheet. He told us that he liked to pour all their wines for first time visitors to the winery - not just the six daily offerings. We must have sampled close to twelve wines before leaving. I felt two of the wines they produce stand out above the others. Their Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc de Noir is unique and refreshing. This semi-dry rose is fermented in stainless steel with 1% residual sugar. It's meant to be served chilled. It's not often we find something new and interesting...but Equus Run managed to tantalize our taste buds with this one. Another stand- out is the Bacchus Blush. This frisky pale-red wine tempted me into purchasing more than one bottle to take home. It was sweeter than a Zinfandel with a luscious, fruity flavor. On the downside: For being one of the largest wine producers in Kentucky, Equus Run certainly has one of the smallest tasting rooms. I have to wonder if a packed tasting room is a common issue on Saturdays. Also - I was slightly disturbed by the fact that there was food and entertainment and it was reserved for wine club members only. Because of shipping laws, I couldn't even join the club. I actually felt like one of their "unimportant" visitors that day. I personally feel that exclusive events should be held after hours, not during regular business hours. On the upside: They had a great tasting room staff that worked well together. Our host was very entertaining and informative and we enjoyed our time with him. They also produce some excellent wine. It's easy to tell that there's a lot of pride going into the making of their wine. We were more than pleased with all the varieties they had to offer. Favorite: Bacchus Blush. Visited 10/14/2006. Horseshoe Bend Vineyards - This Willisburg, Kentucky farm winery has had a few things to contend with over the years. The vines were planted 10 years ago and for several years the grapes were sold to another Kentucky winery. After awhile, the owners decided start producing their own wine, but the winery is located in a dry county and they couldn't sell their wine on-site. They took this issue to the voters hoping to get an exemption to sell wine directly from the winery...but the issue was defeated and they had to wait three years before attempting to put it on the ballot again. The issue came up for a second vote, and this time it passed. The owners were finally able to offers tastings and sell their wares on-site. Another issue the winery has to contend with right now is the location of their current tasting room - their kitchen. I can't blame them for not building a separate tasting room not knowing if the voters would ever allow them to sell wine on premises. When the issue passed, they opened up their home to the public for tastings and they allow visitors to sit on their deck to enjoy a glass of their Kentucky made wine. This problem will soon resolve itself, because a separate tasting room is now in the planning stages and the owners will regain the privacy of their home. We map-out all of our driving directions online...but we could not get exact directions to this winery and printed the directions from their website. Horseshoe Bend is located a good ways down a very narrow gravel road. We were hoping we wouldn't meet anyone along the road because there were a few places where it would be impossible for one car to pull over and let the other one through. The directions we printed said to turn into the drive just past the cattle chute. We're both city people and neither of us knew what a cattle chute was. We ended up turning into the first drive we came across after we started seeing grapevines. We ended up at the right place...the winery and home of the owners. We parked and tried to determine which of the two entrances we should use, since there was no sign pointing to the tasting room. We chose the wrong one and ended up entering the main door to their house. Our hostess came from the kitchen to greet us and told us not to worry about using the wrong door. She said that she was just packing up an order for some customers that were getting ready to leave and she would be right with us. We followed her to the kitchen and chatted for a few minutes with the two men that had just finished their tasting - who had nothing but praise for the wine they had just sampled. They were hoping for a quick tour before leaving and our hostess invited us to go too before we started sampling. The winemaking process takes place in the basement and the winemaker was hard at work. After a quick tour of the facilities, we went back upstairs to taste some wine. They had six wines available for sampling: Chardonnay, Cabernet, Rose of Cabernet, Vidal Blanc, Cardinal and Goldenrod. The Cardinal (a dessert wine made from the Norton grape) and the Goldenrod (a dessert wine made from Vidal Blanc) were available only for sampling - they haven't been officially released for purchase yet. I did find one wine that I thoroughly enjoyed - the Rose of Cabernet. It is made from the Cabernet Franc grape and I absolutely loved the citrus and berry flavors it exhibited. It started out like a red and finished like a white - I thought it was quite delicious. We had plenty of time to spare before checking into our B&B, and we decided to stay for a glass of wine on the deck. Our hostess asked if we would like some cheese cubes with our wine...and we told her that would be great since we hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast. We took our and wine cheese out to the one table on the small deck and took in the lovely view while we sipped our wine. There are gorgeous views in every direction from this little winery. Half-way through our wine, our hostess came outside carrying a small plate with bread and spreads on it. She said she was fixing herself a snack and brought us a little something more to eat since it had been several hours since we had a meal. I thought it was so nice of her to do this out of the goodness of her heart...and what she brought us was so yummy. We were very grateful. I thought the wines at this little Kentucky winery were fantastic. They told us of plans to build a new tasting facility now that they are able to sell on premises. Though I love finding these wineries off the beaten path, I'm hoping it is built on another part of their property and will be slightly more convenient to visitors. I'm anxious to see what this new winery has in store for the future. Favorite: Rose of Cabernet. Visited 9/1/2007.
The winery is situated on a rural road outside of the city of Lexington. Walking through the doors into the tasting room, we felt like we had walked into a different world. The sleek, modern design of the room made us feel like we had walked into a New York City wine bar. The centerpiece of the room was a large tasting counter with tall chairs for sit-down tastings. It was illuminated by small lights hanging down from long cords from the high ceiling. Instead of the usual tasting room motif of grapevines draped everywhere - interesting artwork covered the surrounding walls and the room had an open and uncluttered feel. Our hostess was Danielle...and the perfect hostess she was. Danielle was very familiar with the wines. She was right on top of things when it came to describing what we were sampling and knowing when we were ready to move on to the next wine - but walking away between each sample so we could discuss what we were tasting privately. The samples were poured into full-size wine glasses, which truly makes the tasting experience so nice. It was a refreshing change of pace from plastic cups or miniature wine glasses. Being a newer winery, I was surprised by the quality of their wines. When I inquired about the winemakers, our hostess told us that the owners had both been born into wine families and wine had been a part of their lives since they were born. This explained the quality wine...I could actually taste the winemaker's passion in every sip. There are three wines that I would like to single-out. The first is the Tempest. This dry red is a blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. I loved the aroma of cigar box and spice as well as the soft, velvety feel in my mouth. The second wine is the Riesling. Gary is a huge Riesling fan and we have sampled many of the big award winning Rieslings from New York State. It was light, citrusy and could easily compete with the top Rieslings. The third wine is the Gewurztraminer. This was absolutely the best Gewurztraminer I've ever had. I find many Gewurztraminers have a bit of a sharpness to them, but this wine is spicy, yet gentle and easy-going. The best words to describe it are absolutely incredible. This was our last stop of the evening and we were pretty close to our hotel, so we decided to stay and enjoy a bottle of wine. We chose the Gewurztraminer and spent a quiet and relaxed evening enjoying our beautiful surroundings and drinking a bottle of exceptional wine. My only regret is that we visited five days before the opening our their new bistro. Danielle had showed us their dinner menu earlier in the evening and my mouth was watering. Both the appetizers and entrees sounded sensational. We hope to re-visit the Lexington area and stop by Jean Farris for dinner. If we do, I will update this review at that time to let everyone know about our dining experience. While talking with others at various Kentucky wineries, we found that many people had not heard of Jean Farris Winery...but I'm confident they will very soon. When a winery this young is already doing everything right, word will soon get out. We are still talking about what a wonderful experience we had at this Lexington winery. They're doing an incredible job of making the wine tasting experience...well...absolutely perfect. Favorite: Gewurztraminer. Visited 10/13/2006. Lover's Leap Winery and Vineyard - The owners of this Lawrenceburg, Kentucky winery planted their first grapevines before the Kentucky wine industry began to thrive. There were only three wineries in the state when they first planted grapes, and no one was counting on Kentucky wineries being able to flourish. More than ten years later, wineries have been springing up all over the state...with more than eight located within a hour of Lexington. A new tradition of Kentucky winemaking has begun. I only hope that the type of wine tasting we experienced at this winery doesn't become a tradition...tasting wines from sweet to dry. The sun was bright as we drove down the narrow road to Lover's Leap. As we rounded a corner, we could see the large building that we knew must be the winery. In searching for the entrance, we wound up at the wrong door by accident. There are some large doors near the parking area and it seemed like the most obvious place to go. When we looked inside, all we saw were tables and chairs. We realized they most hold private functions here, so we went searching for another door. Gary and I walked around the side of the building and finally found the tasting room entrance. I actually tripped on the incline at the doorway, and almost crashed into the door. Gary was laughing pretty hard when we finally entered, making comments about it being our first stop and how I almost fell down without a drop of wine to drink. There was one woman working behind the tasting counter and one customer making a purchase when we arrived. The woman that worked there seemed kind of frazzled adding up the bill and we wandered around the room for a bit. There wasn't a whole lot to look at, so after a few minutes we stepped up to the counter to wait for some wine tasting. The woman said she would be with us shortly, so we looked over the tasting sheet until she was done. The bill was finally added up and paid, and the customer left...so the woman set some large plastic cups in front of us to begin our tasting. Our hostess was nice, but didn't have a whole lot of information for us about the wines we were sampling. I also got the impression she wasn't much of a wine drinker herself, which always seems to take away from our experience for some reason. Maybe it's because we can't discuss the intricacies of the wine with our host of hostess if they don't truly enjoy a glass of wine. The one thing that we found very strange, was that the wines were listed on the tasting sheet from sweet to dry...and our hostess insisted that that was the order that we should taste them. I would estimate that we had visited approximately 175 wineries before stepping in the door of Lover's Leap, and this is the very first time we have been told we needed to taste from sweet to dry. I decided not to make any waves and just go with the flow. It wasn't until this moment that I realized how important the tasting order is. I almost couldn't believe it, but I think my taste buds were in a state of confusion. Maybe if I had a good bit of water between each sample it might have worked better, but I didn't see any water readily available and the oyster crackers just didn't cut it. I really couldn't get a good feel for any of the wines under these circumstances. Lover's Leap produces a wide variety of wines, but I don't feel I should give any opinions on them based on our tasting experience. They did offer a Bianca that I was anxious to sample, since it was the only Bianca we found in the area - but they were sold out of it. Gary did buy a bottle of something before we left (we always like to make a purchase), but I'm not sure what it was. I personally didn't buy anything. I simply walked out the door amazed that I had just sampled a Cabernet Sauvignon after a sweet Concord. Visited 10/14/2006. Rolling Hills Vineyard and Winery - When you enter this Springfield, Kentucky winery, you'll notice that a lot of work has been done getting the tasting room ready for visitors and events. The winery has only been open since 2004, so I have to wonder at what point the owners dropped the ball. This small family-owned winery seems to promise a lot on their website and we were expecting a nice place to end our evening. The problem is - they don't deliver. We arrived at approximately 6:00 pm and pulled into an un-mowed area that appeared to be for parking. When we went to the door, the sign said "closed" and there wasn't a soul in sight. We had called a few days beforehand to make sure the winery would be open until 9:00 pm as it stated on their website...so we couldn't understand why no one was around. We went back to the car and called their phone number - but no answer. As we were sitting in the car trying to decide where to have dinner, a truck pulled up and the man inside asked if he could help us with something. It was the owner of the winery. He said he had been out in the tobacco fields and would be with us in just a moment if we wanted to taste his wine...but he wanted to take his dogs home first. He returned in a few minutes to open up the tasting room for us. The air conditioning seemed to be turned off and it was sweltering hot inside. There were many tables throughout the room all decorated like guests were expected. A small tasting counter was to the left and that's where he set us up for sampling. There were at least 20 dirty glasses on the end of the counter. I believe that he was pouring samples and just setting the glasses aside when he was finished. I also thought it was odd that all the glasses were champagne flutes...not the best choice when you don't even make champagne. Our host set two glasses on the counter for us and I scraped my glass to see if the dirt was on the outside or inside of the glass. It was inside, so he dug under the counter and got out another glass for me...which I had to wipe the cobwebs off of before he poured anything into it. Our host had three wines for us to sample: an elderberry, a strawberry and a pear. I personally didn't care for any of them. All were cloudy and the bottles had a good bit of sediment in the bottom. I was just so grateful that he only had three wines...it was so hot in the tasting room Gary and I had both started to sweat. We were on our way out to dinner and I was becoming quite afraid that my makeup was completely ruined. When we had finished, our dirty glasses were added to the others at the end of the counter. We always make a purchase...so we did buy one bottle of the Elderberry and headed for the door. I'm still slightly shocked by our visit to Rolling Hills Vineyard & Winery and I'm not sure what to make of our experience. We didn't sample any grape wines...and I didn't see a vineyard...so maybe the "vineyard" part is still in the works. This seems to be a side project for the owners and it appears that they have stopped devoting the time that is needed to make this winery a success. Visited 9/1/2007. Smith-Berry Vineyard and Winery - You wouldn't suspect the small town of New Castle, Kentucky to harbor a wonderful little winery such as Smith-Berry - but it does. They are a cattle and tobacco farm that has expanded into grape-growing, and they're doing a great job. With the "Berry" in the name, Gary originally thought we were visiting a fruit winery, but the Smith-Berry name comes from the owners - winemaker Chuck Smith and his wife's family name of Berry. It was our first stop of
the day, and we arrived promptly at 11:00 a.m. on a Saturday - one hour
after the tasting room opened. Vintner Chuck Smith was manning the counter
at this early hour. A neighbor had stopped by to purchase a bottle of wine
for the weekend and was just leaving as we were entering. Upon his
departure, we had the winemaker to ourselves for awhile...which is an
experience I always enjoy. He was super friendly and as first-time
visitors, he was anxious for us to sample his wines. We sampled 13 wines
in all - including the Although all the wines were excellent - I did prefer the dry reds at Smith Berry. They were absolutely fantastic. I really loved the Norton. A few weeks before visiting Smith-Berry I visited central Virginia where Norton seems to be king - and this winery's Norton is better than any I had sampled on my recent trip to Virginia. I also enjoyed the Chambourcin very much. It's done in a semi-dry style and has just the right touch of sweetness to bring out the flavor of the grape. As for the reserves - I found them all spectacular. Both the 30- Month and Burley Reserve were so smooth and mellow....and all I can say for the Vintner's Reserve is "Wow". We got to sample this wine even though it was sold out - and I can understand why they couldn't keep in on the shelves for long. As we were finishing sampling the dry wines, one of the winemaker's daughters came to relieve him of his tasting room duties so he could go about his daily routine. She poured the last four samples of the sweeter wines for us. Two worth mentioning are the semi-sweet Vidal Blanc, which I thought was unique with its cotton candy/circus peanut flavors. The Bluegrass Blush was also very tasty and unique - a blend of white, red and blueberry. We had a wonderful morning visit to Smith-Berry Winery. I was very impressed with the wines they produce...especially the dry reds. It was much too early for us to take advantage of it - but there was a charming little patio outside the tasting room for visitors to stay and enjoy a glass of wine. The winemaker was so hospitable and friendly...it was a great start to our day. Favorite: Norton. Visited 9/1/2007.
We booked our stay here on this trip and arrived on a Saturday afternoon. The winery has a great location just off the Blue Grass Parkway, so we had convenient access to the roads we would need when visiting other area wineries. The B&B sits on a hill and it looks so inviting from the highway. We pulled into the drive and saw that the tasting room was just behind the B&B. I was surprised that it was so close, so we parked the car and decided to do a little wine tasting before checking in. When we entered the tasting room, we found the O'Daniels working behind the counter...which seems to be the norm. The room was nicely decorated and very appealing. Someone was at the cash register making a purchase, so we wandered around the room for a bit checking out their selection of gift items and the variety of wines they produce. I was very excited to see both a Beaujolais and a Mead, neither of which we come across very often. When we were finished browsing, we took a seat at the tasting counter where we were treated to a sampling of Springhill's 14 wines with winemaker Eddie O'Daniel as our host. I found several clear favorites during our sampling. The newly released Chardonnay aged in Kentucky oak was very unique. It had an amber hue and flavors of ripe apple. The Bordeaux was very full bodied and bursting with berry flavors. I loved the Beaujolais and found it very mellow with flavors of raspberry, black cherry and oak - I really enjoyed the lingering taste that stayed with me after each sip. The Riesling was very citrusy and crisp - done in a semi-sweet style. The Sweet Scarlet had a wonderfully powerful aroma and vibrant flavors. I really enjoyed the Kentucky Rose which had a great floral flavors and just the right touch of sweetness. One of Gary's favorites was the Harvest Mead - made with wild honey, it wasn't as heavy as some Meads I have tasted in the past and I found it very drinkable. My very favorite was the last wine we sampled, which wasn't even on the tasting sheet. I absolutely loved Springhill's Old Tawny Port. I am going to go all out and say this is the best Port I have sampled on our travels. Full of caramel flavor with hints of nuts, this wine brought a huge smile to my face. We were able to snag one bottle - but quantities are very limited. You'll more than likely have to ask to taste this wonderful Kentucky Port. After our tasting we checked into our rooms - the Pinot Noir Suite and the Beaujolais Suite. Our rooms had their own private staircase off the dining room, as they used to be the slave quarters of this historic plantation house. Our rooms were very private and we each had our own bedroom, sitting room and we shared one bathroom in the middle. I loved my room (the Beaujolais Suite). It was very feminine - decorated with dark pink and florals. The vineyard views from the windows are perfect for wine travelers like us. I felt so comfortable and right at home every time I stepped inside. Each morning coffee was waiting outside our doors. Everything was just delightful. A country breakfast is served each morning in the dining room. The biscuits and gravy were wonderful and I especially enjoyed the Freedom Toast with bourbon syrup. The owners will sit down to breakfast with you and tell stories of the inn's haunted past. Although I tried not to think about it, Gary and I did have one encounter while sipping wine one evening on the patio. We were the only people outside, but yet we heard a girl pass behind me and say a couple of words - but we're not sure what she said. I immediately got goose bumps when I heard her and said to Gary, "Did you hear that"? When he replied, "That little girl? She said two words, but I'm not sure what she said" - I was kind of freaked-out because that's exactly what I had heard. I was sure we had just experienced one of the girls that used to live on the plantation. A visit to the Springhill Winery and Plantation Bed & Breakfast is the perfect getaway for wine enthusiasts. The on-site winery produces exceptional wines and there are also several other wineries only a short drive away. First-class accommodations are available at the historic B&B and you'll be able to spend quality time with the owners receiving an in-depth look at the winery itself and learning about the history of winemaking in Kentucky. As an added bonus, you may also have a brush with a paranormal experience from the past. A stay here comes with our highest recommendation. Favorites: Old Tawny Port, Kentucky Rose and Beaujolais. Visited 9/1/2007 through 9/3/2007. Talon Winery and Vineyards - In this ever-changing world, few things stay the same...and the setting of this Lexington, Kentucky winery is no exception. Yet another tobacco farm turned vineyard, Talon Winery and Vineyards is just a few short miles outside the city of Lexington. The rural setting is so peaceful and there's so much room to roam - you won't have trouble finding a private spot to picnic. While visiting this expansive farm-winery, it was hard to believe that we were so close to a major city. The long driveway leads you through the farm and past many buildings (processing, storage, offices, a large barn and a pavilion) before reaching the tasting room at the rear or the property. The unique tasting room is housed in a 1790's farmhouse built by a man who would later become Governor of Kentucky. We easily found a parking space and scurried inside to sample some wine on this this chilly evening. Someone was waiting to greet us as we walked in the door. They welcomed us to the winery and invited us to explore all the rooms of the farmhouse where they offered a wide array of wine-related and other gift items for sale. We were also told that we were welcome at the tasting counter to sample Talon's wines. We decided to taste wine before exploring, so we headed off in search of the tasting room. When we reached it, there was quite a crowd. I spotted an open spot at the far side of the room and told Gary to follow me. It was a nice little spot at the end of the u-shaped tasting counter. Our private tasting hostess approached us and explained their tasting fees - 3 wines for $3.00 or 6 wines for $5.00. I thought the price was a little steep, but nonetheless, we decided to try 6 wines each. There were ten wines available for sampling and we each starting marking which wines we would sample on our tasting sheet. From reading the tasting sheet, there were a couple of wines that I thought I would absolutely love. I was a little disappointed that they didn't really taste like I thought they would after reading the description. I found that several of the wines classified as "semi-sweet" were what other wineries might refer to as semi-dry. I felt some of the wine descriptions were slightly off and it confused me during the tasting - sometimes my mind was set for a certain taste that I wasn't always getting from the wine. I was so happy when in the middle of our tasting, a woman made an announcement that they had cheese and cracker trays available for purchase. I wanted to stay and enjoy the winery for awhile, but I was starving. I figured that if we stayed for a glass of wine we could get the cheese and crackers and it would hold us over until dinner. When we finished our tasting, Gary ordered a glass of Moondance (a blend of Cayuga and Vidal) and I asked for a glass of Bluegrass Blush, which is one of their top sellers. We also ordered a small cheese tray, but were told they were sold out. Evidently they only had two left when the announcement was made. I don't think it was a good idea to get 25 people thinking about cheese and crackers when you only have enough for 2. I really needed to get something in my stomach, so I asked our hostess for a couple of the crackers they had at the tasting counter. Since we had attempted to order a cheese tray, I think she felt sorry for us and she reached under the counter and gave us about a half a pack of crackers to have with our wine. A few people were seated outdoors, but it was much too chilly for us. We took our wine and crackers and headed to the "fish tank" room. The room had a large (you guessed it) fish tank and a handful of small tables. It would have been nice had it been warmer. They had plenty of picnic tables, a nice pavilion and a walking self-tour of the grounds. It would have been right up our alley to take our wine and go exploring, but it was unseasonably cold for October. Talon Winery and Vineyards is a beautiful farm winery with a hospitable staff. The unique farmhouse tasting room features a wide array of wine-related and other gift items. We also loved that fact that it was a true farm winery with beautiful scenery and plenty of places to picnic or simply share a bottle of wine. You can enjoy a total winery experience here...and it's definitely worth checking out when in the Lexington area. Visited 10/14/2006. Wildside Vines - I had it in my head that I would end up writing-off this Versailles, Kentucky winery as one of the new wineries, basically set-up to cater to wine tourists with sappy-sweet, so-so wines and no substance...but that certainly isn't the case. I think that I was unintentionally associating them with the Wild Vines wine that you can find in the grocery store for $3.00 a bottle (which is manufactured in California). But, behind the door of the tasting room, we found a small start-up winery with some excellent wine and showing great potential. I liked many things about this winery - but one thing that I didn't like was that they didn't open until 2:00 p.m. I thought that was rather late to be opening and I had a hard time fitting them into our schedule because of this. We arrived in Versailles around 1:00 p.m. and drove around town for awhile. We finally decided to head out to the winery and arrived at approximately 1:30 p.m. We had run out of things to do and decided to wait in the parking lot until they opened. While we waited two cars pulled up with potential customers asking if the winery was open. They both ended up leaving. I think they might be losing some business opening so late in the day. A few minutes before 2:00, a man pulled up and walked toward the winery. He told us we could go ahead and come inside. The man was not the owner, but a friend of the family that filled-in at the tasting counter when the family had other obligations. He showed us the wine list and asked us where we would like to start. We ended up sampling all the wines that were available. The tasting room (of which two-thirds is also a wine making facility) was not set up well for tasting. The counter was small and we had no place to set our glasses between samples. I think it would be very cramped if more than four people showed up for sampling at the same time. I'm hoping they have plans for expansion. They also had no indoor bathroom...and I ended up using a port-a-potty outside. Other than the cramped quarters, we enjoyed our tasting. Our host was very friendly and seemed to appreciate the wines he was pouring. I didn't try a single wine that I didn't like...they were all so splendid. My favorite was the Cynthiana Port. It's made from Cynthiana grapes (also known as Norton). It generated that nice warm feeling you get inside when sipping port, yet it was sweet and mild. I have found a great appreciation for ports in the last year or so. Gary sometimes samples them with me...but I was shocked when he actually purchased a bottle of the Cynthiana Port when we were leaving. I think the fact that it wasn't too overwhelming swayed his decision. Wildside Vines produces some wonderful Kentucky wine. I do wish they would become more visitor-friendly by opening before 2 p.m., expanding their tasting room and installing indoor restrooms. The tasting room had only been open seven months before we visited. It doesn't look like they realized how popular wine tourism is becoming. There are a couple of nice wineries near this one and they will probably get more visitors than they imagined. I have a feeling we're going to see some wonderful things from this winery, which has great potential. If you produce great wine...believe me...they will come. Favorite: Cynthiana Port. Visited 10/14/2006.
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the first door I came to and
I found myself inside the restaurant. Gary said there must be another door
somewhere, so we went back outside and found another entrance leading
directly to the tasting room. Upon entering, we found the room to have
wine racks along the walls, a sprinkling of gift items and a few small
tables. The tasting counter was in the back of the room. It was small and
covered with wine bottles and signs. There didn't seem to be much room for
sampling. One of the signs said that we could sample three wines for $2.50
or six for $4.25. We stood there for a few minutes while the only tasting
room employee rang up some purchases at the cash register by the door. By
the time our hostess approached us, we had already decided we would share
a sampling tray of six wines. The young woman gave us tasting sheets and
told us to take a seat at one of the tables and to let her know when we
had decided which wines to sample.
three reserve wines not usually available for
tasting. He told us we just happened to be in luck because he had a bottle
of each of his reserves open that day.