Last Sunday when we visited Baker-Bird in Augusta, we decided to drive over to Brooksville to visit a farm business owned by friends of ours. Unlike many farms in Kentucky where one finds horses, cows, or even vineyards, at this farm you also find Lavender. Lavender Hills of Kentucky has been in business for several years. They grow several types of lavender, from edible to the plants grown mostly for the scented flowers. Even though the lavender had been harvested for the year, we were given a tour and received explanations about the lavender. I thought all lavender was purple, after all it is called lavender. However, at the Bracken County farm, they grow many varieties including purple, pink, yellow, and one that looks like a honeycomb. Next year, I’d like to visit when the lavender is in bloom.
We also visited their gift shop. Items scented with lavender from sachets to bath salts and soap are available for purchase. Edible lavender is available with some recipes on how to use it in the kitchen or you could buy some items from the kitchen made for you.
It was a lovely place and a delightful visit.
Getting my book out to the wineries has given me the opportunity to visit many wineries that I haven’t been to in a while. The end of summer is a beautiful time to visit a winery. The vineyards are at their peak ready for harvest. Many of the grape growers are covering the vines to keep the birds from getting to the grapes before they do. Go to my Winery Photos Page to take a look at the beautiful late summer views inside and out. Hope you enjoy the photos from many of my recent visits.
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On Friday, September 14th, I’ll be at Springhill Winery in Bloomfield, Kentucky. The winery is located just off the Bluegrass Parkway. Many visitors will be traveling that highway next weekend to attend the Bourbon Festival in Bardstown. For those who want to try another of Kentucky’s award winning beverages, stop by at Springhill Winery. I’d love to meet you and share my book with you.
by adminOctober is going to be an interesting and busy month. I’m looking forward to five events. I would love to meet wine lovers. answer questions, and sign a book for you.
I will be at Joseph Beth Book Booksellers at Lexington Green in Lexington, on October 3rd at 7 PM. Visitors can enjoy a talk about the book and a wine tasting.
On October 9, I will be talking about my book and signing copies at the Joseph Beth Booksellers in Northern Kentucky, at the Crestview Hills Town Center at 7 PM.
A close friend is hosting a book signing party at her business, Cabin Arts in Burlington, on October 12th at 6:30. Lovers Leap Vineyard and Winery have been invited to provide wine for the evening.
The Northern Kentucky Wine Festival is on October 20th, from 3 to 10, at Main Strasse in Covington. I will have a table at the festival. When the wineries attending are available, I will post an announcement.
The Kentucky Proud Incredible Food Show, this year is on October 27, from 9 AM to 6 PM, at the Lexington Convention Center and Rupp Arena. Joseph Beth will have a booth and I will be there. As more news is available, I will update you. I have attended this event almost every year and it is a good time. Visitors are able to get a taste of so many of Kentucky’s products in the Marketplace and see shows featuring food presentations. This year’s featured chef is Tyler Florence from the Food Network.
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We were able to return to the Baker-Bird Winery for the first time in two years. I was impressed with the changes and renovations that Dinah Bird has been able to accomplish. Baker-Bird Winery is unique among the wineries of the state because it is located in the same building that held the winery owned by the Baker family in the 1800’s. When I visited in December of 2010 to interview Dinah, we went on the first weekend the winery was open to the public. Dinah was enthusastic about the winery, its history, and her plans for the future. Most of those plans have come to fruition.
Three German craftsmen, in the early 1850s, constructed a 40 by 100 foot stone building to house a winery for Abraham Baker, Jr. Baker and his son constructed a wine cellar. In 1860, when the census reported that Kentucky was the third-largest producers of grapes in the country, Abraham Baker’s wine cellar was well-known as one of the finest in the nation. Visitors can tour the cellar, as well as hold a special event there. The winery building was a commerical winery as well as being the Baker home. In the winery building, visitors can taste wines created for the winery by other vintners in the state.
The historical ambiance that greets visitors is appealing. With my lifelong interest in history, the visit was a treat.
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One of the nicest things about getting my book out to the wineries is getting to revisit the wineries and talk to the owners and winemakers. One of the most enjoyable of those visits was with Eddie O’Daniel at Springhill Winery. Eddie was one of the pioneers in the Kentucky wine industry and is one of the most interesting individuals to sit down and talk to.
When Eddie began planting grapes, he had to experiment with what would grow well because experts in other states didn’t know what would grow well in Kentucky. He had made wine in amateur competitions in the 1980’s. The Kentucky legislation in 1990 allowed him to finally open Springhill Winery in March of 1990. Springhill Winery continues to draw visitors who enjoy the wine, the visit, and hearing the stories from Eddie of the early days of Kentucky wine.
Visitors to the winery notice immediately the lovely antebellum Victorian plantation manor that sits next to the winery. The winery sits on the grounds of Springhill Plantation, formerly known as Anoatop, a plantation built in the late 1850s that has a Civil War history. The house is open as a bed and breakfast, with six suites that mix modern amenities with a historical setting.
Springhill Winery and Plantation B&B is open to the public every day but Mondays and is located just off the Bluegrass Parkway. I recommend going for a visit.
We were pleased to finally get back to Lovers Leap Vineyards and Winery for a visit. The winery is certainly flourishing under the new ownership. The thirty-three acre vineyard looks better than I have seen it look in years. We enjoyed tastes of many wines, both those that have been around for a while, like Cynthiana, as well as a new white called Trifecta. Brian and Carla Sivinski were excellent hosts and made our visit memorable.
If you are visiting the Lawrenceburg area, I recommend a visit. Their wines are available in many stores also, I suggest giving them a try.
Also known as Pinot Gris, this white vinifera grape is widely grown and produces a highly popular wine. The name comes from the French. Pinot is derived from a word which means pine cone, which is often how the grape is shaped. Gris is for the word gray; the fruit often has a gray tint. In Italy the grape is known as Pinot Grigio.
Pinot Grigio wines are generally dry, straw-colored, with the aroma of tropical fruits, melons and pears. The wines are generally intended to be consumed early. The wines are usually acidic, so they pair better with foods with little acid themselves. A glass of Pinot is excellent with light pastas or cheese and crackers.
I first encountered Pinot Grigio wine at Barboursville Winery in Virginia . It is done in an Italian style and is one of their most popular white wines. Having developed a taste for this light, yet spirited wine, I was anxious to try it at other wineries. Oliver winery in Indiana offers a very good Pinot Grigio. But, of course, I was pleased to discover this varietal at Kentucky wineries. The two that I have tried and recommend are Grimes Mill Winery and Elk Creek Vineyards and Winery. Grimes Mill’s Pinot Grigio is a crisp white that pairs well with fish dishes. Elk Creek’s Pinot Grigio has aromas and flavors of sweet citrus, peach and honeysuckle.
For a light, but favorable white wine, you can’t go wrong with Pinot Grigio.
by adminI have been out and about visiting wineries, sharing my book, and getting them into the wineries. Since it had been awhile since I visited some of the wineries, I thought I would share some new wines and changes.
Elk Creek Vineyard and Winery has released Estate Sangiovese and Estate Cabernet Franc. If you get the chance, you will want to try them. Both are very good wines.
Grimes Mill Winery has Malbec again. We loved the wine and were anxiously waiting until the new vintage was ready for the bottle.
Chrisman Mill Vineyard and Winery are currently out of Norton and Norton Reserve, but will have the new vintage ready soon.
Smith Berry Vineyard and Winery’s reds are excellent as always. It is difficult to choose between the Norton, Cabernet, Brother John, and Barbera when you want a glass of wine.
In the next couple of weeks, I plan to visit several others and will let you know what’s new. I’m contacting some of the wineries by mail because of how far away they are; I want them to see the book and didn’t want to wait until I was able to visit.
Look for a whole new photo gallery soon.
by adminOn August 17, I will be signing books at Chrisman Mill Winery at Hamburg, in Lexington. I will be there from 5 to 8. Chris Weiss will be providing musical entertainment from 7 to 10.
I will be signing books at the Prodigy Vineyards and Winery wine club release event on Sunday, August 19, from 2 to 5. Live music will be provided by Thomas Hood.
In October, I will be at the Northern Kentucky Wine Festival in Covington, on the twentieth and at the Incredible Food Show, in Lexington on the twenty-seventh.
I have a few more events in the planning stages and will post the dates and times when I know them.
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