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The Winery of Chrisman Mill at Fayette Mall
Chrisman Mill Vineyards and Winery has always had a tasting room in Lexington, even before the Vineyard was able to open to the public. For the last few years, the tasting room was at Hamburg. For a lot of reasons, they decided to move. The Winery of Chrisman Mill opened in June, on the outside of Fayette Mall, just a couple of doors from the Cheesecake Factory and next door to Chipotle. The Winery at Fayette Mall is a welcome addition to one of central Kentucky’s favorite shopping sites. The décor is unique with beautifully displayed wine gifts, wine racks, an antique cork collection display, an arrangement of old vines on one wall, and a long tasting bar with a mood feature. What’s that, you ask. A section of the bar allows you to rest your hand and find out your current mood. Just like the old mood rings, you can find out if you are happy or anxious. After tasting, you might want to buy a glass, or a bottle, and relax at a table or on the sofa in a corner that just sends out a welcoming message. The winery offers a selection of truffles created and made by Denise. They are yummy. Other snacks are also available.
The setting is just perfect for relaxing in the midst of a busy day shopping or making a special trip to experience a fun day at the Winery.
by admin
Visiting Indiana Wines
We made a trip to Nashville, in Brown County Indiana in May, did some shopping, relaxing, and wine tasting. Within just a few miles, wine lovers can visit three wonderful Indiana wineries. Each one is special in its own way and worth a visit.
Our first stop while driving into town is at Brown County Winery. The winery itself is just outside of Nashville and a good way to start your visit. They have a lovely tasting room with a view of the wine making operation. If you like wine gift items, this is a great place to stop. From coasters and dish towels to a cute pair of wine socks, they have a lot to choose from. Our favorites here are Old Barrel Port (perfect for a nightcap), Chateau Gnaw Bone Black Raspberry (a black Raspberry wine, blended with Grape brandy), and a Chateau Gnaw Bone Cranberry Apple (makes you think of a fall evening). In case you’re wondering Gnaw Bone is a unincorporated community in Brown County that is popular with tourists because of the unusual name.
Next winery stop was Chateau Thomas Winery’s Nashville tasting room. The winery, located in Indianapolis, gives Brown County visitors the treat of tasting their great wines while enjoying the shops in town. They make some exceptional wines; but our favorite here is Teroldego (look for a review in the blog’s section on wines), with flavors of dark berries and spice, and floral aromas. This is a good spot to taste wine or relax and enjoy a glass.
No trip to Brown County is complete without driving north to Oliver Winery. Oliver is located just north of Bloomington and is worth the drive. The grounds and building are beautiful and the wines are fantastic. It’s hard to choose our favorite here because there are so many. Oliver is Indiana’s largest winery and the wine selection menu is extensive. A couple of our favorite choices would be the Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz, but wine lovers will find many to enjoy. From very dry to very sweet, they are all popular with visitors.
Visiting Nashville is always a treat. On our trip back to Kentucky, the car just seems to find its own way to Huber’s in Borden, Indiana. Just north of Louisville, Huber’s Orchard, Winery and Vineyards is so much more than the name implies. Visitors will find the winery with a large gift shop, the orchard with pick your own fruit days, the vineyards full of grapes just waiting to become wine; but they will also find a cheese shop, an ice cream shop, and a farm store full of fresh produce as well as a variety of packaged items and a bakery. Just down the road is Joe Huber’s Family Farm and Restaurant. It’s a great place to visit, but be sure you have time because you will want to be there for several hours.
The Wine Lover is back
As many of you have noted, I’ve not been keeping up with the wine news lately. After injury, surgery, recovery, and physical therapy for three long months, I’m back. I’ll try to catch up with all that’s been happening. I’ve even been able to visit a few wineries and attend a couple of events. I’ll write about those later. Check back soon.
Elk Creek Vineyards is under new ownership. The Papina family, with over a hundred years of wine making experience, are the new owners. Originally from California, they are introducing new wines and new ideas to Kentucky wine lovers. The winery is now open seven days a week, with the Café opening 1 hour after the 10 AM opening of the winery. Events are planned all summer long. Check out their website for more information at http://www.elkcreekvineyards.com
Brianza Gardens and Winery is now open 6 days a week. Their new hours are Tuesday to Friday 11 to 5, Saturday 11 to 8, Sunday 1 to 5, or by appointment. Many scheduled special events are planned. Check out their website at http://brianzagardens.com
Chrisman Mill Vineyards and Winery has opened a new tasting room. The Fayette Mall Tasting Room is located just in front of the mall, next to Chipotle’s. The hours there are Monday to Saturday 11 AM to 9 PM and 1 to 6 on Sundays. The tasting room at the vineyard hosts special events and is available for private parties. For more information, visit https://www.chrismanmill.com/
If your last visit to Verona Vineyards has been a couple of years, you might not know that they have a tasting room in the town of Rabbit Hash in the old iron works building. Both sites are open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Check their website for the hours at http://www.veronavineyards.com
Just a few bits of news for those wine lovers that are looking for a place to visit and try some Kentucky wines.
by adminJane’s Saddlebag Wine Festival
Wine lovers near Northern Kentucky will want to make plans to visit Jane’s Saddlebag this weekend (May 21 and 22) for their annual wine festival. From 11 AM to 6 PM, visitors will be able to wander through the booths filled with Kentucky wines and artisan crafts. Local wineries as well as wineries from other regions of the state will be pouring tastes and selling bottles of their many wines.
Located in Boone County, minutes from Big Bone, on Ryle Road, in Union, Jane’s Saddlebag is easily accessible from both I 75 and I 71. This wine festival is one of the best in the state. Visitors are able to enjoy music, food, wine, and crafts while relaxing in a beautiful country setting.
This year, I’ll be enjoying the festival as a wine loving visitor; hope to see you there.
by admin
Spring and Wine
An injured right arm has kept me from both writing and from enjoying winery visits, just wanted to get some news out.
Like most other things, Kentucky’s vineyards and wineries are welcoming spring. Many are having events, while others are just opening their doors to the warm weather. Check the websites of your favorite wineries for events. Many are also changing to their summer hours. If you don’t have their web addresses, go to the kentucky wine link on this site for a winery directory.
Mark your calendars, Jane’s Saddlebag’s annual wine festival is just weeks away, on May 21 and 22. This has become a premiere wine festival, plus a visit to the 35 acre site is an interesting experience. Jane’s Saddlebag is located in Boone County, minutes from Big Bone, on Ryle Road, in Union. Wineries from around the state and craft vendors will be welcoming visitors.
Won’t be at a booth this year, but will be a visitor. Hope to see you there.
by admin
Brianza’s Gardens and Winery
Been recovering from an accident and surgery and watching a lot of TV, I was pleased to see a commercial for one of Kentucky’s best wineries.
For the last year, I’ve been recommending Brianza Gardens and Winery to anyone who asks me about Kentucky wines, especially those living in Northern Kentucky. They are just off the Walton exit on I-75. Their new commercial did a great job of giving wine lovers a reason to visit. Once you try their wine, you’ll keep returning.
With warm weather returning, it’s a great time to visit a winery. You will be glad you did. Check their website for hours.
by adminKentucky Makes Great Red Wines
When the weather is bad and it just looks dreary when you look outside, a good way to cheer yourself up is to treat yourself with a special bottle of wine and an inviting fire in the fireplace. We had three of those nights in the last month, with three amazing red wines and they were all from Kentucky. In case you doubted it, take my word for it, Kentucky makes some great wine.
One of our favorite wines in the state has been Reserve Norton from Chrisman Mill Vineyard and Winery. Reserves are created with the best grapes from the year. We have enjoyed each vintage of this wine since 2005, when winemaker Chris Nelson began making it. We had been saving a few bottles from that first vintage and opened one. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you age a red wine, a good wine gets even better. The aromas and flavors become more intense while at the same time becoming smoother. The wine was worth the wait.
For Valentine’s Day, we enjoyed a bottle of Jim Wight’s special blend of three reds. In 2013, Wight-Meyer Vineyard and Winery released a wine called 3 Reds by Wight, a Meritage style, made of a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Syrah. This wine is fantastic and proves again that Kentucky can produce an excellent wine with grapes raised in Kentucky. Jim Wight did it. Each time we open a bottle, it seems better than the one before.
Our third exceptional red was Grand Reserve Cabernet Franc, from Lovers Leap Vineyard and Winery. This 2009 vintage was released in 2013. It has improved with age; and it started out great. The flavors have mellowed and smoothed over time. From the aroma of dark berries, to the lingering flavor of a chocolate covered cherry, the experience is fantastic.
The good news for wine lovers is that this is only the beginning. This is not the only great red wines. We’ve enjoyed many of Kentucky’s reds and look forward to many more.
by adminVerona Vineyards
Verona Vineyards got a shout out about their wine from an unexpected source Wednesday night. During the ESPN coverage of the Kentucky and Tennessee basketball game Wednesday night, announcer Joe Tessitore held up a bottle of wine and talked about National Drink Wine Day.
The wine was a bottle of Trio, a blend of three reds, made by Verona Vineyards. He mentioned that while many might not expect a good red wine from Kentucky, this was as good as a Cabernet Sauvignon from California, and the vineyard was just an hour’s drive from Lexington.
Kudos to Verona Vineyard and Go Big Blue.
by admin
National Drink Wine Day
Wine lovers take note. February 18, 2016 is National Drink Wine Day. Enjoy a glass today.
by adminRaffaldini Vineyards’ Bella Misto
Bella Misto is a dry red wine that we discovered last summer on our trip to Raffaldini Vineyards in North Carolina. The wine is amazing. Bella Misto is roughly translated from Italian as beautiful mix. The wine lives up to the name. A blend of eight grapes, the first three are Montepulciano, Sangiovese, and Petit Verdot. A dense color and smooth texture gives this wine deep satisfying dark fruit flavors with a lingering aftertaste. Bella Misto has become a favorite.
January weather has been dreadful, but a bottle of Bella Misto, a lovely warm fire, and that special someone made it much more bearable. Hope you have managed to find a way to stay warm. Let’s hope for an early spring.
by admin