Everyone wants to ask the same question – Mint Julep or Margarita? The Kentucky Derby is being run on Cinco de Mayo, after all. My answer and my choice for the Derby are the same – Vino Rosso.
Enjoy the day!
by adminWho says running errands or shopping can’t be fun; not anyone who has ever combined the trip with a stop at a nearby winery. Many of Kentucky’s winery’s are conveniently located and make a spur of the moment stop a way to brighten any day. April was one of those months when we had a lot of things to do.
The Whole Foods store in Lexington has become one of our regular shopping spots. The store offers a wide line of many healthy choices and many hard to find varieties. As a plus, just minutes away is The Winery at Fayette Mall. Chrisman Mill Vineyards has a tasting room in the front of the Mall near the southern end. A glass of wine (or two) is a perfect way to follow-up shopping for healthy foods, after all wine can be healthy too.
Beef cattle farmers are familiar with a trip to a butcher shop. With one located near New Castle, our visit there was a perfect time to fit in a stop at Smith-Berry Vineyards and Winery. A glass of red wine pairs as well with a trip to pick up some beef as it does with that steak dinner.
Living in Northern Kentucky, any trip can easily include a trip to one of our favorite wineries; Brianza Gardens and Winery is so close to home that a visit to our local Kroger, our family doctor, or even our grandson’s basketball games can be followed by a relaxing glass of wine.
Being an efficient and inventive person, I’m always looking for a way to make life more enjoyable. All wine lovers should look for a way to visit a winery to brighten up their day.
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Wine lovers have two chances for wine tastings this month. On May 1 and 2, the Kentucky Derby Wine Festival, on the Belvedere at Waterfront Park, is one of Louisville’s first events leading up to the Kentucky Derby.
The $45 cost for the WineFest includes a complimentary wine glass, an event pin and samples of some Kentucky’s wines.
Kentucky Wine and Vine Fest in downtown Nicholasville takes place on May 12, with the preliminary events on the 10th and the 11th. (check out their website http://www.kywinefest.com for information about what’s going on those days)
The Kentucky wineries that will be pouring tastes at the festival are: 1922 House Vineyard, a new winery in Nicholasville, Cave Hill Vineyard & Winery, Eubanks, Chrisman Mill Vineyards, Nicholasville, McIntyre’s Winery, Bardstown, Old 502 Winery, Louisville, Prodigy Vineyards and Winery, Frankfort, Rising Sons Winery, Lawrenceburg, Wildside Winery, Versailles, Springhill Winery, Bloomfield, and Three Horses Vineyard, Stamping Ground.
Wine lovers will want to make plans for these wine tasting events.
by adminMost wineries are open during the winter but at a different pace. That is beginning to change. Warm weather is finally is sight. (We hope.) The vineyards are beginning to bud, the wineries are readying for more visitors and hosting events. We took advantage of a few nice days and made some visits.
In March, we spent a day in Central Kentucky at Lovers Leap Vineyards and Winery and Prodigy Vineyards and Winery. If you happen to be around Frankfort, these two winery stops are sure to brighten your day. Both wineries offer a wide variety of wines and each one is really good. Loving big red wines, our favorites are a Reserve Cabernet Franc from Lovers Leap and a Limburger from Prodigy.
We also enjoyed a lovely spring day visiting wineries and tasting wines from the barrel at the McConnell Spring’s event. We returned to Lovers Leap Vineyards and Winery and were able to taste the upcoming release of a new Reserve Cabernet Franc. It was amazing. The release this summer is expected to be limited, so wine lovers will want to get there early. We stopped at Prodigy Vineyards and Winery and tried a new vintage of Chamboursin. For those who love this grape, it will be a good release. At Chrisman Mill Vineyards, we got to try the new vintage of Norton and also got a chance to taste what will be a new wine for Chrisman Mill – a Zinfandel. Red wine lovers will be pleased at the results. Our other visit that day was to a new winery outside of Georgetown. Three Horses Vineyards and Winery has recently opened with both Vidal and Norton wines. Wine lovers will want to give this new winery a try. It is a lovely spot surrounded by the beautiful countryside.
Kentucky is doing well as a wine producer. More wineries are opening; the number now is over seventy. New wines are being developed. It’s all good news to wine lovers.
by adminKentucky wine lovers who have been looking forward to the McConnell Spring’s annual spring barrel tasting can start counting down the days. In just 10 days, wineries in the Bluegrass will welcome visitors for a special event – the chance to taste your favorite wines while they are still in the barrels. Winemakers will be there to answer your questions and wine will be available for enjoying at the winery and for taking home.
This day is somewhat unique. Each of the 18 wineries are within an hour’s drive of Lexington and wine lovers can start at any of the wineries and visit whichever ones they choose. For $20, visitors can pick up their entry bracelet, their commemorative wine glass and a map of the participating wineries. This is a major fundraiser for the preservation of McConnell Springs, so your participation will help preserve a part of Kentucky history. Not to mention enjoying a day tasting some excellent Kentucky wines.
The following wineries will be ready to welcome visitors: Harkness Edwards Vineyards, Three Horses Vineyard & Winery, Black Barn Winery, Chrisman Mills Vineyards, Chuckleberry Farm & Winery, Equus Run Vineyards, First Vineyard Winery, Grimes Mill Winery, Hamon Haven Winery, Horseshoe Bend Vineyards & Winery, Jean Farris Winery & Bistro, Lovers Leap Vineyards & Winery, McIntyre’s Winery and Berries, Prodigy Vineyards & Winery, Rising Sons Winery, Springhill Winery, Talon Winery & Vineyards, and Wildside Winery & Vineyard.
After a long winter, join other wine lovers for a fun day of spring in the Bluegrass. Driving from winery to winery through the gorgeous countryside, visiting wineries, meeting the winemakers, and trying out some really good wines – what a way to spend a day!
We are looking forward to it. We’ve participated in the past and have always had a great time. Maybe we’ll see you there!
by adminWine lovers can celebrate St. Patrick with their favorite wine and still be honoring his traditions. St. Patrick was a citizen of the Roman Empire, and they were well-known wine drinkers. So pour a glass of your favorite wine of choice, and say “Cheers to Ireland and St. Patrick!”
by adminThough it’s still February, signs of warm weather are springing up. Tulips, Daffodils, Hyacinths, and other early spring flowers are popping out of the ground, giving us hope of an early spring. Wineries are showing signs of spring too.
One of the early signs that spring is just around the corner is the start of wine festival season. Wine festivals are a chance for wine lovers to taste wines from many of our state’s wineries and choose their favorites to visit later.
First on the schedule is the McConnell Spring’s Barrel Tasting, on March 31, featuring the wineries of the Bluegrass. The month of May offers two chances for wine tastings; May 1 and 2, at the Kentucky Derby Wine Festival, on the Belvedere at Waterfront Park and Kentucky Wine and Vine Fest at Nicholasville, on May 10, 11, and 12. On June 9 and 10, Boone County’s Jane’s Saddlebag will host their annual wine festival.
Spring is a lovely time to get out and enjoy what the state has to offer, so mark your calendars. Watch for more information in the coming weeks.
by adminA special holiday for those of us who love our grapes in a glass, February 18th is National Drink Wine Day. Get ready wine lovers, find your favorite bottle, pour a glass, and toast the day. As a wine lover, it’s your duty to support the holiday!
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Romantics look hopefully on Valentine’s Day as a day to celebrate their love. Some plan special evenings with their special someone, with dinner out or maybe dinner in. Others look for that special gift, maybe roses, candy, or jewelry. Wine lovers, who are also romantics, start thinking about what wine would be special enough to share with their loved one. A special wine should be one you both will enjoy, a wine that you rarely share, maybe even a bit more pricey than your usual choice. For our special romantic evening, we are toasting the day with Nebbiolo.
The Nebbiolo grape is a preeminent grape used in both Barolo and Barbaresco wines in certain regions of Italy. Nebbiolo wines have moved to other parts of the wine world. We discovered a Nebbiolo wine at Barboursville Vineyards in Virginia several years ago. This wine is one of their premium wines and has a large following for its aromas and flavors. Many descriptive words are used to describe this wine not all appealing, like roses and tar, or violets, herbs, tobacco, and prunes, but the wine is very appealing. It is one of our favorites and just the right wine to celebrate love and romance.
Whatever your choice for the day, hope you and your love have a happy and romantic day!
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For the 11th year, wine lovers of Kentucky have the opportunity to support the state’s history and taste some really good wine at the “Wine Barrel Tasting for the Springs.” Eighteen of Central Kentucky’s wineries will be giving tastes of a wine that is still aging in the barrel.
McConnell Springs, a National Historic Site, is the location where William McConnell and a group of explorers camped in 1775. While there, news reached them of a victory at Lexington, Massachusetts in the Revolutionary War. They named that future settlement Lexington. Today, visitors can visit the site with its natural landscape and historical remains of that early settlement. Proceeds from the Barrel Tasting will help fund improvements at McConnell Springs.
Each spring many wineries of the state that are within an hour’s drive of Lexington participate in this event. This year the event takes place on March 31, 2018. For $20, a person can travel around the Bluegrass at their own pace and in their own vehicle visiting their choice of participating wineries, and receive a commemorative glass.
Many wine lovers are familiar with barrel tastings and have enjoyed experiencing the stages of aging of their favorite wines. If you are new to the wine world and have never tried wine from the barrel, it is really a treat. Wine makers, while sharing facts about the wine, will draw wine directly from the barrel with some sort of wine thief and pour it directly into the taster’s glass. Wines change as they age and wine makers try the wine at different stages to be sure that it has reached the taste they want. A barrel tasting is an opportunity for wine lovers to be a part of this process.
Check my links page for more information on McConnell Springs.
We have enjoyed the “Wine Barrel Tasting for the Springs” many times in the past and look forward to the event this year. What a good way to celebrate the beginning of spring!
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