Sep 12thA Kentucky Winery Tour

A few weeks ago, an old friend of mine told me she wanted to visit the winery that made the wine that tasted like walnuts. This led to a day trip and an exceptionally fun outing. We spent the day visiting not only that winery but several others that were nearby.

Our trip included three of the Bullitt County wineries. We first visited Forest Edge Winery. Their offerings of a dry Riesling and a Cabernet Sauvignon were the most appealing to me. The winery is located near Kentucky’s Bernheim Forest, and is easily accessible just off I-65. We enjoyed the wine and our visit with Allison, who was pouring our tastes.

Our next stop was Wight-Meyer Vineyard and Winery in Shepherdsville. We had a nice visit with Sandy Wight and tasted some excellent wine. It was a beautiful day and the vineyard was lovely, even with the netting covering the grapes to protect them from the birds. My favorite there is always the Norton.

Then we went to MillaNova Winery in Mt. Washington. Finally, we had arrived at the winery with the walnut flavored wine. John Miller, the owner and winemaker, was pouring our tastes. We enjoyed tasting a couple of the dry wines prior to trying out the Walnut Ridge wine. Walnut Ridge has a sweet taste but makes an excellent dessert wine, or for me a part of my Memories Blackberry Jam Cake. My friend was pleased with the wine.

On our way home, we made a slight detour off I-71 and visited Smith-Berry Vineyards and Winery in New Castle. We enjoyed our tasting with Chrissy, and found many wines to our liking. My favorite there is the Burley, though any of the wines offered are excellent.

It was a great day. The weather, the wine, and the company made it an enjoyable day trip.

Sep 6thChrisman Mill’s Tuscan Dinner

We spent an evening with friends in early August at Chrisman Mill Vineyards enjoying one of their Tuscan Dinners. We have been to many of these special dinners over the years and have never been disappointed. Denise and Chris Nelson and their staff provide a memorable dining experience. The food, the wine, the ambiance, and the service are exceptional.

For over two hours, we were treated to six courses paired with wines, from mini bite size gourmet pizzas to an entrée of filet mignon with cognac cream. We enjoyed each course, but have to say that our favorite was an eight layered Bolognese spinach lasagna. It was amazing. There was something for every taste. With the dessert of homemade vanilla bean gelato with an Apricot Strawberry and fresh berries, we were treated to a special treat–a glass of LaMadre.

LaMadre is a dessert wine that was released that night. We had the privilege of trying this new wine from the barrel and had been looking forward to its release. LaMadre is made in the style of a Vin Santo, a wine made in Italy. This unique wine is made from Vidal Blanc grapes that have been left to dry. The dried grapes are then pressed for a special, almost raisin-like flavor. It was worth the wait. LaMadre is excellent.

Jul 21stForest Edge Winery

For a wine lover, hearing about a barrel share at a Kentucky winery with an excellent winemaker was definitely good news. Forest Edge Winery, in Bullitt County, offered shares on a blended red wine this spring. When a person purchases a barrel share at a winery, they are purchasing a case of that wine while it is still in the barrel. During the aging process, there are periodic tastings for those who have shares. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot are the grape varieties in this case. That alone sounded appealing plus the winemaker is one of Kentucky’s finest, Butch Meyer. We were hooked.

We had the opportunity to taste the wine for the first time last week and were very impressed and pleased with our investment. Now we are looking forward to the bottling of the wine. Maybe we’ll be able to taste it again prior to the bottling.

Forest Edge has a good selection of wines, one of which, a dry Riesling, is my favorite white in the state. Many wineries in Kentucky, as well as other states, make Rieslings, but they are often sweet. This one has a dry and fruity taste, with a straw like color, that reminds me of some of the dry whites from Germany.

Forest Edge is only about a mile from I-65, just seventeen miles from Louisville. The winery has a delightful tasting room and a choice of wines that has something to appeal to any taste. Their website says “come as strangers, leave as friends.” You will. I certainly recommend this as a wine trip.

Jul 20thWight-Meyer Vineyard and Winery

Many thanks to Sandy and Jim for their hospitality and friendly service to the group from the Women Who Write Writer’s Conference. A wine reception was planned for the speakers and attendees at the close of the meeting. For those who attended, a glass of wine and refreshments were provided by the Women Who Write organization. Jim and Sandy Wight made everyone feel welcome.

As a wine lover, I was especially pleased when Jim brought out bottles of his 3 Reds by Wight. This was a limited release and the bottles remaining are reserved for their wine club members, but Jim graciously shared this wine with those at the wine reception. If possible, the wine just keeps getting better.

Everyone enjoyed themselves and many remarked to me how wonderful the wine was; I’m sure they will want to return.

Jul 18thGrimes Mill Winery

Since opening three years ago, Grimes Mill Winery has developed a devoted following. Wine lovers who visit this Fayette County winery return. True to its Italian heritage, Ca’DeSimone has created some wonderful wines and a tasting room that is impressive in style and creates a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. An Italian phrase that translates, “To the one that does not drink wine, God will also deny water,” is displayed on the wall, as well as on t-shirts. Visitors always ask what it means.

In June, my husband and I took a couple of friends to Grimes Mill Winery for their first visit. They loved it and were impressed by the ambience, the service, and the wine. They enjoyed the lighter and sweeter wines on the tasting list.

The Reserve Malbec is still our favorite. As it ages, it improves. Many wine lovers will notice an aroma and finish of a dark chocolate. This is a 100% Malbec and is a full-bodied, robust wine, but is so smooth that it doesn’t overpower the senses.

This summer, the winery is adding a bocche court, for those who would enjoy trying this popular Italian game. They are also introducing their Second Triple Crown wine, Tre Vini delle Sorelle, a blended red wine.

Jul 10thSmith-Berry Vineyard and Winery

After appearing on Great Day Live, we decided to visit Smith-Berry Vineyard and Winery, at New Castle, on the drive home. As usual, a visit there is relaxing and full of good wine. We tasted only the dry reds during this stop. There were six excellent choices. We started with a Zinfandel, this vintage has deep red berry flavors, with just a taste of spices. Next, we tried Brother John, made predominately with the Syrah grape. It has a deep garnet color, with aromas of plums or black cherries, and flavors of berries and plums. We also tried the John Harley, a big Zinfandel, that is named for Chuck Smith’s father. The wine has ruby colors, berry aromas, fruit and spice flavors.  Both the Merlot, and the Petite Sirah we tasted are lighter reds with more fruity finishes.

Our favorite was the Burley. This wine, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Norton, and Munson is one of the best reds available this season. Dark garnet in color, the wine has both the aromas and flavors of plum, raspberries, and cinnamon.

While we didn’t do a tasting of the Sauvignon Blanc this visit, I had tried it before and bought a couple of bottles. It is a crisp, dry white with fruity aromas and just a taste of minerals. It is a very good wine for these hot summer days.

Whatever your wine choice, dry or sweet, red or white, you will find something to love at Smith-Berry Vineyard and Winery. Just a short drive from I-71, it is a wonderful place to stop on a trip from Northern Kentucky to Louisville. The tasting room is inviting and there are places to sit and spend a relaxing afternoon.

Jun 6thForest Edge Winery

Last spring we visited Forest Edge Winery and were very impressed by the tasting room and by the wine. While we were unable to get back for a visit, we were happy to find them at Jane’s Saddlebag’s wine festival this past weekend. Their wine was just as good as we remembered. They have a lovely, light, dry Riesling. Wine lovers who enjoy a Riesling with want to give this one a try. After a taste, I wanted more. Forest Edge’s Riesling has all of the wonderful qualities of dry, German Rieslings, a fruity, floral aroma and a tart citrusy taste that lingers.

We also had the privilege of meeting the maker of their memorable wine. Raymond “Butch” Meyer is one of Kentucky’s premier winemakers. A few years ago, Meyer won a Best of Show Red in an International Amateur Winemaker competition. Today, he is winemaker at Forest Edge Winery, as well as at Millanova Vineyard and Winery and Brooks Hill Winery; and is winning awards. At the 2014 KY Derby Festival Wine Competition, five Forest Edge wines won Gold.

Forest Edge Winery is located just off I-65 in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. I recommend visiting if you have a chance and look forward to our next trip.

May 12thGrimes Mill Winery

On Saturday, Philip DeSimone, owner and winemaker of Grimes Mill Winery, welcomed many visitors to celebrate their first Triple Crown of Wines, the 2012 Reserve Malbec. The winery entertained visitors with an afternoon of wine, food, and music by the Troubadours.

The Reserve Malbec was worth the wait. Malbecs tend to have jammy aromas, inky colors, with mild tannins. Ca’ DeSimone’s Reserve Malbec, made with Kentucky grapes, is a full-bodied, robust, deep, red wine with flavors of cinnamon and blueberries. The supply is limited, so my recommendation to wine lovers is to visit the winery early in the summer.

We spent a relaxing afternoon with a great bottle of wine and wonderful renditions of some of our favorite old country songs.

Apr 30thVerona Vineyards

Wine lovers visiting Verona Vineyards will find some changes. New additions, such as a larger tasting room and a lovely patio overlooking the vineyard are complete and more changes are coming. A kitchen and a private tasting room are both going to be coming soon.

As always a visit to Verona Vineyards is relaxing and enjoyable. Visitors are rewarded by wines made by one of Kentucky’s finest winemakers. We were able to sit on the patio and enjoy a bottle of Dornfelder when we stopped by last weekend.

Apr 3rd2014 McConnell Springs Barrel Tasting

Though the Kentucky spring weather was not so inviting, the wineries were. Bluegrass wineries welcomed many visitors last Saturday to taste wine from the barrel and ask questions about the winemaking process. Seventeen of Kentucky’s wineries opened their doors to wine lovers who chose to spend a rainy spring day indoors drinking wine. The seventeen participating wineries were scattered across the Bluegrass region, with tastings from 11 AM to 5 PM. The four wineries we decided to visit make some of our favorite wines.

We started our day at Grimes Mill Winery. Philip DeSimone, the owner and winemaker welcomed visitors to his winemaking facilities, offering tastes, as well as a lesson in recognizing the sugar content in the wines as they ferment. Tasting were given of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Both wines show promise. My husband and I were also given the privilege of trying the long awaited Malbec that is to be bottled soon, can’t wait for that one. While there, we also spent some time in the tasting room. Grimes Mill is offering a Sauvignon Blanc (Kentucky) with grapes from their vineyard that have created an unusual aroma of butterscotch, while the flavors remain similar to other Sauvignon Blancs.

Following Kentucky back roads, our next stop was Chrisman Mill Vineyards. We were offered tastings of a Chambourcin from an oak barrel. Chris Nelson, owner and winemaker, uses this wine for his First Vineyard Reserve, a  popular wine with their visitors. Visitors were also treated to a sampling of foods and wine pairings. Denise Nelson always has the tastiest munchies. We enjoyed some Norton Reserve with our food.

We decided to make Lovers Leap Vineyards and Winery our next tasting experience. Brian Sivinski, the owner, was providing tastes of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines show signs of being very good. Brian also shared with us a taste of his Norton from the barrel, which will be a good vintage. We enjoyed a lovely visit and took home a couple of bottles of the current Cabernet Sauvignon. We’ve been toasting the Cats with this wine during March Madness and don’t want to break the good luck.

Our last visit of the day was at Prodigy Vineyards and Winery in Frankfort. Chad Peach chose a Chambourcin for tastings; it seemed to be a popular choice. The tasting room was overflowing with visitors as the McConnell Springs Barrel Tasting was winding down. We had sandwiches and some Lemberger wine.

Once again, the McConnell Barrel Tasting was a success. We enjoyed ourselves and from the conversations we heard, so did everyone else. Rainy spring afternoons offer a great chance to enjoy a day, of wine tasting.