May 13thJane’s Saddlebag

Most people plan visits to interesting sites when they are traveling on vacation, or plan day trips to unique places a couple of hours away from home. Seldom do we look at locations that are as close to home as a half hour away. We found out this weekend that you should. After reading an announcement about a wine festival in Union in May’s Kentucky Monthly, we decided to visit Jane’s Saddlebag. What we discovered is a charming place that offers a wine shop, a old-fashioned store with a restaurant, an event site, and a petting zoo. Jane’s Saddlebag, in Boone County, is owned by the Blackmore family and is named after an ancestor. Visitors can follow the signs to 13989 Ryle Road, just two miles past Big Bone Lick State Park.

In the wine shop, visitors can purchase a glass or a bottle of several choices from local wineries. The store has a wide selection of gift items, including some from local artisans. If you’re hungry, the restaurant offers a wide line of sandwiches such as a Wooly Mammoth Burger. Be sure to save room for a dessert. I had the Coconut Cream pie and it was excellent. Private events can be planned on the grounds with a view of Big Bone Creek. The petting zoo and the children’s village will delight the children.

On June 8, Jane’s Saddlebag will be hosting its 1st Annual Wine Festival. Verona Vineyards, Atwood Hill Winery, StoneBrook Winery, and Elk Creek Vineyards and Winery are some of the local wineries who will be offering tastes of their wines. Lovers Leap Vineyard and Winery, Talon Vineyards and Winery, and others will be coming from other parts of the state. There will also be artisans and vendors. Enjoy a day of fun, wine, and great food, with free parking. A portion of the proceeds will be going to the Children’s Hospital. Watch for announcements on the local news and in local news outlets.

I will be there signing A Wine Lover’s Odyssey Across Kentucky.  Hope to see you there.