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Jane’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.
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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.
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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 admin with No CommentsKentucky 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 admin with No CommentsVerona 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.
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National Drink Wine Day
Wine lovers take note. February 18, 2016 is National Drink Wine Day. Enjoy a glass today.
by admin with No CommentsRaffaldini 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.
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Valentines and Wines
Valentine’s Day means romance, chocolate and wine. Wineries all over Kentucky are hosting events just perfect for celebrating. From chocolate and wine pairings, to Valentine dinners, to special wines, a wine lover looking for a way to celebrate will find choices at their favorite winery. Here are a few of the many choices.
Valentine Dinners, at wineries, such as, Verona Vineyards, Prodigy Vineyards, Horseshoe Bend Winery, MillaNova Winery, and Atwood Hill Winery, are on Saturday, February 13. Elk Creek is offering a Valentine Day Dinner Package on February 14. Reservations are required, so check their websites. You can also try my link to the Kentucky wine site for a link to all the wineries in the state.
Brianza Winery is hosting a Wine and Chocolate Pairing, while you can try Painting, Wine, and Truffles at Chrisman Mill Vineyards.
A special bottle of wine to toast that special someone from any of Kentucky’s wineries will be the perfect way to find romance on Valentine’s Day. Hope you have a wonderful day!
by admin with No CommentsChrisman Mill Vineyard and Winery
There’s good news and bad news for fans of Chrisman Mill Vineyard and Winery. The bad news is that the tasting room at the vineyard is closed for the season. We have to wait for spring to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere and beautiful views. The good news is that Denise and Chris Nelson have opened a new shop in Nicholasville, called The Vintage Gourmet. Visitors can stop in, taste the wine, buy a bottle, or shop in the uniquely stocked gift shop. Gift items range from gourmet foods, such as pastas and sauces, to wine related objects. I found a wine glass case for my phone there. All my wine lover friends want one too now.
The new shop is easy to get to, but not as easy to find. It is located on Nicholasville Road before the turn into Nicholasville, the number is 2205. If you are traveling south, it is located on the right hand side of the road. For those who like landmark directions, it is next to an Enterprise office.
Wine lovers may miss the vineyard, but hopefully the winter will be short. The new shop is great. You will love it.
by admin with No CommentsBrown County Winery
No visit to Brown County is complete without a visit to Brown County Winery. Our favorites there are their Old Barrel Port and their Black Raspberry Encore. Both are stronger than wines and are sweeter. They are perfect for sipping with dessert, after dinner, or as a nightcap.
Since our visit last year, there were some additions to the winery. A deck was added that gives visitors a chance to relax and enjoy a bottle of wine outside. Unfortunately, we were there on a rainy, dreary day and didn’t sit outside. We enjoyed a chance to shop in the gift area of the tasting room and catch glimpses of the wine making process.
You can also stop in at the tasting room in downtown Nashville.
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