Oct 16thThe Northern Kentucky Wine Festival

Saturday’s weather was perfect for an outdoor festival. Fall foliage and Kentucky wines were an excellent combination for visitors to MainStrasse yesterday. Whether strolling down the Sixth Street Promanade from wine booth to wine booth or sitting enjoying a glass of wine, it was a great way to relax and enjoy the day. Fifteen of Kentucky’s wineries provided wine for tasting and  purchase, artisans displayed crafts from jewelry to artwork, and food vendors were available with a wide choice of treats.

Several of the wineries were well-known to wine lovers in Northern Kentucky. StoneBrook Winery, Atwood Hill Winery, Seven Wells Winery, and Baker-Bird Winery are all well-established local wineries. Many visitors have enjoyed the Back Woods Wine Tour featuring stops at each. Elk Creek Vineyards and Winery also has a local presence at the vineyards in Owenton, as well as the shops at Florence Mall, Crestview Towne Center and Rabbit Hash. Redman’s Farm Winery has been open for a year and has had a booth at several festivals locally. Others were also known to festival goers, such as, Chrisman Mill Vineyards and Winery, Lovers Leap Vineyards and Winery, Horseshoe Bend Vineyards and Winery, Wildside Winery and Vineyard, Generation Hill Winery, and Black Barn Winery.

Some wineries might have been a bit of a surprise to local visitors. Though one of Kentucky’s most popular wineries,  Smith-Berry Vineyard and Winery, from New Castle, made its first appearance at the wine festival. Purple Toad Winery also made a somewhat rare appearance in this region. Western Kentucky wine lovers have been familiar with this Paducah winery for quite some time. A new winery, Rose Hill Farm Winery in Pendleton County, made its first appearance at the festival offering wines not yet available for tasting at their winery.

Whether enjoying new wines from an old favorite, such as StoneBrook’s Black Knight, or trying wines from wineries new to the festival such as Smith-Berry’s Brother John, visitors were enthusiastic about their tasting experience. We got there early and the crowds were already gathering. When we left after a couple of hours of tastings, relaxing with a glass of wine and a brick oven pizza, it was getting crowded. The Sixth Annual Northern Kentucky Wine Festival was a success and a perfect way to spend a fall afternoon.