Things to do / Travel Guide
Winemakers in Central Kentucky and Tennessee are a hearty and hardworking bunch. Facing the trying terroir of damp soils, tough winters, humid summers, and the omnipresent threat of fungal disease, it is nothing short of a modern miracle that regional vintners have coaxed their American and American-French grape varieties to perfection. Winemakers have sought out the best sloping terrains for optimal drainage, made the most of clay-loam soil, and fashioned unique, Kentucky oak barrels; one taste of their Central Kentucky and Tennessee wines will make you a believer.
Central Kentucky Wineries
The bucolic Kentucky countryside at Chrisman Mill Vineyards & Winery in Nicholasville, with its rolling hills and lush greenery, will make you feel as if you've stepped into the Tuscan Valley. While the grapes are primarily American and American-French hybrid, you will swear that an Italian hand has picked them. Nationally-acclaimed and award-winning wines such as the three-time International Silver Medal Winner 2002 First Vineyard Reserve, made from Kentucky-grown Chambourcin and Cabernet Franc, has a voluptuous, complex, and smoky flavor with hints of dark cherries and tobacco. The International Bronze Medal Winner 2002 Chambourcin is a medium-bodied, spicy, dry wine with silky tannins. Stop in to the Chrisman Mill café to enjoy Kentucky viticulture and Tuscan cuisine.
Despite less than 10 years in the business, Talon Wineries in Lexington is already reaping the fruits of its labor; the winery's reds and whites have won six silver and 11 bronze medals in various wine competitions. Many of Talon's wines have whimsical names - Moondance, Bluegrass Blush, Sweet Evening Breeze, and Afterglow - and are embodied with unconventional flavors. Afterglow has sweet apple and pear undertones with hints of pink grapefruit and honey. More-traditional wines include Kentucky oak-aged Cabernet Sauvignon with moderate tannins and a mildly spicy finish. Talon's tasting room is housed in an 18th-century farmhouse and maintains regular hours.
Central Tennessee Vineyards
Since it opened in 1998, Holly Ridge Winery, in Livingston, has used the vineyard's natural slopes to wonderful effect. Winning repeatedly at the Indiana State Fair and Wines of the South Competitions, Holly Ridge wines have claimed a total of 37 gold, silver, and bronze medals. Made from 100% Tennessee fruit, their Ruby Port was named winner of the William O. Beach Award for best Tennessee wine, and their award-winning Chambourcin is a robust, oak-aged red, with distinct varietal flavor. Holly Ridge Winery is open seven days a week for tours and tastings.
Perfectly situated on a high point within Tennessee' Cumberland Plateau, the 100-year-old Stonehaus Winery in Crossville offers everything from the traditional dry Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay to the unconventional fruity Muscadine and snazzy blackberry, raspberry, and orange wines. Their humorous advertising slogan “Red goes with beef. White goes with fish. Orange goes with pigskin.” pokes gentle fun at the local culture while attempting to bring their unique viticulture to the masses. Stonehaus' sweet and fruity white Muscadine is their most popular wine. Muscadine grapes (locally referred to as “Fox” grapes) grow wild in Crossville and are commonly referred to as “God's gift to the sunny south.” Stonehaus is open year-round for complimentary tastings and tours.
Wineries in Nashville, Louisville and Lexington in Central Kentucky and Tennessee
Wineries
Chrisman Mill Vineyards & Winery
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