8 wineries to visit near Louisville, Kentucky, and Southern Indiana

Nestled among the many horse farms of Bourbon Nation is one other libation typically seen however actually much less spoken about — wine. 

Vineyards and wineries are scattered among the many Commonwealth, and its grape and wine trade has seen speedy development and enlargement for the reason that mid-90s. The Bluegrass State has greater than 113 grape producers and greater than 60 small farm wineries, in keeping with the Kentucky Division of Agriculture. 

Now that climate has thawed and the solar is shining, that is the right time to get acquainted with them. 

4465 Augusta Chatham Street, Augusta, Kentucky; bakerbirdwinerydistillery.com; 859-620-4965

This Northern Kentucky vineyard incorporates a beautiful, nineteenth century stone tasting room and a spectacular Civil Conflict-era wine cellar nestle 90 ft right into a hill that is 40-feet-tall, 40-feet vast. This distinctive spot on the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations is the one vineyard within the nation that survived a Civil Conflict battle. 

It produces 5 white wines, together with a Candy Vidal Blanc, and 4 pink wines, together with a Cabernet Franc and a Chambourcin. The distillery on the property additionally produced two forms of bourbon. The vineyard ages a number of of its wines in bourbon barrels, and is well-known for its easy, dry pink Thunder Bolt. Baker Chook Vineyard affords excursions, guided visits and shows. The vineyard is open each Saturday and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. all year long.

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5016 Smiths Grove Scottsville Street, Smiths Grove, Kentucky; bluegrassvineyard.com/the-winery; 270-853-1718

This Western Kentucky hotspot affords wine samples, wine by the glass, wine by the bottle, cheese trays and snacks each day, and winemaking excursions after 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Bluegrass Winery can be youngsters and pet pleasant. It is a small household operation, so the tour normally solely takes about 10 minutes. The vineyard additionally invitations its guests to take self-guided excursions by way of the vines so long as lengthy as visitors are sporting acceptable sneakers for its uneven floor.

Bluegrass Winery affords an intensive number of wine. A few of its extra distinctive choices are dandelion wine, caramel apple wine, rhubarb wine and cotton sweet wine. The vineyard additionally supply a extra conventional choice, together with sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio and merlot. 

1910 Clermont Street, Shepherdsville, Kentucky; forestedgewine.com; 502-531-9610

The charming vineyard affords is thought for its bold-tasting Cabernet Sauvignon in addition to its vast number of fruit wines a specialty wines. Its “Java Vino” is a espresso infused wine and its Toasted Tawny port has been aged eight years in a Kentucky bourbon barrel.

The vineyard is open seven days per week and tastings are $6 for 5 samples. The vineyard affords an assortment of cheeses from Kentucky Proud cheesemakers, however it additionally encourage visitors to convey a picnic and benefit from the grounds. 

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19816 Huber Street, Starlight, Indiana; huberwinery.com; 812-923-9463

So the Commonwealth cannot really declare this hotspot, however it’s so near Louisville it is actually a must-visit. Huber’s has greater than 65 acres of vineyards, and grows Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Seyval Blanc amongst different forms of grapes to make their award successful wines. Excursions and tastings may be booked on-line, and Huber’s is open seven days per week.

The enterprise additionally boasts a formidable reward store, farm market, bakery, fudge store and creamery. Huber’s additionally has a Household Enjoyable Park. Additionally, do not skip a go to to the Starlight Distillery, additionally situated at Huber’s. 

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Reid’s Livery Vineyard

430 Nealy Roa, Alvaton, Kentucky; reidsliverywinery.com; 270-779-6313

This cozy family-owned vineyard close to Bowling Inexperienced has received the greater than 300 medals in a wide range of winemaking competitions because it first opened in 2009. Reid’s is most well-known for its black raspberry wine, which is the three-time winner of the Kentucky Commissioner’s Cup for Boutique Wines. The vineyard is open from “Morning till O’Darkish Thirty” and the possession encourages you to name forward to be sure to’re visiting on the proper time. Should you come simply earlier than sundown, there’s an excellent likelihood you would possibly see deer or wild turkeys cross by way of, the grounds are additionally house to a wide range of chickens, peacocks, horses, canine and cats.

Reid’s is thought for its Norton 2017, a dry pink aged in a French Oak Barrel in addition to its Berea Rose 2015, which is a dry pink from Baco Noir Grapes grown in Kentucky at Hilltop Winery. Reid’s can be has a big number of fruit wines, together with Verrry Berry Cherry, Peachy Eager, Cranberry Pleasure and Alvaton Apple. 

7086 Tates Creek Street, Lexington, Kentucky; 400 Gordon Lane, Shelbyville, Kentucky; talonwine.com; 859-971-9797

Come for the wine, however keep for the leisure. Talon Vineyard, which has places in Lexington and Shelbyville, affords free dwell music “rain or shine” on Fridays and Saturdays. The vineyard encourages its visitors convey garden chairs or picnic blankets, and benefit from the beautiful panorama. Tastings are affords seven days per week, and visitors can get pleasure from six wines for $5 Monday to Thursday and three wines for $3 Friday to Sunday.

The vineyard affords a wide range of pink, rose white desk wines, bourbon barrel-aged wines in addition to fruit flavors reminiscent of chocolate strawberry and blueberry. 

940 St Peters Church Street NE, Corydon Indiana; turtlerunwinery.com; 812-952-2650

This Corydon, Indiana, gem is among the many 10 largest wineries in Indiana, and the corporate prides itself on not including sugar to its line-up of delectable dry and candy white and pink wines. Tastings are $5 for eight samples, and the vineyard is open from midday to six p.m. each day. 

The winery grows a powerful number of grapes together with Chambourcin, Vignoles, Corot Noir, Noriet, amongst others. Should you plan your journey for a Sunday, you possibly can get pleasure from dwell music by way of the vineyard’s Sunday live performance collection. 

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114 S. Mulberry St., Elizabethtown, Kentucky; wineryetown.com; 270-737-9463

Situated in downtown Elizabethtown, this charming vineyard is slightly totally different than a few of its Kentucky opponents as a result of it would not develop its personal grapes. As an alternative, Waters Edge buys high quality crushed grapes from award-winning vineyards all over the world, together with California, France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Chile, Argentina, Spain and South Africa. On the hooked up bistro visitor can get pleasure from lunch, dinner or Sunday brunch. The bar additionally affords wine flights and a powerful number of sangrias.

The vineyard has a variety of choices together with a riesling, rose, shiraz and chardonnay mix. The number of grapes it brings in from everywhere in the world additionally provides the vineyard the chance to make some much less standard wines reminiscent of German wine with distinctive with notes of grapefruit, rose petal and lychee nut. 

Options columnist Maggie Menderski writes about what makes Louisville, Southern Indiana and Kentucky distinctive, great, and infrequently, slightly bizarre. Should you’ve received one thing in your loved ones, your city and even your closet that matches that description — she needs to listen to from you. Say hey at mmenderski@courier-journal.com or 502-582-4053. Comply with alongside on Instagram and Twitter @MaggieMenderski.