Hamon Haven Winery

We were looking forward to our return to Hamon Haven Winery.  We had visited their adorable little tasting room for the first time in the spring of 2016.

Owners Andy and Carrie Hamon are such gracious hosts.  Their wine list offers quite a variety.  We sampled all the wines on their list:

• Sauvignon Blanc
• Merlot
• Chardonnay
• Seyval Blanc
• Chambourcin
• Zinthiana
• Diamond
• Catawba
• Niagara
• June’s Blend – a blend of Concord and Niagara
• Blackberry

The Sauvignon Blanc was lighter in flavor with much less grapefruit than is typical. Bushmaster and I both remarked that this was a Sauvignon Blanc we could drink.

Their Merlot was dry in keeping with the varietal.

Not typical of the usual Chardonnay, while dry, theirs had a lot of fruit flavor and came off as sweeter.  It was quite nice.

The Seyval Blanc was tart with discernible grapefruit flavor.  It reminded us more of a traditional Sauvignon Blanc.

Their Chambourcin stole the show for me.  It was rich, full of flavor, and everything I love in a Chambourcin.

At our previous tasting, Zinthiana had been my favorite.  It was still a front runner, coming in a close second to the Chambourcin.

We were both intrigued with the Diamond.  This is a grape we are hoping to work with this season in our own wine making.  It was so full of flavor with a slight sweetness.

We were surprised to find the Catawba to be so floral in the nose.  It reminded us of Traminette, but it was distinctively a Catawba.

Bushmaster hasn’t met a Niagara he hasn’t liked and this one did not disappoint.

June’s Blend was a little heavy on the Concord for our tastes but we could still appreciate how this was one of their more popular wines.

The Blackberry was such a treat.  Done lighter and semi-sweet it was not syrupy or overpowering.  This was another one of our favorites.

Just like last time, during our tasting we enjoyed wonderful conversation with the Andy and Carrie.  It is always a great experience to speak directly with the wine maker and learn more about what goes into their wine making processes.  Andy was happy to share tips for wine making and sourcing fruit with us.

Hamon Haven is such a nice little stop with some really nice wines.  You’ll want to make sure you put this winery on your list!

Harkness Edwards Vineyards

We would love to tell you about their wines but unfortunately, when we arrived we discovered they were closed for a private wedding.  We had checked their website the night before.  We couldn’t actually tell if the winery was open or not as there was no signage announcing the closing.  Wandering around amongst wedding guests to find a staff person was all kinds of awkward. There were none to be found.  We finally located a card with a phone number and called.  We were told that the announcement was posted on their Facebook page because they “didn’t know how to update the website.”

After the fact research revealed they have two different websites, neither of which indicated anything about closing or calling ahead.  The Facebook post was made at 10:30 AM the day of the event which was after we had left for our trip.  Prior to that, the previous posting was made on March 31st, and the one before that was dated January 1st. Clearly it isn’t only the websites that don’t get frequent updates.

One website shows 2 wines, the other shows 4.  The second website shows tastings are $10 per person which seems very hefty for such a short wine list.

After years of being closed because of a fire, we had been excited to hear that they had reopened.  Our experience was disappointing to say the least. Bushmaster thought perhaps we might receive a call back from them, but as of this posting, we are still waiting.

Lessons learned?  When planning a trip, do thorough searches to make sure there aren’t “hidden” websites and follow up by looking for a Facebook page. That should be enough, but just to be safe, make sure you call ahead.

5/31/2017 UPDATE:  Harkness Edwards reached out to us on Facebook and in our comments.  (See below.)

6/13/2017 UPDATE:  Our gift package received from Harkness Edwards:

Thank you so much! We have yet to sample the wine but will do so at a later date and review it at that time. We’re not sure when we will have the opportunity to revisit the winery as it is a bit of a drive from where we live.

Chenault Vineyards

When we received our Vintage Kentucky 2017 Winery Guide, we were excited to see that someone had taken over the facility that used to be Acres of Land Winery. We had been saddened to learn the fate of Acres of Land as it was special to us. Our daughter is an EKU graduate and we had held her graduation party there.  Needless to say, we couldn’t wait to get back to see what was happening under the new ownership.

The building with its vaulted ceilings was as we remembered it. The decor was beautiful and inviting. I quickly snapped a few pictures to send to my daughter. She too was impressed with what she saw.

We settled into the comfortable upholstered chairs at the bar ready to sample their wines.

At this time, they only have two wines available, both of which are made by and bottled by In Town Winery in Louisville, Kentucky.

Chenault Red is a blend of Merlot and Chambourcin aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels. It was smooth with a slight sweetness, however we found it to be a bit too sweet for our palates. We also were disappointed that there wasn’t more bourbon or wood flavor.

Chenault White is a blend of Riesling and Vidal Blanc. Leaning more to the dry side, it was light and refreshing with a nice flavor and my preference of the two.

As we sat and talked with our hostess, we learned that the new owners were toiling away in the vineyards. The neglect of the vines during the years it was closed had taken quite a toll and they are now in the process of replanting the entire vineyard. This means that they are at least four years away from developing any estate wines. In the meantime they are concentrating on marketing their beautiful facility for weddings and special events. They are looking forward to reestablishing the cafe next month. We are hopeful that they will begin sourcing fruit and/or juice to produce wine in house rather than relying on a partnership with another winery. Done right, Chenault Vineyards has the potential to become a fantastic destination with lots to offer their customers. We’re keeping this one on our radar.

Wine Tasting – May 20, 2017

JP presented us with a new line of wines that Party Town will be carrying. Thomas Henry Wines from California sport a signature label.  The bottles stand out with their bright orange caps. We sampled four of their offerings:

• 2016 Sonoma County Chardonnay
• 2016 Napa Valley Pinot Noir
• 2013 California Merlot
• 2014 California Zinfandel

The Chardonnay differed from traditional Chardonnays.  While it was unoaked, I did find it to be quite flavorable and enjoyable. The reds seemed to follow tradition. My favorite from this tasting turned out to be the Merlot which was a surprise to me as I tend to prefer the boldness of Zinfandels and Cabernet Francs. This just goes to show the value of trying everything.  You never know what you are going to find.

The dessert wine of the day was Purple Toad Winery’s Honey Kiss Mead.  I had recently sampled a number of the Purple Toad wines when I visited their winery.  This mead is a lighter version with a very nice honey wine flavor.

Wine Tasting – May 13, 2017

It was nice to be back among friends at Party Town for our regular tasting.  JP lined up a trip through France with the following:

• 2014 Blanc de Birot from Bordeaux, France – a white Bordeaux blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon
• Chateau d’Aqueria Tavel Rosé from Rhone, France – a rosé blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, and Clairette
• 2015 Domaine de Couron Marselan from IGP Ardeche, France – a cross of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache
• 2015 Mas des Brousses Chassuer des Brousses from IGP Pays d’Oc, France – a red blend of Merlot, Grenache, and Syrah
• Muscat de Beaumes de Venise Tradition from Rhone, France

While we’re not usually Sauvignon Blanc drinkers, the Semillon softened the Blanc de Birot making it quite a nice experience.  The Muscat de Beaumes de Venise Tradition made for a nice dessert wine.  It was not overly sweet and had a refreshing flavor.

Jamie then took us to Virginia with three of her finds:

• Jefferson Vineyards 2008 Petit Verdot Reserve from in Charlottesville, Virginia
• Winery 32 2014 Gloria’s Sunshine from Richmond, Virginia – a blend of 60% Peach and 40 % Vidal Blanc
• Glen Manor 2013 Petit Manseng from Front Royal, Virginia

JP warned us that this particular bottle of Gloria’s Sunshine was a bit off and Jamie admitted it was nothing like what she had tasted at the winery.  We tried it anyway and could envision what they were going for.  The Petit Manseng was very nice, but it was the Petit Verdot that stole the show.  Absolutely delicious! People were still talking about it the following week!

Bardwell Winery

Not ready for our tasting adventure to end, we made one last stop at Bardwell Winery. Located in the historic Moon Buggy Factory, they feature a restaurant, craft beer, and wine.

We had already eaten, so we made our way to the small tasting bar.

Their website touts, “All of our wines come from the very best hand picked grapes and corked in house.”  We couldn’t argue with the “corked in house” part but the the Black Raspberry Merlot, Blueberry Pinot Noir, and Strawberry White Merlot by their names alone led our thoughts immediately to Island Mist Wine Kits.  A quick Google search later confirmed it.  Neither one of us voiced our thoughts to the other as we tried to keep an open mind during this tasting.

Our hostess was gracious enough and attentive to us as she poured and we appreciated her hospitality.  She wasn’t able to tell us much more about the wine beyond what was on the tasting list.  We found nearly all the wines to have that “kit essense” in the palate that has caused us to steer clear of any more kits in our own wine making.

With wine tasting on our minds, I neglected to inquire about the craft beers.

As for the restaurant, they had a diverse little menu with several nice sounding options. A number of people were enjoying dinner while we were there so possibly there is more to experience if we hadn’t had such full tummies.

Another day, perhaps.

Indian Spring Winery

Upon recommendation from Maura at Meranda-Nixon Winery, our next winery stop was Indian Spring.  We hadn’t been aware of this winery and as the afternoon was waning, we were happy to learn that they were open until 10:00 PM giving us plenty of time to enjoy another tasting.

Among the more traditional wines, were quite a number of unique options.  We tried them all!

• Arrowhead White – Dry Riesling
• Kamali (Burgandy Cap) – Dry Niagara
• Renegade – A white blend aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels
• Kamali (Gold Cap) – Traditional Niagara
• Merlot
• Arrowhead Red (Burgandy Cap) – Chambourcin
• Weekend Warrior (Burgandy Cap) – Chambourcin aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels
• Weekend Warrior (Gold Cap) – Semi-sweet Chambourcin aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels
• Taquana Black – Semi-dry Concord aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels
• Estate grown Blackberry (Burgandy cap) – Semi-dry Blackberry
• Estate grown Blackberry (Gold cap) – Sweet Blackberry
• Estate grown Strawberry – Sweet Strawberry
• Koona – Mint wine
• Mahcawte – Jalapeno wine
• Melassi – Maple wine

Picking favorites here was difficult as so many topped our list.

Renegade was the first white we could recall tasting that had been aged in bourbon barrels and it definitely worked.

The Merlot was nicely balanced, and much to my liking, aged in wood.

Of course I loved the Chambourcins.

We were amazed with the Taquana Black, and as noted on the tasting list, it was “not your average concord”.  I am not a fan of most Concords as they come off to me more as Welch’s grape juice.  It was done semi-dry and the bourbon barrels nicely offset the typical foxiness of the Concord.  Neither of their Concords had that overpowering nose.

Their strawberry had a wonderful nose and flavor.  It was as close as you could get to fresh strawberries in a wine.  Simply delicious.

“Koona” which is Indian for “ice”, was a fantastic experience.  I would have never imagined a mint wine but I am glad they did.  What a refreshing and delicious treat!

“Mahcawte”, which is Indian for “fire”, took us to the other end of the spectrum. Bushmaster, who is not a fan of peppers or heat, opted out of this one, but I loved it.  It was recommended for cooking and while I am looking forward to experimenting with it, I also found it to be an enjoyable sipping wine.

They also had sangrias that they mix fresh daily.

• Red Sangria – mixed berry
• White Sangria – pineapple, orange, and Niagara
• Mango Mint – mango and Koona
• Mango Mint Jalapeno – mango, Koona, and Mahcawte

The Red Sangria was Bushmaster’s favorite while I preferred the Mango Mint. And after adding a splash of Mahcawte, it was out of this world delicious.

We happened to be visiting on Derby Day so as it got closer to race time, patrons began to funnel in.  Angela’s Curbside Cuisine also arrived to provide dinner options.  Bushmaster ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich and ordered the Crispy Chicken Wrap.  We shared an order of Saratoga Chips.  Everything was so delicious.

Indian Spring features live music every Saturday evening and Angela’s is a staple there every Friday and Saturday evening.  They also host a Farm Market on Saturdays in the summer from 10 AM to 2 PM for local farmers and crafters.

A family and dog friendly establishment, we cannot wait to go back this summer with our own Classy Canines for another relaxing and enjoyable visit!

 

 

Meranda-Nixon Winery

I’d like to say it all started with the case of Meranda-Nixon 2013 Estate Reserve Cabernet Franc that Bushmaster won on the Action Auction when I was out of town. However, I had been wanting to bring him here since Aary and I visited in February.  I just knew he would love this winery.  He quickly made friends with all the winery dogs, but it was the wine to which I really couldn’t wait to introduce him.

Their two page wine list offers something for everyone.  During our time there, we enjoyed a wonderful visit with co-owner Maura Meranda and sampled the following:

• 2016 Estate Reserve Chardonnay
• 2016 Traminette
• 2014 Catawba Estate Wine
• 2015 Estate Sparkling Catawba
• Red Oak Creek – a blend of Traminette and Norton
• 2014 Estate Cabernet Franc
• 2013 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2014 Estate Norton
• 2013 Estate Reserve Cabernet Franc
• 2013 Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

There wasn’t a wine we didn’t like!

Their Chardonnay was one of the best we had ever tasted and reminded us so much of the Michigan Chardonnays that made us relinquish our claims to be “ABC Drinkers”.

Bushmaster, who typically does not care for sparkling wines, admitted he found the Sparkling Catawba to be the exception.

The Norton, just as last time and no surprise at all, was my all around favorite.

We both agreed that Bushmaster had done well winning the 2013 Estate Reserve Cabernet Franc.  During my previous visit, I had opted for the pepper of the 2014, but this time the smoothness and richness won me over.  Maura had graciously offered to allow us to trade our case in if we found something we liked better and prior to our tastings I thought I would be tempted. However, in the end we declined. Quite often, Bushmaster’s and my tastes vary so much.  It was especially nice to find a wine upon which with both agreed was exceptional.  There’s just something about sharing a single bottle of wine with the person you love.

Meranda-Nixon is frequently host to special dinners and events that Maura coordinates. Winery activities are a family affair with all the Meranda children pitching in to help. Their tasting room is bright and airy and a perfect place to relax with a bottle of wine. I couldn’t help but fall in love with the unique metal sculpture chandeliers.

Maura, Bushmaster, and I chatted for quite some time as we enjoyed our samples and then took us out to their production room.  Wine maker and co-owner Seth Meranda was hard at work assisting a friend with with bottling his own personal wine.  We were treated to a taste of this as well as barrel tastings of the up and coming batches of Cabernet Sauvignon and their Norton/Cabernet Franc blend.  There’s just nothing like sampling the new wines straight from the barrels!

Our plans this summer are sure to include another road trip or two to Meranda-Nixon for a delicious dinner and more of their amazing wines.  It is most definitely worth the drive to experience some of the best wines we have had in Ohio.

Fancy Farm Vineyard & Winery

A relatively new addition to the Vintage Kentucky Winery Guide, we couldn’t wait to visit Fancy Farm Vineyard & Winery.  With a micro climate and white clay soil not typically found anywhere else in the state, co-owner and wine maker, Tom Curtsinger, grows grapes that he was told would never grow here — Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Malbec, Viognier, and Riesling.  In fact, he and his family have been at it for 10 years now.  His vines survived the winters of 2013 and 2014 when many vineyards lost theirs.

The current wine list is strong with the influence of Riesling as many of the other varieties are still works in progress that won’t be ready until the fall.

Old Red Barn was a blend of Concord, Niagara, and Riesling.  While listed as sweet, it was well balanced with good fruit flavor, but not cloying.

Their Blackberry was also listed under the sweet catagory but it was done more like a semi-dry and reminded Aary of the dry Blackberry wine she had loved so much at Butterducks Winery in Georgia.

Fancy Pear had the right amount of sweetness and a delicious pear flavor.  It was made from Red Anjou Pears and had a beautiful red color from skins.

Fancy Peach was a sweet peach wine very true to the fruit.

Fancy White was their sweetest white and was a blend of Niagara, Cayuga, and Riesling.

A semi-sweet blend of the same Niagara, Cayuga, and Riesling, Golden Grape was a really nice experience.  It started off sweet but finished dry with a delightful wash of flavor.

Moscato was exactly what you would expect from this varietal.

Returning to that signature blend of Niagara, Cayuga, and Riesling, Harvest Gold was the dry version of their white.  Just like I was surprised when I first tasted a dry Concord, I really enjoyed the flavor and liked what they had done with this wine.

Peachy Keen was another wonderful surprise as it too was done dry.

Finally we were to the Ruby Red.  It was a dry version of Old Red Barn and both Aary and I agreed that it was our favorite.

Just when we didn’t think it could get much better, Tom disappeared into the production room and returned with a barrel taste of one of his experiments. Ruby Red Oaked was the same dry Ruby Red but aged with oak staves.  How we both wished we could have had more!

 

The Fancy Farm tasting room was spacious and inviting.  It was a great space for gatherings and activities.  They are frequently the host to a number of events, including yoga and painting classes, which co-owner Robbie Felker coordinates.

We had such a wonderful time visiting with Tom and Robbie and discussing wine making.  Tom gave me a number of tips to help us with our endeavors and I know Bushmaster is really going to enjoy meeting him.  I cannot wait to return here in the fall when they will have more of their vinifera wines bottled and available.  Fancy Farm Winery is such a gem!

 

Natchez Hills Winery at Fontanel

A day of road tripping just isn’t complete without a winery stop.  Wherever we head, I am always looking for wineries along our path, so it was no surprise when I found one. While the main winery and vineyard are located in Hampshire, Tennessee, Natchez Hills also has a tasting room at Fontenel near Nashville.

They offer two tastings of five wines:

Staff Pick Sampler

• 2015 Sauvignon Blanc
• 2015 Riesling
• 2014 Alicante Bouschet
• 2014 Merlot
• Ridgetop Red – An off dry red blend

Southern Sampler

• Harmony – A white blend of Riesling, Viognier and Muscat
• Sunset Blush – White Zinfandel
• Blackberry
• Blueberry
• Peach

The also have three additional wines outside of the samplers:

• La Fusion – A spiced blend of Merlot and Cabernet
• Ruby Blush – An off dry Zinfandel Rosé
• Naughty TEA – A wine made from Sweet Tea

I selected the Staff Pick and Aary opted for the Southern Sampler.  We traded tastes so that we could sample them all.  Not an oenophile, Nate watched from the sidelines.  We thought he might like the sweet Peach, so he humored us and tried a bit but found it still too winey for his liking.

Both Aary and I liked the Alicante Bouschet but it was the Naughty TEA that impressed us the most.  It was a sweet wine with a hint of tea flavor and so unusual.  Of course it has given me ideas for my next batch of wine making experiments!