Sipping Through the Bluegrass State: The Kentucky Wine Trail
Why Wine Tasting?
Have you ever wanted to feel fancy and taste the height of luxury? Then you must try wine tasting. Kentucky has some of the best wine in the country. While you might think that all wine tastes the same, each vineyard creates its own unique mixtures and flavors. They are all so good you will want to taste them all no matter if you're sipping wine in the summer, fall or winter! A wine tour can expand your palate and give you a refined scope of the classic drink.
Whether you're a sweet wine fan or dry wine fan, or you prefer fruit forward drinks to savory ones, your palate will be taken to a wonderland of flavor of your own choosing. Let's head down the Kentucky wine trail.
Wineries in Kentucky
This unofficial trail lies throughout the western and northern sections of Kentucky. The majority of Kentucky's vineyards lie on the outskirts of Covington, Lexington, and Louisville. The western vineyards are in slightly less-populated areas, but they aren't too far from any one city, so you should be good.
Here are some of the sections of the trail you might want to stick to if you don't want to veer too far from your inn. Here are some of the best wineries in Kentucky!
Covington Area Camp Springs Vineyard Stonebrook Winery Seven Wells Vineyard 12 Mile Creek Winery Baker-Bird Winery Atwood Hill Winery Brianza Gardens
Lexington Black Barn Winery Jester's Paddock Winery Equus Run Vineyards Talon Winery & Vineyards 1922 House Vineyards Wildside Winery Rising Sons Home Farm Winery
Louisville Off the Rails Tasting Room and Wine Depot Arbor Stone Vineyards Brooks Hill Winery Millanova Winery Wight-Meyer Vineyards Forest Edge Winery
Preparing for Your Wine Tour
Going on a wine tour is not like going to a fast food restaurant--it's a high-class learning experience. You don't have to dress in a tuxedo or ball gown, but you should dress in It is recommended that you wear dark colors and avoid perfumes or colognes, as it can impact your sense of smell and weaken your overall experience.
You shouldn't go wine tasting on an empty stomach either. Find a place to get a quick snack before you pull up to the winery, otherwise you are at a high risk of getting drunk incredibly fast. This is obviously a bad tasting strategy if you plan on stopping at multiple vineyards in the same day.
Avoid foods with pungent and long-lasting flavors such as garlic fries or onion rings, as they can dull your ability to taste. If there isn't a convenient place to eat on the way to the winery, some vineyards have food that is suited perfectly for wine tasting. This might be a good way to decide which vineyard you want to go to if you don't want to minimize your experience.
Be Responsible
Before you map out your wine tasting route, there are some things you should know about making a trip like this. For instance, some eager tourists might want to drive to every vineyard on the trail, tasting and drinking literally everything that each one has. While their excitement is understandable, you need to be thoughtful with your wine tasting strategy.
Be a responsible wine taster. If you plan on visiting more than one winery, you should definitely have a designated driver to shuttle you home. Unless you plan on being exceptionally conservative with your consumption (three glasses for women and four glasses for men), or you plan on spitting out your wine instead of drinking it, you probably should not drive.
Now that you have this all plotted out, you'll be able to explore the wine aficionado's paradise without a care in the world. Drink carefully and have a blast on your taste expedition. Au revoir!
