Talon Winery
by
Kathy Sullivan
Summary: Visitors to Talon Winery will arrive at the tasting room after entering between stonewalls and traveling a long winding driveway past a pond. Talon Winery is located on a 300-acre farm property. Originally a tobacco farm, the property is now home to a vineyard, winery and event center. The winery is producing 100 percent Kentucky wine and uses only Kentucky oak barrels. Talon Winery has recently opened a tasting room in Shelbyville, Kentucky.
The tasting room at Talon Winery is located in a historic farmhouse built in 1790. George Washington was President of the United States and Kentucky was still part of Virginia at that time. The land the house was built on was owned by Isaac Shelby, Kentucky’s first governor, and was home to his daughter. Several rooms in the home are available for browsing and admiring the antique furniture. Many of these pieces of furniture hold an array of unusual objects for sale. Wine-filled truffles, logo clothing and wine accessories are also available. The red tasting counter is in a room with a fireplace that has been fitted with a stove.
The five acres of vineyards, located behind the winery, have Traminette, Vidal Blanc, Cayuga, Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Most of the vines are about nine years old. The vineyards are totally maintained by hand. Other grapes needed in the winery are sourced from Kentucky. In addition, the winery supports Kentucky products by using Kentucky oak barrels made from Kentucky oak.
Kerry Jolliffe is the winemaker and vineyard manager. Currently the winery is producing about 3,000 cases of wine and Kerry foresees production continuing to increase.
White Wines
Traminette 2006 offered a fruit cocktail taste. The crisp finish was dry and fruity. This is a food friendly white wine. Moon Dance was a blend of Seyval, Cayuga and Chardonel. The wine offered citrus on the taste. The finish was crisp with citrus notes. There was a slight hint of sweetness on the finish. Sweet Evening Breeze, with a residual sugar of 2.6 is the best selling white wine. It is a blend of Vidal Blanc, Cayuga and Chardonel. The color was a pale yellow. The taste was smooth and the finish was sweet but dry on the end.
Red Wines
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 was a ruby color. The aroma and taste offered black fruit and spice notes. The crisp finish was fruity with mild tannins. Monarch was a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Norton. The aroma and taste had notes of pepper and black fruit. The finish was crisp with mild tannins. Coyote Red is the best selling red with a residual sugar of 3.1. This is a blend of Chambourcin and Vidal Blanc. The color was a dark purple. The aroma was of red fruit with earthiness while the taste was sweet with red fruit notes. The finish was fruity.
Events
The winery offers numerous events. Some of these events include the Summer Concert Series. These concerts have an attendance ranging between 350 and 1,000 visitors. Wine Down Fridays occur two Fridays a month. Live music on the back porch of the tasting room is provided.
In addition the winery hosts the Bluegrass Literary Discussion Group that meets in the private tasting room at the house.
Weddings are popular at the winery. Three locations on the property are available for a dream wedding and the Barrel Barn, a renovated tobacco barn, is available for a reception. Weddings can be held at a gazebo, near a pond or near the vineyards.
Enjoy a visit to Talon Winery, a winery that is set against the green grass and blue skies of Kentucky.
Talon Winery
7086 Tates Creek Road
Lexington, KY 40502
GPS: N37º 54.577’ W84º 26.506’
