View more Kentucky Wineries & Vineyards.
When people think of wine, they think of France, and within the states, they think of California. However, after visiting the best wineries in Kentucky, that could change. These 10 wineries offer custom-made wines using grapes and berries grown on Kentucky soil that are destined to delight visitors and remind them that the lands of bluegrass are good for more than just grazing horses.
Elk Creek Vineyards is a vineyard and winery in Owenton, Kentucky. The winery offers more than 20 varieties of red, white, and fruit wines in their tasting room, and all the winery’s wines are made from grapes that were hand-picked from its vineyard. Two tours of the winery are available, and both are free. Visitors can come for a relaxing day on in the vineyards or stay the night at the inn or rustic lodge.
The Purple Toad Winery in Paducah, Kentucky, is a great place to visit if you’re looking to do one thing: Taste delicious local wines. The venue has no restaurant, no inn, and no live music—just award-wining wines and a winding vineyard for guests to wander through on nice days. The vineyard’s red, white, and fruit wines are served in its tasting room and paired with Kentucky-made cheese, crackers, and pretzels.
Wildside Winery in Versailles, Kentucky, is an absolutely gorgeous place to indulge your love of wine. Located in the rolling hills between Frankfort and Lexington, the winery covers all the basics you’d expect, offering more than 30 types of wine, cheese, crackers, and chocolate for tastings. Flights are available in many different sizes, so you can find your favorite without worrying about having too much.
Equus Run Vineyards in Midway, Kentucky, is one of the best wineries in the state. Its won a TripAdvisor “Certificate of Excellence” for three years in a row and was called a must-see hidden treasure by CNN Travel. Equus offers free vineyard tours, and they also have a picnic tour deal for large groups. In the tasting room, visitors can sample wines or enjoy glasses or bottles while relaxing around the vineyard.
The MillaNova Winery in Mount Washington, Kentucky, is a family-owned and operated vineyard and winery. In its tasting room, visitors can enjoy samples of MillaNova’s red, white, fruit, and dessert wines and then leave with their favorites that are sold by the bottle or case. MillaNova’s gift shop is a great place to pick up a gift for a wine lover; they sell unique wine glasses, t-shirts, bottle openers, and stands.
In Bardstown, Kentucky, visitors can taste wine and pick their own berries at McIntyre’s Winery & Berries. McIntyre’s specializes in fruit wines made from blackberries and blueberries grown right on the farm, sun-ripened, and hand-picked, though they also offer more traditional dry and sweet wines. Visitors can indulge in a wine tasting, take a winery tour, or hand pick their own berries to take home.
Brooks Hill Winery is in Brooks, Kentucky, just a few miles south of Louisville. It is a quaint and quiet vineyard and winery with a distinct southern family feel. Brooks Hill serves cheese plates at their tasting counter along with samples of their sweet, dry, and dessert wines. When the weather is nice, visitors can relax in the pavilion while listening to live music, and there’s a fireplace to sit by when it’s cool out.
The vineyards at Lover’s Leap in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, boasts growing conditions alike those found in France where some of the world’s best wines are made. Tours of the winery at Lovers Leap are often conducted by the winemaker himself, offering visitors a truly distinct experience of learning how wine is made. After taking a tour, visitors can sample the winery’s signature wines in their tasting room.
In Laporte, Kentucky, you’ll find the family-owned and operated Forest Edge Winery. While Forest Edge boats original wines that are just as appealing as those served by the other wineries on this list, the venue is unique because it is truly family friendly. While parents enjoy sampling the winery’s offerings, children can play, watch television, and make crafts in the children’s room.
Great wine is paired with frequent events and specials at the Prodigy Vineyards and Winery in Versailles, Kentucky. Every Friday, the winery offers live music and food off the grill along with its typical tasting room wine flights, cheese plates, and sandwiches. Also, on Mondays they serve lunch specials, Tuesdays are ladies night with half-price glasses of wine, and Thursdays bring buy-one-get-one-half-off specials.
