Talon Winery, Shelbyville KY

September 5, 2024 by

While planning my recent trip to Tennessee, I knew that a stop along the way should be Talon Winery in Shelbyville KY. The drive alone through Kentucky is beautiful, but there are many wineries worth visiting, as they have so much to offer the visitor and local community.

Talon Winery has two locations. The winery was established by Harriett Allan and her late husband in 1999 on their 300 acre Fair View Farm in Lexington. There the “Homestead Tasting Room” is located in the original farmhouse built in 1790. Fair View Farm was originally a cattle and tobacco farm until its purchase. Talon’s “Ca”Barn”et Barrel Barn” was converted from a working tobacco barn to an elegant and wedding and event venue that hosts close to 100 weddings and events each year. My stop was not at the Lexington location, but I would like to stop there in the future for a visit.

The original winery is celebrating its 25 year Anniversary right now, while Shelbyville location is celebrating its 15th. Prior to its opening in 2009, the Shelbyville tasting house was a just a normal house. “The garage was converted into a unique, one-of-a-kind Barrel Vaulted ceiling tasting room where guests can enjoy Talon wines. The rest of the house was rehabilitated to create a gift shop, private event room and a large porch that overlooks a limestone rock quarry on acres of beautiful land.”

Upon arrival at the winery, we ere greeted by Sheila, who was extremely pleasant and a wonderful guide through the wines. She has been with the winery for 9 years, and was not only knowledgeable about the wines and winery, but also shared her preferences and favorites.

Because wine is for sharing, it’s always a pleasure to visit with others who are taking part with their own tasting. We were fortunate to have the chance to share our experience with Jose and his wife, who were traveling from Florida to Wisconsin.

The tasting room is designed with a barrel vaulted ceiling, as mentioned before, and the rest of the decor throughout the room and shop displays beautiful woodwork and features that are both elegant and cozy.

William Mullett has been with Talon since 2014, originally as an Assistant and then in 2017 became the Winemaker. He is originally from the area and He has studied Viticulture, Agriculture and wine-making since 2010. He also has research experience from the University of Kentucky and has judged many wine competitions.

At Talon, six wines are included in a tasting. So, before you start counting the list of those I tried below, yes, I had two tastings! I’ve included the winery’s tasting notes along with my own:

Chardonnay (dry) – Flavors of apple & pear, creamy vanilla & oak nose. Pairs with seafood & salad.
Moondance (dry)- Pinot Gris, caramel & pear nose. Bright & citrusy with a crisp apple finish.
Vidal Blanc (dry) – Estate Vidal Blanc. Bright & refreshing with tropical fruit tones. Sunshine in a glass. Pairs with spicy dishes & BBQ.
Rogue (slightly off dry) – Estate Traminette aged in Bourbon Barrels. Smooth with notes of honey & caramel. Perfect to accompany a charcuterie board. Aging a white wine like Traminette in Bourbon Barrels is very interesting. This was my first, and it was very easy drinking. Smooth as described.
Diamond (sweet) – Flamboyant, dazzlingly sweet. Pairs with a candlelit dinner & late night chats. I’m not big on sweet wines, but had to try the Diamond variety again. This one is the best I’ve had so far. This was one of my purchases.
Merlot (dry) – KY Oak Barrel aged. Bright, earthy & oaky with hints of cherry. Enjoy with lean meats & veggies. This Merlot is truly medium-bodied, and although not as robust as I typically prefer, it was very good.
Monarch (dry) – Cabernet Franc, a lively red aged in KY oak. Sweet berry nose with flavors of plum & tobacco. Enjoy with steak or roasted veggies. One of my favorites here. The oak was light (enhanced with oak chips and not barrels), with earthy notes and rich flavors. Excellent, and one of my purchases.
Cabernet Sauvignon (dry) – Full-bodied, aged in KY Oak. Jammy, with flavors of preserved cherry & black currant. Best served with red meat. I enjoy a bold Cabernet Sauvegnon, and even though this was a bit lighter, it was very good. This was one of my purchases.
Equestrian Series (dry) – The Equestrian Series is an artistic tribute to Kentucky’s equine culture. Oaky and smokey, a spice-lover’s dream. This 100% Malbec wine gives off aromas of spiced vanilla caramel with a berry & plum finish. Although a bit more oaky than some of the other reds, it did not overtake the wonderful flavors. This is a blend of Malbecs from various sources, and very good.
Southern Rosé (dry) – Light & refreshing with a rose nose. Flavors of strawberry & cherry. Pairs with spicy food or as a sangria. This is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Malbec. It is very light.
Coyote Red (sweet) – Semi-sweet estate blend with a heavy black cherry profile. Bright, crisp & smooth – great by itself or mixed in with a fall flavored sangria. I purchased this one for a friend.
Blueberry Port (sweet) – Port-style dessert wine aged in Bourbon Barrels. A burst of Blueberry with a warm Bourbon finish. Sometimes ports can be harsh due to the high alcohol content. This is the first fruit port I have had, and it was excellent. It is full of flavor, and even though it still has more alcohol, it would be very easy to consume more quickly than a sip at a time!

In addition to these wines, they have a many more varieties and fruit wines available on their website shop.

In addition to the event venues at the Lexington location, both locations have other picnic areas, porches or indoor sitting areas where you can enjoy wine by a flight, glass, or bottle. They also have many live weekend music events, and the evening we were at the Shelbyville location it was Trivia Night.