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In the Drink: Sampling Equus Run

By Wendy Miller Contributing Columnist

When writer Joel Stein recently announced in Time magazine his favorite wines among representatives from each of the 50 states, Equus Run's commemorative Celebration White (a blend of chardonel and viognier) made the cut. Stein was delighted with the wine, which he compared to a pinot grigio or an orvieto, and almost equally with the other tasters' surprise at its provenance.

Actually, Kentucky's wine traditions go back hundreds of years, but history and politics had interrupted them until late in the 20th century. In the past couple of decades, however, the industry has re-emerged, and Equus Run has been among its leaders.

The property opened in 1998 with owner/winemaker Cynthia Bohn at its helm. Since then, she has overseen the development of 7 acres of rootstocks; the import of grapes from within and without the state (although her preference is to stay close to home); the creation of a winemaking facility, amphitheater and a tasting room on the premises; and tours. By using her boundless energy and assembling a top-notch group of employees, she has created not only a successful business but a winery that offers a total experience.

Visit Equus Run on a pretty day. Fall is the perfect time, with the cabernet sauvignon fruit a deep midnight blue, the sky several shades lighter, the rolling hills soft green but on their way to becoming burnished, and the rows neatly waiting for harvest. A self-guiding brochure with a map explains the vineyard's layout.

After a walk (or before), there is nothing like having some wine and recording impressions. Isn't that part of what a winery is for? (Well, at least it is for me.)

For $2 you may sample six 1-ounce pours from the 12 to 15 bottles available at any given time. Staff members have been trained for at least four weeks before working with customers, including how to field a battery of questions ranging from the basic to erudite.

Chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, merlot and a sweet riesling are among the choices, but there are some, perhaps less familiar, varietals such as viognier (pronounced "vee-oh-nyay"), made into a dessert wine. Australia is making a rosé sparkling wine with shiraz grapes, but to my knowledge, only Equus Run is making the cabernet sauvignon "blanc de noirs," a dark still rosé.

It seemed to me that the major challenge might be how to coax tasters to imagine matching some lesser-known hybrids with food. When I asked Bohn about that, she explained:

"Tasting sheets describe the wines, and the foods are recommended with each new wine release based upon our 'test kitchen' of experiences. We do not first build a palate image for the client, but rather we facilitate the wine tasting experience to encourage client feedback and help them take a leap towards experiencing their own palate first."

No wonder the motto at Equus Run is "Visit the vineyards, taste the experience," and no wonder Stein concluded his article with "Kentucky, you charmed me."