Baker Bird Winery

Bad wine, women working who just don’t want to be there-​tried to get get out as fast as possible. Stick to what Kentucky does best: Whiskey.

We visited the Baker-​Bird winery with the Tri-​State Kayakers after a paddle on nearby Bracken Creek. We found the entire experience delightful. We enjoyed the easy parking, the friendliness of the staff, an interesting historical tour, the immense cellar, nice acoustical guitar, and a decent value ($ 5 for five tastes). I would give five stars if the tasting was in glass wine glasses, the order of the tasting was carefully considered (we were offered sweet wines first), some palate cleansing was available, and I didn’t feel a bit rushed (though it was a large group). They just need a bit of advice from other wineries as to best practice and they’d have a real winner!

My second visit today. Took some friends and they too were blown away at the entire experience. What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. The ambiance, music (Larry on acoustic guitar) and of course the wonderful wines! So close to Cincinnati yet you feel like you could be in a winery in Europe. I highly recommend.

I am an architectural nerd so I was really excited to see this historic place and get the walk through. When we first arrived we were greeted by a smiling, bubbly lady who offered to give us the standard tour (a walk through of four almost empty rooms). The first room is full of cheaply laminated photocopies of loosely relevant historical documents hung with zip ties on metal stands. Clearly need some work on a better presentation, but the story attached was interesting. The next two rooms (really just a double parlor) has the paint chipping and peeling off. Clearly no attempts were made to improve them or even to capitalize on the original architectural details (some of which are actually painted over).
Then we were directed to take the stairs and see ourselves down to the cellar. I am sure this beautiful stone barrel-​vaulted, earth-​sheltered is even more impressive when someone actually bothers to tell you the story of it. It is creatively lit to showcase the texture of the walls, but at the end of the room there is a pile of barrels covered in black mold, along with a couple of piles of hay (?) also molding… Bizarre. In that room were also three plastic tables with plastic chairs around them, no idea why since it did not seem to be an extension of the tasting room.
Up until then, we were still rather excited to have driven over an hour to a secluded winery. We went back up to the main floor and approached the bar. Immediately we were overwhelmed by the smell of cigarettes from the lady pouring the tastings. We mentioned that we had the Groupon (which included an extended tour, cheese plate, desert samplings and wine glasses) at which she muttered something about how we should have gotten the tour, said she would ask the guy for a cheese platter and would be back with our glasses.
The owner, who is really sweet comes by and puts two grimy, small, clearly cheap quality glasses on the bar and says «make sure to rinse those before you use them». What??? You are having me drink wine out of plastic cups (really) when it would take you three seconds under running water to make the glasses I paid for usable.
Anyway, we continue on to the tasting. The lady that smells of cigarettes lists the wines that she has for tasting today and then mentions that the owner has opened a bottle of the Bourbon Wine even though she is not supposed to (while rolling her eyes). Then she annoyingly and dismissively mentions that our Groupon also includes «where they show you how to taste the wine», but makes no effort to maybe bring someone over to perform that service. So we muster on and try to have an informed conversation with her, which fails miserably since sh herself declares that she does not like wine and does not drink wine.
The cause of her disdain for wine becomes apparent a few wines in. Normally I like to stick my nose in the wine and smell it, but with her around everything had a bitter twinge of sweat and cigarettes. Ok, no nose on the wine, on to the taste. Blech!!! The wines were so shallow and obvious. A good wine has a whole composition of subtle flavors and hints. The Baker-​Bird wines have none of those. One of the wines was compared to Kool-​Aid by Smokey-​Girl herself, and she was surprisingly on point. All the subtlety of a sugared jackhammer. It was a flat, sweet, soured, alcoholic grape juice. This is the quality you buy when you are in college, and it costs two dollars at the gas station. At $ 17 and up, it is overpriced swill. To call this wine is to call McDonald’s a restaurant.
I really wanted to like it, but even the live music (way too loud for the acoustics of a bare stone room) was sub par and actually annoying. At one point the lady on guitar started a verse of «Old McDonald» because there was a teetering kid approaching her. And why is there a child at a winery?
I would not come back, and I would strongly discourage anyone with taste buds from visiting.

Let’s start out with the positives: The owner is fantastic. She is friendly, passionate, and engaging. Incredibly sincere with the all best parts of southern hospitality. The history of the place is impressive and enchanting. The building is gorgeous and the wine cellar is a must see. The Bourbon Barrel wine was pretty tasty with an interesting process.
That being said, the experience was disappointing. The interior of the inside of the building is somewhat run down with the paint peeling off in some of the non-​used rooms that they take you through on the small tour. We bought the groupon which was supposed to include a chocolate, dessert tasting, and cheese tray and souvenir glasses. The lady that was serving us also said it was supposed to give us a longer tour but then didn’t offer the give us the rest of it as we had already gone on the short tour when we first arrived. The plate that came out was just a small sampling of basic cheeses (Mostly Mild Cheddar Cubes and some other slices) paired with flavored crackers (Including the Chicken flavored ones-​Not a good compliment to any cheese). The lady that was pouring the samples said she didn’t like wine and didn’t have very many constructive things to say about the wines. She also smelled strongly of smoke which was distracting for the wine tasting. As for the wine itself, it was all very sweet with no complexity. Some were ok and some were not. The Bourbon Barrel wine was the only one that I cared for but at $ 35 a bottle it just wasn’t that good. We may have set our expectations too high but I wouldn’t make a trip down. If you are in the area it is an interesting stop, but don’t buy the groupon, it was a waste of money.

Baker Bird is the oldest winery in America. It was built by german immigrants in the mid 1800’s. I read about this on the « Unilocal’s summer bucket list» (2014). After I read about it, I put it on my on my to do list and wanted to come here badly due to history and the old wine cellar. They are only open on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00p.m.
We came on a Sunday midafternoon. Weather was perfect (sunny and 80 degrees). When we walked in, I fell in love with the décor and nostalgia of the barn like building. It’s very open and decorated rustic with high/​lounge/​small chairs and tables scattered. Very comfortable and welcoming. In the back room, there is entertainment (acoustical guitar) played low and lightly so you are able to talk.
I wanted to try the wine tastings first. You get 5 tastings for $ 5.00. They start you off with light wines to dark. You drink from a plastic cup, but if you would like a glass, you are able to purchase it for $ 5.00.
I had the:
–Vidal Blanc
–Cardonelle
–Silver Swallow
–Red Robin
–Cabernet Franc
My favorite is the Cabernet Franc which was a dry red wine. I wanted to purchase a bottle which is $ 17.00.
After I did the tasting, my husband and I did a self tour (tours are $ 10.00) at the old wine cellar which is really awesome! You go down the steps and in the bottom of the building. Looks like a dungeon in a castle. I felt like I was in a different country. I was really impressed! I read that they also do weddings in the cellar.
I wanted a glass of wine and relax before we head back to Cincy. Of course I got the Cabernet Franc for $ 5.00. They definately make you feel like you are at home.
The whole experience was great! The staff was very friendly and knowledgable. A must visit on the Kentucky Wine Trail.

My mom purchased the Groupon for us as a gift and unfortuantly, we let it expire. I called the winery & asked if they would still honor it and they said, «sure!» My hubby and I have a date date once a month. We take turns each month, creating the date. October was my month & I was thrilled to go to Baker-​Bird. I just knew in October the scenery, with all the trees– the drive would be great. What an amazing little place! I don’t know that I would have appreciated it quite so much had I not purchased the Groupon, because that allowed us a tour of the winery, a barrel rolling and a VERY interesting history lesson, not only on the winery but on wineries in Ky and how they got their start. The drive down did not disappoint– the GPS took us on a ferry over the Ohio river; hubby has never been on a ferry so this was a real treat.
This was my 49^th winery to visit and it did not dissapoint. Cheese tray was good; live music on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.
The manager was a total doll– very sweet and very enthusiastic about this historical place.
This winery is a MUST for date day!
List of wineries we’ve been to-http://www.wineymom.com/wineries.html

Baker-​Bird Winery is, apparently, the first commercial vineyard in the United States. My wife and I stopped by on our anniversary and took the time to go on the tour. The tour is short, and that afternoon did not include going through the areas where they produce the wine. We did, however, have the opportunity to go down the stairs and explore the former storage below the main building where they hold events. The facility is in a beautiful area of Kentucky, and between the facilities and the view, it is worth visiting for those alone.
Baker-​Bird has some interesting wines. I found their Chambourcin to be a little tart for my tastes. They had other wines that we enjoyed very much, such as the Catawba and the Cabernet Franc. This is definitely a mature winery that has put thought, experience, and love into their wines. Although it is a little out of the way, my wife and I plan to return and restock as often as necessary.

What a great Sunday afternoon treat, a few weeks ago a few friends ventured out in Northern Kentucky and we discovered Baker-​Bird Winery.
Baker-​Bird Winery is the oldest estate winery in the United States, started in the late 1700’s, yes I was surprised to find this out. German families settled in the area, just as they did in Cincinnati brewing beer, they liked the farm land in Northern Kentucky to grow grapes reminding them of the Rhineland in Germany.
The winery was closed for a number of years due to Civil War and prohibition, plus many farmers changed from growing grapes to tobacco. Now many Kentucky farms are now switching back to growing grapes due to the declining tobacco industry.
Dinah Bird-​Westerfield purchased the winery several years ago and worked with local farmers to start growing grapes and now Baker-​Bird has Vidal Blanc, Ruby Hawk Rose, Chardonelle, Chambourcin and Cabernet Franc.
You can stop by Saturdays & Sunday’s 1−5PM for a tour and $ 5 tasting. Cindy the manager gave us our tour and they normally have live music. The cellar is beautiful and very cool for a warm summer day. We were told they have special dinners in the cellar a few times a year.
Dinah the owner stopped by to check on the winery and we had a wonderful conversation with her, hearing her passion for supporting local farmers and bringing back wine to the Augusta, KY area. Please come visit, take the tour and enjoy some of their fine wines. I picked up a bottle of the Vidal Blanc and Cabernet Franc to take home.
You park in the gravel lot and then walk down the hill to the front of the winery tasting room.