Lindsay C.
Yelp
Hunt Country Vineyards is at once comfortable and familiar, like a worn-in leather baseball glove. Wildflower gardens dance around the edge of the parking lot, a large trellis structure covered in grape vines provides a beautiful backdrop for photos, and the farm-like feel of the entire property helps give you a sense of what this winery is all about. Hunt Country is an official-- and founding-- member of the Keuka Lake Wine Trail.
The tasting room has a long bar, able to accommodate many, and has several staff members on hand to provide tastings. Hunt Country was one of the busiest vienyards/wineries we visited. Plan accordingly. We were immediately greeted by a very friendly woman, who convinced my husband to do a chocolate-paired wine tasting ($5 for 4 wines + chocolate), while I opted for the standard wine tasting ($3 for 5 wines). You are also given 2 $1 off coupons per taster (only one can be used per bottle purchased).
Our tasting balanced between relaxed and professional. Our sommelier offered casual comments about the wine, but nothing profound or particularly of note. She continued to check in and ask what I thought of the wine, which was appreciated. Individually packaged oyster crackers were offered to me to clear my palate after the Hunter's Red (read below).
I selected for my tasting: Chardonnay Champagne, Pearl, Hunter's Red, 2016 Valvin Muscat, and Dolce di Moscato. The Chardonnay Champagne was a surprise, exceedingly bubbly, flavors of honey and peach cobbler, with a yeasty nose (perhaps it didn't ferment through?). The Pearl (blend of Chardonnay, Cayuga White and Vidal Blanc) was creamy and buttery. The Hunter's Red, of which cases were stacked everywhere purporting "it goes great with BBQ!" and flagged with SALE! stickers was a tremendous disappointment. It's possible the bottle I was served from was tainted during bottling, or had since gone awry, but the sulfuric smell and taste was horrid. The stainless steel barrel it was fermented in cut through the sulfur like-- well-- a stainless steel knife. Altogether ghastly. The last two, both the Valvin Muscat (orange blossom, apricot nose) and the Dolce di Moscato (sweet hay, floral nose), were a relief, but still couldn't completely erase the taste of the Hunter's Red. I purchased the semi-dry Valvin Muscat, mostly due to it's uniqueness and rarity.
Hunt Country wines are prices from $9-50, with most of their bottles falling in the $15-20 range. Checkout tends to run on the long side, as there is only one cashier, and very little counter space on which to set cases (or bottles) of wine. Also available for your purchase: gift shop items, souvenirs, snack foods (including Concord grape gummy bears!) and drinks. A cafe on-site served what looked to be delectable food, and, given most wineries do not offer full meals for purchase, makes Hunt Country an excellent place to plan on stopping for lunch. Enjoy a very affordable tasting, take advantage of your $1 off coupons, and luxuriate in a delicious lunch on the patio-- don't forget to uncork a bottle of your newly found Hunt Country wine!