The Barns at Hamilton Station
Category: Wineries & Vineyards
8 Chains North Winery
Debbie had been to ‘8 Chains North’ once before and remembered liking it, but I had never been, so we decided that this would be our first stop for the day. We donned our masks and were greeted at the door by a friendly wine associate who explained the Covid protocols that they had in place.
We picked a sun-drenched table by a window and then decided to try their self-guided flight. Instead of gulping each sample down, we made the decision to take a sip, or two of each, and then line them up in order of our favorite to our least favorite. Surprisingly (although not completely shocking), we both ended up liking the ‘Cross Country Red’ the most, so we left the remaining samples and ordered a bottle of the winner.
Debbie brought food to share, so I bought the wine–perfect!
Cabernet Sauvignon, & Sauvignon Blanc…
After our first glass, we decided to sit outside. It was gorgeous, and quite a surprise for a cold January day. It was overcast and blustery earlier when we had left home, but the building buffered us from the wind, and our chairs were directly facing the sun. I can only compare it to that great feeling of sitting in the sun right after skiing. It’s that bundled up because it’s cold, but warm & toasty feeling—does that make sense–I hope so!
I was caught tapping my nails on the glass…LOL! 
I want one!
We really enjoyed our wine and we had a great time, and as a famed Austrian has been known to say, “I’ll be back!”
Big Cork Vineyards
Unfortunately I didn’t catch (or I don’t remember) the name of the gal who did our tasting, but she was really friendly and fun. She did a great job by guiding us through each wine by first telling us about it, and then giving us the opportunity to ask questions. I typically learn toward reds, so several of the whites totally caught me by surprise. The first being the 2019 Chardonnay. Don’t quote me on this, but I think she said that it wasn’t oaked, or maybe it was only in oak for a short period of time. It was yummy–I caught the taste of apple on my palette, and I thought the acidity was perfect. I would drink this all summer long!
I found all of the red wines to be tasty, with the exception of the 2017 Barbera, which I would rate as a solid okay. I felt the nose to be a off-putting, and the taste was unremarkable. With that said, I’ve never tasted a Barbera wine (to my knowledge) before, so I would be open to trying it again.
My second surprise was the Russian Kiss. The name sounds intriguing, right? I couldn’t necessarily pick out the flavors written in the tasting notes, but it was fruity with only a hint of sweetness (.5 RS). It was really nice.
I love the little BIG glasses! 
A beautiful day and a beautiful view… 
A Fun Memory! (This still makes me laugh!) Jen–I was so glad that you laughed, too!
Our friend, Andrew, is a member at Big Cork, and he graciously purchased two bottles from the member-only black label wines. We enjoyed a bottle of 2016 Cabernet France Vinter Select, and a bottle of 2016 Petit Verdot Reserve Select. Both were amazing, and after much debate I think the PV was my favorite of the day!
This was my first visit to Big Cork, and I definitely plan go back. We were there for several hours, and we laughed, carried on, and had a great time. The staff was friendly, the wine was wonderful, and both the tasting room and the covered patio area were comfortable and inviting.