Lexington, KY - I found a picturesque winery with a farmhouse bed and breakfast and much more near the little southern Indiana town of Cannelton, on the Ohio River. Blue Heron Vineyards has tasty wines, a gift shop, special events and an amazing carved Celtic cross. I traveled there with a friend to meet the owners, Gary and Lynn Dauby, enjoy their wine and check out some local sights as well.
The owners of Blue Heron are friendly, creative and enterprising, crafting both a lovely line of wines and building a business on 100 acres overlooking the Ohio River at Rocky Point, Ind. We met first with Gary, who took us to see the wine gift shop; artwork in the house and on the grounds; farmhouse and special events buildings; and a nearby pioneer village. We followed Gary back down the hill on the driveway and turned off to the left to see the amazing Celtic cross and meet the sculptor, Greg Harris.
The Celtic cross was carved in situ out of a huge boulder of natural sandstone, which measured 22 feet by 20 feet by 4 feet thick. Harris worked for nearly two years to create the piece of art, sometimes in challenging weather conditions, and was also commissioned to create other graceful pieces, including a limestone heron.
Later, we drove past the Waterfront Grille restaurant to turn away from the Ohio River and along Deer Creek. Gary took us to the sturdy farmhouse where we later spent the night. In from the side porch there is a fun gift shop with hand crafted walking sticks (which Gary makes in all kinds of woods and designs), pottery, small folk figures carved in wood, and Lynn's framed artwork. The farmhouse B&B can sleep a family gathering of up to six, with two bedrooms and fold out living room sleeper couch. The kitchen is big and bright, and we later enjoyed the front porch with rocking chairs and view of the pasture.
We also walked through the restored barn, which is the site for special events. The Daubys support not only visual artists, but also performing musicians through their annual summer "Wine over the Water" concert series. This includes their fine wines and is catered with tasty Italian food or BBQ. This year's schedule includes Guilderoy Byrnes (May 28) who play Celtic and other folk music, Troubadours of Devine Bliss on June 18, Cindy Kallet and Grey Larsen (July 2), jazz with Monte Skelton on July 23, Lick Creek Band on Aug. 20, and Beyond the Pale (Sept. 3) with Irish tunes.
After seeing the B&B, we backtracked a mile or so to tour the amazing restored log homes called Shubael Little Pioneer Village (7590 East Hwy. 66, Cannelton, Ind.). We returned later to spend the night in the farmhouse. The Daubys brought us breakfast in the morning.
There are numerous other local points of interest which we explored the following day, including Eagles Bluff Overlook Park -
which has an spectacular view of the Cannelton Locks and Dam -
and the historic buildings in Cannelton and Tell City.
Oh, and the wines -
they were excellent. Blue Heron has both French hybrids and American grapes.
We can't wait to return, taste more wines, and hike about the Hoosier National Forest. We found friendly folks at the Blue Heron Vineyards, good cooking at the Waterfront Grille and peace and quiet away from the city.