Wine Flight (by emurray) features wines from Chateau Pomije (Guilford,IN)
Everyone knows that California, Italy and France are well-known for their wines, but fewer people think of Indiana. The truth is that with more than 35 wineries throughout the state, there’s bound to be one close to you. The Indiana Wine Grape Council has a great website that includes a list of most of the wineries throughout the state and lots of other information.
We’ve talked about wineries and wine-related events before (here, here and here), but I came across a blog post that piqued my interest today and I thought I’d talk about wine some more. This post really jumped out to me because it’s from a blog about wine making. I started brewing my own beer at home about nine months ago and I have thought about trying out wine making. Every time I walk into Great Fermentations (a great beer- and wine making store in Indianapolis), I see the wine making supplies, but I haven’t given in quite yet.
The post talked specifically about Gaia Wines Contemporary Winery (located on Mass. Ave in downtown Indianapolis), but it seems that Gaia is no longer open. Even so, the quote was worth re-posting:
The success of [Indiana Wineries are] not altogether surprising, as soil conditions and climate in Indiana are optimal for wine production – although this is not often acknowledged outside the state. In particular, Indiana’s conditions are great for cultivating the increasingly popular Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety. The impressive quality of Indiana wines has led to its vintners being more generally acknowledged in the wider vintner community across America and the globe. Though it may still not be regarded on a scale to California’s Napa Valley, Indiana is certainly gaining regard as one of America’s up-and-coming wine growing regions…
Small wineries in Indiana (and the rest of the country) have seen a real resurgence in the past 10-15 years as more and more Americans are looking for something a little different, something a little more personal. Rather than buying Robert Mondavi (a popular California wine) at Marsh, more people are becoming interested in buying locally produced wines – a trend that is definitely helped by the recent increase in farmer’s markets and efforts to buy more locally produced goods.
Indiana Wines certainly give you a good value for your money. While they’re a bit more expensive than the mass-produced wines you can find at the grocery store, there’s nothing like sitting down with a glass of wine made by committed vintners just a few miles from home. So get out this weekend and check out some of Indiana’s great wineries, just be safe and get a designated driver!
