No, Southern Indiana will not, and cannot, be the next Napa Valley. Geez!
After more than 200 Grape Sense columns over eight years, it’s time for a rant. Get a glass of something bold like a California Zin, a Central Coast Syrah, or Ted Huber’s Bordeaux-style blend called Heritage.
In the last few months a couple of newspaper pieces on “Indiana wine” have surfaced in Midwestern media. The most recent Indiana wine story appeared Feb. 28 in the Louisville Courier-Journal. That story featured the headline I’m mocking above. As a 20-plus year newspaper veteran and 8-year wine writer, it’s important to note that almost all newspaper headlines are written by copy editors and certainly not writers or reporters.
The headline, and unfortunately the story, does little for the Indiana wine industry. And even worse, does little to inform readers about Southern Indiana wine. There is nothing wrong with a puff piece when you get little media attention. But in theory the writer got paid for the story and the newspaper took it as a credible feature.
The story in question begins like this:
“When most people talk about great wine, they often refer to vino from Napa Valley, France or Italy. But locals will tell you that some of the best wines come from the rolling hills of Southern Indiana.”
Who are those locals who say some of the ‘best wines’ come from the rolling hills of Southern Indiana? It’s certainly not a single winemaker or consumer in Southern Indiana because none are quoted in the story.
Who is the mystery source so enamored with Indiana wine?
There is an argument to be made, by an old newspaper curmudgeon perhaps, that the headline was condescending.
The story’s writer did quote one winery’s marketing representative. There was a single quote from Purdue’s Bruce Bordelon about Indiana’s growing season. That’s a good and authoritative source. The author also quoted the Wine and Grape Team’s new state marketing spokesperson, a very recent college grad, who added that Indiana is a very nice place.
The story, which you can read for yourself here, doesn’t say anything quantitatively or qualitatively about Indiana wine.
The truth is there are some very good wines being made in Indiana and particularly down south. Will they ever be as good as Napa or Bordeaux? Wine is about the region where it’s grown. Wine regions can be compared for contrast or similarities but wearing the ‘next best thing’ title doesn’t help anyone making fermented Hoosier grape juice.
Indiana winemakers, owners, and marketing folks must be smarter than to fall all over any reporter for any piece of public relations. Those people need to offer up winemakers and winery owners for interviews. They need to do everything to get the writer or PR person to taste the wines and educate them what constitutes good Indiana wine. Well-informed wine writing can boost the Indiana wine industry.
The puff pieces are better than nothing but when an opportunity arises to tell Indiana’s story, Indiana wineries must do better.
Napa be damned! Give me a glass of Vignoles or Chambourcin, please!
Howard W. Hewitt 
Ha – great post! No wine region should try to be the next anything. In some ways Napa has been trying to be the “next Bordeaux,” while Sonoma has been competing to be the “next Burgundy.” But the weather and terroir is so different here in California that the truth is the wines cannot be compared. Can a Napa wine be “better” than French? The 1976 Judgement of Paris says yes. Will an Indiana wine one day beat Napa (or France) in a competion – very possibly. But Indiana won’t be Napa and Napa won’t be France. Thanks for stimulating my rant today! PS – we live in Napa and like to write about wine country living. Check it out: http://www.topochinesvino.com.
An old German farm boy from Posey, Co. Ind., certainly no expert. Actually I prefer a Spanish Sangria – Ha.
The old Harmonists (Rappites-before me) were known for good local wines – who knows? However, I used to mow the grape rows for an old Sweedish-German farmer who made his own wine & was quite secretive & stingy with it (a sweet blue/magenta wine from concorde-like grapes) back in the 60s. Those grapes had more flavor & better aroma than any I ever tasted. Grown on a steep yellow clay hilltop & fertilized with fresh mule manure. He actually still plowed with that mule but I learned that the fresh manure was the real reason for keeping the old beast. As the locals say, It was the best & had a good ‘kick’. His wife was a close relative to my gr.gr.grandmother. I only got sips but it sure tasted good. He didn’t sell any – just shared it with his family & very close friends (that I know of). Seriously, his name was Muhlenbein but he’s long gone.
Not too long ago, a neighbor of my grandparents had a small commercial winery & he sold some locally (& who knows where-else). I occasionally bought a bottle for my grandmother (medicinal) of some sweet red to burgandy types. It tasted quite well to us ‘locals’. His grapes were grown on some slightly sandy/clay soil. His name was Harley Kaufman of Kaufman Winery (Posey Co., Ind.). After his death, I learned he was quite an educated & respected professional. He is also remembered for raising a variety of foul, especially peacocks. I think his wines were more of a ‘Botanical Experiment’ for research. If he is more widely known in the profession by any of you, I’d like to hear more about it.
Well, that is just a locals mention of some S.Ind. wines. I’ll just ‘whine’ that they are gone now, unless some saved stash remains some-where.
Actually, S. Ind. climate is a bit erratic & good grape yields are sporadic. I’ve had no luck growing quality grapes myself, even in Vigo Co., Ind. That is possibly why a good run of wine is lavished here – it’s a rarity. A ‘Local’ thing you might say. There are a few other wine producers here that may disagree with me.
Keith Roehr, Indiana Barndog03@live.com