Vintage Indiana still packing them in

04 Sunday Jun 2017

Posted by Howard in Indiana, Uncategorized

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Indiana wine, Military Park, Vintage Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS – Don’t let anyone unfairly bad-mouth Indiana wine based on what any observer would see at the annual Vintage Indiana festival.

Hoosiers still turn out by the thousands the first weekend of June at Indy’s Military Park for a sip of Indiana wines. They turned out Saturday despite the warmest day of 2017 and the usual wait in line to get that sip.

A busy day for Indiana wine!

I had not visited Vintage in several years due to a work conflict, as I mentioned in my Vintage preview post on this site. I was a bit shocked Saturday by the number of “artisan booths,” as the Vintage website calls them. It seems as though they could be better vetted. There are some which felt appropriate but apparently if you’ve got the check you’ve got the space. It makes for a sprawling array of tents. There were far more ‘artisan vendors’ listed on the Vintage website than wineries. Additionally, there are food trucks and food stands galore.

Now, this isn’t an effort to trash the wine fest – it’s clearly a huge success. I have always called it Indiana wine’s biggest moment in the spotlight. But it’s gotten a bit too big for all the wrong reasons. And, the number of wineries participating is slipping – down to 23 this year. Indiana now has 92 wineries. Even its most ardent supporters would have a hard time arguing that something is amiss when two of Indiana’s biggest three wineries are missing – Oliver and Easley.

There is a considerable wait in most lines.

Vintage is put on by the Indiana Wine and Grape Council and it creates revenue. The Council needs the revenue to promote Indiana wine. The festival is well organized and seems to run smoothly. The fest also brings in an impressive number of volunteers. The long lines at the winery tents is a difficult problem to solve. I stood at one winery’s booth while six people blockaded the pouring table for 15-20 minutes sipping wine after wine while a crowd behind them waited. I don’t have a great answer – maybe you get one pour and go to the back of the line. While on the surface it seems like a petty problem, go stand in line over and over in early summer heat and get back with me.

I was not able Saturday to taste much wine as I recover from some recent personal health issues. I tried to take a few small sips and say hello to some of the Indiana winemakers and owners I know and enjoy catching up with. Unfortunately, the heat and a couple of hours on my feet was a bit taxing.

Vintage Indiana is a great wine fest. I think it could be better if it would re-focus its efforts. I’m going to ask some Indiana winemakers what they think. We’ll see how many are willing to go on the record and offer ideas.

Take time to explore Indiana’s wine

30 Tuesday May 2017

Posted by Howard in Indiana, Newspaper Column 2017, Uncategorized

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Indiana wine fest, Indianapolis' Military Park, Vintage Indiana

Vintage Indiana has been a grand idea to introduce the Indianapolis market to Indiana wineries. It remains a great Saturday event but it also appears to be facing challenges in its 18^th year.

The Indiana wine event is set for noon to 6 p.m., Saturday, June 3, at Indianapolis’ downtown Military Park. Tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the gate. A VIP, early entrance, ticket sells for $50. The festival features more than 20 Indiana wineries, almost as many food options and a bevy of ‘artisan vendors.’ Those wishing to attend can search the internet for Vintage Indiana and get the link to order tickets before the event.

The festival has long suffered from overcrowding which leads to long lines for a one-ounce pour of Hoosier fermented grape juice. There have been years, particularly with nice weather, that the lines to get in the door have been longer than anyone could have expected.

Additionally, Indiana winemakers have privately grumbled about their cost to participate in the annual event. A quick glance at sites like Yelp shows a mixture of high praise and grumbling about long lines from several different years. Indiana’s Wine and Grape Council sponsors the event with proceeds going to the council charged with promoting Indiana wine.

I have not attended because of an annual work conflict for the past several years. I hope to visit June 3 but probably won’t be tasting. The Vintage Indiana website shows only 23 wineries this year. Last year, with a bit of searching on the web, there was approximately 30. The state’s largest winery, Oliver Winery, no longer participates. Indy’s only downtown winery, Easley, is missing from this year’s list as well. That means two of the states three biggest wineries opt out. Huber Winery will be pouring.

Again, if you’ve never attended or enjoy the event it’s a must. But there are some signs that it may be time to re-imagine Vintage Indiana.

Tips for attending would include getting there early, drink lots of water, and bring your patience. A tip for sorting through 200-some wines is simple. Ask the booth attendants if their winery grows their own grapes and taste those wines.. After all, its an Indiana wine fest. I do that when I visit Indiana wineries. There are lots of wineries buying juice or fruit from out of state and there is nothing wrong with that. But if I’m sampling Indiana wine, with few exceptions, I want to taste Indiana grown grapes.

There are quite a few wineries on the list I have not visited. But if a visitor wanted a couple of don’t miss recommendations I’d suggest Butler Winery, French Lick, Huber, Turtle Run, and Winzerwald.

I hope to see you there.

Indiana 16th Wine Fest Saturday

01 Monday Jun 2015

Posted by Howard in Indiana, Newspaper Column 2015

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Indiana wine, Purdue Wine Grape Team, Vintage Indiana

EDITOR’S NOTE: Grape Sense presents a guest column today on Vintage Indiana – a Festival of Indiana Wine. Thanks to my friend Jeanette Merritt, of the Purdue Wine Grape Team for the contribution!

It’s no secret that Indiana wineries make outstanding wine. With 80 wineries and nearly 1.5 million gallons of wine being made in the Hoosier state, there is sure to be a wine for anyone’s taste.

Merritt

One of the easiest ways to find a winery you enjoy is to visit a festival. As the Marketing Director for the Purdue Wine Grape Team and Executive Director of the Vintage Indiana Festival, I highly recommend you make plans to be in Indianapolis on June 6, 2015 for the biggest and best celebration of Indiana wines!

Vintage Indiana was started as a way to celebrate the role of Indiana wineries and vineyards as part of agriculture and tourism. Wineries contribute millions of dollars to the states economy and have helped to revitalize small communities around the state.

Vintage Indiana brings 30 wineries from around the state to Military Park, a city block park in downtown Indianapolis. The event is a one-stop shop for wine consumers. Guests, ages 21 and over, can pay one ticket price, receive a wine glass and sample from wineries like Oliver Winery, Easley Winery, Country Heritage Winery & Vineyards, and Rettig Hill Winery, to name only a few.

General admission tickets are good from 12 p.m – 6 p.m. and cost $25 in advance at Marsh Supermarkets or online at http://www.vintageindiana.com. Or you can purchase the tickets for $35 at the gate.

Vintage Indiana also offers an Early Admission ticket. Ticket holders can get in the event one hour early, at 11am. Guests holding the early admission ticket will receive a special wine glass, a VIP wine glass lanyard and the chance to have the best seats at the music stage. Early Admission ticket holders will also be the first in line at the wine tents and have the best chance to purchase their favorite wines.

If you intend to sample wine, you will want to eat at some point during the day. There are great food options, ranging from turkey drums and brats from the Indiana State Poultry Association, great pizza from Bazbeaux and Brozzini’s, and some tasty Chinese and Caribbean bites from a few of the best food trucks in Indianapolis.

Vintage Indiana celebrates art and music as well. Indiana Artisans will display their wares for sale during the festival. You can buy anything from recycled wine bottles turned into things like windows and cutting boards. Or there is jewelry that will become a staple in your wardrobe. And there are painters who showcase their beautiful canvases. Bring extra money because you will want to take some of these items home!

Vintage Indiana features great music from Indiana bands that will keep your toes tapping all day long! Jennie DeVoe, Zanna-Do and Living Proof will all take the stage to provide great sounds throughout the day.

And while the music, food and art are great, it is the outstanding wine that brings people to Vintage Indiana. 10,000 guests will celebrate the Indiana wineries and the vital role they play in our agriculture and tourism industries. Wineries will offer samples of their best Chambourcin, Traminette, Vignoles, Cabernet Franc, Rhubarb and sweet Concord wines. There is a wine for those who have never tried wine before. And there are wines for those who consider themselves connoisseurs.

Indiana’s wineries and vineyards are just as much part of agriculture as corn, soybeans, hogs and cattle. Our industry may not take up as many acres as the corn and soybean fields you see dotting the countryside, but are all still farmers! And our wineries want to see you at Vintage Indiana on June 6!

Jeanette Merritt is the Marketing Director for the Purdue Wine Grape Team and Executive Director of the Vintage Indiana Wine Festival. She can be reached at jkmerritt@purdue.edu

A Look at Vintage Indiana through Younger Eyes!

07 Thursday Jun 2012

Posted by Howard in Indiana

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guest column, Indiana wine, Vintage Indiana

I don’t write much here about my real job too often but one of the joys is getting to know so many interesting young people who are students at Wabash College. Tyler Swaim, a young man who worked for me as a blogger his freshman year, was at Vintage Indiana a week ago. My schedule prevents me from attending each year. He recalled my blog and asked if I’d like him to share some impressions! I thought it was a great idea. So here is Guest Blogger Tyler Swaim, Class of 2013. He’s from Indy’s southside.

Tyler – I got got my hands on a few of the featured wine lists and we (he and girlfriend) visited about half of the booths, so I can recall some of the more interesting selections, but for us the main enjoyment was found in meeting new people.

Swaim

Upon arriving at the festival, we took a few minutes to get oriented with the aid of a map and soon jumped into the shortest line we could find. All things considered, the first line we waited in seemed like the longest line of the day, although perhaps the progression of our wine tasting adventure granted us more patience. The first lady we met was a frequenter of wine and beer festivals and, taking note of our “festival virginity”, soon explained all the ins and outs of sneaking in line, including a cunning tactic for beer festivals which involves having the girlfriend politely ask inebriated men to jump ahead in line and then inviting the boyfriend to join her when she gets to the front. Although we did not take advantage of her well-learned advice, the conversation itself set the tone for several others we had with strangers throughout the day, including a discussion with an older couple regarding their trip to New Orleans.

As we moved from booth to booth, we discovered we both favor semi-sweet wines to sweet wines and that, with a few exceptions, do not like dry wines. Having only recently turned 21, we were both new to wines in general and looked at this event as an opportunity to learn more about our tastes than about the specific wines. We were both surprised at the variety of wines Indiana has to offer. From mango and pomegranate to blackberry and cider, the bouquet of flavor was overwhelming. I made a point of trying the Chambourcin at each booth as a means of gauging differences between wineries and found that, while I liked the White Chambourcin at Indian Creek Winery, there were very few others that satisfied my taste as effectively. Overall, there were three wineries that really stuck out: McClure’s Orchard, Carousel Winery, and River City Winery.

McClure’s Orchard specializes in hard ciders, but the variety within that class alone was vast. In particular, they had a jalapeno cider which was unlike anything I had ever tried, and to be honest I didn’t know what to make of it. The sweetness was very characteristic of a cider, yet the smell of jalapeno was thick and robust; it was as if I were eating a piece of apple pie with a piece of melted pepperjack cheese on top. To be sure, it was a far stretch from the Woodchuck I have come to know and love and probably something I will never try again, but the lesson learned was that wine, unlike most alcohols, has the potential to be anything.

Carousel Winery on the other hand, was a far more traditional taste, though again very eclectic in flavor. Included in their vast selection were mango and pomegranate wines that did not disappoint, but for me the crown jewel was called Lady Luck. For fans of the Harry Potter series, this wine is what I imagine the felix felicis potion to look and taste like. To assign it any traditional flavor description would not do it justice, so I describe it as thus: the golden liquid caressed my palate, gently holding it in an embrace where time stopped. I never thought I’d speak of a taste as such, but the wine definitely did justice to the name Lady Luck.

Although River City Winery offered one of my favorite selections of wine, including a dry red blend very aptly named The Robert E. Lee and sweet red blend called Colonel’s Legacy, the main point of interest was in the winery itself. From the brief conversation we had with the volunteer school teacher serving wine samples, I learned that the winery is owned and operated by a couple in New Albany. The wife is a teacher as well and the husband is a police officer. It was at this point in the day that I began to really understand how unique Indiana wineries are. Unlike my previously held stereotype of wine aficiondos as being exclusively rich snobs (no offense, Howard), I began to see a side of wine that included a class of small business owners and community fellowships. This is a group that devotes extensive time, energy, and resources to providing a drink which in turn brings people together. Above all, this is what I learned from the Vintage Indiana Wine Festival.

Upon entering the festival, everyone received a souvenir wine glass which many were wearing on a lanyard around their necks. Although I thought this was a neat idea, the woman we met in the first line seemed to view them as a stigma for identifying alcoholics, suggesting that only that group of people would consider carrying the glass in their hands as too much of a burden.

While waiting in line for one of the wineries, we were approached by a reporter for Hoosier TV on Comcast and interviewed. We were asked a few questions relating our shared interest in wine to our interest in each other (e.g. What one word would you use to describe both your favorite wine and your significant other?) and then we played a game called “Wine or Not a Wine” where we were given several names and asked if it was the name of a wine or not. Being new to wine, we did not fare so well in the game.

Send comment or questions to: hewitthoward@gmail.com