What’s the best way to celebrate summer’s arrival in Indiana? With a day full of Indiana wines, of course.
You can do exactly that on June 5 in downtown Indianapolis, thanks to Vintage Indiana, one of our favorite ways to spend a Saturday.
Vintage Indiana, held in Military Park on the western edge of downtown Indianapolis, features 26 Indiana wineries and 11 restaurants, plus entertainment, art, kids’ activities and educational programs. How big is this event? It runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will have more than 10,000 people come through the gates. It’s huge.
This is an event we look forward to every year. We get to see our friends at some of our favorite wineries and meet the new wineries on the block. This year, Indian Creek Winery, Wildcat Creek Winery and Wilson Wines will join the celebration for the first time.
This is also the first Vintage since the Indiana Wine Grape Council named Traminette Indiana’s state grape. We’re hoping to find a wide selection of the yummy white to try – and enough to bring home for a future tasting.
What’s really great about spending a day tasting Indiana wines is that you get to experience the breadth and depth of wines that Indiana has to offer. Most people think Indiana doesn’t get any more complex than sweet reds and whites. But that’s simply not true. Stop by nearly any tent and you will find a wine that rivals those made in California.
The first year we went, we almost skipped the Oliver tent because we had already tried Soft Red and didn’t realize the winery offered anything more. At the last minute, we stopped by and tried several other wines. We were floored. Not only did we realize how much more Oliver had to offer, we walked away with a half-case of Oliver Merlot, plus six others. And for avid readers, you know it takes a special merlot to impress us, especially Krista. Last year, Oliver surprised us with Valdigue, an unfortunately rare wine that served as a great summer red. It was light and refreshing while fruity and well balanced.
You just never know what you’re going to find at Vintage, but you’re sure to find plenty to love.
While we’re in Indianapolis, we always make a stop at Trader Joe’s. We love looking at the store’s wine selection and find plenty that we can’t wait to try.
This year, we’re also hoping we can stop at New Day Meadery’s new tasting room. The winery is not participating in Vintage Indiana, but the tasting room is set to open a few miles away. The winery says it’s going to open in early June; we hope they’re ready for us.
One of the greatest things about Vintage is that it’s an all-day event. You can taste a while, then relax under the trees with some food while listening to one of the great bands onstage, taste some more, shop a little, buy a glass or bottle to enjoy, eat some more … well, you get the idea. There’s no need to rush, no need to feel stressed about standing in line, no need to taste as fast as you can – all things that ruin a great wine tasting.
Of course, the event is outside, so you do want to be prepared for the weather with either sunscreen or umbrellas – or both. Our kids are young enough that we’ll probably bring the wagon, as it’s amazing how all strength leaves their legs the instant they realize they’re at some event adults enjoy. And funny how they get it all back in the kids’ area, where they can dance, eat ice cream, get their face painted, etc.
If you’ve been thinking about going to a wine tasting but weren’t sure where to start, this one is filled with casual tasters, and all the wineries participating are Indiana wineries, which know how to cater to beginners. We can almost guarantee that every single winery there will have at least one wine you’ll like, even if you’ve never had a single wine before.
Get more information at www.vintageindiana.com or by calling 1-800-832-WINE, and we’ll see you there.
Cheers!
