Central Indiana Winery Reviews

Buck Creek Winery - With its close proximity to the Interstate, this newer Indianapolis winery probably does a lot of business. There were many visitors in and out sampling wine during the time we spent there. I have a feeling they are going to feel the need to expand the size of their tasting room and their outdoor seating area in the near future.

We easily found the winery, pulled into the parking area and surveyed our surroundings. Buck Creek does grow many of their own grapes and the sight of grapevines is always a plus. We parked right in front of the small tasting room and noticed an outdoor patio to the side of the building with a few tables and chairs. Since this was our last stop of the day, we were hoping to stay to enjoy a glass of wine before we left...but quickly realized that sitting outside wasn't going to happen. It looked like the patio may have been under construction because there was a large piece of machinery sitting on it. 

We walked into the tasting room where we found one other couple at the tasting counter. From visiting their website, we recognized the parents of the winery owners were on duty in the tasting room. They immediately greeted us and we took a few minutes to walk around the room to peruse the gift items they offered before stepping up to the tasting counter.

We approached the counter for a tasting and began to review their wine list. It started with a few dry varieties, but most wines they offer are sweeter wines...which pleased Gary very much. A few of the stand-outs that we sampled: Autumn Blush (a sweet wine with a nice balance packed with plenty of flavor), Bally Hoo (a full bodied semi-sweet red) and Dew Drop (a wonderful Muscat wine with plenty of sweet tropical flavors). 

We had some time and did want to stay for a glass. I asked for a glass of Bally Hoo and Gary the Autumn Blush. Although we didn't want to go outside, they did have one table in the tasting room. More people had come in for sampling and the table seemed a bit in the way, so we found a corner to drink our wine and talk for awhile. We did some people watching while many people came in and out for sampling. Sometimes the room was pretty crowded...which is why I think they may feel the need to expand in the future.

If you're a sweet wine lover, Buck Creek is certainly the place for you. They offer plenty of sweet grape and fruit wines for your enjoyment...and they do them very well. The winery is fairly new and they are still getting their footing, but I believe we will be seeing good things from them in the future. An expanded tasting room and outdoor seating area would probably serve them well. Favorite: Bally Hoo. Visited 4/26/2008.  

Chateau Thomas Winery - Forget about this Plainfield, Indiana winery's location just off the interstate. Chateau Thomas is not a tourist trap...it is a first-rate winery. We really expected this winery to have a more "touristy" feel, but were surprised with the high quality selection of wines available.

We began our visit to Chateau Thomas in the gift shop. They have a large assortment of wine-related gifts and accessories to browse through. We then approached the tasting counter and looked at their wine list. We noticed that most of their wines are dry varieties. We told the gentleman at the counter what types of wine we usually enjoy and he started offering suggestions. He poured us 6 or 7 samples...and I'm glad that was all. Chateau Thomas pours more wine for a sample than any other winery we have come across. I was feeling slightly tipsy when we left just from the tasting. My personal suggestion is not to leave without sampling their sherry. It had a nice caramel/nut taste that I could grow to like very much.

Chateau Thomas has a cozy sitting area if you would like to have a glass of your favorite wine while you are there. Cheese, crackers and sausage are also available for purchase. Even though most of their wines are dry varieties...a visit to this winery is one you shouldn't miss. Favorites: Sweet Aubergine and Riesling. Visited 3/19/2005.

Revisit: We had the pleasure of being invited back to Chateau Thomas Winery for a private wine tasting with Dr. Charles Thomas, owner and winemaker. Dr. Thomas is very knowledgeable and we learned quite a lot during our visit. Unlike most Indiana wineries that grow their own grapes, Chateau Thomas wines are made from Vinifera grapes harvested from vineyards in California, Oregon and Washington. These grapes are then refrigerated and shipped to Chateau Thomas within hours of being harvested. When they arrive in Indiana the crushing begins and they go on to make some exceptional wines.

Though we certainly couldn't sample all of the more than 40 wines that Chateau Thomas produces, we did sample many wines - all at the suggestion of our host. That's the beauty of a wine tasting with the winemaker...we were able to sample the wines that Dr. Thomas felt were the most interesting and unique wines offered at the winery.

Even though I normally skip the dry whites when the winery has a long list of wines, our host really wanted us to try several of them. Dry whites have never been my favorites...but when tasting them I have always tried to appreciate them for what they are. Dr. Thomas succeeded in giving me a new appreciation of dry whites as we sampled several varieties and were able to compare different vintages of the same grape - as well as oaked and unoaked varieties of the same grape side-by-side. Though I will probably never be a true white wine lover - I can now see where I might appreciate particular whites with certain meals.

While tasting the reds, we were able to sample a couple a wines that were new to us. The 2005 Old Vines Carginane was spectacular. The Carginane grape is one of the most widely planted grapes in France, but little known in the U.S. This particular wine is produced from grapes harvested from a 53-year old vine in Lodi, California. A few other new varieties we also sampled were their Tempranillo (a popular grape in Spain) and Malbec (primarily used as a blending grape in France).

On this second visit, I did end up finding one wine in particular that I absolutely loved - Tosca. Dr. Thomas is big on blending...and this wine is an equal blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Tosca is a very easy-drinking wine and would go well with a variety of pasta dishes.

After our tasting, Dr. Thomas gave us a tour of the facilities before it was time for him to leave for the Indiana Wine Fair awards ceremony. We were trilled to have this chance to experience a personal tasting with such a knowledgeable winemaker. Thank you so much for inviting us back! Visited 4/26/2008. Favorite: Tosca.

Easley Winery - There are several wineries in central Indiana...but this Indianapolis winery stands out above the rest. Easley Winery, located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, has an old-world feel about it. We were treated to a personal tasting by the owner. The tasting list is very detailed and even lists a food pairing for each wine. There were so many delicious wines to try. They have the most varied selection of wines in the area. They even had a wine that Gary said was too sweet for him (Reggae Red) and I didn't think any wine was too sweet for Gary.

Our tasting experience at Easley was wonderful. If you are visiting Indianapolis for any reason, be sure to stop in. From very dry to very sweet and everything in between...you're sure to find the perfect wine. The excellent selection of wine and the friendly personal service are sure to please you. Favorites: Barrel Red, Barrel White and Iced Delaware. Visited 3/19/2005.

Ferrin's Fruit Winery - When we walked in to this small winery in Carmel, Indiana, we were immediately taken with its great selection of wine accessories. They had incredible prices on wine racks and a huge assortment of other wine-related items and gifts.

The owner was standing at the tasting counter at the back of the shop. He greeted us and told us to let him know if we would like to sample any wine. When we were done browsing the gift shop, we approached the counter and looked at the wine list. Ferrin's has mostly fruit wines (bet you could tell that from the name). We sampled many and I found them all to have a unique flavor...nothing like I had ever tasted in a fruit wine before. The owner was very accommodating and even heated up some mulled wine for Gary (which is fast becoming his favorite). The most interesting wine at Ferrin's was a chocolate wine. Chocolate lovers should try it. To us it tasted like a melted hot fudge sundae.

We felt very at ease during our tasting at Ferrin's Fruit Winery. They have an interesting selection and a relaxed atmosphere. Fruit wine lovers should definitely check this one out. Favorites: Raspberry Wonder and Cherry Blossom. Visited 3/19/2005.

Grape Inspirations- Just one look at this Carmel, Indiana winery's wine list shows their ambition. It's the largest assortment of wines in the area. We did not have high expectations when we approached this strip mall winery. When we walked in, we were immediately greeted by co-owner Tatyana. She gave us their three-page wine list to look over. With so many wines, we were not sure where to start. She assured us we could try as many as we liked (as long as we didn't come back every day for a free tasting). We told her what types of wine we usually like and she gave us a starting point.

Tatyana was very friendly and quite amusing. Her fun attitude kept us their for longer than we had expected to stay. She poured us very generous samples of about 15 wines. Grape Inspirations sells wine...but it is also a "make your own" winery, where you can design and bottle your very own wine. We saw many people doing this and they seemed to be having a great time. Grape Inspirations has some of the best fruit wines we have come across...so full of flavor. Gary tried to skip a sample of the port, but Tatyana insisted he didn't want to do that and poured some for him. She was so interesting that if we had stayed to enjoy a glass, we probably would have asked her to join us.

We left with several bottles of wine from this interesting winery. I had visited a "make your own" winery before and was not impressed...but this one has "grape" potential. Favorites: Showcase Liebfraumilch and Razzlot. Visited 3/19/2005.

Mallow Run Winery & Vineyard - Mallow Run is located just south of Indianapolis in the small community of Bargersville, Indiana. We did have a slightly difficult time finding it. Our GPS couldn't locate the address and even had us on the wrong road at one point. When we saw someone outside, we stopped in their driveway and asked for directions. They pointed us in the direction where they thought they had seen a winery. Luckily they were right and we arrived at last.

When we walked into the tasting room, I immediately loved the feel of it. Housed in the hayloft of a barn that has been on the property for generations, it had high ceilings, lots of light, and a general "airy" feel. The tasting counter is in the center of the room and there's lots of room to roam around the bar. The only thing that put me off just a bit was the height of the tasting counter. I'm 5' 1" and the top of the counter hit at my chin. I stood on my toes to read the tasting sheet and found it difficult to relax at the counter. After each sample was poured, it seemed easier to simply turn away from the counter and look at other things in the room.

There were two women behind the counter working with all the tasters whenever they needed a new sample. As we were tasting, three of the Mallow Run wines caught my attention. First was the Cabernet Rose. A dry rose made from a blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. A little bit of tartness, but still a fresh, fruity flavor. Second was the Chambourcin. The grapes in this wine are 100% Indiana grown. It reminded me a lot of a Pinot Noir, but a little bit spicier. Third was the Marechal Foch - an off-dry red that I found very light and fruity.   

The winery offers a very nice outdoor area and there were several people sitting at tables enjoying some wine. It was such a lovely afternoon. I would have loved to join them there, but we still had too far to travel and needed to get closer to our bed and breakfast before doing more than a tasting.

All in all, Mallow Run offers 15 wines available for sampling - everything from dry red and whites, to easy-drinking patio wines, to fruit wines and dessert wines. They have a lovely tasting room with plenty of outdoor seating in a lovely atmosphere. With their wonderful variety of wines sure to please everyone and their terrific atmosphere...I would certainly suggest anyone in the area stop by Mallow Run for a tasting, a glass, or a bottle. Favorite: Marechal Foch. Visited 4/26/2008.

Find out about all the wineries in Indiana, plus what outdoor recreation opportunities are close to them.