The Database
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
I recently created a database of Indiana wineries, compiling information on more than 100 establishments. This includes their addresses, phone numbers, websites, amenities, owners, wines, year established, and hours of operation. Drawing on 35 years of experience at Roche, I hope to provide valuable insights to those interested in the world of wine. After visiting some of these wineries, I also plan to develop FisherVinoVibes attributes based on my firsthand impressions.
The database has two parts. One contains my visible notes and visits comments. The second is a map of the wineries I’ve visited and all of the Indiana Wineries. Also, I will be tracking the macro winery industry and the production trends for Indiana. More on this in the future.
First Visits
Country Moon – May 27, 2023
Katy and I stopped at Country Moon Winery in the late afternoon, just a few miles from home. Although it’s set in the country, development is steadily moving out toward them. The shop is modest in size, with a couple of tables for tastings and decor celebrating Hamilton County’s bicentennial.
As we walked in, a customer was heading out, leaving us free to spend some time with the owners, Brian and Becky. We chose the $5 “Guided Tasting,” which let us sample their wines and hear the stories behind each one. We later learned Becky usually leads these tastings, but on this visit, we had Brian, who did an excellent job.
During our tasting, we asked several questions about their journey. One of them was where they source their bottles. Brian explained that they order from a supplier in Pennsylvania, but the bottles are manufactured in Mexico. They use only blue bottles, both for marketing and inventory purposes—a detail I found particularly interesting.
Overall, we had a delightful visit. Their winemaking techniques are clearly strong, and they shine with their white wines. While there wasn’t anything I’d rush to add to my cellar, I’d happily pour Wapahani White and LaCrescent on my patio. If you get the chance, stop in and see what Brian and Becky are doing. I especially appreciate that they make use of what they grow!
They classify their wines into three groups:
Dry
- Wapahani White – (Wapahani is a Native American word meaning white sands.) Though I’m not a big White guy, this wasn’t bad.
- Norton’s Seedling – this was dry, but not to my liking. Just because something isn’t to my taste doesn’t mean it is terrible; it’s not for me.
- Patchwork Pink – this was enjoyable.
Semi-Sweet
- LaCrescent – Though this is in the semi-sweet, it was closer to the dry side than the sweet side, which was to my liking.
- Brambleberry – This was a fun wine. You can taste the raspberries.
Sweet
- Sunbonnet – You can get the hint of pineapple. Though too sweet for me.
- Concord Mist – This is like grape juice, but better. Once again, too sweet for me.
- Squirrel Stamped – This was a big surprise. A small batch made for Hamilton County’s 200th anniversary, the hint of nuts made you stop and think. We got a bottle of this. Because of the small batch, it only comes in a half-bottle.
- Melon Burst – You can taste the melon.
Cedar Creek – June 3, 2023
Cedar Creek Winery is much more than a Winery – just be ready!
The first thing that stood out to me was the number of buildings: the winery, the brewery, the eatery, the distillery, plus an excellent stage area. Everything is very clean and charming, but the winery building is my favorite. With its Spanish-style bell tower and overall form, it looks like something you might find in France. There are plenty of outdoor spaces where you can enjoy your wine, and the interior is equally lovely, with warm wood details and multiple seating levels.
The winery connects directly to the brewery and eatery, so you can stay indoors if you like or wander outside to the various entrances. The distillery is just a minute’s walk across the open concert/chill area, housed in another beautiful building. The outdoor stage sits between the distillery and the eatery/brewery/winery buildings, creating a great overall layout.
Wine tasting is free, just as it should be. You can choose five wines from a two-page menu: one side lists sweet wines (which I skipped), and the other features dry and semi-dry options. I was interested to learn that Cedar Creek doesn’t use the grapes it grows; instead, it makes its wines on-site using purchased grapes. As a result, I naturally compare them to the other $20–$30 bottles I usually buy. In my opinion, the wines still have room for improvement, but it’s commendable that they’re clearly putting in the effort.
Katy enjoyed their Cabernet Sauvignon because it wasn’t overly bold or dry and described it as a good summer cab. That style won’t appeal to everyone, but some will really like it. We also tried their ice wine and port, both of which were surprisingly good—wines I’d be happy to share with friends.
Wines that we tasted:
- Royal Oak (Chardonnay)
- Crimson Red (Cabernet Sauvignon)
- Dark Secret (Pinot Noir)
- Ruby Red (Malbec)
- Rhapsody Red (Merlot)
- White Lie (Pinot Grigio) – Katy tasted
We also got samples of:
- Katy – Sweet Temptation, their iced wine
- Tim – Harvest moon, their port
We purchased:
- Sweet Temptation
- Harvest moon
- Dark Secret
- Crimson Red
Mallow Run – June 3, 2023
Mallow Run Winery is about 20 miles from Cedar Creek in the Bargersville area, and we were still on our way home, so it was an easy decision to stop. Katy had been there a few decades ago on a “girls’” shopping trip. The grounds aren’t quite as expansive as Cedar Creek’s, but they’re very lovely and accommodating. From the road, you see an old farmhouse and a lot of vines; behind the house, there are several barns—an actual working farm.
As you walk around, the main building opens onto a lovely covered patio with several tables where you can enjoy your wine and food. Today, they also had a musician entertaining the guests. Inside, the main building is a large open room with a wraparound bar in the middle set up for wine tastings. Along the walls are their wines for sale and several other items—a friendly and fun atmosphere. I will say, though, that the bar is set up at standing height, so it’s not your typical bar height.
Their wine tasting is also free, and you select four wines. Once again, the sweet wines are on one side and the dry and semi-dry on the other. It was nice to know that the wines we picked were from their own grapes (though after reviewing the bottles we purchased, this might not be 100% accurate). Their wines were very complex and complete; you can tell they’ve spent time refining their process. I expect to find Corot Noir and Fusion Blend in my local wine store. I could easily see these as “upstairs wines.” We use “upstairs” for wines that we will drink soon and often. We may keep “downstairs” wines for years and pull them out for special occasions—though how I define “special” has changed over the years. One caveat: even though these wines are of reasonable quality, I’m not sure I’d buy them at their price points.
Wines that we tasted:
- Dry Traminette – (Purchased) – bottled on-site
- Pinot Grigio
- Corot Noir – (Purchased) – bottled on-site
- Fusion Blend – (Purchased) – bottled in Lodi, CA, at Mallow Run West.
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