Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Harrison County, Indiana Region Now Boasts Five Wineries

The opening of two new wineries in and around Harrison Country, Indiana brings the area’s total winery offerings to five, providing visitors plenty of opportunity to experience winery tours and sampling. Huber’s, open for more than 150 years, and Turtle Run, open for more than a decade, are now joined by Best Vineyards, Indian Creek and Winzerwald wineries, with another winery opening at Scout Mountain Farm & Hideaway next year. Complete information and a free visitors guide are available at thisisIndiana.org or (888) 738-2137.

Just opened, Best Vineyards is a relaxing family owned oasis that is open Friday through Sunday, noon to 7:00 p.m. Located in Elizabeth, Indiana, Best Vineyards offers unique wines labels, such as Hummingbird Red and Black Raspberry Mead. Owned by Wilbert Best and his two sisters, Rachel and Berretta, the trio is anxious to tell the bizarre story of how Best Vineyards came to be.

Also new to the area, Indian Creek Winery in Georgetown started as a hobby and turned into a full-time wine-making business. Indian Creek is currently making eight varieties of wine, including dornfelder, white chambourcin, Cardinal Red and raspberry wine. This new winery offers complimentary tastings in a relaxed setting Friday through Sunday.

Founded in 1997 by Jim and Laura Pfeiffer, Turtle Run Winery guests are greeted by an arbor of chambourcin grapes that flank the driveway. Wine tasting is always free and visitors will discover how the palate will absorb and detect different flavors. Turtle Run Winery is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon until 6 pm and is located at 940 Saint Peters Church Rd. Northeast in Corydon.

Indiana’s oldest winery and largest wine grape producer, Huber’s Orchard, Winery and Vineyards, were launched in 1843, when Simon Huber settled a southern Indiana farm. Huber brought years of experience in fruit growing and wine making with him from Baden-Baden, Germany. From its humble 80-acre beginning, the farm has expanded to more than 600 acres and 18 different varieties of grapes, and the Huber fruit and wine business is now in its 7th generation.

Just a little further from these three wineries, Winzerwald Winery (German for vintners of the forest) celebrates area heritage, offering more than 25 varieties of German and Swiss-style wines, including Lemberger, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Muller-Thurgau, as well as ice and fruit wines. A gift shop, festivals, educational tours add to the popularity of Winzerwald’s family wine garden.

Beyond the area’s memorable wineries, Corydon visitors enjoy a vast collection of sites and attractions, from spectacular historic caves: Wyandotte, Marengo and Squire Boone, to nostalgic old-time ice cream parlors. The State Historic Site marks Corydon’s place as Indiana’s first capitol, while the Constitution Elm, a Civil War battlefield and tours of one of the nation’s oldest standing early African American schoolhouses fascinate visitors. Diverse dining and accommodations include a historic B&B, affordable modern hotels, country cafes and even a luxurious riverboat casino.

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