An Indiana Wine I like!!

I've never been a fan of our local wines...nothing hateful, but never found one that held my interest. That is until yesterday afternoon. We were driving home through Bloomington, Indiana and decided to make a pit stop at Oliver Winery just before their closing time. I was in the mood for something sweet so I plunked down $2.50 for a taste of:

2005 Creekbend Late Harvest Vignoles (Oliver Winery)
Oh my this is nice even if served a bit over chilled IMO. It didn't take long to warm up with the temps. hovering close to 100 degrees. Golden yellow, wonderfully concentrated flavors of apricot, peach and citrus. Nice backbone and a persistent finish. Estate grown. Available only at the winery for ~$24 (375 ml). Major YUM desert wine.
I need to get back and try some more of their Creekbend offerings, plus their gardens and grounds offer what appear to be excellent picnic opportunities for day trippers.
Sweet William

Vignoles has been one of my favorite grapes for many years. I've been wanting to try a late harvest-botrycized one that is made in Connecticut. It can be quite nice even as a slightly off-dry table wine.

So I assume you don't care for Huber's wines? Not that you shouldn't, just looking for someone else's opinion about the Starlight, IN winery; I don't mind their wines, but I don't know a whole lot to compare them to, either

AB,

Its been over a decade since I tried Hubers wines but they were nothing special and I barely even remember them. Oliver was much better back then and from the recent notes on this board sounds like they still are today.

Bill,

Is Oliver working with only Indiana fruit these days or do they still contract some of it from the west coast. I got some wonderful Riesling juice from them that they had brought in from Washington. But I seem to recall that they were planting more vinifera with the hopes of getting away from that practice.

AB,
I must have tasted some Huber's in the past, but they obviously hadn't made an impression as I don't recall the specifics on any of them. That said, it was years ago and I suspect many of the Indiana wineries are getting better/maturing.

Brian,

We arrived about 10 minutes prior to the tasting room closing so I didn't have time for much chit chat, although the staff seemed very hospitable. Like you mentioned, I think Oliver has been moving away from purchased fruit. Creekbend wines are all locally grown by Oliver on their properties as I understand it.

Bill

We arrived about 10 minutes prior to the tasting room closing so I didn't have time for much chit chat, although the staff seemed very hospitable. Like you mentioned, I think Oliver has been moving away from purchased fruit. Creekbend wines are all locally grown by Oliver on their properties as I understand it.

I believe that that's correct, Bill. I've heard some very decent things about Oliver wines (e.g., that they're the best in IN) from several semi-credible sources, yourself of course notwithstanding. If I ever find myself down in that neck of the woods, I'll give them a shot, but I can't say that I'm motivated enough to go to Marsh to buy their wines off the shelf.

Mark Lipton

I believe that that's correct, Bill. I've heard some very decent things about Oliver wines (e.g., that they're the best in IN) from several semi-credible sources, yourself of course notwithstanding. If I ever find myself down in that neck of the woods, I'll give them a shot, but I can't say that I'm motivated enough to go to Marsh to buy their wines off the shelf.

Mark,

I would be a bit careful. I've tried a number of their wines and find them to be overly sweet as a rule. I assume they are adding sugar to appeal to the masses. Oliver does have a decent Port style dessert wine that I enjoy, but that's been about it.

Sam,
Do have any experience with Oliver's Creekbend wines? These are sold only at the winery as I understand it. I agree with the comment regarding their regular "supermarket" wines like "soft red" and "soft white".
Best,
BP

Bill,

No, I have never tasted the Oliver Creekbend wines. My only experience is with the wines that are available through the grocery outlets. Now that my daughter is back in school I will be going by the winery regularly. If I get a chance I will pick up one of the Creekbend wines.

[Robin Garr]

Its been over a decade since I tried Hubers wines but they were nothing special and I barely even remember them.

Huber's has improved quite a bit, mostly thanks to a generational change. The younger Huber (Ted?) who's in charge of the winery now has some serious wine-making training, although it's Midwest-focused, from Ohio State and Purdue. It should also be noted that they use mostly their own fruit, a vast range from berries and such to native labrusca to hybrids, no vinifera; and like Oliver, they make most of their bucks by making sweet wines for tour-bus groups. But also like Oliver, they also make a few surprisingly good higher-end wines these days, including some hybrid blends with proprietary names, of which "Indiana Heritage" is probably tops. I'm not sure what's in it, but I know they throw in a dash of good Washington State Cabernet with the Indiana hybrid fruit, but Ted is unusually good at blending hybrids to fill in the gaps. I've ordered Huber Heritage on occasion at a couple of decent Southern Indiana restaurants and didn't really feel deprived that I wasn't having a Rhone.

Turtle Creek, a small winery just off I-64 about 20 miles west of Louisville, is also getting some attention, also making a range of wines including a sweet Concord but also some quality small-production vinifera.

Is Oliver working with only Indiana fruit these days or do they still contract some of it from the west coast. I got some wonderful Riesling juice from them that they had brought in from Washington. But I seem to recall that they were planting more vinifera with the hopes of getting away from that practice.

Hi Brian,

I tasted a number of Oliver wines when I was there last May. I only really liked their creek bend chambourcin rose enough to buy one. See the tasting note on that wine that Paul B. wrote (WTN: Dinner at Tom's House) or the one I wrote bakc in May. I tasted a few wines made from California grapes (syrah and cabernet sauvignon, I think) that were good but nothing special and a bit overoaked and over the top in my opinion. So, they are still importing some grapes from CA.

We arrived about 10 minutes prior to the tasting room closing so I didn't have time for much chit chat, although the staff seemed very hospitable. Like you mentioned, I think Oliver has been moving away from purchased fruit. Creekbend wines are all locally grown by Oliver on their properties as I understand it.

OK, so tonight while grocery shopping I took a peek at the Oliver lineup: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Grigio, Merlot and Shiraz in addition to the ubiquitous "Soft Red" etc. I still don't feel motivated enough to buy one, but as I said I'll stop in on the winery if ever in that area.

Mark Lipton

p.s. If they're cutting down on purchased fruit, it sure doesn't show on the store shelves.

I still don't feel motivated enough to buy one,
Mark Lipton

Mark,
Probably a smart move.
I've never found much to like in their supermarket wines either, but I was impressed enough with the LH Vignoles to be willing to give their other Creekbend offerings a try next time I'm down Bloomington way.
'Winger

Thanks Tom. Again it was 10 years ago but I always thought the quality of wine from Indiana fruit was overall poor. Oliver was one of the few that I thought ran from decent to good and that made them one of the best in the state. Nothing I have ever tasted from Indiana fruit was ever top quality. The wines from purchased west coast fruit were always better but in my opinion that's not really Indiana wine. Besides, if I want wine an Indiana wine from California fruit, I would rather have a Chateau Thomas. Disclaimer: I worked for Chateau Thomas for a while so I am biased.