Indiana
grapes were first planted in this Midwest state in the late 1700s and it became one of the 10 largest grape-producing states in the early to mid-1800s. vineyard diseases destroyed most of the vines in the mid- to late 1800s, and it wasn’t until the Small winery Act passed in the early 1970s that a rebirth took place. Today Indianapolis hosts the annual Indy International wine Competition, one of the largest U.S. wine competitions outside of California. Currently there are just over twenty-five wineries in the state. A majority of the wines here are made from hybrid grapes like Aurora, Catawba, Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, and Vignoles; there are a large number of fruit wines produced. Vitis vinifera grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are being planted, particularly near Bloomington and Milan. Some wineries still purchase crushed grapes from areas like California and make the wine at their facility. Areas around the Ohio River are part of the Ohio River Valley AVA, which also includes parts of kentucky, Ohio, and west Virginia.
The New Wine Lovers Companion, 2nd Edition, by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Copyright © (1) 2003, 1995 by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Reprinted by arrangement with Barron's Educational Series, Inc.