FROM THE VINE

The Perfect Gift: Indiana Wine

BY JEANETTE MERRITT, PHOTO BY JENNIFER RUBENSTEIN

Agreat holiday gift is wine, and with nearly 80 Indiana wineries there are so many local wines to give. Here are several of the top wines honored at the 2014 Indy International Wine Competition that would make great gifts.

Easley Winery Traminette 2013

It has a fl oral taste layered with tropical fruits, pineapple and guava notes. It is best served with spicy Th ai dishes or a bleu cheese burger. It can be found at their Indianapolis-based winery or at major retailers for around $15.

Tonne Winery Traminette 2013

It has a touch of sweetness, and when you smell and taste it you ll get fl oral and citrus characteristics. It is best served with pork, turkey or seafood, and can be purchased at the Muncie-based winery for $13.99.

Oliver Winery Gewürztraminer 2013

Th is is a beautiful white wine with fl oral hints and just a touch of spice. Serve it with spicy dishes with fl avors like cayenne, ginger, curry or cumin. You can fi nd this wine at most major retailers for around $11.

Satek Winery Larry’s Luscious Dry Red 2013

Named for the winemaker, this Chambourcin wine goes best with steak and has hints of cherrywood and berries. It is available at the winery, in Fremont, for $18.49.

Brown County Winery Blackberry 2013

Th is sweet wine tastes like you just picked the blackberries off the bush. Enjoy it with cheesecake or as a dessert wine. It is available at the Brown County Winery or the Nashville tasting room, and at most retail stores for $11.50.

Jeanette Merritt is the marketing director for Indiana Wines and the Purdue Wine Grape Team. She promotes Indiana’s nearly 80 wineries and runs the state’ s largest wine festival, Vintage Indiana. Jeanette is also a fourth-generation hog and grain farmer in Peru.