Buck Creek Winery — Attraction in Indianapolis

Great tasting experience at Buck Creek Winery. I'm a Hoosier now living in Sonoma, California, and I work part time in the wine industry and I am a former wine writer for various Northern California and nation wine publications.

Suffice to say, growing up in Indiana I despised the sweet wines we are known for making and I was a bit nervous about what I'd expect - especially given that the label looks like something you'd find at a hunting cabin wall versus a modern day winery. But, we aren't in California anymore Dorothy.

I came into this tasting with an open mind and a goal to only taste wines using Indiana grown grapes (no fruit wine or wine using imported grapes from CA, OR, WA, etc).

Our tasting associate was down to earth, informative and friendly. He answered all my geeky questions. I was very pleased with his knowledge about the wines and winemakng process, as past experiences with Indiana wine tastings have often been less than informative.

I felt very overwhelmed looking at the two page wine list - 37 wines! I selected six (it's $10 for six tastings) and I chose estate and Indiana grown wines and one cider:

-William Loyd Reserve (red blend) -Seyval Blanc (white semi-dry) -Forget Me Not (Traminette) -Grady's Hard Cider (heirloom apples from a few blocks away) -Pink Ribbon Rose -Autumn Blush (Catawba)

I was tasted the William Lloyd first, which was very confusing, as I would generally taste a guest on a dry white wine first, but, whatever. It was the only wine I chose on the official "dry" list, so that's what my first wine was.

Overall, I enjoyed the William Loyd, Forget Me Not and the Hard Cider. Those are the three I left with. The Seyval Blanc was really interesting (acidic with a strange bite) and I look forward to trying more of those at other wineries. The Pink Ribbon Rose was bearable and the Autumn Blush smelled like it was corked upon opening and pouring, but, I was told that was "just how it always smelled." I could not get past the scent of that wine when I tasted it. The rose-orange tinted wine is their most popular wine, which I cannot comprehend anyone liking.

The wines I took home are dry. The red reminded me of a slightly tannic, but comforting and warm full-bodied merlot or syrah-based red blend I'd find back home. A good easy drinking, week night red.

The Traminette is Indiana's state grape and this was my first taste of it since I left the state. I really enjoyed it. Its parent grape is Gewürz and it's got delicate floral and fruity notes, but nothing over the top. Really nice wine.

The cider was semi-dry and just plain tasty.

I noticed glasses of wine were being served in plastic cups, so I opted out of that. They were also selling wine slushies to go in big stryofoam containers, which was hilarious and very Hoosier.

Overall, I was pleased to find some wines I enjoyed and look forward to returning to the future to try Buck Creek's other...

I will give one star because of the beautiful rock out front. First time visiting Buck Creek today and service was less than impressive. We walked in and after a few minutes and gentleman asked if he could help. I replied it was our first time and wanted to check out the winery. He then went right back to his conversation with other people. A lady standing behind the bar never said a word and we were looking at the different bottles of wine. My son was with me and he is training to be a sommelier however they would have never known this due to their lack of customer service. After we made our selection I took it to the bar to pay. The lady as the register rang up the bottle but then turned her tablet toward me which asked me to choose my tip amount. VERY unprofessional especially since I was purchasing a bottle of wine to go, not drinking at the bar. Judging by the pictures on your website the gentleman and lady are the owners. Upon leaving my son asked me, "A tip for what"? We won't...

I would like to compliment Buck Creek winery. It is a beautiful winery with stunning flavors and world-class wine. The grounds are immaculately kept, and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. I highly recommend visiting if you are looking for a memorable wine tasting experience.

Here are some other reasons why I think Bucks is a great winery:

The wine is excellent. Buck produces a variety of wines. All of their wines are highly rated by critics. The setting is beautiful. The winery is located in a great spot. Easy access. The tour is informative. The winery offers tours that give visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the winemaking process. The tasting is enjoyable. The winery offers a variety of tastings, so you can find one that suits your taste and budget. *The winery has a great selection of treats that pairs perfectly with their wines.

Overall, I highly recommend Bucks to anyone looking for a great affordable wine...