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Friday, February 1, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 31, 2008
For more information and picture, please contact:
Jeanette Merritt, Indiana Wine Grape Council - 765-496-3842
Indiana Winemaker Featured at Taste of Elegance
West Lafayette, Ind. - A popular Indiana winemaker received top honors at the 12th Annual Taste of Elegance.
Sponsored by Indiana Pork, Taste of Elegance is a culinary competition designed to inspire innovative and exciting ways to prepare pork. The competition brings together talented chefs from across the country to compete in regional and national competitions. The Indiana competition featured chefs from a variety of backgrounds, from upscale dining establishments and country clubs to catering facilities.
The Indiana Wine Grape Council served as the Wine Tasting Sponsor, featuring wine from 12 Indiana wineries. The participants were given the opportunity to taste wines from all around the state. After determining their favorite, they cast a ballot for People's Choice for Favorite Wine, sponsored by Indiana Pork. For the 2nd year in a row the award went to French Lick Winery for their Catawba wine.
"Winning the People's Choice award for the second year is a humbling honor, said John Doty, Owner and Winemaker at French Lick Winery. "We are excited our Catawba was enjoyed by the attendees and applaud Indiana Pork for an excellent event."
"The Indiana wine industry was thrilled to be a part of Taste of Elegance," said Jeanette Merritt, Marketing Specialist of the Indiana Wine Grape Council. "Indiana Pork and the Taste of Elegance is just one opportunity where commodity groups can highlight that Indiana agriculture is diverse and that it provides high quality and valuable food products to consumers."
The evening also featured wine from Chateau Thomas Winery, Plainfield; Turtle Run Winery, Corydon; Butler Winery, Bloomington; Mallow Run Winery, Bargersville; Brown County Winery, Gnaw Bone; Whyte Horse Winery, Monticello; Simmons Winery, Columbus; Oliver Winery, Bloomington; Carousel Winery, Bedford; Satek Winery, Fremont and Easley Winery, Indianapolis.
The French Lick Winery was established in 1995 and since that time has become one of Indiana 's premier wineries. The winery is located in the former Kimball Piano Factory in West Baden, Indiana. Owner and vintner, John Doty, takes great pride in the wines made with the expert assistance of Kim Doty, owner and cellarmaster. French Lick wines have received over 250 medals in state, national and international competitions. The winery features an Italian restaurant and gift shop. Their wine is distributed statewide by Olinger Distributing and is available in over 650 locations.
The wineries Heaven's View Vineyard was planted in the spring of 1998 and is located approximately 20 miles west of the winery on Kim's family farm in Martin County overlooking the White River valley. The vineyard's 3 1/2 acres is comprised of the first planting of Norton grapes in Indiana, as well as Chambourcin, Traminette, Vidal, and Vincent varietals. These varietals thrive in Indiana soils where traditional varieties often struggle due to harsh weather.
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About Indiana Wine Grape Council
The Indiana Wine Grape Council seeks to enhance economic development in the state by establishing a successful wine grape industry through research and marketing development. The program provides extension specialists in enology (winemaking), viticulture (grape growing), and marketing to assist commercial and amateur grape growers and winemakers. Since the creation of the Council in 1989, the number of Indiana wineries has increased from nine to almost 40, attracting more than 900,000 visitors each year.