Indiana's premier wine region: the hilly, unglaciated Uplands AVA around Bloomington, Nashville, and French Lick. Updated for 2026.
The Indiana Uplands is Indiana's premier wine region, an American Viticultural Area approved in 2013 that covers the hilly, unglaciated heart of south-central Indiana. Unlike the flat, glacier-scraped farmland that defines much of the Midwest, the Uplands is a landscape of forested hills, limestone, and varied soils, terrain that drains well and suits grape growing far better, stretching roughly from Bloomington south through Brown County and on toward French Lick and Patoka Lake. This is where Indiana's modern wine industry took root: Oliver Winery, the state's largest and oldest, was founded near Bloomington in 1972, and Butler Winery later helped petition for the AVA itself. Today the region pairs big, popular destinations with small, quality-minded estates, all set among the scenic hills, artsy towns, and historic resorts that make south-central Indiana a favorite getaway.
Below are the Indiana Uplands wineries we recommend most, from the giant Oliver to the small pioneer Butler and the scenic hill-country estates. Current as of October 2026.
The Uplands giant
Founded in 1972 near Bloomington by law professor Bill Oliver, who helped pass Indiana's 1971 small-winery law, Oliver is the state's largest and oldest winery and one of the biggest in the country, and an Indiana Uplands AVA member. Famous for its sweet wines and serious estate bottlings alike, it is the essential anchor of the region.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Bloomington.
Our tip: Taste the full range at Indiana's giant; the Uplands' essential anchor.
The small pioneer that petitioned the AVA
A small, family-owned Bloomington estate, Butler helped petition the federal government to establish the Indiana Uplands AVA and has deliberately stayed small and quality-minded, a characterful, down-to-earth cornerstone of the region and a pointed contrast to its giant neighbor.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Bloomington.
Our tip: Taste the estate wines at the AVA's founding petitioner; small and quality-minded.
A favorite in artsy Nashville
In the artsy tourist town of Nashville in the Brown County hills, this long-running winery makes an approachable, well-liked range and is a staple of a visit to one of the region's most popular getaway areas, an easy, friendly stop amid the galleries and forested hills.
Good to know: Tastings; winery. Nashville.
Our tip: Taste the approachable range in artsy Nashville; a Brown County hills staple.
A modern Nashville-area producer
A newer, modern winery in the Nashville and Brown County area, Range 46 brings a fresh, contemporary approach to the Indiana Uplands, a welcoming, stylish stop that reflects the region's growing, quality-driven energy in the south-central hills.
Good to know: Tastings; winery. Nashville area.
Our tip: Taste the modern range in the Brown County hills; fresh and contemporary.
Wine in a historic resort town
In the historic resort town of French Lick in the southwestern reaches of the Uplands hills, this winery pairs a broad, approachable range with a setting near the famous French Lick and West Baden resorts, a popular, easygoing stop that combines wine with a classic Indiana getaway.
Good to know: Tastings; winery. French Lick.
Our tip: Taste the range near the historic resorts; an easygoing Uplands getaway stop.
A welcoming Spencer estate
A welcoming winery near Spencer in the wooded hills west of Bloomington, Owen Valley makes an approachable range of Indiana wines in a relaxed, rural setting, an easygoing, friendly stop that rounds out a day in the south-central Uplands.
Good to know: Tastings; winery. Spencer.
Our tip: Taste the approachable range in the wooded hills; a welcoming Spencer stop.
A lakeside southern-Uplands stop
A family winery near Patoka Lake in the southern reaches of the Uplands hills, Patoka Lake Winery pairs a well-rounded range (and a meadery) with a relaxed lake-country setting, a welcoming, easygoing stop for visitors exploring the southern end of the region.
Good to know: Tastings; winery. Birdseye area.
Our tip: Taste the range in lake country; a relaxed southern-Uplands stop.
The Indiana Uplands is an easy region to tour, centered on Bloomington (home to Indiana University) and reaching south into the Brown County and French Lick hills, roughly an hour to two hours south of Indianapolis. Around Bloomington you can pair the giant Oliver with the small Butler; to the east, the artsy town of Nashville in Brown County (Brown County Winery, Range 46) makes a scenic add-on; and to the southwest, French Lick and Patoka Lake offer resort-and-lake-country stops. Base yourself in Bloomington or Nashville, plan three or four stops, and visit late spring through fall; autumn in the wooded hills is especially beautiful, and Brown County draws heavy fall-foliage crowds, so plan ahead.
Do not expect flat Midwestern farmland; the Uplands is hilly, wooded, and scenic, which is exactly why it grows better grapes than the rest of the state. Do not assume every winery is dry or every winery is sweet, the region spans both, so ask about styles. And do not try to pack Bloomington, Brown County, and French Lick into one day, they are spread across the hills, so pick a cluster.
What is the Indiana Uplands known for?
Being Indiana's premier wine region, an AVA approved in 2013 covering the hilly, unglaciated heart of south-central Indiana. Its forested hills, limestone, and well-drained soils, very different from the flat Midwestern farmland around it, suit grape growing, and it is where the modern state industry took root with Oliver Winery near Bloomington in 1972. It is home to the state's giant (Oliver) and small quality estates alike, set among scenic hills and getaway towns.
Which Indiana Uplands wineries should I visit?
Standouts include the giant Oliver and the small pioneer Butler near Bloomington, the Nashville-area Brown County Winery and the modern Range 46 in the Brown County hills, the resort-town French Lick Winery, the rural Owen Valley near Spencer, and the lakeside Patoka Lake Winery in the southern reaches of the region.
Where is the Indiana Uplands and how far is it from Indianapolis?
In the hilly, unglaciated part of south-central Indiana, centered on Bloomington and reaching south through Brown County toward French Lick and Patoka Lake. It is roughly an hour to two hours south of Indianapolis, making it an easy day trip or weekend, with Bloomington (home to Indiana University) the most convenient base.
Why is the Indiana Uplands good for wine when the rest of the Midwest is flat?
Because it was never flattened by glaciers. The Uplands is the unglaciated part of Indiana, so instead of flat, poorly drained farmland it has rolling, forested hills, limestone, and varied, well-drained soils, terrain much better suited to grape growing. That geological difference is the reason this corner of the state, rather than the flatlands to the north, became the heart of serious Indiana winemaking and earned its own AVA in 2013.
Is Oliver Winery in the Indiana Uplands?
Yes. Oliver Winery, founded near Bloomington in 1972 and the state's largest and oldest winery, is a member of the Indiana Uplands AVA, and it anchors the region. Its neighbor Butler Winery, a small family estate, helped petition the federal government to establish the AVA in 2013. The two sit near each other outside Bloomington and make a natural pairing for a first visit to the region.
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