A surprising Midwestern wine state: the giant Oliver, the sprawling Huber's, and serious dry estates across southern Indiana. Updated for 2026.
Indiana has one of the larger and more surprising wine scenes in the Midwest, with roots that run deeper than most people realize. The state was actually an American winemaking pioneer: the Switzerland County town of Vevay, on the Ohio River, was home to some of the first successful commercial vineyards in the United States in the early 1800s, before Prohibition wiped the industry out. The modern revival began in 1971, when a change in state law (championed by Oliver Winery founder Bill Oliver) made small wineries viable again, and today Indiana has nearly a hundred wineries. The quality heart is the south, where two federally recognized regions, the Indiana Uplands AVA around Bloomington and the Ohio River Valley country near the Kentucky border, make the state's most serious wine, while big, popular destinations like Oliver and Huber's draw huge crowds. From sweet Midwestern classics to dry, ambitious estate wines, Indiana rewards a visit.
Below are the Indiana wineries we recommend most, from the giant Oliver and sprawling Huber's to south-central and Indianapolis-area favorites. Current as of October 2026.
Indiana's largest and oldest
Founded in 1972 near Bloomington by Indiana University law professor Bill Oliver, who was instrumental in passing the state's 1971 small-winery law, Oliver is Indiana's largest and oldest winery and one of the biggest in the country. Famous for its sweet wines but also serious estate bottlings, it is the essential first stop for Indiana wine.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Bloomington.
Our tip: Taste the range from sweet classics to estate wines; Indiana's largest and oldest.
A sprawling southern-Indiana farm
A sprawling, multi-generation family farm and winery in Starlight in the southern Indiana hills near Louisville, Huber's pairs a large winery (the family began replanting vineyards in 1987) with an orchard, distillery, and farm-park, one of the Midwest's great agritourism destinations and a benchmark of southern Indiana wine.
Good to know: Tastings; farm estate. Starlight.
Our tip: Taste the wines and explore the farm; a sprawling southern-Indiana destination.
A small Bloomington pioneer
A small, family-owned Bloomington winery that helped petition for the Indiana Uplands AVA, Butler is a quality-minded, down-to-earth estate that has stayed deliberately small, a characterful counterpoint to its giant neighbor Oliver and a cornerstone of south-central Indiana wine.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Bloomington.
Our tip: Taste the estate wines at a small family pioneer; quality-minded and personal.
Wine in a historic resort town
In the historic resort town of French Lick in the southern Indiana 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 Indiana wine with a classic getaway destination.
Good to know: Tastings; winery. French Lick.
Our tip: Taste the range near the historic resorts; an easygoing getaway stop.
A favorite in artsy Nashville
In the artsy tourist town of Nashville in Brown County, this long-running winery makes an approachable, well-liked range and is a staple of a visit to one of Indiana's most popular getaway areas, an easy, friendly stop amid the hills and galleries.
Good to know: Tastings; winery. Nashville.
Our tip: Taste the approachable range in artsy Nashville; a Brown County staple.
A popular Indianapolis-area estate
A family estate on a historic farm in Bargersville south of Indianapolis, Mallow Run is one of the metro area's most popular wineries, known for its approachable range and lively summer concerts, an easy, welcoming stop close to the city.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Bargersville.
Our tip: Taste the range and catch a summer concert; a popular Indianapolis-area estate.
A quality-minded southern estate
A quality-focused winery in Corydon in southern Indiana, Turtle Run is known for its dry, food-friendly wines and a serious, hands-on approach, a characterful stop that shows the drier, more ambitious side of southern Indiana wine near the Ohio River.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Corydon.
Our tip: Taste the dry, food-friendly wines; a quality-minded southern Indiana estate.
A historic urban Indianapolis winery
A longtime family winery in downtown Indianapolis, Easley is a historic urban producer making a broad, approachable range, a convenient, characterful stop right in the city that connects visitors to Indiana's decades-long winemaking tradition.
Good to know: Tastings; urban winery. Indianapolis.
Our tip: Taste the range at a historic urban winery; convenient in downtown Indianapolis.
Indiana's wine country spreads across the southern half of the state, with a cluster near Indianapolis. The quality heart is the south-central Indiana Uplands around Bloomington (Oliver, Butler) and the resort-and-hill country toward Nashville and French Lick, an easy day or weekend from Indianapolis. Southern Indiana along the Ohio River, around Starlight, Corydon, and the Kentucky border near Louisville, holds the big Huber's and quality names like Turtle Run. The Indianapolis metro has convenient stops like Mallow Run, Easley, and Buck Creek. Pick an area, plan three or four stops, and visit late spring through fall; autumn in the southern hills is especially scenic, and the big destinations are busiest on summer and fall weekends.
Do not assume Indiana wine is all sweet; while sweet and fruit wines are popular (and done well), the state's serious reputation rests on dry estate wines from the south, so seek out producers like Butler and Turtle Run. Do not try to combine the Bloomington area, the Ohio River country, and Indianapolis in one day, pick a region. And do not overlook the history, Indiana was an early American wine pioneer on the Ohio River long before the modern revival.
Which are the best wineries in Indiana?
A well-rounded list spans the state: the giant Oliver and the small-but-serious Butler near Bloomington; the sprawling Huber's and the quality-minded Turtle Run in southern Indiana near the Ohio River; the resort-town French Lick and the artsy Brown County winery in the southern hills; and the Indianapolis-area favorites Mallow Run and the historic Easley. Together they capture Indiana wine from its giants to its quality estates.
What wine is Indiana known for?
A broad range. Popular sweet and fruit wines are a Midwestern staple (and a specialty of giants like Oliver), but Indiana's quality reputation rests on dry wines from the south, both European vinifera and cold-hardy hybrids, made by estates in the Indiana Uplands AVA around Bloomington and the Ohio River Valley country. The state spans everything from easygoing sweet classics to serious, food-friendly dry estate wines.
Where is Indiana wine country?
Mostly in the southern half of the state, plus a cluster near Indianapolis. The south-central Indiana Uplands around Bloomington (Oliver, Butler) and the hills toward Nashville and French Lick are the quality heart; southern Indiana along the Ohio River near Louisville (Starlight, Corydon) has Huber's and others; and the Indianapolis metro has convenient urban and suburban wineries. The regions are spread across the state, so it is best to focus on one.
Is Indiana an old winemaking state?
Yes, surprisingly so. The Ohio River town of Vevay in Switzerland County was home to some of the first successful commercial vineyards in the United States in the early 1800s, making Indiana an early American wine pioneer. Prohibition destroyed that industry, and the modern revival began in 1971 when a change in state law, championed by Oliver Winery's founder, made small wineries viable again. Oliver opened in 1972.
What is the Indiana Uplands AVA?
The Indiana Uplands is the state's premier wine region and an American Viticultural Area approved in 2013, covering the unglaciated, hilly part of south-central Indiana around Bloomington, Nashville, and French Lick. Butler Winery helped petition for its designation, and it is home to a group of wineries, including Oliver and Butler, whose hillier terrain and varied soils suit grape growing better than the flatter, glaciated farmland to the north.
Independent reviews, verified listings, and no pay-to-play.