Anthony Leaderbrand is a managing partner at Owen Valley Winery and the president of the Indiana Winery and Vineyard Association. His family’s vineyards opened to the public in 2011. Marilyn Culler | Courtesy of the Indiana Destination Development Corporation
BLOOMINGTON — When Butler Winery opened in 1983, it joined just a handful of small, family-owned operations in Indiana that made up a barely established industry.
“I wouldn’t say it was primitive, but it was pretty basic,” said Jim Butler, the founder and owner. “If you look way back, things have changed considerably.”
Today, more than 116 wineries in the state produce about 2.4 million gallons annually, according to the Indiana Wine Grape Council operated through Purdue University.
About 600 grape-bearing acres have been planted, marking a 300% increase since 1991. The industry now employs about 4,000 workers and has a $600 million economic impact in the state, according to the council.
Much of that growth stems from concerted marketing efforts by the grape council, which legislators established in 1989 to help bolster the fledgling industry. The team of Purdue Extension specialists has expertise in winemaking, viticulture and marketing.
But that council is now set to dissolve. Lawmakers pulled funding for the program during the COIVD pandemic. The Purdue program will disappear once the remaining money runs out.
The soon-to-expire council is just one issue that threatens to stunt the growth of Indiana’s budding wine industry. Labor shortages, climate change and a slump in wine consumption all have made it harder to thrive.
Winery owners across the state have been forced to develop new approaches to adapt and survive, explained Jennifer Lutter, who owns and operates Country Heritage Winery and Vineyard with her husband Jeremy in Laotto.
“You definitely want to figure out the trends and attractions and move with the time so that you do keep attracting that younger generation and keep yourself viable,” she said.
‘WE’RE A DESTINATION’
Jennifer and Jeremy Lutter, who both come from a long line of farmers, established their winery in 2011 to expand their specialty crop portfolio. Today, they grow over 100 acres of grapes, making it the largest vineyard in the state.
But the size of their operation isn’t the key to their success. Lutter said they quickly learned it’s about creating an experience for their customers.
“You do have to kind of make yourself into a destination,” she said. “People want to be entertained. They want to have a good time and just kind of get away and relax.”
On top of wine sales, the Lutters have added an amphitheater and stage, a woodfire pizza oven and outdoor seating to lure guests to the venue.
“They can get the whole package here,” she said. “They can have dinner and a glass of wine and enjoy a nice concert overlooking our pond and our vineyard.”
Owen Valley Winery near Spencer has taken the same approach. Located in a rural part of Owen County, the operation since 2011 has added a restaurant and fall festival to attract visitors, according to Tony Leaderbrand, a managing partner at the winery and president of the Indiana Winery and Vineyard Association.
“If anybody’s coming here, they’re never just in the area and deciding to drop in,” he said. “It’s because we’re a destination.”
That’s especially important considering it’s difficult to get Owen Valley wines on stores shelves. Leaderbrand said they grow around seven acres of grapes — enough for their operation, but not enough to sell to wholesalers. Instead, the focus is getting people to visit the onsite store.
“The wholesale industry is volume based, and until you get to that level, you can’t compete with the larger producers,” he said. “We slowly started to grow our brand until we got to the point where our property was beautiful enough and our facilities were big enough to open a restaurant.”
Getting people to the property also presents the best opportunity to educate them about Owen Valley wine selections, which are almost exclusively made from grapes grown on the property or elsewhere in Indiana.
“When we start telling them about the varietals, and we point right out the window to our vineyards … it’s not a very hard sell at that point,” Leaderbrand said. “They start seeing the authenticity of our industry.”
A CHANGING CLIMATE
Growing some of those grapes is becoming more difficult. With climate change causing warmer winters and fewer hard freezes, it’s risky to plant certain varieties native to the Midwest.
That’s been the case at Owen Valley Winery. Last year, Leaderbrand noted, the crop of Marquette grapes was decimated by up-and-down temperatures and unpredictable cold snaps.
Wineries across the globe face the same situation. If temperatures rise 2 degrees Celsius, the regions of the world most suitable for growing wine grapes could shrink by as much as 56%, according to a recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
© 2024 Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.