Ertel Cellars Winery

Taking advantage of the beautiful warmer weather on a Sunday a few weekends ago, my husband and I dusted off our old red pick-up truck and headed to his farm in Batesville. Our mission: to find a large storm window to make a cold frame to start our lettuces and greens this spring. We found exactly what we needed in about five minutes which gave us some time to visit Ertel Cellars Winery which is only a few miles from the farm.

The family owned Ertel Cellars Winery is on 200 acres of beautiful Indiana countryside. We were warmly greeted and sampled a few of the wines. My favorite was the light and refreshing Vidal which I understand pairs well with asparagus (good thing to know since our asparagus is just starting to come up through the garden soil).

While we tasted the wines we looked at the menu and wished we had come around meal time. Chef Ed currently grows his own potatoes and is actively sourcing local food producers to develop recipes for his spring menu. The chef is a frequent visitor at the local farmers markets where he buys seasonal produce and herbs for his culinary creations.

With its tasting bar, lounge, restaurant, and wine market nestled in sprawling vineyards with beautiful sweeping views of the Indiana countryside, Ertel Cellars Winery is now on our "must visit" list whenever we're in southern Indiana. Which I think will be more often now that I've discovered that lovely Vidal!