What we learned when we got there was that a large part of Madison shuts down on Mondays and part of the town stays shut down until Wednesday... well, since we were only going to be there Monday and Tuesday, that meant our options were a little more limited but also gave us a reason to return in the future. Of course this idea of being closed was quite popular and meant that two of the three wineries were also closed through our visit.
Lucky for us, The Thomas Family Winery was open and happy to have our business. Steve, a third-generation wine maker and owner of this establishment greeted Chad and I with a smile. He was wonderful, knowledgable, and willing to talk about his wines. Though this might sound silly, it was rare to find someone on our trip who really knew about the wine they were serving. You could tell that Steve and his wife Elizabeth really love the wine they make. Walking into the winery I felt comfortable and at home. The atmosphere was inviting. It looked like they had maintained a lot of the woodwork from the stable and worked with it to creating a homey place to sit and have a great glass of wine while getting to know the people at the table across from you! This also looks like a great venue to visit on the weekends to hear some traditional music playing!
The Wine
When we visited the winery they only had 4 wines and one cider available but were getting to release 4 more very soon! All wines were either dry or semi-dry. Steve led us through every step of the way, crafting a story about each of the wines and setting up every tasting before a drop hit our lips.
Gale's Hard Cider - Old timer apples fermented like an ale-- tangy, strong and dry - drink it like an ale!!!! Name for Gale Thomas! Wonderful with curries, spicy foods. I could see this pairing with so many different meals. It is unique and wonderful. I was so happy to find a dry cider that wasn't too fruity. A lot of Cider's taste too carbonated or fruity. This had a fantastic balance that I adored.
Sauvignon Blanc 2010 - Outstanding nose of peaches, olives, figs, and currants, bursting palate of tree fruits, sweet pepper, pineapple, melon -long finish f minerals, citrus peel, herbs, spice -try with southwestern foods, grilled poultry and seafood.
Rio Red 2010 - Lots of cheery, black raspberry fruit with pepper, mint and briar in the nose; cedary berries, lots of briar, mint, pepper and a bit of smoke- young tannins will soften - loves pizza, pasta, and grilled chops. This is a wine that pairs well with every day food. You don't have to make anything fancy to create a great pairing. This wine spent 5 months in oak barrels. You can certainly taste the cherry and black raspberry. We had to bring a bottle of this home!
We will most definitely go back to Thomas Family Winery whenever we visit Madison, IN. We loved everything about it and cannot wait to try their new wines!
For more information please visit their website:
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