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Location and Hours
Buck Creek Winery is located in southeast Indianapolis, right off of Interstate 74 West. Normal hours are Monday through Saturday from 10:00am to 6:00pm and Sundays from 1:00pm to 6:00pm.
The Indy Wine Trail
Buck Creek Winery is one of 4 wineries on the Indy Wine Trail. The Indy Wine Trail wineries are all within minutes of downtown Indianapolis. The other wineries on the trail are Brandy Wine Creek Vineyards and Winery, Cedar Creek Winery and Easley Winery.
The Winery
Buck Creek Winery is visible from I-74. To be honest, from the freeway the winery isn’t very picturesque. In fact, I wasn’t expecting much when I finally visited Buck Creek after seeing it on the way to Indianapolis countless times.
The building itself is an aluminum barn-like structure. The vineyard stretches out behind it, between the winery building and the interstate. There is a pavilion, which from the road, looks more like it belongs at a campground than a winery.
Buck Creek’s vineyard occupies 4-1/2 acres and is the only commercial vineyard in Indianapolis. The first vines were planted in 1991 and are the foundation of many of the wines they bottle today. The vineyard grows a variety of grapes: Steuben, Catawba, Cayuga, Chambourcin, Seyval Blanc, Traminette and Cabernet Franc. They purchase grapes and juice from out of state vineyards to produce varietals that don’t grow in Indiana.
The Wine List
Buck Creek Winery might have one of the largest wine lists of any Indiana wineries. They produce over 30 different varieties of wine. Their wine list has more dry and semi-dry offerings than a typical Indiana winery as well.
There are 7 dry reds on the wine list. These wines are pricier as well, ranging from $18-$35 per bottle. William Loyd Reserve is a red blend that’s aged in oak for 12 months. 1900 is made from ancient Carignane vines planted in the year 1900. This black skinned grape grows mostly in coastal Mediterranean areas and produces wines that are complex with notes of berries and stone fruit.
The dry whites on Buck Creek’s wine list are a lightly oaked Chardonnay, a citrusy Pinot Grigio anda crisp Sauvignon Blanc.
For semi-dry wines, there is an estate-grown Seyval Blanc, “Forget Me Not,” which is Buck Creek’s estate-grown Traminette and Marechal Foch, a semi-dry red with dark berry notes. “Bally Hoo” is an easy drinking red made from Frontenac grapes with a tart finish.
The sweet wines on Buck Creek’s wine list include sweet whites and reds, berry wines, sparkling options, fortified wines and ice wines.
Most of the sweet wines are priced between $11 and $14, while the ice wines sell for almost $50.00
Buck Creek’s sweet wines are also their bestsellers. The most popular wine is Road House Red. This is a Concord-based wine that’s sweet with pure grape flavors.
Strawberry is the number 2 bestseller. It’s a fruit based wine and made from a blend of premium strawberries.
Sunset Blush is number 3 on the list. This Catawba wine is sweet but tart on the finish.
The sparkling option from Buck Creek is called Rocio. Rocio is carbonated Sunset Blush.
Pfendler Farm Red is a port wine made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Frontenac grapes then barrel aged and fortified with brandy.
Buck Creek has two ice wines, made by allowing the grapes to freeze on the vine. Vidal Blanc Ice Wine is a sweet white with nectarine, apricot and citrus flavors.
Cabernet Franc Ice wine is sweet and complex with rich berry flavors.
The Tasting Room
The tasting room occupies the front portion of the aluminum building. The winemaking takes place in the rest of the building. The tasting room is cozy and welcoming, with a large tasting counter and several tables. They also sell cheese, crackers, soda, water and wine slushies.
Tastings are $8.00 for 6 generous pours. Some of the higher priced wines are excluded from this but can be tasted for an additional charge.
Our tasting hosts made our tasting experience memorable. They were outgoing and friendly and took time to discuss each wine with us. At many wineries, the tasting hosts tend to merely recite the descriptions from the tasting sheets. But the hosts at Buck Creek were actually knowledgeable about the grapes, the grape harvests and shared stories about different Buck Creek vintages.
The Wine Club
Buck Creek has a very popular wine club where you can purchase wines at a discount. Club members receive 3 bottles of wine, 4 times per year at 20% off per bottle. Members also receive a 15% discount on all wine and merchandise purchased at the winery.
Events
Buck Creek Winery hosts regular wine and paint events. They also have live music, wine and yoga events and the “Wacky Wine Run, Walk, Stumble” event. Participants can run or walk a 5K race or they can stumble through a 1/2 mile course while sampling wine along the way. Each participant gets a tshirt, wine glass and a 5 ounce pour. After the race, stay for more wine, music and food trucks.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by everything about Buck Creek Winery. The inside of the tasting room was cozy and welcoming and I enjoyed several wines. The large selection of wines makes it easy for wine lovers of all types to find a wine that suits their palate.
Check out another winery on the Indy Wine Trail by visiting our article on the Beandywine Creek Winery and Vineyards.