Review: French Lick Winery Catawba

As you can see from my past two reviews, I have been in search of some sweet Indiana wine. Since my travel opportunities outside of Indianapolis have recently been limited, I went again to Kahn's to pick up this bottle. I paid $10.99 for it, but the website says it is $9.81 at the winery.

Catawba was one of the first varieties propagated and planted in America. It was also the centerpiece of the thriving 19th century Ohio wine industry, and the suitability of the variety for the Midwest climate makes it a staple on Indiana wine lists. Some criticize it for being too sweet (and foxy, but I have never noticed that in any Catawba I've tried), but I took at this as an opportunity to review one of the sweeter Indiana wines.

The color is rich peach blush, and the bouquet gives up honey and apple blossom. I tasted grapefruit, peach, and honey. It was sweet, and certainly some would find it too sweet, but I was fine with it. It actually moderated for the better the second night, with a more mellow sweetness and more peach undertones.

One thing I also noticed about this wine was the thickness it presented, both in the glass and in the mouth.

I would quibble with the price, and would not consider this a value wine for this variety. A reduction of two dollars would have made me happier, and increased the QPR. Still, if you are looking for a sweet Indiana wine, this is a nice change of pace from the few who currently dominate the market.