Press Trip Itinerary

Noon on Tuesday (May 16, 2006 ) – Noon on Thursday (May 18, 2006 )

Day 1 (May 16) - Madison

Begin your visit in Madison with a wine tasting at Lanthier Winery by Chris Lanthier, the cellar master. Enjoy a box lunch prepared by Local Harvest Market and a discussion of food & wine pairings, followed by a tour of the historic winery building and the surrounding gardens.

Hop on the Madison Trolley for a tour of the downtown historic district and a special tour of the Lanier Mansion State Historic Site and National Historic Landmark.

Stop in the Thomas Family Winery for wine tasting with the Thomas’s. Tour the wine production area, then sit back and relax in their pub-style atmosphere.

Check in your accommodation (Madison Vineyards Winery B&B; overflow @ Clifty Inn) and join us for an evening of wine tasting and dinner at Madison Vineyards Winery and Bed & Breakfast. This is your chance to socialize with Madison’s artisan winemakers and hear their behind-the-scenes stories

Day 2 (May 17) – Vevay, Rising Sun, New Alsace

Take a short trip east to Vevay, birthplace of the American Wine Industry. Enjoy breakfast at the Schenck Mansion where our special guest will be James Butler (Butler Winery & Vineyards, Bloomington, Indiana), author of Indiana Wine: A History and expert on the rich history of Southeast Indiana’s wine industry.

We hope to arrange a special visit to the Morerod House (privately owned) and tour the old wine cellar containing an original wine cask from the 19th century. Morerod helped pioneer some of the earliest winemaking in southern Indiana.

Ridge Winery winemaker, Tom Demaree, will guide us to the gravesite (on private property) of John James Dufour who established the first successful winery in America near Vevay. Stop at Ridge Winery Tasting Room and taste the wines as you enjoy the panoramic view of the Ohio River Valley.

Continue traveling upriver following the Ohio River National Scenic Byway to Rising Sun. Enjoy lunch at The Courtyard Fine Dining & Spirits, a walkabout the historic downtown shops, and a stop at Shop Around the Corner Wine & Coffee Shop (located in Pendleton Art Center.)

Next stop is Chateau Pomije Winery and Restaurant, the region’s oldest winery. Enjoy a wine tasting and tour of the renovated stone barn that houses the winery. Relax over dinner in front of the old stone fireplace and overlooking the lake. After dinner, check in at the Sherman House, a century old inn in Batesville.

Day 3 (May 18) – Batesville

Meet the Ertel Cellars’ winemaker for a tour of their new state-of-the-art winery scheduled to open early summer of this year. Visit the vineyards and learn how the area’s microclimate is ideal for growing wine.

Rooms and meals will be comped/minimal cost.