Rettig Hill Winery

An estate winery practicing old world traditions for grape growing and winemaking, Rettig Hill Winery takes great pride in making wines with grapes grown right here in Indiana.

Finding inspiration on a trip to the wine regions of South Australia in 1996, winemaker Jeff Hill returned home, purchased a vineyard from the Sisters of St. Francis in the southeastern corner of Indiana, and began growing hardy, flavorful grapes on the sunny hillsides.

Expanding the operation from two acres of grape plantings to eight acres — and dealing with drought conditions for several years — Rettig Hill finally began commercial production in 2010. The following year, Rettig Hill Winery won the silver medal at the Indy International Wine Competition, earning accolades for its Chambourcin, Grand Rouge and Catawba wines.

As one of only a handful of Indiana winery owners directly involved with grape growing and winemaking, Hill believes in the “terroir” method — understanding how a particular region’s climate, soils, and terrain affect the taste. Using hand-picked grapes, selected from single vineyards in the same locale, gives Rettig Hill wines their unique sense of place, with rich local flavors.

Hill says Indiana’s climate, from the late spring freezes to the mid-summer droughts, definitely impacts the grape harvest, but he remains inspired to pursue his craft simply by seeing “a dormant vine coming to life in the spring and producing a great crop in the late summer and fall.”

Rettig Hill sells its wines at retail locations throughout the state, offering flavors such as Dolce Bianco, Vignoles, Vidal Blanc, Traminette, Dolce Rosso, Catawba, Chambourcin Rose, Cabernet Franc, Grand Rouge, Norton and Indiana Blackberry.