The Best Traditions are Preserved One Glass at a Time: Family Winemakers in Batesville

Ertel Cellars Winery is celebrating 20 years in business.

Traminette - Indiana State Wine and grapevines getting buds in April. Photos by 

(Batesville, Ind.) - There’s something special about driving the winding roads just south of Batesville and watching the hills open up to rows of neatly kept grapevines. For many in the community, that view means you’re close to Ertel Cellars Winery - a place that, this year, is celebrating 20 years in business right alongside the 250th birthday celebration for our country.

It’s hard to believe that what feels like such a staple of Southeast Indiana began as a simple hobby. Back in 1999, Tom Ertel, an Indiana native and accountant by trade, planted a few grapevines just to see what might grow. At the time, he wasn’t thinking about building a destination winery. He was supplying grapes to local winemakers, learning the craft from the ground up, literally.

But as the vines grew, so did the vision. By 2006, Tom and his family decided it was time to create something of their own. On roughly 200 acres of rolling countryside, they built a winery that blended old-world inspiration with modern winemaking. The chateau-style stone building, surrounded by 21 acres of vineyards, was designed to feel both elegant and welcoming as a place where neighbors and visitors could gather, relax, and stay awhile.

From the start, it was a true family effort. Tom oversaw the business, his sister Patti Hoff took on office management, Gary Ertel (now retired) as vineyardist, and winemaker Brian Ahaus helped shape the wines that would eventually earn awards and loyal fans. Together, they built not just a winery, but a gathering place.

And that’s really what Ertel has become over the past two decades - a hub for the community. You see it in the little traditions. Like in February, when Ertel sets up outside Schmidt Bakery in Batesville during Presidents Day week, selling cases of their cherry wine to customers lined up for the bakery’s famous Cherry Thing-a-Lings. It’s a simple scene, but it says a lot: local businesses supporting each other, neighbors catching up in line, and a shared sense of pride in what this area produces.

That sense of pride runs deep in Hoosier hearts. Our state’s winemaking roots stretch back to the early 1800s, when Swiss settlers first planted vineyards here. Over time, the industry weathered challenges like Prohibition, only to reemerge stronger. Today, wineries like Ertel Cellars carry that history forward, blending tradition with innovation while showcasing the flavors of the region.

Take their Traminette, for example. It’s one of Ertel’s standout wines - a crisp, aromatic white made from Indiana’s official state grape. Developed to withstand the Midwest’s unpredictable climate, Traminette represents exactly what local winemaking is about: adapting, experimenting, and creating something uniquely suited to the land.

Of course, what ends up in the glass is the result of months of careful work. Winemaking at Ertel is a year-round process. It starts in the quiet of winter, when vines are pruned back - sometimes as much as 95% of the previous growth - to prepare for a healthy new season. April brings bud break and the constant watch for mildew or frost. By late summer and early fall, the vineyards come alive with harvest, as grapes are hand-picked at just the right moment.

From there, the process moves indoors. Grapes are crushed and pressed, fermented in carefully monitored tanks, clarified, and then aged. Every step is hands-on, blending time-tested techniques with modern precision. And if you visit, you can see much of it for yourself. The dining room has a wall of glass

overlooking the wine-making process. Whether you’re there for a tasting, a meal in the restaurant, or just to take in the view, Ertel offers more than wine. It offers an experience.

Twenty years in, Ertel Cellars Winery stands as a testament to what can grow from a simple idea and a lot of dedication. From hobby vineyard to award-winning destination, its story mirrors the broader story of the region, rooted in history, shaped by community, and always looking ahead.

As Batesville and the surrounding area mark a 250th milestone, Ertel’s 20-year journey feels like a perfect pairing. Both are reminders that the best traditions aren’t just preserved - they’re lived, shared, and poured, one glass at a time.