Vintage Indiana coming up fast

INDIANAPOLIS, IN -- Vintage Indiana is expected to draw more than two dozen state wineries when the annual festival is held Saturday, June 5.

The event, which will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. downtown in Military Park, also will feature about a dozen restaurants as well as live entertainment, art, kids’ activities and educational programs. A crowd upwards of 10,000 is expected.

One sidenote: This is the first Vintage Indiana since the Indiana Wine Grape Council named Traminette the official state grape. Look for a number of expressions of that particular hybrid, developed at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.

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ON THE WEB
• The Traminette 'coronation'
• Dowd's Guides

Old Johnnie Walker site being revived

• From the Carlisle, Scotland, News & Star

ANNAN, DUMFRIES-SHORE, SCOTLAND -- A former distillery that last produced Johnnie Walker whisky more than 90 years ago is set to go back into production.

Under a £6 million project, the dilapidated 180-year-old building will be restored and equipped to distill a distinctive single malt. It also will become a visitor center and whisky academy providing courses on all aspects of the creation of the perfect dram.

Behind the scheme is Dumfries-born businessman and whisky enthusiast David Thomson, an honorary professor of food and nutrition sciences at Reading University, and his wife Teresa Church, an animal nutritionist.

Professor Thomson, 55, said: “We bought the old distillery three years ago and the project is now set to go. We have been given a £350,000 grant from Historic Scotland who are keen to see the buildings restored. Unfortunately, a £150,000 grant awarded by the Scottish government has been withdrawn although I hope it may be reinstated."

[Go here for the full story.]

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ON THE WEB
• Dowd's Guides