Notably, their sweet wines contain no added sugar, and none of their wines utilize fining agents. Drawing inspiration from tasting wines that have aged for decades without additives, Jim and Laura prioritize a natural winemaking approach. They firmly believe in transparency throughout the winemaking process, which is why visitors are welcomed into every facet of Turtle Run Winery, from the tasting room to the production area.
Turtle Run Winery, Indiana’s oldest vineyard in Harrison County, features the 5th oldest vines in the Indiana Uplands AVA and ranks among the state’s top 10 largest vineyards. Known for meticulous vineyard studies, the winery emphasizes the impact of soil, slope, elevation, and vine selection on the flavors of its 30-plus wines.
Founded in 1997, the winery’s name, inspired by the abundant turtle population on the property, has gained popularity nationally and internationally. The picturesque setting includes rolling hills, woods, and classic barns, offering a relaxing ambiance.
Turtle Run Winery stands out for its intricate dry red and white wines, sugar-free sweet wines, Sunday concert series, and unique winery tours. Visitors are drawn to the turtle theme, with some patrons coming solely for the namesake.
Jim’s winemaking blends classic French techniques, evident in wines like Max’s Small Batch Red and Catherine’s Blend. The winery invites exploration with a glass of wine in hand across its 15 acres of vines.
Experience personalized wine tastings at Turtle Run, where our knowledgeable staff attentively listens to your preferences and recommends selections tailored to your taste. With over 30 wines on the list, the choice is yours to make.
Join Jim Pfeiffer, owner of Turtle Run Winery, for a unique and informative tour. Choose between a quick five-minute or a more detailed half-hour experience to explore the world of wine with Jim’s expert insights on taste, viticulture, and winemaking.
CHAMBOURCIN
Chambourcin, a hybrid red grape, yields mild palate red wines with low tannins. It’s favored in the Midwest and Mid-East but not grown in the West, likely due to its hybrid nature. Its parentage remains unknown as the creator left no notes. Despite French government discouragement of hybrids, Chambourcin is embraced by many French growers for its blending capabilities, despite the irony of its American lineage.
COROT NOIR
This hybrid grape was created by Cornell University. This grape provides a nice cherry, berry note and delicious aromas that are highly unique. Corot Noir is considered one of the top grape varieties out of the Geneva, New York breeding program.
NOIRET
Ditto for the Corot Noir notes except add some peppery notes and you essentially have this wine. For both varieties, Turtle Run has never made a wine “straight up” with them. Rather, they have found both Corot Noir and Noiret to be decadent blenders.
FRONTENAC
Planted in 2015, Frontenac is adding nice fruit flavors and delicate tannins to Turtle Runs red wine program. Frontenac probably won’t be bottled straight up but rather used for blending.
CROIX
Also planted in 2015 St. Croix’s origins are from Minnesota. Turtle Runs chief wine maker Jim, found it to be full of cherry and berry fruit, but a little short on tannins and will therefore be used for blending.
STEUBEN
An American hybrid grape variety created in the early 1900′s and is used as a base for Turtle Runs “Blue My Mind” program. Jim added this variety on the gold slope so that the “Blue My Mind” label can evolve from Indiana grown to Estate Bottled.
CATAWBA
An American hybrid grape variety created in the early 1900′s and is used as a base for Turtle Runs “Blue My Mind” program. Jim added this variety on the gold slope so that the “Blue My Mind” label can evolve from Indiana grown to Estate Bottled.
VIGNOLES
A white hybrid grape from France, this vine reigns over the Pinot Noir line and makes a dazzlingly delicious white wine. Jim believes he can do all sorts of things with this grape, from dry to sweet, barrel-aged to blended. The Vignoles grape has garnered a lot of award-winning accolades in national and international competition, yet again; it’s mired in ambiguity in planting as it’s a “hybrid”. Jim believes if it tastes great, why not grow it?
TRAMINETTE
The Indiana State Grape! First created as a hybrid by the University of Illinois but when their grape growing program was temporarily shut down in the 1960′s the vine made its way to Purdue University. After a pit stop in West Lafayette, Indiana, the vine further developed at Cornell University in New York. The vine is a hybrid of the very successful and spicy Gewürztraminer of Alsace, France. A few years ago, one of Turtle Runs Traminette vintages was named one of the top 10 best wines in the world by Grape Sense. Call it a divisive grape.
DIAMOND
The Diamond grape, also knowns as Moore’s Diamond, is a hybrid grape created in the early 1900’s by crossing Iona and Concord. It’s known as “Diamond” for its lack of pigmentation, of which its parent, concord has a plethora of pigmentation. The harvest parameters at Turtle Run are simple – when the bumblebees attack it. Bumblebees are known carriers of yeast, so after we destem and crush the grapes, the 100% natural fermentation, using wild yeasts, commences every year.
Experience personalized wine tastings at Turtle Run, where our knowledgeable staff attentively listens to your preferences and recommends selections tailored to your taste. With over 30 wines on the list, the choice is yours to make.
Join Jim Pfeiffer, owner of Turtle Run Winery, for a unique and informative tour. Choose between a quick five-minute or a more detailed half-hour experience to explore the world of wine with Jim’s expert insights on taste, viticulture, and winemaking.
Our winemaking philosophy, guided by the mantra “to create exceptional quality wine that goes with food and friends,” is rooted in a commitment to authenticity and craftsmanship. Understanding the intricate chemistry of wines—boasting over 1500 natural chemical compounds—we embrace the delicate balance required in both the vineyard and winery to allow these natural flavors to flourish.
Acknowledging that the seeds of grapes hold a significant portion of potential flavor compounds, we handle them gently, ensuring their flavors remain in the seeds and not in the wine. Just as a well-simmered pot of chili imparts depth, our wines spend ample time in oak barrels, both new and aged, to achieve a harmonious balance of aging and vibrant fruit flavors.
Distinguishing between natural sweetness and sugar-added sweetness, we prioritize clean and refreshing finishes in our naturally sweet wines. Contrary to common practices, we abstain from adding sugar, allowing fructose to shine. This conscious choice not only results in a cleaner taste but also significantly reduces the caloric content compared to typical American sweet wines.
Our commitment to the art of blending extends beyond grape varieties to different growing years, creating nuanced expressions that define Turtle Run Winery. With a meticulous approach to winemaking, we avoid over-filtering and rely on careful blending, freezing, and aging to fine-tune our wines. Our additive-free approach means no liquid oak extracts, no flavor enhancers, and no mouthfeel enhancers—just the pure essence of the grapes.
Experience personalized wine tastings at Turtle Run, where our knowledgeable staff attentively listens to your preferences and recommends selections tailored to your taste. With over 30 wines on the list, the choice is yours to make.
Join Jim Pfeiffer, owner of Turtle Run Winery, for a unique and informative tour. Choose between a quick five-minute or a more detailed half-hour experience to explore the world of wine with Jim’s expert insights on taste, viticulture, and winemaking.
Over the years, Turtle Run wines have garnered wide acclaim. We last entered wine competitions in 2016 in which we entered 7 wines and received 3 best in class, 2 double golds, a gold, and a silver.
In 2011, we won Best Indiana Grown at the Indy International Wine Competition. In 2014, at Indy International, we won Indiana Farm Winery of the Year, and in 2015 Best in Class white blends at California’s Consumer Wine Awards for our vineyard’s Serendipity, a blend of Vignoles and Traminet.
Jim appeared on WISH TV in Indianapolis to promote the Indiana Uplands Wine Trail
Cheers Everyone
Jim