NEW ALBANY, Ind. — Gary and Melissa Humphrey located their River City Winery in New Albany, in the historic Baer Building. They opened in May 2009 in the Neoclassical-style building, constructed in 1900.

The site first served as John Baer’s Dry Goods & Department Store. The building, although renovated, still reflects hardwood floors, a long bar lined in brick and lovely tall ceilings. The venture for Gary, a local policeman, and Melissa, a teacher, has been a success.

“We are going to expand next door,” Gary said “where we will have a private wine-tasting room.”

When entering River City Winery, before heading downstairs to the winery section, one passes a lovely old wine press with a story behind it. The press came to the Humphreys from an estate sale. After digging into the history behind it, they found it had belonged to the man after whom Melissa’s grandfather was named.

The family connection added a bit of extra interest for the Humphreys. They love history and weave the names of their wines with historic connections. Visitors can try a bottle wine or, for $5, taste seven different wines.

“Our most popular wine is Colonel’s Legacy,” Gary said. “It is a French Concord wine we do in a bourbon barrel.”

While a few of the wines are aged in barrels, many are aged in one of the 12 tanks or go through a combination process. Melissa, who teaches seventh-grade science, added, “Everything starts as biology and ends as chemistry.”

The process has kept the Humphreys hopping; last year, River City Winery bottled 6,000 gallons of wine, many of which have received impressive awards. The Colonel’s Legacy won the Indy 2010 Bronze medal.

In fact, the wine list from River City reads like a Who’s Who of vino, with the Santunte winning the Indy International 2011 silver medal, the Culberston Red taking the Indy 2011 Bronze medal, the Lazy River Red winning the Indy 2009 Silver medal and the Fire Engine Red, the Indy 2011 Gold medal.

The white wine list is similar, with the list of awards for the Vineyard Reserve Chardonel, Troken, Traminette, 2010 Chardonel, Bank Street Blush, 2011 Vignoles, Vidal Blanc and the Lazy River White. River City rounds out its red and white selections with a list of sweet fruit wines that include Elderberry, Triple Berry Cyclone and Strawberry Cyclone. Seasonally, a deep apple spiced white and red wines are available.

Gary explained many wine drinkers begin by enjoying the sweet fruity wines, then move into the dry reds over time. He said the dry reds are where he feels the nuances of the wine can be tasted most clearly.

River City Winery supports local farmers. It buys grapes and fruit mostly from local growers. “We don’t have vineyards now,” Gary said. “We buy locally in Indiana first, then go to Kentucky and Michigan.”

What they create often depends on what is available, such as this past year when they made a wine with strawberries because local farmers had fruit available that would spoil if not used. Supporting the local economy is important to the Humphreys: “We buy as much local as we can.”

No wine is shipped off-site, but all sold directly at the winery/restaurant. The initial idea for the winery began a little differently than it turned out; the original dream, Gary said, was for a different type of venue: “I’d always wanted to start a brewery, but others beat me to it.”

Instead, he and Melissa decided to start a winery and learned from the bottom up, which Gary said benefited them because, “I didn’t have any bad habits to break.”

He has taken several classes and, when interviewed in late February, had just returned from the Midwest Wine and Grape Festival.

The winery is also a great place for entertainment. “Every week we have music, we are always busy; that is why we are expanding.”

Gary said his chef, Nicholas Davis, often uses wine in his culinary creations. 

They offer a variety of American, French, Greek and Mediterranean, along with sandwiches. They are also well-known for their pizza.

One unexpected boost to recent business, while a pain for those in New Albany trying to get across the Ohio River, was the closed bridge that rerouted traffic to Louisville. According to Gary, the bridge caused many to stay in town and try local options. He said his business increased 20 percent and he has made many new and lasting customers through that bridge closure.

River City Winery is closed on Mondays but open Tuesdays-Sundays beginning at 11 a.m. 

It is located at 321 Pearl St., New Albany, Ind.; call1 812-945-9463 for details.