Farewell Creekbend: A Letter from Bill
A letter from Bill Oliver:
Dear Club Member,
The Creekbend Vineyard era has come to an end. For over 30 years, it played a vital role in Oliver history, teaching us invaluable lessons about grape growing in the eastern United States. While some varieties didn’t thrive as expected, others flourished, producing exceptional wines. I will always cherish the memories—the challenges and the successes.
In recent years, we faced increasing obstacles. The vineyard’s health has declined as the vines aged. Spring freezes have become more frequent and devastating. A new threat looms—the invasive Spotted Lanternfly, whose larvae prefer grapevines over all other plants.
Kathleen and I received an unsolicited offer for the land. Given the mounting challenges, we made the difficult decision to accept. It was one of the hardest choices of our lives.
Though this marks the end of a chapter, Oliver Winery remains committed to sourcing the best fruit from top growers, ensuring that quality remains at the heart of our winemaking.
This transition is bittersweet for Kathleen, me, and the winery, but we look forward to the future. We deeply appreciate your continued support and remain excited for what’s ahead—including plenty of hot air ballooning. Thanks for being part of the journey.
What's in store for the future of the Creekbend Collection?
The Creekbend wines you know and love will continue to be available until their final vintage sells out. For some wines this may happen in 2025, but others will be available through 2026. After that, we plan to use our current sourcing philosophy to bring in the highest quality fruit from throughout Indiana and create small batch varietals to continue the legacy of our Creekbend wines.
Stick around for a stroll through Creekbend history:
Where it started, what it became.
The first of our vines were by Professor William Oliver when Bill was a young boy. Over the years, it would expand and grow to the beautiful, sprawling vineyard we knew and loved. From people to pups, the land brought joy to all.
From vine to wine.
Maintaining a vineyard is no easy task. Bud break comes in spring, and requires maintenance throughout the year. Late frosts, heat, rain, and light can all impact the fruit on the vine, and while a certain amount is left to mother nature, measures can be taken to optimize the growth for the season. Once harvest rolls around, early autumn mornings become the heartbeat of the vineyard. For ice wine, the grapes are left on the vine and harvested by hand while frozen (usually before the sun is up). Once winter hits, the vines must be pruned back, and we wait for spring to come again.
A piece of our history full of memories.
Events at Creekbend hold a special place in our hearts, for the energy and community they held. Tours from Bill, grape stomps, live music, and Cork & Fork were a few of our favorite ways to share our wines and bring people together.
A view for every season.
No matter the season, time, the weather, Creekbend was a pretty spectacular place. The views never got old, and always felt like home.
