We feel that wine is food, and fills its greatest role as a mealtime beverage. We craft our wines in the European tradition of finesse, balance, and structure which particularly enhances the variety of flavors in meals
Gale's Hard Cider
Old timey apples fermented like an ale - flavors of apples, blossom and spicetangy, strong and dry- drink it like an ale!!!! Named for Gale Thomas! Wonderful with curries, spicy foods
Gl$4.50
Bt$7.99
Cs$86.29
Extra-Aulde Gale's Scrumpy Cider "Liam's Hill"
Oak-aged 1 year, blend of cider apples, wild fermented like an "aulde scrumpy." Tangy yeast flavors, strong mid tannins, crabapple edges- earthy & oaky, very gentle fizz!
Bt$11.99
Cs$129.29
"Partridge Eye" Sangria
Very light blush, fruity, lively spice, perfect over ice, even in Winter!
Gl$6.00
Seyval Blanc 2017
Soft and gentle flavors of ripe tropical fruits- kiwi and melon, with ripe yellow apples and madarin orange; very spicy palate with brugeoning fruit and wondefrul flinty earth aftertaste. Love with fish, grilled chicken, and anything with sauerkraut!
Gl$6.00
Bt$16.99
Cs$183.49
Niagara 2016
Flowery fragrances of white grapes, peaches, green apples and citrus peel! Rich entry of fruit, sweet flowers, noticable spices in the middle and a long finish of mineral and spice. Outstanding with spicy Asian and grilled foods!
Gl$6.00
Bt$16.99
Cs$183.49
Rio Red 2016
A young wine brimming full of black raspberry, black cherry fruit with lots of chocolate and pepper in the nose; richly flavored entry of bramble fruits, black pepper and lots of cedar, cigar leaf and briar on the finsh! Must haves-grilled pork steaks, baked ziti, big time pizzas and bbq!
Gl$6.00
Bt$16.99
Cs$183.49
Native American Blush
A blend of Niagara and Concord, intense fresh grape and pink fruit - strawberry cotton candy, peaches and watermelon- enjoy on the porch with fruits and cheeses, glazed poultry and salads
Gl$6.00
Bt$17.99
Cs$194.29
Main
My Grandfather Gale Thomas began making "cider" in his youth during prohibition. It was made in barrels, from craggy old cider apples, sold and drunk quickly. This tradition has passed to the third generation of his family. Today, the craggy old cider apples of yesteryear still grow in the Midwest. They are harvested, artfully blended, then ground and pressed. The cider is then put into old barrels, fermented and aged, crafting a strong, dry cider the old Celts would have been proud of. Enjoy a glass of Gale's with the family!
Gale's Hard Cider Pricing
Old timey apples fermented like an ale in old barrels- tangy, strong and dry- drink it like an ale!!!! Wonderful with curries, salsas and spicy foods.
Classically made, light crusty exterior, medium textured and lightly yeasty
Focaccia
$5.99
Rustic, chewy Italian flatbread, aromatic with garlic and Asiago cheese; other flavors occasionally available
Panne Rustico
$6.99
Traditional Italian country bread, chewy and highly aromatic
Country Wholegrain
$6.99
Dense loaf with thick, crusty exterior, chewy, highly textured with ancient grains and seeds throughout
Rosemary Olive
$6.99
Rustic round loaf, dense, fragrant rosemary and wonderfully ripe olives
Specialty Breads
Li'l Aplines, N'awlins, Lucianne, Ryes, Pumpernickels; Holiday Breads: Raisin-Pecan, Cranberry-Brandy, Welsh Bara Brith and Irish Brown Soda Bread occasionally or by special order
Cheeses
Abergele with Portabellas and Chive
A full, fat and buttery cheese with meaty portabellas and chive
(per oz.)$1.10
Stilton
"The King of the Blues" Rich, wonderful, aged blue cheese!
(per oz.)$1.35
Brie
60+ double crème. Soft-ripened, buttery and rich.
(per oz.)$1.10
Caerphilly
A rich Welsh cheese. Sharp with a creamy texture, edgy and perfect with Gales Hard Cider!
(per oz.)$1.10
Double Gloucester
A wonderfully sharp English cheese. Well textured and delicious!
(per oz.)$1.10
Dubliner
A sharp, drier textured Irish cheese. A cross between cheddar and gruyere.
(per oz.)$1.10
Emmenthaler
A softer, mellow, young Swiss. A great sncker!
(per oz.)$1.00
Goat Cheese
Delicious, creamy, young goat cheese.
(per oz.)$1.25
Irish Cheddar
A rich, earthy, buttery and sharp cheddar. Aged 12 months.
(per oz.)$1.10
Red Dragon
A rich Welsh cheddar blooded with ale and mustard seed. Creamy and delicious!
(per oz.)$1.10
Saxonshires
A passionate layering of five British cheeses. Includes: Leicester, Double Gloucester, Derby, Cheddar and Cheshire.
(per oz.)$1.10
Tellegio
Aromatic, soft-ripened cheese from the Italian Alps. Buttery, soft, pungent and wonderful!
(per oz.)$1.10
Tomato Basil Cheddar
A young cheddar with sun-dried tomatoes and basil.
(per oz.)$1.10
Wensleydale
A rich, creamy cheese with delightfully sweet and tart cranberries.
(per oz.)$1.10
Charctuerie
Bresaola
Spicy, cured beef shoulder. Rich and buttery!
(per oz.)$1.50
Cappocola Ham
Cured, spiced pork shoulder. Zesty!
(per oz.)$0.95
Genoa Salame
Large Italian salame with white wine and peppercorn.
(per oz.)$0.95
Pepperoni
Authentic pepperoni. Dry, red pepper, very cured.
(per oz.)$0.95
Prociutto Americano
Rich, cured and thinly sliced, less salty.
(3 oz.)$7.99
Smoked Duck Breast
Incredibly rich, silky, smooth and smoky.
(per oz.)$1.50
Smoked Salmon
Silky, smooth, lovely smoke.
(per oz.)$2.00
Sopressa Salame
Large Italian salame with red and black pepper and garlic.
(per oz.)$0.95
June 2019
Sat 1st the Derby City Dandies
When: 8:00 - 11:00 pm. 1930's jazz & jug band madness, old timey swing and barrel house fun! First time at Winery!
Riverroots Ohio River Valley Folk Festival
When: Fri-Sat 7th - 8th. Music, Storytelling, Folkart & FolkLife Regional Breweries & Wineries Celebrate the River with the whole family! Call 812-265-2956 for details
Sat 15th Tom Roznowski
When: 8:00 - 11:00 pm. This Grammy-nominated Bloomington artist delights you with homespun tales & personal stories- with Mike Lucas!
Sat 22nd Clocgheann
When: 8:00 - 11:00 pm. Marvelous traditional Celtic folks, mixing ballads with fiddle & whistle tunes, jigs, reels, shanties and little beat poetry!
Fri 28th Main Street Madison Fourth Friday!
The Mellow Soundz 7-9 pm & Pizze Night!
Sat 29th Billy & Jimmy
When: 8:00 - 11:00 pm. Legendary guys. Together.
Visit Us!
You'll find The Thomas Family Winery at 208 E. Second St. in Madison, Indiana — the most beautiful rivertown in America. We're open daily looking forward to meeting you! Our hours are: Monday – Thursday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday – Saturday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday – Noon to 5 p.m. If you get lost, call us at (812) 273-3755 or (800) 948-8466. Call us if you're not lost too! We can explain shipment options, tell you about our events or at the very least say "Hello!"
Things to know about us and your visit!
Tasting ends at 5:00 pm, after that, it's time to socialize!
Please don't come to the tasting bar chewing gum, drinking soft drinks, eating ice cream, or anything else that temporarily destroys your palate!
We're closed New Years Day, maybe the first week of January, Easter Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Other than that, we're open.
We like kids; if we really like them, we keep them!
We like dogs; it's the health department that doesn't.
Seats are First-Come, first sit down; if you have room at your table, we hope you don't mind sharing and making new friends!
"In-House Only" means we are very low on a particular wine, and it can only be consumed in the Winery. This is how we spread the wealth so everyone gets a taste of it at the end.
God made Zinfandel to be red, and taste like barbed wire and pepper; humans made it pink and sweet. That pretty much sums it it up!
Don't do anything to wine that you wouldn't do to a puppy! This includes locking it up in a car in the hot Summer sun.
History
Built approximately in the mid-1850's and known as the Garlinghouse Livery Stable and Blacksmith Shop, the 3-story building was constructed in one of the oldest sections of Madison known as "Old Town†- a place where some of the earlier settlers lived prior to 1815.
The owner, George B. Garlinghouse, was a patentee of farm equipment including a mowing machine, hay, rake and loader, a stump puller, road scraper, grader and ditcher and notably the
Pitman coupling used in the Champion Mowing and Reaping machines.
This building continued to house transportation businesses long after horses were gone
Operating from its walls were automobile garages, bus stations, boat dealerships- until Steve and Elizabeth Thomas purchased it, and started The Thomas Family Winery in 1995.
Steve, a third generation winemaker, has heritage from Central and Southeastern Indiana.
He and his wife, Elizabeth, a tourism professional with a background in the Arts, teamed up to reha - bilitate this historic structure and turn it into an old world winery and gathering place.
The winemaking heritage reaches back to the 1930's, when Gale Thomas made hard cider.
Steve worked at his father's winery in Indianapolis for 11 years before he and Elizabeth chose Madison to start their own business and raise their family.
Specializing in traditional European-Style wines, the Thomases draw on Time-Honored approaches to their wines.
This also includes being at the forefront of the renaissance of a great American product- Gale's Hard Cider, named for Gale Thomas, Steve's grandfather.
Themes have turned from transportation to socialization at 208 East Second Street these days.
Walking into the Thomas Family Winery is like entering a cheerful Old World public house, where friends, visitors and neighbors come to relax. The tasting room offers hearth-baked breads, fine cheeses and salamis to compliment the wines and ciders. The Winery is open 7 days a week, except for major holidays.
The Winery is open for tastings from 11am-5pm all week and 12noon-5pm on Sundays. From 5pm-6pm during the week and all extended hours on the weekends, the winery is open for sit-down service and music
About Us
We are proud of our hand-crafted, traditional wines and old-world ciders made on-site.Our innovation and attention to time-honored craftsmanship have developed these wines into products of timeless art which we look forward to sharing with you.