October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and wine lovers can do their part to help raise money to find a cure. A number of wineries produce bottles that give money to breast cancer research.

Two of the best (for the wine and the profit given) are Two Brothers Big Tattoo Riesling and HOPE Chardonnay. The riesling is crisp, and fresh with lovely aromas of honeysuckle and flavors of apricot, white peach and honey. The chardonnay is soft and dry with hints of butterscotch, pear and vanilla. Both wineries give what ends up being about 1 dollar per bottle sold to Indianapolis Susan G Komen foundation. You can find both wines at wine stores in Broad Ripple and Downtown Indianapolis.

Indiana's grape harvest is nearly complete and yields and fruit quality are very strong. Most grapes are harvested and it is time to create the wines of 2008. For many of the Indiana wineries, the harvest was complete at the end of September. However, a few wineries still intentionally have grapes hanging on the vine in the hopes of making a "late harvest" ice wine.

"Mild winter temperatures and a lack of a devastating spring freeze means that growers have a full crop of fruit this year," said Dr. Bruce Bordelon, viticulturalist at Purdue University. "2008 will be considered an excellent year for grapes in the Midwest."

Wet and cool weather this spring did cause concern for fruit quality. However, less rainfall and warmer weather from June through September allowed the grapes to ripen well.

"This vintage for some varieties may be even better than last year's stellar quality," said Bill Oliver, President of Oliver Winery in Bloomington, Indiana. "Catawba, Vignoles, Valvin Muscat and Corot Noir look especially good right now."

Huber's Orchard, Winery & Vineyards have 62 acres of grapes planted in fields surrounding Starlight, Indiana. Fruit is also grown to make many of their award-winning wines. "The month of July brought us a record crop of blackberries and peaches with above average quantity and excellent quality," said Ted Huber, President. "This will yield excellent fruit wines for later this year."

Grape harvest began in August and should be completed in mid-October. Indiana has 425 acres of grapes in vineyards around the state.

The many places to see and show art in Indy are numerous! The Mass Ave Wine Shoppe is not just a place for wine and delicatessens; this new hot spot is also show casing local artists, one of the Art Banks own Carmen is featuring her contemporary style paintings at the Shoppe.

Looking for more of the classical style genre, check out G.C. Lucas Gallery, or just two doors down you can step inside the Kuaba Gallery where you will find beautiful African inspired pieces. Further down on the Avenue we had to say good-bye to the IMC Gallery, they closed their doors this last weekend on Mass Ave due to poor building conditions; sad to see this not-for profit gallery leave the avenue, but the IMC is working on pairing up with the Athenaeum for some future art shows.

Many do not realize the Indianapolis Art Center is a great place to view and buy artwork, check out their newest show opening on November 1st, "Day of the Dead".

Every First Friday the Stutz Artist's Association shows off their talents with Open Studio hours along with the newest addition is the Stutz Art Space where the artists can show in more of a gallery setting. For more information check out indyarts.org