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Northeast Ohio Winery Reviews Biscotti's Family Winery - An older limousine sat outside this Conneaut, Ohio winery, but other than that the parking lot was empty when we pulled in. I thought it was our lucky day. Most of the other wineries we had visited that day had been fairly busy. I soon discovered that this winery didn't have as much pizzazz as the other area wineries...which probably accounted for the lack of visitors. The wines were average and the atmosphere doesn't beckon tasters to stay. There are many better winery choices in the Conneaut area...and that's probably where the wine drinkers were. The tasting room was located in what appeared to be an older house. We walked down the walk, past an old gas grill, and into the tasting room door. There was really no ambiance in the tasting room. The room, which reminded me of a restaurant kitchen, was lit with fluorescent lighting. There was a large gas stove in the back and a big refrigerator. To the side was another room filled with tables and booths covered in plastic tablecloths. The house had not been updated and very few improvements made over the years. Co-owner Nancy Biscotti was behind the counter and served as our hostess. She was slow to warm-up to us. Since we came in and immediately headed for the restrooms, she may have thought we had too much to drink. Once she realized we were not intoxicated she became much friendlier. We looked over the tasting sheet which listed eleven wines. The winery produces one white, three blush, three red and four fruit wines. Most of the wines were on the sweeter side. I sampled seven of the eleven: Niagara, Nancy's Blush, Pink Rose, Tony Soprano Red, Concord, Peach and Dark Cherry. They were sold out of the one wine that sounded most interesting to me - the Dago Red. It was described as a fruity dry wine that doesn't know it's dry. This wine sounded like it might be right up my alley and I was disappointed I didn't get to sample it. I didn't taste anything that I found to be outstanding - although Gary seemed quite happy and purchased three bottles to take home (Niagara, Blush and Concord). I think what impressed him most were the prices. When he finds wine under $10.00 a bottle it generally makes him pretty happy. I wouldn't put Biscotti's on my "must visit" list of Conneaut area wineries, but if you're looking for decent wines at affordable prices you may want to stop in. Even though they do sell wines by the bottle and glass for on-site consumption, you more than likely won't find the atmosphere appealing enough to want to stay longer than a sampling. If you're having guests and need to purchase many bottles for carry-out, this winery would make a great option. Visited: 6/23/2007. Breitenbach Wine Cellar - This winery is located in the heart of Amish Country in Dover, Ohio. The large purple barn that houses the winery is hard to miss. We visited Breitenbach on a very busy Saturday (it was July 4th weekend), so it was hard to get any personal attention because they were packed. Gary stood back because of the crowd and didn't do any tasting at all. I only tasted one wine because there were many people behind me waiting for their turn and I didn't want to take up too much time. I tried their Dandelion wine because it was something different and found that it was much too sweet for me. We did spend a lot of time in their store and brought home several bottles of wine. I was quite impressed with their selection. Visited 7/5/2003. Favorites: First Crush and Frost Fire. Note: Since we visited on such a busy weekend, we were invited to re-visit Breitenbach Winery in January 2006. Click here to read the feature article we wrote upon returning. Buccia Vineyard - Buccia is a charming winery located in Conneaut, Ohio. I wasn't sure what to expect after visiting their website, and I was pleasantly surprised. The building looks warm and inviting and there is ample shaded seating outdoors to enjoy a bottle of wine on a summer day. The winery also boasts an on-site bed and breakfast. Their website thoroughly describes the accommodations they offer, but has little information about the winery or the wines. Although not your typical tasting experience, Buccia Vineyard seems to be accomplishing their mission - to produce some nice wines to be enjoyed in a laid-back setting with accommodations available on-site. When we approached the tasting counter, a woman gave us each a glass and told us to proceed outside. It was such a beautiful day that the winemaker was conducting tastings outdoors. We joined the winemaker at a large table along with two other people that were sampling. All the wine bottles were lined up in the center of the table. We were given a tasting sheet and told to pour ourselves whatever we wanted to try. We've come across very few "pour your own" tastings on our travels, and for some reason it always makes me a bit uneasy. There's something awkward about simply helping yourself. I started working my way through the thirteen wines they offered - probably pouring myself less than a typical taste. Buccia produces the only Baco Noir we encountered on this trip and the only Agawam we've ever come across. The Agawam was certainly different and seemed to have a minty finish - though I heard other tasters that joined us at the table describe it as spicy. We worked our way from the dry end (Baco) to the sweet end (Terrace Red and Terrace White). I liked the fact that even their sweeter wines were not overly sweet. My favorite was probably the Maiden's Blush - a nice middle-of-the-road anytime wine. All of their wines were quite good and I could have easily enjoyed a glass of any one of them. The tasting table began to fill-up quickly and bottles were being passed around. As we were sampling the winemaker was entertaining the customers by telling stories of a trip overseas. He didn't speak much of the wines - instead letting customers discuss them with each other and decide for themselves. I got the feeling he just liked having the company and enjoyed meeting new people. The wine tasting was simply going on in the background behind the friendly discussions and camaraderie. If we had not been behind schedule, I would have stayed for a glass of wine after our tasting. The winery does a great job of providing a welcoming place to appreciate a glass of one of their wines outdoors. The atmosphere was so pretty with grapevine arbors serving as a ceiling for the outdoor seating area. Finding a shady, quiet corner with a nice breeze would have been very easy - and the thought was very appealing - but we had to move on. You won't find any wine-snobbery going on here - instead you'll encounter a casual tasting experience in a relaxed setting with friendly conversation. If you're looking for tastings poured into crystal wine glasses, look somewhere else. You'll only find a small, laid-back winery here - but the wines are quite good and they've gone to great lengths to create a lovely atmosphere. It's well-worth your time to take a look. Visited: 6/23/2007. Candlelight Winery - As we walked across the bridge that linked the parking area to this Garrettsville, Ohio winery, I made a point to take in the surroundings. On this particular day, there was snow on the ground...so we would not be searching for a nice place to sit outdoors and enjoy a glass of wine. But, I did want to envision the property without snow...and it looked like they had a nice set-up. It seems that there would be plenty of outdoor seating for visitors on a warm spring or summer day. Before our arrival I had the impression that this would be an in-town winery (the address is on Center Street and it sounded like a street in the center of a town to me). On the contrary...the winery is situated in a lovely rural setting perfect for sipping wine indoors or out. We were the only visitors at the winery on this cold and blustery afternoon, and we were greeted by the gentleman behind the counter as soon as we walked in the door. He asked us if we had ever visited before. When we told him we were first-time visitors, he invited us to sample the wines. The winery offered several varieties of red, white, blush and fruit wines. We took a minute or two to go over the tasting sheet and decide on a starting wine. We each sampled five of Candlelight's grape wines which were all very good, especially the Illumination (an unfiltered Niagara). It had that wonderful Niagara flavor, without being overly sweet and was quite tasty. But, what I think they do especially well is fruit wines. I sampled all three they had available (Blueberry, Peach and Cherry). Their fruit wines were bursting with fresh fruit flavor. I think they were some of the best fruit wines we have come across in Ohio. I especially liked the Peach. It is done in a slightly dry style and had excellent flavor. I ended up buying two bottles of the Peach. One to take home with me and another for a friend that I work with. Gary and I decided to stay for a glass of wine before leaving for our bed and breakfast. We both chose Illumination and we ordered some popcorn to munch on from their casual menu. They had plenty of indoor seating available. The quaint tasting room was much roomier inside than it appeared to be from the outside. I loved the star-lit sky they created in the seating area. There were many star shaped lights all over the ceiling and it was a nice touch. So, we sipped on wine, ate some popcorn and sat under the starry sky for a spell. Our visit to Candlelight Winery was a delightful stop on our itinerary. Although fairly new, they have all the makings of a great winery. Gary did find some of the "meaner" looking candles on their wine labels a little scary...but you won't find the wine inside a bit frightening. This small winery is making some excellent wine in Garrettsville, Ohio. Favorite: Peach. Visited: 3/17/2007. Chalet Debonne Vineyards- This winery is situated on a lovely country road in Madison, Ohio. As we drove toward the entrance we saw people leaving for horse-drawn carriage rides through the vineyard (an actual vineyard always scores points with us). We visited on a Saturday and it was very busy. Again, it was hard to get any personal attention. They had tasting trays available and we split one. They did have a nice variety of wines...though none really stood out above the rest. Outside there was a band playing and we decided to get a glass of wine and enjoy it outdoors. I will mention here that one of my biggest pet-peeves when visiting wineries is being served wine in a plastic cup. I would certainly not consider myself a wine-snob...but I still think wine should be served in a glass. At this winery our wine was served in a plastic cup. We drank our wine, but did not buy any to bring home. One of the best aspects of Chalet Debonne was their gift shop. I spent a long time browsing through their large assortment of wine-related gift items. Visited 7/4/2004. Emerine Estates- According to this Jefferson, Ohio winery's website, Emerine Estates produces an enhanced wine that is better tolerated by the body. This is definitely a new approach to winemaking. We've visited many, many wineries and this was a first for us. Sampling wines enhanced with vitamins and minerals touting a rapid breakdown of alcohol and a 98% reduction of hangover symptoms was a brand new experience for us. If their claims prove to be true...it made me wonder why someone hadn't thought of this before. There had been a snow advisory in the area just the night before, and we encountered drifts and blowing snow as we drove up the drive to the tasting room. Upon entering, we were greeted by a friend of the winemaker that was watching the winery for the evening. He gladly welcomed us to the winery and asked if we would like to sample some of their wines. When we accepted, he went to get some cheese and crackers for our tasting, which I thought was a very nice touch. He returned with a plate of crackers and two different kinds of cheese. With the exception of
Concord wine, Emerine Estates produces fruit wines and blends. Most you
will find nowhere else in the area. Our host started us with his favorite,
Caramel Apple. It truly tasted like a caramel covered apple and was quite
delicious...but so sweet I'm not sure I could drink a whole glass.
We sampled almost every wine they produce. A few of the standouts were the
Harvest Peach-Apricot Chardonnay (a nice, light sipper); Tropical Paradise It was nearing closing time and we had been the only visitors in the winery during our entire visit. We were having such a nice time talking with our host...we asked if it was too late to purchase a glass of wine before leaving. Our host quickly agreed and Gary asked for a glass of Tropical Paradise and I ordered the Razzle Dazzle Raspberry. Some more cheese and crackers also arrived and our host sat down to talk with us a while longer. He told us more about the wines and how the winemaker went to great lengths to produce quality wine using only the freshest fruit. He also explained about the healthy benefits of Emerine Estates wines - enhanced with vitamins and minerals, the rapid breakdown of alcohol (so the drunken affects wear off quickly), the major reduction of hangover symptoms and even said the wines were known to boost metabolism and would help with weight reduction. Emerine Estates is most definitely taking a different approach to winemaking. Since we had sampled wines from several different wineries during the day, I can't personally vouch for the absence of a hangover...but we'll be sure to test the theory with the wines that we brought home with us. All of the wines were slightly higher priced than others in the area...but when wines are not mass produced and each wine is hand-pressed and hand-bottled...a higher price should be expected. There was limited seating inside the tasting room and with the nasty weather outside we didn't get a chance to check out the grounds...but our host made it clear there were new additions and improvements in the works. Favorites: Tropical Paradise and Razzle Dazzle Raspberry. Visited 3/17/2007. Farinacci Winery - If you're looking for a place to unwind...we found this Austinburg winery the perfect place to relax awhile. We realized we could have picked a better time to visit the area as we fought our way through the frigid March winds near Lake Erie to the front entrance, but we soon entered the warm tasting room. Once inside, Gary and I took a few minutes to take in our surroundings. Farinacci is one of the newer wineries in this area. We noticed the bare ceilings and floors and realized the tasting room wasn't quite finished. We discussed this later, and decided they are probably very busy and just haven't had to time to complete the room. The woman at the tasting counter (which we found out in later conversation was the owner) said hello to us and we approached her to do some sampling. She promptly set out some glasses for us while we looked over the wine list. I started out with a Pinot Grigio, while Gary began with his usual...a Riesling. We worked our way through a few of the whites while engaging in friendly conversation with our hostess. She made us feel quite at ease and very welcome at the winery. Since Farinacci's website makes it clear they are the home of "no sugar added wines", I was curious about what our impressions would be while tasting. I must say that I found their wines delightful...and I was especially fond of their white wines. My favorite was their Peach Chardonnay. This blend is true perfection, and Gary and I both ended up purchasing a glass to enjoy at the winery. This gave us a chance to relax for a little while and absorb the atmosphere before moving on. The tasting room wasn't busy and we had our pick of tables. We sat for awhile with our Peach Chardonnay and discussed our impressions of the winery. Gary liked the fact that Farinacci is marketing some of their wines in a box. To get people used to the idea, they were offering a very good deal on these boxed wines. Gary is always looking to save money and was very interested. He asked questions about storage time after opening and how many bottles a box would hold. I knew he was doing some fast figures in his head. One of my favorite things was Farinacci's Ice Wine. I found it soft, light and absolutely delicious...plus it was about half the price you would normally pay for a bottle of Ice Wine. All in all, we really enjoyed our visit. Their wines were a delight and the friendly manner in which were welcomed was appreciated. Though they are still fairly new and their tasting room needs a few finishing touches...we expect great things to come from Farinacci Winery. Favorites: Peach Chardonnay, Matrice White and Ice Wine. Visited 3/18/2006.
We hadn't planned on staying long because we were running behind schedule...but we just couldn't help but stay awhile longer. After our wine-tasting we asked to be seated in the restaurant and we each ordered a glass of wine and ordered a meat and cheese tray. They also brought out bread and dipping oil. When we were ready to leave we were able to order our wine to-go from our server. While Gary waited for her to bring the wine out I browsed through their gift shop. Ferrante Winery has a beautiful building in a gorgeous setting, friendly and helpful employees, a great restaurant, nice gift shop, and wonderful assortment of premium wines. I plan on visiting Ferrante again when I am in the Geneva area to eat dinner in their restaurant. Favorite: Bianco. Harpersfield Vineyard - The moment I walked into this winery in Geneva, Ohio, I knew it was not going to be my kind of place. The first thing I saw was a t-shirt that read "Friends Don't Let Friends Drink Pink Catawba". Not that I'm a fan of Pink Catawba....because I'm not...but I knew their wines would be pretty dry. It was pretty crowded there that day because they were holding a wedding reception. We walked up to the counter and the people working seemed a little frazzled. We looked at their list of wines and Gary decided not to try any. I thought as long as I was there I would at least try one. I asked for a sample of their Riesling, which was much to dry for me. At that point we left without trying any more. Samples were $1.00 each and I thought that was a little steep. We were only at Harpersfield Vineyard for about 10 minutes. It was not our "cup of tea"...but if you enjoy dry wines this might be your place. Visited 7/4/2004. Re-visit: When we found ourselves in the Geneva area again, we thought it would be a good idea to re-visit Harpersfield Vineyard since our taste in wines has changed over the past couple of years. Our second visit was much more enjoyable and three years later we were able to appreciate the wines that the Harpersfield winemaker produces. Harpersfield Vineyard is under new ownership since our original visit, but they retained the original winemaker. The winery specializes in dry wines, with the exception of one late-harvest variety. One of the first things I noticed when we walked into the tasting room was that the "Friends Don't Let Friends Drink Pink Catawba" t-shirt was no longer hanging on the wall. I had to stop and think about how ironic it was that this t-shirt once offended me...but now I usually skip over any Pink Catawba wines that are offered during our tastings. Oh, how things change. The crowded tasting room that we encounterd before was empty on this visit and we had the full attention of our hostess. Even under new ownership, samples are still $1.00 each (which I think is a little steep), but we decided to forget about that and sample several of their wines. They were sold out of two of our favorite varieties (Chambourcin and Gewurztraminer), but we each chose three wines to sample. I decided on the remaining reds (Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Musette Red) and Gary chose two whites and a red (Riesling, Musette White and Musette Red). I found their reds quite enjoyable and would easily choose any one of them to complement dinner. Harpersfield also produces the only late harvest Pinot Gris we have come across and decided to spend the extra $2.00 to sample it too. Although very nice, my favorite late harvest wines are still made from the Riesling grape. It was a beautiful, sunny day and we couldn't resist ordering a glass of wine to sip outdoors. I had been eyeing the gorgeous patio and landscaping during our tasting and thought it would be a shame not to take advantage of the wonderful space Harpersfield had created. It was early in the day so we decided to buy one glass to share between us. Our choice was the Musette Red (probably their lightest red) which was a blend of Pinot Nor, Cabernet Franc and Chambourcin. There were two groups of people already outside enjoying the day, and we found a nice shaded spot to enjoy our wine. I'm glad we decided to re-visit this beautiful Geneva winery. Both the tasting room and the outdoor atmosphere are absolutely gorgeous. Now under new ownership they no longer host wedding receptions, so it has become a peaceful place to delight in a glass of handcrafted wine - indoors or out. You will still only find dry wines here - so if you're looking for a Pink Catawba you need to look somewhere else. Regardless, I suggest you stop in. You may just find something else to your liking. Visited : 6/24/2007. The Lakehouse Inn Winery - We were a little disappointed with our visit to this winery in Geneva-On-The-Lake, Ohio. The web site looked so wonderful and it was the winery visit we were looking forward to the most this particular day. We approached the winery on foot (which also has a bed and breakfast inn and guest house) and followed the signs to the tasting room. A young girl emerged and we told her we had been visiting area wineries and we were interested in a tasting. She asked us what kind of wine we liked and we told her we generally preferred sweeter varieties. She stated "Then we wouldn't have anything that you would like", and offered no other explanation. We had walked quite a ways and we were thirsty. They also served mixed drinks, so Gary ordered a daiquiri and I ordered a margarita. She told us to sit on the deck and she would bring them out. Fifteen minutes later she appeared with our drinks, we paid her, and she left. I was a little taken back because my margarita had table salt on the rim (yuck)....but I drank it anyway because I was thirsty. As soon as we finished our drinks we were on our way. I will admit the view from the deck was beautiful. This winery sits right on the shore of Lake Erie and the lake looked spectacular. I just didn't understand why someplace that markets themselves as a winery wouldn't take the time to talk to us about their wine. Visited: 7/4/2004. Re-visit: Since we were unable to sample the Lakehouse Inn's wines on our original visit, we decided it would be a good idea to stop by again when we visited Geneva-on-the-Lake for the second time. We were hoping our experience would be a better one...and it was. On this visit we were able to sample the wines and even drink a glass of wine while looking out over the beautiful lake. It was a warm sunny day - the perfect kind of day to visit this winery situated on the shore of Lake Erie. We entered the glassed-in tasting room and approached the small window where orders are placed. A friendly woman greeted us and we told her we were interested in sampling. Several of their wines were sold-out, but she provided a tasting tray for us with the six or seven wines that were available. A tasting fee is charged, but you get to keep the glass. We took our tasting tray outside and found a seat on the winery's deck that overlooks the waves hitting the Lake Erie shore below. We tasted through all the wines on the tray - my favorite being "Just Peachy" - which is done in a semi-dry style. We couldn't bear to leave the beautiful scenery, so we each ordered a glass of wine and we asked for a bread and cheese tray to go along with it. It was wonderfully peaceful sitting on the deck with a nice breeze blowing while we enjoyed our wine and cheese. Geneva-on-the-Lake is known for its party atmosphere - but even though every table on the deck was occupied, it was an older upscale crowd at the Lakehouse that seemed to be in the mood to relax. The wines a the Lakehouse Inn Winery are good - but even better is the scenery. You don't find many wineries with a tasting deck directly on the lakeshore and the view is spectacular. When visiting, I guarantee you won't be able to resist ordering a glass (or bottle) of wine so you can take advantage of the gorgeous view. Visited: 6/24/2007. Laleure Vineyards - When visiting Laleure Vineyards in Parkman, Ohio, you will not be tasting wine in glamorous surroundings...but that is part of the charm of this boutique winery. The vineyard property is a former dairy farm and the tasting room is housed in the old farm milk house. The winemaker produces a short list of high-quality hand-crafted wines which are suitable for the wine list in the most glamorous of restaurants. We walked into the tiny tasting room just before noon on a Saturday. There were four young people at the tasting counter. One of the tasters had just turned 21 and her friends had met there to surprise her with a wine-tasting. We were greeted by the winemaker and offered a sampling. There wasn't much room left at the counter, but we were able to find a small spot near the cash register. Our host told us that there was a tasting fee, but the glasses were ours to keep. I have to admit that they were two of the nicest glasses we've ever received at a tasting. They were very large and great for swirling. I've been wanting some larger wine glasses for myself (I bought some for Gary at Christmas) so I didn't mind the fee at all. We tasted through all of the Laleure wines, which are mostly dry whites. Though dry white wines are probably my least favorite style, I could easily tell that every wine I sampled had class. We've come to recognize when a winemaker pours his heart and soul into each bottle, and that is what you will find at Laleure Vineyards. We also sampled two dry reds and their ice wine (I believe it was an ice wine and not a late harvest. One thing we didn't receive was a tasting sheet that we could take notes on. I use these tasting sheets when I write....plus their website is not up-to-date with their current offerings). As we sipped our ice wine, the winemaker's wife took us to the back of the building to show us the new renovation....a large open room with plenty of seating and a wood burning stove for winter days. We were told they would occasionally offer live entertainment in the new room, but its main purpose was to serve as a gathering place for guests wishing to enjoy some wine on-site. You won't find a huge selection or a glamorous tasting experience, but you will find a several classy wines and some very gracious hosts at Laleure Vineyards. Being a small winery, they gladly welcome every visitor that walks through the door. If you want to stay for a bit, you'll find a small outdoor seating area and a large, newly renovated room behind the tasting room to enjoy their wares. If you're a fan of dry whites, Laleure Vineyards should certainly be at the top of your list of Ohio wineries to visit. Favorite: Parkman Hill Bianca. Visited 6/23/2007. Laurello Vineyards - We stopped in to this Geneva, Ohio winery on a blustery day in March. It was rather cold and we were relieved when we stepped in to the warmth of the tasting room. Formal...yet friendly...the dark, rich colors inside warmed me instantly. The tasting counter was empty, so we stepped right up and were immediately greeted by a gentleman who set out two glasses. We took a few minutes to look over the wine list before we began our tasting. We started with a few dry reds and I was very excited when a saw Laurello offered a Chambourcin. I have been out of Chambourcin for a while and I had been craving it for weeks. When our host poured my sample I savored the aroma for a long while before I took the first sip. My first taste was just as I had imagined and I knew this wine would be coming home with me. As we moved on, I requested a sample of Naso Rosso. This wine is a blend of three grapes. I loved this wine so much that I wish I could remember which three grapes. I believe it was Chambourcin, Niagara and one other...but I can't remember for sure. Naso Rosso is not listed on the Laurello website and the blend is not on the bottle I brought home. Regardless....this is by far the best wine I tried at this winery. It was so flavorful and full of life that it immediately made me happy. As we moved on to some of the sweeter wines, our host wandered off and a young lady that was pouring for a group of women at the counter started helping us. At some point we asked for another sample...our original host reappeared and took both of our glasses away to rinse them...but never brought Gary's back. We're not really sure what happened here, but we just started sharing my glass. We sampled the Niagara (which Gary liked) and the Catawba (which was your usual Lake Erie Catawba) and moved on to their Ice Wine. We found Laurello's Ice Wine is very rich and noble. They produce a high-quality ice wine that we would rank near the top of our list. We decided to stay for a glass of wine. I ordered a Naso Rosso and Gary ordered a glass of the Niagara. There were a few visitors seated at tables, but there were still plenty of seats available. We sat and enjoyed our wine while engaging in a relaxed conversation. The atmosphere was so inviting that I could have stayed all day...but we had a couple more stops to make. When we finished, I ordered some wine to take home and we were on our way with smiles on our faces. Our visit to Laurello Vineyards was certainly one of the high-points of our day. Favorites: Naso Rosso and Chambourcin. Visited 3/18/2006. Markko Vineyard - I was looking forward to our visit to this Conneaut, Ohio winery. With so many new wineries popping up everywhere, I love it when we get the chance to visit one with an experienced winemaker and a rich history. Markko Vineyard was established the year I was born, 1968. Under the guidance of Dr. Konstantin Frank, winemaker Arnie Esterer and his late partner Tim Hubbard planted these vineyards. It was one of the first serious attempts to grow European Vinifera grapes in Ohio on the shores of Lake Erie. When a winery has been around for this long, they are definitely doing things right. I was anxious to see what 39 years of winemaking experience tastes like. Our route to Markko took us down a very long dirt road. There are no signs to let you know your are getting close and the winery entrance actually took us by surprise. We drove right past and had to turn around and come back. The entrance is marked by a tall stone pillar leading you up a short gravel drive into the woods. The wooded property is beautiful with a rustic winery building and plenty of outdoor seating. Because of all the trees, just about every table is shaded for summertime enjoyment. Once inside, my first stop was the restroom. I found this to be a very interesting room. All of the walls were covered with wine labels. Several of the labels were from wineries that I had personally visited and I found that exciting. I found labels from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Canada...along with many other areas. I was having a great time searching through all the labels looking for ones I recognized. Gary was probably standing outside the door wondering what in the world was taking me so long. When I finally emerged from the restroom, Gary and I walked a few steps down the hall and into a large room where sales and tastings take place. A big table sits right in the middle of the room and we walked around it looking a various new articles, pictures and plaques on the walls while we waited on a couple that was making a purchase to finish their transaction. When the coast was clear we stepped up to the small counter and said hello to our hostess (which I believe was the winemaker's wife). She asked about the types of wine we normally drink and proceeded to hand-pick wines for us to sample. The cool thing about Markko is that you can sample several different vintages of the same wines. This is something that you don't get the opportunity to do at most wineries and I found it to be a special treat. Our hostess guided Gary through the Rieslings and I sampled several Cabernet Sauvignons and Pinot Noirs. While we sampled, several couples came in to purchase a bottle of wine to share at the winery. Markko seems to have a lot of regular customers that come in to drink their premium wines and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. Most everyone took their wine outdoors, but one older couple (probably in their 70's) ordered a bottle of wine and sat at the large table in the tasting room. They were very nice...and while the woman worked a crossword puzzle the gentleman talked to us about wineries they had visited and gave us his personal picks on wineries that we should make a point of visiting on an upcoming trip to Virginia. We were having such an interesting conversation with this man that time slipped away from us and we ended up checking into our bed and breakfast later than expected. Before we could go, we had one more wine to sample. We ended our tasting with Markko's Late Harvest Chardonnay, which was so good I personally bought a bottle to take home. A wine tasting at Markko Vineyard is like sampling history. If you've never had the opportunity to sample several different vintages of the same wine variety, a visit to Markko can change that. This is not a run-of-the-mill Ohio winery, but a chance to sample some exceptional wines made by an experienced winemaker that truly loves producing his own wines and sharing those wines with others. Favorite: 1999 Select Reserve Late Harvest Chardonnay. Visited: 6/23/2007. Mastropietro Winery - The afternoon sun reflecting off the snow was blinding as we headed up the drive to this Berlin Center, Ohio winery. The wind was blowing as we walked up to the door just as they were unlocking it. The tasting room opened at 1:00 p.m. and we arrived at precisely that time. We took a few minutes to survey our surroundings before stepping up to the tasting counter. It was a very pretty room done in dark, rich colors. Many tables of varying heights were sprinkled throughout the room. Grapevines and clusters of grapes adorned the walls. The tasting counter was long and inviting. This is one of the newer wineries in northeast Ohio and we could immediately tell that there was certainly a lot of money behind it. After looking around we
stepped up to the tasting counter. Marianne Mastropietro (we found her name and photo
on the Mastropietro website) was behind the counter. She was very friendly
as she told us of the sampling procedures. We could either sample only the
wines we wanted at the counter or we could get a sampling tray After thawing out a bit, we began sampling the wines. There were tasting notes provided with each wine...and I must say they were right on the mark. Sometimes I wonder who makes these things up, but at Mastropietro I smelled and tasted every nuance that was described. We sampled approximately 12 wines in all. I always look forward to sampling the Chambourcin everywhere we go...but this Chambourcin was a little sweeter and heavier than I like. The tasting notes describe it as "jammy", and it certainly was. One wine that became my stand-out favorite was the Valley Red. It was a light-bodied, semi-dry red with a crisp, clean taste. I found it to be a very versatile wine. It could easily be served with a meal (pasta or pizza come to mind)...but not so dry that it couldn't stand well on its own. Even thinking about this wine as I am typing this makes we want to pour a glass (I brought home a couple of bottles). We found ourselves with some time to spend at Mastropietro before we needed to move on. It was so early in the day we hated to order a glass of wine but decided to order one glass and split it. That way we could relax and enjoy the lovely fire for awhile without consuming too much wine. Gary said I could chose the wine...and of course I chose the Valley Red. When Gary went up to the counter to order it, Cathy Mastropietro (info also on website) was now on duty. Gary told her that we wanted to split a glass and she graciously poured two half-glasses. I had planned on drinking from the same glass as Gary and I thought it was very nice of her to go to the trouble of pouring two. This newer winery didn't start small...Mastropietro is doing things in a big way. They are producing a wide selection of wines and they feature a large, elegant tasting room. Although it was much too cold to go outside - there seemed to be abundant outdoor seating. You can also order sandwiches and snacks...plus I noticed a stack of board games for those who want to stay for awhile. Everyone is sure to find something they enjoy at Mastropietro. Favorite: Valley Red. Visited 3/17/2007. Myrddin Winery- This Berlin Center, Ohio winery seemed so isolated on the shore of Lake Milton. As we turned onto the small road leading to it, we ended up getting turned around and headed in the wrong direction. The road was freshly snow covered and it was hard for us to tell where the road actually was. We finally got turned around and found ourselves in front of the winery. The sign was very small and we almost drove right past the parking area. We had just traveled four hours in inclement weather and I felt great relief that we had finally made it to our first stop of the day. As we walked through the snow to the tasting room door, the sun finally came out. The snow done falling and the sky was clearing. We entered the small tasting room and we were greeted by a woman who seemed to be doing paperwork at one of the tables. We were the only visitors and she immediately stood and welcomed us to the winery. We told her we were first time visitors and she invited us for a tasting. She asked us what type of wines we liked and she decided that we should probably sample them all. We ended up sampling approximately eight wines. We started with their driest white (Titania White) and the big surprise for me was how much I enjoyed it. I'm not a dry white drinker but I thoroughly enjoyed this wine. It's a Seyval/Vignioles blend and I thought it was very crisp and refreshing. The flavor was wonderful and it seemed like a great summer picnic wine. As we moved through the rest of the wines I can honestly say we really enjoyed every single one. It's not often we visit a winery and love all of the wines - but it happened at this winery. Myrddin is doing an excellent job of producing premium wines with exceptional flavor. This is quite remarkable since they are one of the newer wineries in Ohio. Not only do they make grape wines but they produce a Black Raspberry dessert wine (which wasn't as syrupy as a lot of dessert wines we've tried - quite drinkable) and a Sparkling Strawberry (fresh, delicious and bursting with flavor). I was quite impressed. When we finished sampling, our hostess asked if we would like to stay for a glass of wine. We told her it was a little too early in the day for us (we still had three more wineries to visit) and we needed to be on our way. I purchased a few bottles of wine to take home with me and we asked for directions to our next winery. She happily helped us out and even told us about a shortcut we could take when visiting another winery later in the day. She shook our hands, thanked us for coming, and we were on our way again. The seating in the tasting room was limited, but they were in the process of building a larger tasting room so the current building could be used solely as a production facility. They also offered a nice amount of outdoor seating with a beautiful lake view for warm weather days. Since I enjoyed all of their wines so much...I'll certainly be keeping an eye on this up-and-coming winery. I'm very anxious to try any new releases Myrddin will be offering in the future. Favorites: Titania White and Myrddin Emrys (Chambourcin). Visited: 3/17/2007. Old Firehouse Winery - This casual winery is the one bright spot we found in a cheesy tourist town. Located in Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio, Old Firehouse Winery sits on the Lake Erie shoreline in what used to be the city's first firehouse. The atmosphere is very casual with most of the employees being young people from the area brought in as summer help. When we arrived, we walked up to the counter and purchased a tasting tray. A lot of people must order them because they had lots of trays already made up in the refrigerator behind them. We carried our tray outside and we were blown away by the spectacular view of Lake Erie. There was plenty of seating and on this hot July day we picked out a nice shady spot. As we were tasting the wines we were approached by a server asking if we would like anything to eat. Old Firehouse Winery has a full-service restaurant offering mainly Mexican-fare. We declined....I think we had eaten breakfast only an hour earlier. After our tasting we purchased several bottles of wine to go. As we were leaving the employees were talking about the waterpark next door. It was such a hot day the waterpark had given each employee permission to go down the waterslide one time for free....they seemed pretty excited about this and were discussing what to wear when they took their trip down. I would certainly recommend stopping into the Old Firehouse Winery if you are in the Geneva-on-the-Lake area. The casual atmosphere is very unique for an Ohio winery. A wine tasting and lunch or dinner by the shore of Lake Erie would be a perfect way to spend a warm afternoon. Old Mill Winery - Not your typical winery, this casual, family-run establishment is located in the town of Geneva, Ohio. I would describe it as more of a tavern/winery. Upon entering, you feel more like you're walking into a bar instead of a winery. It was the middle of the afternoon, but it was still a little dark inside. The place is larger than it looks from the exterior with a bar and plenty of tables. We took a seat at the bar unsure of what to expect. A man soon walked over to us and and asked if he could get us something. We told him we were there to do some wine tasting and he produced a tasting sheet. We looked over it for a minute or two and decided to sample some of the sweeter wines. They did have some very good wine. My favorite was a sweet white made from Niagara grapes and Gary's favorite was a sweet red similar to Lambrusco. This is a switch for us since I normally prefer reds and Gary likes the whites. We didn't stay any longer than our wine tasting. We purchased a couple of bottles to take with us and headed to the hotel to get ready for dinner. The Old Mill Winery seems like a nice place to hang out...probably more of a local favorite. They are open late into the evening and have live entertainment on the weekends. We contemplated going back after dinner for a glass of wine and to check out the entertainment, but we were far too tired. Favorites: Grindstone White and Grindstone Red. Visited 3/18/2006. Perennial Vineyards - This interesting winery is located in Navarre, Ohio. As we were driving to Perennial, I got the feeling that we were in the middle of nowhere. We knew we were getting close when we started seeing fields of grapevines and finally saw the restored barn that houses the winery down a long drive. The inside had a very rustic look with a tasting bar and plenty of indoor seating. We were treated to a tasting right away from a knowledgeable woman. Perennial Vineyards has a small selection of nice wines to choose from. The tasting went quickly, so we each ordered a glass of wine and some cheese and crackers. We opted to take our wine to their outdoor seating area. Outside there were a few picnic tables in a small gravel area...along with some grills for cooking out. The thing I remember most was that this winery is located in a pretty open area with nothing to block the wind. It was just a little too breezy out there for me. We probably would have been better off staying indoors. Shawnee Springs Winery - One of my favorite things when visiting wineries is turning into the drive and getting my first sense of what our visit will be like. When we turned on the gravel, up-hill drive leading into the woods of this Coshocton, Ohio winery...my first instinct was "rustic". Shawnee Springs is rustic...but in a charming way. When we reached the top of the hill, we parked the car and were greeted by a friendly canine. Our new friend walked us to the door of the tasting barn. There were several people inside relaxing and having a good time. The owner greeted us immediately and we each purchased a tasting tray from her. We took a seat and she brought the trays and some pretzels to our table. Shawnee Springs Winery has a small selection of nice wines. I especially liked the covered picnic area outdoors that we would have taken advantage of had we stayed for a glass. The wooded outdoor atmosphere was perfect for wine sipping. We purchased several bottles to take home (one for my friend Vicki who is a big fan of Niagara). Favorite: Sunny Day.
This winery has the best Riesling I have ever had. We could not resist purchasing a couple of glasses and going outdoors to explore. We walked down the drive towards the vineyard. It was so quiet and peaceful here I wanted to stay all day. We spotted a covered patio with plenty of seating and decided to finish our wine there. South River Vineyard is the most unique winery in the area. The gorgeous chapel (where you can also get married), beautiful vineyards, country setting, and perfect wine make this an exceptional winery. If you are in the Lake Erie area and cannot visit every winery...do not pass South River Vineyard up. This winery is pure excellence. Favorite: Riesling Vineyard Reserve...2001 Harvest. Tarsitano Winery - It was crowded when Gary and I arrived on a Saturday evening at this Conneaut, Ohio winery. Aside from the wines, Tarsitano features an open-air restaurant cafe and we had 7:30 p.m. reservations. We arrived at approximately 7:00 hoping for a wine tasting before dinner. When we got out of the car, we could hear diners chatting away over their meals. The restaurant building resembled a large pole barn. Two large garage doors were lifted and screens replaced them to let air flow into the cafe. We looked around for a winery building but could not find one, so we proceeded around the side of the building to the cafe entrance. We waited in the doorway until one of the servers came over to help us. She asked if we had reservations. We told her that we did, but that we had arrived early hoping to sample the wines before dinner and we asked her where we should go to do that. She seemed a little confused by our request. Evidently the cafe was also the tasting room and everyone was now having dinner and they couldn't do their regular tastings. We were asked to wait outside and they would try to get a table ready for us. We took a seat at a nearby picnic table and waited for them to call us inside. We were shown to a table where a list of the wines available for tasting was waiting for us. There were only five wines on the list, and I inquired about all the other wines I had read about on the Tarsitano website. Our server told us the winery only makes small batches of wine and although they produce 17 varieties, all but the five on the list were sold out. I was highly disappointed. There were five whites and one red available for sampling. I knew I wouldn't want a white wine with my dinner. I sampled the one red wine available...which was slightly more dry than I prefer. In the end I ordered a Pepsi (which was lukewarm and served with no ice) and called it a day. The unique situation you will encounter at Tarsitano, is that the winemaker also doubles as the chef. We were anxious to find out how well a winemaker performs in the kitchen. Gary ordered the special - a chicken breast served with mixed greens and fresh fruit. I opted for a pasta dish - Cremillini Mushroom Ravioli in a Sun Dried Tomato & Caper Sauce. I asked the server if mine came with the greens - but it didn't. If I wanted salad, I had to order it ala carte for an extra $7.00. Since we did not order a bottle of wine with dinner...our dinner bill was going to be much less regardless of what we ordered, so I went ahead and ordered the salad. Our server seemed on edge because I am sure she could tell I was displeased from the moment we had walked in the door. Nothing seemed to be going the way I had hoped it would. The salad was actually quite nice - it consisted of mixed greens that had been lightly grilled with balsamic/olive oil dressing topped with Fontinella cheese. After the salad our entrees arrived. I didn't know it at the time...but this was the moment I had been waiting for all evening. As soon as I took the very first bite of my ravioli...every bit of frustration I had felt up to this point simply faded away. The winemaker at Tarsitano is a talented, talented chef. Our meals were absolutely exquisite. Gary and I get the opportunity to have dinner at many, many fine dining establishments on our travels, and this meal was definitely one of the best we have ever had. I can't tell you anything about the wines at Tarsitano Winery, but I highly recommend dinner in the cafe. I guarantee you won't leave disappointed with your meal. It is a very popular place and I do suggest that you make reservations. Since the winemaker is such a talented chef, I'm very curious to find out what such a great chef can do with a bottle of wine...but I guess I many never know. Visited: 6/23/2007.
When we pulled in we were surprised at the "woodsy" feel. Being so close to Akron, we didn't think this winery would offer the wonderful seclusion that it did. We parked the car and walked into the large tasting room. A young girl immediately greeted us and hosted a private tasting at the counter. This is the moment when we discovered our favorite wine - White Lies. This sweet white was so yummy...we couldn't resist purchasing a bottle right away to drink while we were there. When we walked outside to their extensive decking, we discovered why so many people would be there the next night. The gorgeous view goes on for miles. We picked out a table and sat down to enjoy our White Lies. There were many people there playing cards and games, some had brought pizza with them (which the winery doesn't mind at all)...but mostly people just hanging out and having a great time. We purchased plenty of wine when we were leaving. Gary even got a case of White Lies so he could give bottles to friends at Christmas. So...our favorite wine....our favorite view....we couldn't ask for more. If you only visit one winery in your lifetime, visit the Winery at Wolf Creek. It's absolutely outstanding in every way. Favorites: White Lies and Original Sin. Troutman Vineyards - Troutman is a smaller winery located in Wooster, Ohio. We were the only visitors there the day we dropped by for a tasting. We entered the tasting room and were greeted by the winemaker. The tasting itself was slightly uncomfortable. Our host seemed preoccupied, which made us feel unwelcome. We felt like we should just hurry and leave. We didn't really find any of the wines we tried to be to our liking anyway. When we were through...we just thanked him and left. I've noticed since our visit that Troutman is listing a larger variety of wines on their website. Some of them sound very good. I believe this winery was still in its early stages when we visited. When we're in the area again...we may stop back. Troutman Vineyards may have just needed some time to develop. Viking Vineyards - As we drove down the narrow driveway to this Kent, Ohio winery, the only thing on my mind was how bad their lake smelled. It was also covered in some kind of pond scum and wasn't very pretty to look at. We pulled up to the tasting room and walked inside. There was one other couple there trying some wines. We milled around for awhile and looked at the artwork on the walls because we were being completely ignored. After about ten minutes, when the other couple walked outside, the woman at the counter finally acknowledged our existence. She asked if we wanted to try any wine. I think Gary must have been pretty miffed by this point because he said no. I approached the counter and tried a couple...but the woman didn't once manage a smile and wasn't very friendly. She didn't seem to want to discuss the wines at all. The only thing she would talk about was the fact that the winery wasn't "technically" located in Kent. They just didn't have a post office where they were and used Kent as a mailing address. I had been looking forward to a visit to this winery. I imagined sitting by the lake sipping wine. That wasn't about to happen for two main reasons. First, the lake smelled pretty bad. Second, they had signs up making a big deal about no glass outdoors....and I'm not going to voluntarily drink wine out of a plastic cup. Maybe we stopped at Viking Vineyards on a bad day, but it certainly wasn't the good time I expected it to be. Virant Family Winery - We patiently waited for this Geneva, Ohio winery to open. It was a Sunday and area laws don't allow wine tastings until 1:00 p.m. We walked in the door at exactly 1:00 to begin our day of sampling. The tasting room was buzzing. The winery owners were throwing a graduation party for a family member and the room was decorated for a celebration with plenty of food, beverages and relatives on hand for the party. We felt like we were intruding on a family affair, but were told not to worry about it - the winery was open for tastings as usual. We took a seat at the tasting counter and the woman that was helping us seemed a little confused and started asking others in the room questions. I got the feeling that she was a family member that was slightly familiar with the wines, but didn't normally work behind the counter. She asked us what types of wine we liked and I told her I liked the dry reds and sweeter reds and whites. The only thing I really wasn't fond of were most dry whites. She started us out with their Red Velvet, which was listed as a medium-sweet wine. I sampled it, but they had a couple of dry reds that I was more interested in sampling. When we finished with our Red Velvet sample, she asked if we were done or if there was something else we wanted to try. Since the wine she started us with was so sweet, I didn't want to move backwards and picked out two other sweet wines to try - a white and a blush. Everyone behind the counter seemed very distracted by the party preparations and really didn't seem to care that we were there to sample their wine. At this point, we decided to leave...so Gary bought a bottle to take home and we headed for the door. Since we only
sampled three of the sweeter wines, I can't give an educated overview of
the wines that Virant produces. The indoor ambiance reminded me more of a
family-owned restaurant than a winery, but they do serve food (pizza,
hamburgers, and such). I saw on their website that they had a good-sized
deck on the back of the tasting room for wine drinkers to enjoy, but we
didn't get to check it out personally. I only wish that we had experienced
a more in-depth wine tasting with an experienced employee, but it didn't
work out for us. Visited 6/24/2007. |
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(made from orange, apple, pineapple, grapefruit and white grape);
Strawberry Shortcake (a Merlot base with fresh strawberries added); and
the Razzle Dazzle Raspberry (made from 100% raspberries). We happily
sipped and sampled while we munched on the cheese and crackers and shared
some wonderful conversation with our host.
including all of their
wines that we could take and find a table. We opted for the tasting tray.
After presenting us with the tray we turned around to find the perfect
spot to sit. Since we were the only visitors in the winery, our options
were open. We spotted one nice little table by the fireplace. Marianne
must have seen where we were looking, because she asked us if we would
like her to turn the fireplace on. We eagerly accepted her offer...my toes
were quite frozen.