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Ohio wineries...a taste
of excellence
A chance visit to an
Ohio winery opened a whole new world for me. I fell in love with
wine, wineries, and the total wine tasting experience
when I stopped in to Moyer's Winery while driving along the Ohio
River. I sampled their wine, found one I liked, and ordered a
glass to drink while I enjoyed some cheesecake and took in the
charming atmosphere. I knew that very night that wine would be a
part of my life forever.
After my visit to
Moyer's, I went home and started researching other Ohio wineries.
I was amazed that there we so many. I started visiting
their websites and began getting very excited thinking about the
adventures that awaited. That's when I set a goal...I decided
that I was going to visit every winery in Ohio. For two years I
traveled to wineries all over the state. Wineries by the
lake, in the
country, off the interstate, along the river, in the
heart of the city...I was having a wonderful time enjoying
everything that Ohio
wineries had to offer.
After 29 wineries, I
started getting a little anxious. I was tired of traveling
the same highways and seeing the same billboards again and
again. At that point I decided to venture outside the state. Since
Ohio is my home turf...I was sure if I traveled farther away I
would find bigger and better things. I was positive that the
farther I ventured away from my small town home...the better the
wineries would be.
I was very pleased
when at some point in my travels I realized that I was wrong.
There are many, many exceptional wineries outside of
Ohio...but the wineries in Ohio are every bit as exceptional.
When traveling to different states, I always find a new and common
bond among the
wineries. There's always some unique aspect that sets the
wineries of each state apart. The common bond that the Ohio
wineries share is that they do a wonderful job of developing a
welcoming atmosphere. When I visit an Ohio winery, I find myself
wanting to spend the day there. That aspect...combined with superb
wines...makes Ohio wineries some of the best anywhere.
When thinking back to
some of my Ohio winery visits...I remember the unique Amish flair of
Breitenbach, tasting wine while looking out over
Lake Erie at The Old Firehouse Winery, the serene evening I
spent cooking my own steak at Rainbow Hills, enjoying a glass
of wine by the
vineyard while admiring the gorgeous chapel at South River
Vineyard, cheese and crackers on the deck at Willow Hill Vineyards
and the breathtaking view I had while sharing a bottle of White
Lies at The Winery at Wolf Creek.
I've been neglecting
the Ohio wineries this year, but I'm looking forward to returning
to my roots and adding some of the Ohio wineries I have yet to
visit to my schedule....and I plan on re-visiting some of my
favorites. I think it's about time for me to slide a pair of
ruby slippers on my feet and
say, "there's no place like home...there's no place like
home."
This article was
written by Sharon Alexander of www.WineryAdventures.com.
Copyright © 2005. All rights reserved.
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