Ashtabula County has paved roads that become dirt paths, farmland that stretches half a mile between homes, eighteen covered bridges, wide rocky rivers, cozy bed and breakfasts, and… lots of great wineries that serve wines ranging from deep and luscious Cabernet Sauvignon to tickly-sweet Vidal ice wine.
I love it because it’s an escape. The first time I wrote about escaping to wine country for Cool Cleveland I hadn’t even conceived the idea of writing Ohio’s Lake Erie Wineries, which was published in 2011.
Last month we escaped again and stopped at favorite places, and a couple of new ones. The first time I put together a wineries tour, it was for some wine aficionados, skeptics about the ability to produce great wines in Ohio’s terroir. So I took them to St. Joseph, Harpersfield, South River, and Lakehouse wineries. But when I go by myself, Laurello’s is always on the list.
This time, we also stopped at Kosicek Vineyards, M Cellars, and Red Eagle Distillery adjacent to South River. The realm and breadth of wineries is always changing—I have yet to stop at Deer’s Leap, Goddess Wine House, Laurentia Vineyards, Sharon James Cellars, Hundley Cellars. And Regal Vineyards is another one on the horizon. It’s hard to keep up.
Did you know we now have about 200 wineries in Ohio? And I say “about” because the number is always changing.
We stop at St. Joseph Vineyards for their finely-crafted Pinot Noir made with estate-grown grapes, and it’s always the first stop on the wine trail. Next, we head up the winding drive amongst the vineyards of Harpersfield Vineyards for the ambiance, the ability to sit outside at a picnic table or inside by the big open fireplace and pretend you’re in France while eating their terrific flatbread pizzas and drinking their dry red wines.
Laurello Winery is a must stop because their wines are some of the best in the area and they’re always changing so I want to see what’s new and take home a couple of bottles. South River is best late in the day when the sun is setting over the vineyards that stretch on and on, and their red blends are terrific, as are some of their crisp whites. If you haven’t experienced dinner at the Crosswinds Grille on Geneva-on-the-Lake’s lakefront, you’re missing a great culinary experience enhanced by the happiness that goes along with spending a day on the wine trail. I just gave you my favorite tour.
But there’s so much more. Nearby M Cellars also specializes in the European-style vinifera wines that I love, including Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir–like many of the Geneva-area wineries, it’s a boutique winery whose wine is only available at the winery.
And Kosicek Vineyards, another easy stop during my favorite tour (you won’t miss either of these wineries on the roads where my tour will lead you), is a winery long in the making since three generations of the Kosiceks have been growing grapes on their 55-acre property for years. Both wineries are worth a stop but you may have to give up something else—how much wine can you drink?
One thing needs to be stressed—I am a dry red wine drinker, a real Cabernet Sauvignon snob, and all these wineries have decent dry red wines on their menus. Ohio’s wineries are not just sweet native labrusca-variety wine makers any more. They know that many of their customers like a good heart-warming Pinot Noir or a crisp, refreshing Pinot Grigio.
At Red Eagle Distillery, they handcraft bourbon, rye, and vodka with an emphasis on bourbon. Surprisingly, they serve other people’s spirits as well—like Elijah Craig bourbon, my favorite. This distillery is owned and operated by the owners of South River Vineyards, across the vineyards from the standout red barn that has become a unique venue for Ashtabula County libations. Not everyone likes wine, so they offer straight-up samples or cocktails like the Candied Orange Old Fashioned and Cranberry Fizz. Stop at Red Eagle after visiting St. Joseph, if for no other reason that to see what has been done with the space—it’s pretty amazing.
I just described a WEEKEND, not just a Saturday. In addition to Lakehouse’s Crosswinds Grille which has a full menu, I can recommend the light meals that can be had at Harperfield and Laurello. Chops has standard fare and is decent, but options you might try are Rosemary’s Pizzeria and Alessandro’s in Geneva.
As for places to stay, the Geneva State Park Lodge has a great pool and bountiful breakfast buffet with a walkway above the beach and large, comfortable rooms. But, I can’t say enough about our experience at Warner-Concord Farm Bed and Breakfast, which is close to Springhill Winery which offers good food and entertainment, because of its charmingly decorated rooms—the one we stayed in had a fireplace, a Jacuzzi tub, and an upstairs perch overlooking the concord vineyards that stretch down to the railroad tracks.
This last time we thoroughly enjoyed recently-opened Bella Teresina B&B, a renovated 1950’s house that is now a trendy and comfortable space, with details like a motion light in the hallway, an outdoor Jacuzzi housed in a gazebo, reading lamps in the bedrooms, and a breakfast of crepes with berries, roasted half peaches with crème, and blueberry pancakes with bacon.
The upcoming Tannenbaum Trail event, which begins Thanksgiving weekend, provides visitors to Ashtabula County with an opportunity to explore many wineries during one weekend for a fixed price. Find out more about the Tannenbaum Trail and get a brochures with a map of the Vines and Wines Trail at http://ohiowines.org.
Read more about Ohio’s Lake Erie Wineries at http://ohiolakeeriewineries.blogspot.com. Claudia’s next book, Ohio’s Canal Country Wineries, will be released in May 2015, but in the meantime, get a copy of 30 Perfect Days, Finding Abundance in Ordinary Life, a reflective memoir.