From the 7/26/05 Toledo Blade:

 

 

Investors make plans for winery in village

 

A winery that aims to become the largest in Ohio and would include a tasting room, restaurant, and gazebo area for concerts is being planned for a site in Grand Rapids.

 

A group of investors, mostly from northwest Ohio, plans to create the Tressel Creek Winery on five acres along Saylor Lane near Third Street and the railroad tracks. Ken Amborski, a Monclova Township businessman who is one of the investors, described the project at last night's Village Council meeting.

 

"We want to come here open-handed and open-hearted to basically get council's permission to come into the village as a winery," Mr. Amborski said. "Our goal is to be the largest winery in the state of Ohio."

 

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050726/NEWS18/507260431

This appeared in the 8/14/05 Enquirer:

 

 

PHOTO: Dave and Gloria Richmond of Price Hill enjoy the view and taste the wine on the terrace at Vinoklet, a winery in Colerain Township that also has a full-service restaurant.  The Enquirer / Keli Dailey

 

PHOTO: Pat Hornak-Skvarla and Bill Skvarla look over some seyval blanc grapes that will be ready in October at the Harmony Hill Vineyards in Bethel.  The Enquirer / Tony Jones

 

Sniffing out area wines

13 wineries within driving distance of Cincinnati are realizing the fruits of their labors

By Jim Knippenberg / Enquirer staff writer

 

 

All it takes is a sip or two.

 

Get a locally produced wine into someone's mouth and you have a convert. It works almost every time, says Jeff Menke, general manager of the Iron Horse Inn in Glendaleand a certified first-level sommelier.

 

Menke's sentiments reflect those of a growing number of wine lovers who are finding Southwest Ohio, Southeast Indiana and Northern Kentucky wines not only drinkable, but good.

 

Wineries such as Burnet Ridge, Kinkead Ridge Estate Winery, Woodstone Creek and Vinoklet have been racking up medals at tastings for the past couple of years.

 

E-mail [email protected]

 

RELATED STORIES

• Area wineries

 

WINERY IN THE WORKS

As if 13 local wineries weren't enough to get your grape juices flowing, there's a 15th in the works.

 

Tim Downey is hoping for a spring 2006 opening for Lakeside Vineyard, 3324 Ohio 756, Felicity.

 

The vineyards, with 17 varieties of French hybrids and American grapes, are up and growing. The winery itself, with a 150-seat banquet facility, tasting room and ¾-acre patio for grill-your-own dinners, is nearly complete.

 

Downey's plan is to produce 12 wines, including a light white, blush, apple wine and an assortment of reds, all priced $9.50-$14.50.

 

Jim Knippenberg

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050814/LIFE/508140325/1035/back01

From the 7/14/06 PD:

 

 

Global warming could fry Ohio wine industry

Friday, July 14, 2006

Shaheen Samavati

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Ahigher number of scorchingly hot summer days caused by global warming could squash Ohio's $75 million wine industry before the end of this century, researchers say.

 

The most-tolerant premium wine grapes can't stand more than 14 days of extreme heat, said Noah Diffenbaugh, a climate researcher at Purdue University and author of a study released this week.

 

To read the study, go to www.pnas.org/misc/news.shtml.

 

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

[email protected], 216-999-4769

 

http://www.cleveland.com/business/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/business/1152866065318090.xml&coll=2

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2006/s2663.htm

 

U.S. EXPERIENCED RECORD WARM FIRST HALF OF YEAR, WIDESPREAD DROUGHT AND NORTHEAST RECORD RAINFALL

 

July 14, 2006 — The average temperature for the continental United States from January through June 2006 was the warmest first half of any year since records began in 1895, according to scientists at the NOAA National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Last month was the second warmest June on record and nationally averaged precipitation was below average. The continuation of below normal precipitation in certain regions and much warmer-than-average temperatures expanded moderate-to-extreme drought conditions in the contiguous U.S. However, much of the Northeast experienced severe flooding and record rainfall during the last week of June. The global surface temperature was second warmest on record for June. (Click NOAA image for larger view of January-June 2006 statewide temperature rankings. Please credit “NOAA.”)

 

I guess global warming is bad for the Ohio wine industry, but to tell you the truth I am kind of excited about global warming's impact on Ohio's economy. Florida will continue to get more hurricanes, the Southwest will get hotter, and the coastal area will flood. People will have no choice but to move to Ohio.

I hope the wine world will be able to survive without Ohio's contribution to the industry.  I am sure France and California are happy! LOL

The article said California won't be able to produce anymore, either.  I bet the Napa and Sonoma Valley developers are happy, though.

From the 8/4/06 Cincinnati Enquirer:

 

 

PHOTO: Unidenified vineyard

 

PHOTO: Two unidentified people drinking wine

 

PHOTO: Debbie Loescher, 40, of Canton, Ohio, samples wines at Ferrante Winery & Ristorante in Harpersfield Township, near Geneva.  PHOTOS BY GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

 

Celebrating Ohio wines

Wineries rack up awards, and tourists pour in for tastings

BY JERRY SHRIVER / USA TODAY AND JIM KNIPPENBERG / ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

America's new wave of wine lovers no longer treks just to the West Coast to vacation in the vineyards. Nestled among the Appalachian foothills, the high desert mesas west of the Rockies and several places in between are thriving wine communities that showcase the bounty and hospitality of the regions.

 

USA Today's Jerry Shriver visited five states where well-made wines and unpretentious tasting rooms combine with food, festivals and gorgeous scenery to draw thousands of tourists.

 

Ohio was one state he singled out. (The others visited were Colorado, North Carolina, Virginia and New York.)

Ohio wines at a glance

Ohio wineries: About 96, up from 37 in 1996

Acres of vines: About 2,200

Popular grapes: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Catawba, Chambourcin, Chardonnay, Concord, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc. Also ice wines, sparkling wines, fruit wines.

Key area to visit: Northeast Ohio, particularly the Grand River Valley American Viticultural Area east of Cleveland along Lake Erie.

Vintage lodging: The Lodge at Geneva State Park, Geneva-on-the-Lake; 866-442-9765; www.thelodgeatgeneva.com

Other notable areas: The Lake Erie coastal area, from west of Cleveland to Toledo and Southwest Ohio, from Cincinnati east to Ripley, south into Kentucky and west into Indiana.

Festivals: Vintage Ohio, Kirtland in northern Ohio, Aug. 4-5, www.visitvintageohio.com; Valley Vineyards Wine Festival, Morrow, Sept. 28-30, www.valley-vineyards.com

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060804/LIFE/608040318/1079/rss04

---

Well worth sampling

 

* 2004 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine, $30 half-bottle, Debonné Vineyards, Madison

* 2002 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, $27, Markko Vineyard, Conneaut

* 2004 Reserve Pinot Noir, $25, St. Joseph Winery, Thompson

* 2004 St. Fiacre Pinot Gris, $16, Harpersfield Vineyard, Harpersfield Township

* 2005 Golden Bunches Dry Riesling, $20, Ferrante Winery, Geneva

* Red Raspberry American Wine, $8.50, Breitenbach Wine Cellars, Dover

* Cabernet Sauvignon, $22, Valley Vineyards, Morrow

* Purple Trillium, $24.99 and Three Kings Cab, $26.99, Burnet Ridge, North College Hill

* 2005 Riesling, $11.95, Kinkead Ridge Estate Winery, Ripley

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060804/LIFE/608040320/1079/rss04

I missed this comment from C-Dawg earlier:

Well, Ohio wine is nothing special, but it certainly has its fans in the underage drinking crowd. Its prices are roughly equivelant to the likes of Carl Rossi or Franzia, but the Ohio wines are MUCH better.

 

...you've never had Purple Trillium, I guess?  Because a) it ain't cheap, and b) it's fantastic.  All of Burnet Ridge's lines are very tasty...if you only want to spend $6 on a bottle of red wine, you'll get inconsistent results, but you ought not to judge the whole frickin' state's industry by that...

 

My fiance loves Vinoklet wine.  I think Dreamer is her fave.  I like the Cincinnatus.

I missed this comment from C-Dawg earlier:

Well, Ohio wine is nothing special, but it certainly has its fans in the underage drinking crowd. Its prices are roughly equivelant to the likes of Carl Rossi or Franzia, but the Ohio wines are MUCH better.

 

...you've never had Purple Trillium, I guess?  Because a) it ain't cheap, and b) it's fantastic.  All of Burnet Ridge's lines are very tasty...if you only want to spend $6 on a bottle of red wine, you'll get inconsistent results, but you ought not to judge the whole frickin' state's industry by that...

 

 

thank you -- i was about to say!

 

sure ohio has a lot of bad in common varietal wines, but it excels in the niche market & is esp known for ice wine. ohio climate and vineyards do catawba (duh!), chambourcin and concord varietals partricularly well.

 

in fact i just saw a long piece on regional usa wines on "the today show" last week where they raved for the longest time of any of them about ohio's ice wine. this one mentioned in the article above was featured: * 2004 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine, $30 half-bottle, Debonné Vineyards, Madison. btw -- ice wine is a sweet dessert wine -- so dont go chugging it unless you want to go into a diabetic coma!

 

 

mrnyc- do you know if it is "real" ice wine (i.e., left to freeze on the vine)?  I had always thought this was responsible for the high cost of eis wine from Germany and had fun grilling some LI vintners about their grapes which they freeze...in the freezer.

^If what I've heard is correct, it is "real" ice wine as you describe it.  And yes, leaving it to freeze on the vine is what is responsible for the high cost of ice wine (takes comparatively more grapes to make a bottle of wine).

 

Now, unrelated.  My favorite east of Cleveland winery:  Harpersfield Winery in Harpersfield, OH.

 

i dk how they do it and i am not sure if it matters all that much. of course bigtime wine fans would say it does, terrior and all - lol!

 

i toured firelands winery years ago and i remember they did leave some of the grapes out to freeze. i think it only needs the very first frost. however, i'm not sure about th process anymore, nor about what debonne does (the winery w/ the ice wine featured on the today show) nor the others. sounds like an ohio visit winery tasting tour might be in line!

They do leave it on the vine to freeze.  I suggest to anybody that's interested to go visit Chalet Debonne and the Ferrante wineries in Western Lake County.  They will tell you all you could want to know about their wine.  Interestingly, Cincinnati the magazine had a good article about NEO wines/wineries a couple months back.  Funny, since it is in Cleveland's backyard.

There is an Ice Wine Festival sometime in the winter in the eastern Cleveland wine-growing region.  Debonne, Ferrante and a few others all participate.  It gets a big write-up every year in the PD around the time that the event occurs.  I've never been, but I hear that it's great.

 

Excerpt below from Debonne's website that gives some detail about last year's event:  http://www.debonne.com/cgi-bin/debcal_new.pl

 

03/4/06 & 03/11/06   The Wineries of the Grand River Valley Ice Wine Festival

Join

Debonne Vineyards, Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Laurello Vineyards,

South River Vineyards, & St. Joseph Vineyards

for Ohios 3rd Annual Ice Wine Festival.

 

Saturday, March 4th & 11th Noon-5 p.m.

 

Each winery will provide a sample of their ice wines along with a complimentary

appetizer.

 

Debonn Vineyards

Ice Wine, Chocolate/ Raspberry fondue, Art of Hector Vega

Ferrante Winery & Ristorante

Ice Wine, Brie & Apricot Chutney, Cooking & Wine Lectures

Laurello Vineyard

Vidal Ice Wine, Almond& Peach Pizza, & Art Show

South River Vineyard

Concord &/or Blush Ice Wine, Complimentary Ice Wine Glass

St. Joseph Vineyard.

Ice Wine, Gouda & Roasted Nuts, Lectures on Ice Wine

 

The following article appeared in the August edition of Findlay Living:

 

 

The History of Ohio Wine

By Beth Richards

Aug 1, 2006, 00:01

 

The history of winemaking in Ohio can be traced back to the early 1800's. Nicholas Longworth, a lawyer from the Cincinnati area, saw the potential of the Ohio River Valley to become a major producer of wine. In 1820 he planted the first Catawba grapes. This domestic variety was hearty enough to withstand Ohio winters and the wine produced from it won quick consumer acceptance.

 

http://www.findlayliving.com/article_1419.shtml

From the 9/8/06 Enquirer:

 

 

PHOTO: The label of Whitewater Winery's "Zino Vino," a red table wine. When creating and bottling their own wine, customers can make labels using original artwork or old photos.  The Enquirer / Gary Landers

 

Make your own at local winery

Pinot in your chosen image

BY JENNY CALLISON | ENQUIRER CONTRIBUTOR

 

HARRISON - Care for some Vendange Cincinnati Chardonnay? What about a bottle of Chateau Smith Pinot Grigio?

 

At Whitewater Winery, which pops its first cork at a grand opening Saturday, customers can create and bottle their own wine, choosing from an array of varietals or blends. Owners Pat and Jenny Higgins provide the juice (called "must"), which they purchase from a distributor. Under their guidance, a customer selects a must and begins its fermentation.

 

E-mail [email protected]

 

If you go

What: Whitewater Winery

Where: 112 Harrison Ave., Harrison

When: Grand opening, noon to 6 p.m. Saturday

How: Select one of the winery's juice extracts (imported from vineyards in the U.S. and abroad) and set the fermentation process in motion; return for the bottling. Or attend one of the winery's wine tastings. Or buy Whitewater's own products by the glass or by the bottle.

Cost for a batch: Approximately $120 to $180, which comes out to $4 to $6 per bottle.

Information: 513-202-9463 or www.whitewaterwinery.com

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060908/BIZ01/609080375/1076/rss01

Part two of three from the 9/1/06 Findlay Living:

 

 

Appellations of Wine Origin

Second in a Three-Part Series on Ohio Wine

By Beth Richards

Sep 1, 2006, 11:13

 

First of all, what's an appellation? Wine connoisseurs know the importance of appellation, the protected name under which a wine may be sold. Appellation on wine labels denotes the geographic origin of the grapes used to produce the wine. The term was originally created to help educate the consumer and encourage the continued development of quality standards in a certain producing area.

 

Until the late 1800s, the Midwest was the epicenter of American winemaking, predominantly along the Ohio River and shores of Lake Erie. By the 20th century, California emerged as the dominant wine state. In the 21st century, winemaking has spread to every state in the union, with grapes grown in all but four. Our 50 states contain the world's greatest diversity of climates, and virtually every species of vine can find a niche somewhere in America. The United States now ranks as the world's 4th largest producer of wine with some 600 million gallons annually.

 

Grape growing regions are known by their political subdivision or by a specifically designated viticultural (or cultivation of grapes) region named because of unique climate, soil, topographical, and historical conditions.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.findlayliving.com/article_1476.php

 

going back to ice wine:

 

Make sure the bottle reads "ice wine" and not "iced wine". Generally "iced" means it was harvested then chillled during the ageing process. While "ice" means it was left on the vine.

 

Thank you, MayDay.

No thanks - I don't care for sweet wines.

also if anyone wonders why ice wine is more expensive.......

Wine's first duty is to be red. Its second duty is to be dry; not sweet. I'm sorry, but I don't care for Ohio wines.

^Gotta try Purple Trillium sometime if you get the chance...it's a beautiful, award-winning red wine, and it definitely rocks...

 

From The Cleveland Scene

 

Tempted by the Fruit of Another

Rust Belt wines are calling out the pride of Napa Valley...and winning.

By Rebecca Meiser 

Article Published Oct 18, 2006

 

In late summer 2005, Nick Ferrante knew he was onto something big.

 

The past six months had been kind to the third-generation winemaker. Little rain and lots of long, hot days made for healthy, vibrant fruit in Ashtabula County, where Ferrante Winery and Ristorante is a tourist destination ...

 

... More at http://www.clevescene.com/Issues/2006-10-18/news/feature.html

From ThisWeek Canal Winchester, 10/19/06:

 

 

PHOTO: Damon Pfeifer, shown with some of the wines he is making, has plans to open a winery and Italian restaurant in Canal Winchester sometime next year if two local options are approved Nov. 7. By Ann Tormet/ThisWeek

 

Plans for winery depend on local option

Thursday, October 19, 2006

By ROBERT PASCHEN

ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

Damon A. Pfeifer has been building homes for much of his adult life. Now he wants to try his hand at building something else: a good Sauvignon Blanc.

 

Pfeifer wants to turn 27 acres of family land at 700 Winchester Pike into a winery.

 

Two local liquor options before voters on the Nov. 7 ballot would, if passed, allow him to manufacture, serve and sell wine during the week and on Sundays. Preliminary site plans for the winery will be considered by the Canal Winchester planning and zoning commission at its Nov. 13 meeting. If the options and the plans are approved, Pfeifer will move forward to construct Hidden Lakes Vineyard and Winery.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.thisweeknews.com/index.php?sec=canalwinchester&story=sites/thisweeknews/101906/CanalWinchester/News/101906-News-242888.html

 

From the 11/10/06 Port Clinton News Herald:

 

 

PHOTO: South Bass Island resident Louie Heineman, 80, inspects concord grapes he uses to make wine at his winery, Heineman's Winery on Put-In-Bay. Heineman is a third generation owner.  Photos by Polly Ann Bauman News Herald

 

PHOTO: Sand Hill Winery, 6413 Hayes, Sandusky.

 

Ohio wine country

Tourists flock to area for more than sites

By DAN DEARTH

Staff writer

 

Nestled deep in the heart of Northwest Ohio's amusement park industry rests a more organic attraction that draws thousands of tourists to the region every year.

 

Wineries have dotted the landscape of Ohio's North Coast since the late 19th century.

 

Heineman's Winery on Put-in-Bay first opened its doors in 1888. At age 80, Louie Heineman is the winery's third-generation patriarch.

 

Heineman started cleaning tables there in 1935 as a 9-year-old. He has lived on the island most of his life, only leaving for two years to serve in Germany during World War II.

 

As he aptly walked a tour group through the winery, his voice softened by age, Heineman told the visitors that 19 varieties of wine are made here.

 

The best-selling wine is Sweet Catawba, he said, made with grapes indigenous to the area.

 

When asked why people like that style, Heineman said it's just a matter of personal preference -- the way things should be when it comes to enjoying wine.

 

He said too many so-called connoisseurs try to tell people the type of wine to drink.

 

White wine, for example, is supposed to be consumed with fish and poultry. Beef and pasta dishes are complemented by red wine.

 

"That's the old adage," Heineman said. "But I say, 'Drink whatever wine you like -- not what someone tells you to.'"

 

That same sentiment is shared by Claudio Salvador, wine maker at Firelands Winery in Sandusky.

 

"It's an individual preference," Salvador said. "But if you go with Pinot Noir, you are safe with everything you put on the table."

 

Salvador said one fact is constant.

 

Red wine tastes best served at 64 degrees, while whites should meet the palate 12 degrees cooler. He suggested letting white wine sit about 10 minutes after it's pulled from the refrigerator to increase the temperature.

 

While enjoying a bottle of Chardonnay last August on the Heineman Winery patio, Stephanie Turner of Mentor said she prefers red over white.

 

"Whites are too sweet," the 26-year-old said. "Red wine warms you up while you drink it."

 

A restaurant worker, Turner said she was required to take classes about wines before the bosses let her serve customers.

 

"That's how I got hooked," she said.

 

Her 34-year-old boyfriend, Jason Sims of Eastlake, said he brews beer by trade at the Willoughby Brewing Co. Drinking wine has helped broaden his appreciation for beer.

 

"As I started to appreciate darker wines, I started to appreciate darker beers," Sims said. "They're more flavorful."

 

Janet Reed, vice president of Cheese Haven, 2920 E. Harbor Road, said about 90 percent of her wine stock is produced locally.

 

"We don't have many California wines," she said. "People come here for a reason."

 

The best selling wines are Lonz' Blackberry and Pink Catawba, Reed said. Their taste is unique, given the grapes are grown on a limestone base.

 

The original Firelands wine cellar was built in 1880 and remains part of the existing winery at 917 Bardshar Road, near the Ohio 2 and 6 split in Sandusky.

 

Since coming to the winery 22 years ago, Salvador, a native of Italy and graduate of the oldest wine-making college in that country, has brought an international level of prestige to Firelands that previously it didn't enjoy.

 

His wines have garnered seven gold, seven silver and 10 bronze honors at national and international wine competitions. Firelands' Pinot Grigio and Ice Wine won double gold honors in 2005 at competitions in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Long Beach, Calif., respectively.

 

"The Pinot Grigio is a world-class wine," Salvador said. "I'll compare it to any wine in the world, and I know I'll score very, very high."

 

The grapes Firelands uses are grown mainly on North Bass Island, about a mile and a half south of the Canadian border. Lake Erie's water temperature keeps the soil warm in the fall and prolongs the growing season.

 

The climate is so unique that the U.S. government has declared the island a specific viticultural area.

 

In 2004, the state bought 589 acres, or 87 percent of North Bass Island's 677 acres, for $17.4 million using state and federal funds. The remaining 13 percent of the land is owned privately by 12 inhabitants.

 

The state's objective is to establish a primitive park within the next few years on publicly owned land there for the pleasure of campers, hunters, fishermen and bird watchers. Firelands rents 60 acres of land on North Bass Island from the state for grape cultivation.

 

On Ohio 4, between Sandusky and the Ohio Turnpike, lies the Sandhill Winery.

 

The property sports a 200-year-old barn in the front where people can taste and buy wine while looking through a large window at vineyards to the north.

 

The actual winery is on the grounds, but not open to the public.

 

Sandhill serves imported cheese, fresh baked bread and stuffed grape leaves as well. Live music is played on weekends.

 

"This is my family farm," owner David Kraus said. "It's been in my family for six generations."

 

His ancestors hail from the Mosel region in Germany, an area known for its wine production.

 

"They were grape growers," he said.

 

A Manhattan psychiatrist who grew up in Sandusky, Kraus said he wanted to start a winery in New York state, but concluded the soil and long growing season is better near Lake Erie.

 

He returns to Ohio about twice a month to monitor the winery's business.

 

"I oversee everything," he said. "It's a lot of work."

 

At one time, Ohio was one of the largest wine-producing states in the country, he said. But that distinction faded after California wines started flooding the market.

 

"There's been a revival all over the country," Kraus said. "A lot of old wineries are being rediscovered."

 

Kraus said Ohio wines are better than ones from California. The climate here matches those of the wine-making regions in southern France and northern Italy.

 

Sandhill Winery opened five years ago on 15 acres in Sandusky. Another 15 acres of vineyards is on Mason Road.

 

"Everything is limestone-based," he said. "It's really good for grape growing."

 

Kraus said Sandhill specializes in making Rhone, Italian and Spanish varieties of wine.

 

"Everyone who drinks red wine thinks it's better (than white)," he said. "Midwesterners really prefer white wine.

 

"They're kind of behind the times. Red wine is where it's at right now."

 

Kraus said red wines offer superior health benefits as well.

 

Some studies, including one conducted by the University of California at Davis, show that consuming one or two glasses of wine per day reduces the risk of heart attack. Red wine also contains antioxidants.

 

MERLOT TO GO

Ohio Senate Bill 131, also known as the Merlot to Go bill, went into effect Sept. 20, allowing consumers to re-cork and take home a bottle of wine that was unfinished after being purchased at a restaurant or winery. The wine bottle must be placed in the back seat or trunk of the car.

 

CORK OR CAP?

PORT CLINTON --Gentlemen no longer be afraid to buy a capped rather than corked bottle of wine the next time you try to impress the fairer sex.

 

Wine makers say caps don't make a wine less classy. In fact, screw caps are superior to corks in many ways.

 

Claudio Salvador, wine maker at Firelands Winery in Sandusky, said corks often dry out and shrink when a bottle of wine is stored improperly standing up. The result allows oxygen to enter and contaminate the wine.

 

"From a technical point of view, the screw cap is better," Salvador said. "It seals the bottle. But you have to give the customer what he wants."

 

 

Louie Heineman, owner of Heineman's Winery, 978 Catawba Ave., Put-in-Bay, said a cap won't alter the flavor of wine.

 

"It's just the nostalgia of pulling the cork," Heineman said. "It's easier to screw the cap back on than pull out the cork."

 

If you insist on having a cork, he recommended storing the bottle with the top facing at a downward angle.

 

That ensures the cork won't dry out and constrict. It also helps maintain an airtight seal.

 

http://www.portclintonnewsherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061110/NEWS01/611100302/1002/rss01

 

Both from the 11/11/06 Port Clinton News Herald:

 

 

PHOTO: Catawba Island Township resident and wine maker Claudio Salvador, 49, draws a 2004 cabernet sauvignon from a barrel using a thief Tuesday, Sept. 5, at Firelands Winery, 917 Bardshar Road, Sandusky. The grapes for the wine are grown on North Bass Island. The wine will be ready in eight months to a year. Photos by Polly Ann Bauman/News Herald

 

PHOTO: Sweet Concord, Pink Catawba and other locally crafted wines line the shelves at Heineman's Winery on South Bass Island.

 

The art of wine: Lake temperatures make for great grapes

By DAN DEARTH

Staff writer

 

Lake Erie's water temperatures induce an effect on the region's soil that allows the grape-growing season to last longer than landlocked vineyards.

 

Claudio Salvador, wine maker at Firelands Winery in Sandusky, said Lake Erie cools slowly during the fall and creates an insulating effect on Ohio's Lake Erie Islands and North Coast shoreline.

 

That natural process affords grapes a longer life on the vine.

 

"Our biggest ally in growing grapes is the lake," he said. "You make wine in the vineyard, not in the cellar."

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.portclintonnewsherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061111/NEWS01/611110322/1002/rss01

 

From the 11/13/06 Ashtabula Star Beacon:

 

 

'Vintage Reds' promotes area's wine growing region

By STACY MILLBERG

Staff Writer

[email protected]

 

HARPERSFIELD TOWNSHIP - - Hundreds of wine enthusiasts spent their Saturday afternoon at six local wineries sampling vintage red wines.

 

"Vintage Reds" is sponsored by the Wine Growers of the Grand River Valley. The organization is working hard to produce quality wines made from grapes grown exclusively in the Grand River growing appellation. The organization was formed more than a year ago and hosts several events throughout the year such as this one, said Heather Sigel of South River Vineyard.

 

"We are working to promote the Grand River Valley region," she said.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.starbeacon.com/local/local_story_317123854

 

From ThisWeek Canal Winchester, 11/16/06:

 

 

P&Z tables action on Pfeifer's applications

Thursday, November 16, 2006

By ROBERT PASCHEN

ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

The Canal Winchester Planning and Zoning Commission agreed Monday to table action on two applications from Damon A. Pfeifer, who plans to create a winery at 700 Winchester Pike.

 

Village zoning administrator Allan Neimayer said he had received a letter from the Pfeifer family asking that the applications be tabled until the commission's Dec. 11 meeting.

 

Pfeifer crossed the first hurdle to building Hidden Lakes Winery when voters approved two local options Nov. 7 that allow the on-site production and sale of wine on weekdays and Sundays.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.thisweeknews.com/index.php?sec=canalwinchester&story=sites/thisweeknews/111606/CanalWinchester/News/111606-News-260060.html

 

From the 11/19/06 Newark Advocate:

 

 

PHOTO: Kathie and Larry Morrison soon will open the Buckeye Winery on Third Street in Newark. Eric George, The Advocate

 

Winery will allow customers to make their own vintage

By MARK SZAKONYI

Advocate reporter

 

NEWARK -- Wine lovers won't have to take off their shoes to make their own vintage at a new winery in downtown Newark.

 

Buckeye Winery, 7 N. Third St., is expected to be open between sometime before Christmas and early January, said owners Larry and Kathie Morrison.

 

"We are hoping that the main draw is the chance to make your own wine and design your own label," Kathie Morrison said.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061119/NEWS01/611190315/1002/rss01

 

Very interesting stories...thank you!

 

From the 11/30/06 Bethel Journal:

 

 

Bethel winery expands business underground

BY MICHELLE SHAW | COMMUNITY PRESS STAFF WRITER

 

BETHEL - It's hard to imagine this place is called Harmony Hill.

 

With an enormous hole in the ground and piles of dirt and broken limestone being surrounded by a crane, tractors and semis, the noises fell together in a symphony that might open to less than rave reviews.

 

But by next spring the hole will be filled and covered by a stage, a parking lot or a patio and landscaping will disguise it ever being there.

 

...

 

More at:

http://news.communitypress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061130/NEWS01/611300382/1002/RSS01

 

From ThisWeek Canal Winchester, 12/14/06:

 

 

P&Z to hear revamped winery plan

Thursday, December 14, 2006

By ROBERT PASCHEN

ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

Damon A. Pfeifer withdrew preliminary site plans Monday for a 2,640-square-foot winery on Winchester Pike but said he will return to the Canal Winchester Planning and Zoning Commission with a new proposal in January.

 

Pfeifer also withdrew from planning commission consideration a conditional use request to build and operate the winery on 0.86 acres of land zoned for residential rather than commercial use.

 

Pfeifer said Tuesday he plans to be back in front of the planning commission in January with an amended proposal.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.thisweeknews.com/index.php?sec=canalwinchester&story=sites/thisweeknews/121406/CanalWinchester/News/121406-News-276783.html

 

Both from the 12/21/06 Dispatch:

 

 

Ads tempt buyers to try state’s wines

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Monique Curet

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Ohio wineries are catching a buzz from an advertising campaign aimed at promoting wines produced in the state.

 

The Ohio Grape Industries Committee rolled out its first statewide TV advertising campaign in the summer and is airing commercials again this holiday season.

 

The effort has made a significant difference in wine sales and the number of visits to Ohio’s 92 wineries, said Michelle Widner, program manager for the committee.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/12/21/20061221-G1-05.html

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PHOTO: Chuck Harris and his wife, Nina Busch-Harris, own Ravenhurst Champagne Cellars.

 

PHOTO: Bottles in a window at Ravenhurst Champagne Cellars, near Mount Victory, display some of the winery’s awards. TIM REVELL

 

Proud Ohio vintages

Ravenhurst winery owners prove that top quality need not come from exotic locales

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Dana Wilson

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH  

 

MOUNT VICTORY, Ohio — The sweet, simple wines Ohio was known for didn’t interest Chuck Harris and his wife when they began planting vineyards here in 1978. The couple experimented with growing European-style vinifera grapes on an acre near the Union-Hardin county lines, hoping to emulate the success of the French. Many who taste the result today are shocked to learn its origin, Harris said. They’ve come to expect such quality from Bordeaux or Napa Valley, not from central Ohio. "There is a huge prejudice," Harris said. "We’re winning this battle one glass at a time, but it is an uphill struggle."

 

It wasn’t until recently that Harris printed the word Ohio on the labels of wine and champagne bottled at his boutique winery, Ravenhurst Champagne Cellars, located about 45 miles northwest of Columbus near Mount Victory.

 

He gave his wine, which is fruitier than most native wines, time to build its own reputation.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.dispatch.com/business-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/12/21/20061221-G1-02.html

 

From the AP, 12/22/06:

 

 

PHOTO: Doreen Pietrzyk, of St. Joseph Vineyards in Thompson, checks some Vidal grapes, a variety that is used to make ice wine.

 

Warm winter gets cool reaction from producers of ice wine

Friday, December 22, 2006

 

GENEVA, Ohio (AP) — While some folks might be wishing for a white Christmas, northeastern Ohio winemakers are hoping for an arctic blast so they can harvest grapes used in sugary sweet ice wine.

 

So far, the harvest has mostly been on hold with higher-thanusual December temperatures and a 10-day forecast that doesn’t get much cooler. Area temperatures are predicted to range from lows hovering around 31 degrees to highs near 48 degrees.

 

"We need a freeze, need a freeze," says Kim Laurello, who, with her husband, Larry, owns Laurello Vineyards in Harpersfield Township, about 50 miles east of Cleveland.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.dispatch.com/news-story.php?story=dispatch/2006/12/22/20061222-D4-01.html

 

 

Sour times for vineyard

Washed-out bridge hurts key Lake business

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Maggi Martin

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Madison Township - His grandfather crushed his own grapes to sell to Smucker's and Welch's jam companies in 1916.

 

Nearly a century later that same family farm helped Tony Debevc cultivate Chalet Debonne Vineyards, one of Ohio's largest estate wineries and a vital part of the region's $6 million wine industry.

 

But getting to the 120-acre Chalet Debonne on Doty Road has become so challenging that Debevc is concerned about his ability to stay open.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/ohio/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/1168422359322880.xml&coll=2

^The bridge washed out because the water levels on that tiny creek (normally <1 ft. high) rose to like 10-12 ft.  I have trouble believing it has caused a 50% dropoff in business though.  I think Mr. Debevc might be trying to use the power of the press to speed along the rebuild of the road.  The winery is between exits 212 and 218 on I-90 (probably about halfway).  The alternate route involves going up to exit 218 and backtracking -- causing an extra ~5-6 minutes.  Regular customers are well aware of the situation, as are those who come for special occasions (Debonne has a lot of special events, parties, festivals throughout the year.)  I highly doubt 5-6 minutes extra is going to cause a problem for those people who are already driving anywhere from 15-60 minutes to get there.

 

 

From the 1/1/07 Cincinnati Business Courier:

 

 

Winemaker sips success as stores, restaurants sell label

A look at Burnet Ridge since Jan. 20

Cincinnati Business Courier - December 29, 2006

by Lisa Biank Fasig

Staff Reporter

 

With a mighty nose and a balance of fruit, Chip Emmerich has not only won over the critics, he's snared one of the country's largest retailers.

 

Still, 2006 was a challenging year for the founder of Burnet Ridge wines in North College Hill, with much to ponder. Emmerich had to look at his long lineup of 10 labels, which include his popular Purple Trillium wine, and decide whether he should cut one. He also faced the ongoing question of how much wine to produce in an economy that is straddling the fence.

 

Emmerich discontinued one label in 2006 - his Syrah, which faced rugged competition from less-expensive Australian bottles. And his Purple Trillium found a new outlet, at Kroger, which in 2006 added the wine to three of its Cincinnati stores, in Oakley, Madeira and Anderson Township.

 

...

 

More at:

http://cincinnati.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2007/01/01/story7.html

 

From ThisWeek Canal Winchester, 1/18/07:

 

 

Pfeifer offers revised plans for his winery

New proposal eliminates restaurant in exchange for keeping original location

Thursday, January 18, 2007

By ROBERT PASCHEN

ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

A local resident said he is willing to give up the restaurant portion of his proposed winery if the village planning and zoning commission allows him to keep the requested location and the view.

 

Damon Pfeifer has proposed building a 2,640-square-foot winery in a residential area at 700 Winchester Pike because it provides the best view of a small lake behind the property.

 

"The whole idea is to build upon the highest part of the hill that overlooks the lake," Pfeifer said during a Jan. 9 planning commission meeting. "It's the view we're after. We've deleted the restaurant to try to keep the view."

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.thisweeknews.com/index.php?sec=canalwinchester&story=sites/thisweeknews/011807/CanalWinchester/News/011807-News-291421.html

 

From ThisWeek Canal Winchester, 2/15/07:

 

 

P&Z nixes winery on residential site

Thursday, February 15, 2007

By ROBERT PASCHEN

ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

The Canal Winchester Planning and Zoning Commission agreed unanimously Monday to reject a conditional use permit for a 2,640-square-foot winery that Damon Pfeifer wants to build at 700 Winchester Pike.

 

In general, commissioners were not opposed to the winery, but did object to placing it in a residential area.

 

Pfeifer said Tuesday he does plan to appeal the decision to Canal Winchester Village Council.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.thisweeknews.com/?story=sites/thisweeknews/021507/CanalWinchester/News/021507-News-306810.html

 

From The Times, 2/28/07:

 

 

Winery plans hit snags

Traffic, land use compatibility were among the Canal Winchester planning commission's concerns.

By HOLLY FENNER

 

The Canal Winchester Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously denied the conditional use application for the proposed Hidden Lakes Vineyards and Wineries on Winchester Pike Feb. 12.

 

Damon Pfeifer, resident and owner of the property, had 10 days to file an appeal of the commission's decision, but did not, said Allan Neimayer, planning and zoning administrator.

 

"At this point, he could file a brand new application and the commission would go through the whole process again," he said.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.snponline.com/NEWS2-28/2-28_cwwinery.html

 

From the 3/1/07 Ashtabula Star Beacon:

 

 

Old Firehouse Winery takes home eight medals

MARGIE TRAX PAGE

Star Beacon

 

GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE - - Old Firehouse Winery took home a gold medal from the 2006 American Wine Society International tasting competition.

 

The event, which is held in Hunt Valley, Maryland, is for commercial wine division judging. More than 1,000 wines were entered in 11 categories.

 

"Besides the fact that Old Firehouse Winery does well at AWS, we like this group because, well, they are not wine snobs. They are more like us; wine geeks," Old Firehouse Winery co-owner Don "Woody" Woodward said. "They enjoy all quality wines; sweet, dry, fruit, traditional, unique and dessert," he said.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.starbeacon.com/local/local_story_060171530

 

From The Times, 3/7/07:

 

 

Winery entrepreneur says he's not giving up his dream

By HOLLY FENNER

 

The conditional use application for the proposed Hidden Lakes Vineyards and Wineries was denied by Canal Winchester Planning and Zoning Commission, but property owner Damon Pfeifer's dream is not dead.

 

"I expect it to go to Village Council in the next 30 days," Pfeifer said.

 

"That is our intention, he said.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.snponline.com/NEWS3-7/3-7_cwwinery.html

 

From ThisWeek Canal Winchester, 3/15/07:

 

 

Winery plans now 'on back burner'

Planning and zoning commission rejects preliminary site plans

Thursday, March 15, 2007

By ROBERT PASCHEN

ThisWeek Staff Writer

 

The Canal Winchester Planning and Zoning Commission put a cork in Damon Pfeifer's plans to build a winery in a residential section of Winchester Pike.

 

In a 5-0 unanimous decision, the commission rejected preliminary site plans for the winery Monday night.

 

After the commission on Feb. 12 denied Pfeifer a conditional use permit to construct a 2,640-square-foot winery at 700 Winchester Pike, Pfeifer said he would appeal the decision to council. He had 10 days to file the appeal, but did not do so.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.thisweeknews.com/?story=sites/thisweeknews/031507/CanalWinchester/News/031507-News-319143.html

 

Link contains a photo. From the 4/8/07 Lorain Morning Journal:

 

 

Winery offers new life to Historic family lands

By RICHARD PAYERCHIN, Sandusky Bureau Chief

04/08/2007

 

PERKINS TOWNSHIP -- A new collection of specialty wines is the latest harvest from soils that have provided crops since the 1800s for a local family of growers.

 

Sand Hill Winery and Hermes Vineyards will mark the sixth season growing varieties of European grapes that are the ingredients of fine wines, said Dr. David Kraus, president and chief executive officer of the vineyard.

 

Kraus still maintains a psychiatric medicine practice in New York, but his roots stretch back to the family land along Hayes Avenue, five miles south of Lake Erie and Sandusky Bay. His harvest also is beginning to prove his belief that the Sandusky area has ''an exceptional microclimate for cultivating unusual wine grapes.''

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.morningjournal.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18182655&BRD=1699&PAG=461&dept_id=46371&rfi=6

 

Link contains a photo. From the 4/13/07 Maysville Ledger Independent:

 

 

Ripley celebrates opening of Meranda-Nixon Winery

By CARRIE CARLSON

Friday, April 13, 2007 8:23 PM EDT

 

RIPLEY, Ohio -- At the turn of the 19th century, the Ohio River Valley was the largest wine producing region in north America.

 

But a decrease in available manpower during the Civil War, the introduction of the "black rot" fungus into vineyards and the impact of Prohibition, grape growing fell out of favor in the region.

 

Seth Meranda said his family's mission is to "revitalize the Ohio River Valley one vine at a time," by bringing the crop and science back to the area.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.maysville-online.com/articles/2007/04/17/local_news/2689winery.txt

 

From the 5/1/07 Springfield News-Sun:

 

 

Valley Vineyard cancels annual Wine Fest

Family decides to cancel festival this year to rework it for 2008

By Danyrae Lockwood

Staff Writer

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

 

Valley Vineyards, on U.S. 22/ Ohio 3 in Hamilton Twp., has canceled this year's annual Wine Fest that was set for September 27, 28 and 29.

 

"It was a great money maker for us but we wanted it to be a positive event and not something someone would come to the first time and it be crazy," said Joe Schuchter, who operates Valley Vineyards with his family.

 

This would be the 37th year for the event, which has grown to be the single largest wine festival in the U.S. outside of California. Schuchter said nearly 80,000 people attended last year and consumed two loads of wine — more than most businesses sell in a year.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/05/01/pjl050107valleyweb.html

 

Link contains a photo. From the 5/3/07 Ashtabula Star Beacon:

 

 

Verandah offers a vine view

STACY MILLBERG

Star Beacon

 

HARPERSFIELD TOWNSHIP - - Gene and Heather Sigel celebrated the fifth anniversary of their winery, South River Vineyards, Saturday and welcomed the community to the grand opening of the new brick verandah overlooking the vineyards.

 

The latest addition to the 1892 church building, which was moved, piece-by-piece from Shalersville, was finished in January, complete with pre-cast concrete floors and a vaulted ceiling finished in pine siding to match that of the winery. The $150,000 project was four years in the making. Gene Sigel had envisioned a deck off the rear of the building but knew it would be costly as the building sits 18 feet up.

 

"We really wanted something that would fit with the rest of the building," Sigel said.

 

...

 

More at:

http://www.starbeacon.com/local/local_story_123072328