Ohio wine (or "Ohioan wine") refers to wine made from grapes grown in the U.S. state of Ohio. Historically, this has been wine grown from native American species of grapes (such as Vitis labrusca), not European wine grapes, although hybrid and Vitis vinifera grapes are now common in Ohio. As of 2018 there were 280 commercial wineries operating in Ohio, and there are five designated American Viticultural Areas partially or completely located within the state.[1][2]

Ohio
Wine region
Official nameState of Ohio
TypeU.S. state
Year established1803
Years of wine industry1823-present
CountryUnited States
Sub-regionsGrand River Valley AVA, Isle St. George AVA, Lake Erie AVA, Loramie Creek AVA, Ohio River Valley AVA
Climate regionContinental, also humid subtropical in extreme southern lowlands
Total area44,825 square miles (116,096 km2)
Grapes producedCabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Catawba, Cayuga, Chambourcin, Chancellor, Chardonel, Chardonnay, Concord, Delaware, Edelweiss, Gewürztraminer, La Crosse, Leon Millot, Marechal Foch, Marquette, Merlot, Niagara, Norton, Pinot gris, Pinot noir, Riesling, Sauvignon blanc, Seyval blanc, St. Pepin, Steuben, Traminette, Vidal blanc, Vignoles,[1]
No. of wineries280[2]

History

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A Cabernet Sauvignon from Ohio.

The southern shore of Lake Erie falls within the global "Pinot Belt," which also runs through Burgundy and the Willamette Valley, which according to Wine Enthusiast means Ohio has "innate potential for attention-worthy wines".[2]

Wine has been produced in Ohio since 1823 when Nicholas Longworth planted the first Alexander and Isabella grapes in the Ohio River Valley. In 1825, Longworth planted the first Catawba grapes in Ohio. Others soon planted Catawba in new vineyards throughout the state and by 1860, Catawba was the most important grape variety in Ohio. At this time, Ohio produced more wine than any other state in the country, and Cincinnati was the most important city in the national wine trade. Golden Eagle winery on Middle Bass Island housed America's largest winery in 1872.[3] As in many other states, Prohibition in the United States destroyed the Ohio wine industry, which has struggled to recover. As of 2018 Ohio was the 6th-largest wine producer in the United States.[1][2]

In Fall of 2011 Kent State University at Ashtabula became the first university in the state to offer programs in viticulture and enology.[4]

Wholly or partially in Ohio are the American viticulture areas Lake Erie, Isle St. George, Grand River Valley, Ohio River Valley, and Loramie Creek.[2]

Reception

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In 2018 Wine Enthusiast called out Ferrante Winery, Firelands Winery, Gervasi Vineyard, Meranda-Nixon Winery, and Valley Vineyards as "wineries to know" in the state.[2] That same year, RewardExpert analyzed wine ratings on CellarTracker and identified Heritage Vineyards in Warsaw in Coshocton County as having the highest-rated wine in the country.[5]

Wine industry

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Many wineries in Ohio are members of the Ohio Wine Producers Association. The site includes resources for produces and consumers, including an extensive calendar of Ohio Wine events. It also includes the Ohio Wine Hall of Fame.[6]

There are six "wine trails" in the state, including the Lake Erie Shores and Islands Trail, the Lake Erie Vines and Wines Trail, the Canal Country Trail, the Appalachian Wine Trail (Southeast Ohio bordering West Virginia), the Ohio River Valley Wine Trail (along the Ohio River in Cincinnati to Dayton), and the Capital City Trail (Columbus area).[2]

Wineries in Ohio

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Lonz Winery on Middle Bass Island.
 
The Lenk Wine Company seen in a 1905 Toledo Chamber of Commerce publication

The following wineries and vineyards operate wholly or principally in Ohio.

Winery Location Coordinates
A.R. Winery Arcanum
Al-Bi Winery Carroll
Biscotti Family Winery Conneaut 41°57.340′N 80°34.862′W / 41.955667°N 80.581033°W / 41.955667; -80.581033
Breitenbach Wine Cellar Dover 40°30.577′N 81°34.323′W / 40.509617°N 81.572050°W / 40.509617; -81.572050
Buccia Vineyard Conneaut 41°56.202′N 80°37.204′W / 41.936700°N 80.620067°W / 41.936700; -80.620067
Buckeye Winery Newark
Candlelight Winery Garrettsville 41°18.200′N 81°03.476′W / 41.303333°N 81.057933°W / 41.303333; -81.057933
Cask 307 Madison
Coffee Cake Winery Hopedale 40°19.868′N 80°54.514′W / 40.331133°N 80.908567°W / 40.331133; -80.908567
D & D Smith Winery Norwalk, Ohio
Debonne Vineyards Madison 41°44.380′N 81°00.379′W / 41.739667°N 81.006317°W / 41.739667; -81.006317
E&K Winery Sandusky
Emerine Estates Jefferson
Farinacci Winery Austinburg
Ferrante Winery[2] Geneva 41°45.567′N 80°57.258′W / 41.759450°N 80.954300°W / 41.759450; -80.954300
Firelands Winery[2] Sandusky 41°26.145′N 82°46.385′W / 41.435750°N 82.773083°W / 41.435750; -82.773083
Flatrock Mead and Winery Napoleon
Flint Ridge Vineyards and Winery Hopewell 40°00.349′N 82°09.232′W / 40.005817°N 82.153867°W / 40.005817; -82.153867
Georgetown Vineyards Cambridge 40°00.795′N 81°35.631′W / 40.013250°N 81.593850°W / 40.013250; -81.593850
Gervasi Vineyard[2] Canton
Grand River Cellars Madison 41°42.973′N 81°03.339′W / 41.716217°N 81.055650°W / 41.716217; -81.055650
Grape and Granary Akron 41°05.750′N 81°29.266′W / 41.095833°N 81.487767°W / 41.095833; -81.487767
Harmony Hill Vineyards Bethel
Harpersfield Vineyard Geneva 41°45.658′N 80°58.980′W / 41.760967°N 80.983000°W / 41.760967; -80.983000
Heartland Vineyards Westlake 41°28.240′N 81°53.736′W / 41.470667°N 81.895600°W / 41.470667; -81.895600
Heineman Winery Put-In-Bay 41°38.795′N 82°49.625′W / 41.646583°N 82.827083°W / 41.646583; -82.827083
Henke Winery Cincinnati
Heritage Vineyard Winery[5] Warsaw
Hermes Vineyard Sandusky 41°22.789′N 82°44.471′W / 41.379817°N 82.741183°W / 41.379817; -82.741183
Jilbert Winery Valley City 41°14.017′N 81°55.336′W / 41.233617°N 81.922267°W / 41.233617; -81.922267
John Christ Winery Avon Lake 41°29.553′N 82°00.342′W / 41.492550°N 82.005700°W / 41.492550; -82.005700
Kelleys Island Wine Company Kelleys Island
Kinkead Ridge Estate Winery Ripley
Klingshirn Winery Avon Lake 41°29.327′N 82°01.952′W / 41.488783°N 82.032533°W / 41.488783; -82.032533
The Lakehouse Inn Winery Geneva-on-the-Lake 41°51.503′N 80°57.534′W / 41.858383°N 80.958900°W / 41.858383; -80.958900
Laleure Vineyards Parkman 41°23.307′N 81°01.275′W / 41.388450°N 81.021250°W / 41.388450; -81.021250
Laurello Vineyards Geneva 41°45.862′N 80°55.087′W / 41.764367°N 80.918117°W / 41.764367; -80.918117
La Vigna Estate Winery Higginsport
Maize Valley Winery Hartville 40°57.220′N 81°16.736′W / 40.953667°N 81.278933°W / 40.953667; -81.278933
Maple Ridge Vineyards Madison
Marietta Wine Cellars Marietta
Markko Vineyards Conneaut 41°54.026′N 80°34.314′W / 41.900433°N 80.571900°W / 41.900433; -80.571900
Mastropietro Winery Berlin Center 41°03.504′N 80°55.409′W / 41.058400°N 80.923483°W / 41.058400; -80.923483
Matus Winery Wakeman 41°15.339′N 82°19.962′W / 41.255650°N 82.332700°W / 41.255650; -82.332700
Meier's Wine Cellars Silverton 39°11.698′N 84°24.030′W / 39.194967°N 84.400500°W / 39.194967; -84.400500
Meranda Nixon Winery[2] Ripley
Gideon Owen Wine Company Port Clinton 41°31.928′N 82°51.501′W / 41.532133°N 82.858350°W / 41.532133; -82.858350
Myrddin Winery Berlin Center 41°04.491′N 80°58.129′W / 41.074850°N 80.968817°W / 41.074850; -80.968817
Old Firehouse Winery Geneva-on-the-Lake 41°51.619′N 80°57.185′W / 41.860317°N 80.953083°W / 41.860317; -80.953083
Old Mill Winery Geneva 41°47.945′N 80°56.840′W / 41.799083°N 80.947333°W / 41.799083; -80.947333
Paper Moon Vineyards Vermilion
Perennial Vineyards Navarre 40°44.158′N 81°34.791′W / 40.735967°N 81.579850°W / 40.735967; -81.579850
Quarry Hill Winery and Orchard Berlin Heights 41°20.238′N 82°28.433′W / 41.337300°N 82.473883°W / 41.337300; -82.473883
Raven's Glenn Winery West Lafayette 40°16.994′N 81°42.304′W / 40.283233°N 81.705067°W / 40.283233; -81.705067
Red Horse Winery Barberton, Ohio
Sarah's Vineyard Cuyahoga Falls 41°10.747′N 81°33.137′W / 41.179117°N 81.552283°W / 41.179117; -81.552283
Shamrock Vineyard Waldo 40°28.830′N 83°00.858′W / 40.480500°N 83.014300°W / 40.480500; -83.014300
Shawnee Springs Winery Coshocton 40°14.890′N 81°53.746′W / 40.248167°N 81.895767°W / 40.248167; -81.895767
Silver Moon Winery Dover 40°30.753′N 81°33.074′W / 40.512550°N 81.551233°W / 40.512550; -81.551233
Single Tree Winery Amherst 41°18.392′N 82°16.513′W / 41.306533°N 82.275217°W / 41.306533; -82.275217
Slate Run Vineyard Canal Winchester 39°45.875′N 82°49.536′W / 39.764583°N 82.825600°W / 39.764583; -82.825600
South River Vineyard Geneva 41°44.469′N 80°58.247′W / 41.741150°N 80.970783°W / 41.741150; -80.970783
St. Joseph Vineyards Thompson 41°42.573′N 81°03.181′W / 41.709550°N 81.053017°W / 41.709550; -81.053017
Stone Crest Vineyards Frazeysburg 40°07.955′N 82°10.580′W / 40.132583°N 82.176333°W / 40.132583; -82.176333
Stoney Ridge Winery Bryan 41°30.976′N 84°30.686′W / 41.516267°N 84.511433°W / 41.516267; -84.511433
Studio of 5 Rings Rocky River
Swiss Heritage Winery Dover 40°30.644′N 81°34.402′W / 40.510733°N 81.573367°W / 40.510733; -81.573367
Sycamore Lake Wine Company Columbus Grove
Tarsitano Winery Conneaut
Terra Cotta Vineyards New Concord 39°56.054′N 81°45.139′W / 39.934233°N 81.752317°W / 39.934233; -81.752317
The Winery at Spring Hill Geneva, Ohio
Thorn Creek Winery Aurora 41°20.440′N 81°21.037′W / 41.340667°N 81.350617°W / 41.340667; -81.350617
Troutman Vineyards Wooster 40°44.916′N 82°00.586′W / 40.748600°N 82.009767°W / 40.748600; -82.009767
Tuscan Cellars and Winery Wickliffe
Valley Vineyards[2] Morrow 39°21.444′N 84°10.266′W / 39.357400°N 84.171100°W / 39.357400; -84.171100
Viking Vineyards and Winery Kent 41°04.829′N 81°23.025′W / 41.080483°N 81.383750°W / 41.080483; -81.383750
Vinoklet Winery Cincinnati 39°16.940′N 84°36.865′W / 39.282333°N 84.614417°W / 39.282333; -84.614417
Virant Family Winery Geneva 41°44.226′N 80°59.415′W / 41.737100°N 80.990250°W / 41.737100; -80.990250
Weymouth Winery Hinckley 41°12.669′N 81°45.550′W / 41.211150°N 81.759167°W / 41.211150; -81.759167
Winery at Versailles Versailles
Winery at Wolf Creek Norton 41°04.064′N 81°38.267′W / 41.067733°N 81.637783°W / 41.067733; -81.637783
Woodstone Creek Cincinnati
Wyandotte Winery Columbus 40°04.088′N 82°53.607′W / 40.068133°N 82.893450°W / 40.068133; -82.893450

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Appellation America (2007). "Ohio: Appellation Description". Retrieved Nov. 26, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Bendersky, Ari (24 May 2018). "Why Ohio is The Midwest's Next Wine Destination". Wine Enthusiast. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  3. ^ Henry, Tom. "A new beginning for iconic Lonz Winery". Toledo Blade. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  4. ^ Farkas, Karen (29 November 2017). "Kent State Ashtabula students produce wine". cleveland. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  5. ^ a b Plautz, Jessica. "You'll Never Guess What State Has 2018's Top Wine Destination". Travel + Leisure. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  6. ^ Information from Ohio Wine Producers Association Website
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