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    Wine Tripping in Northeast Ohio

    If you’re into the locally-made booze, you know that beer and spirits get a lot of the attention. That’s rightfully so. Their core ingredients can be sourced and shipped, whereas it’s not as easy to plant a vineyard and grow grapes just anywhere. But many don’t realize that Ohio is one of the leading wine producers in the country outside of the West Coast – and we have almost as many wineries as breweries. And like beer, spirits, and many other things we consume, the wine offerings cover a wide range of styles and quality. Like an artichoke, you need to pull off the petals and thorns and get to the heart of it.

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    Where do you even begin? Let’s plan a wine trip! There is a collection of producers that are making very pleasant wines with the perfect surroundings for a weekend getaway. I’m referring to northeast Ohio around the towns of Geneva and Madison, just miles from the shore of Lake Erie. The quaint area is primarily farmland, with vines sporadically spread out and a few small towns you can venture into based on your interests.

    We were two families visiting with kids in August and we booked the Wine Hop through VRBO (which is actually under new ownership since our stay). This spacious farmhouse is just south of Geneva with land to roam outside. We used the large firepit and furnished kitchen to prepare our own dinners in the evening. The location made the wineries easily accessible, so we visited a handful for the long weekend that we were there. (There are also hotels near the interstate.)

    Let’s begin.

    This was my second experience at Laurentia in Madison and it remains a favorite for Ohio-based wineries. They have a beautiful tasting room with a lodge-like feel inside and outside. Their team was hospitable and knowledgeable on their wines. We thoroughly enjoyed the whites across the board while the reds delivered for the varietals at a higher price point. Their riesling made a trip home with us. It has the hallmark tree fruit, mineral and acidity that makes the wine very food-friendly.

    Another wonderful experience, M Cellars down the road in Geneva, had a very lively tasting room with a full house of staff and visitors, along with nonstop uncorking and pouring. We leaned more into their whites with our favorite being the rkatsiteli, a varietal native to the country Georgia with some plantings throughout the eastern part of the U.S. The rkatsiteli is an aromatic and clean wine with pleasant fruit and spice notes.

    Sampling at M Cellars - Photo by Donnie Austin
    Sampling at M Cellars – Photo by Donnie Austin

    The wines that stood out to us the most were from traditional vinifera grapes versus the hybrids.

    “Naturally for me, it all starts in the vineyard,” said Candace DiGirolamo, vineyard and operations manager at Laurentia. “There needs to be a perfect union between soil, climate and people. Our soil is ideal for farming grapes thanks to the history of the area that dates all the way back to when glaciers receded and carved the Grand River Valley and left rich deposits through the region.”

    We preferred the reds and ice wine at Kosicek in Geneva. Their petite sirah stood out to me while the ice wine was textbook with richness, flavor, sweetness and some acidity. Another bustling tasting room with a friendly team at the bar ready to pour, everybody was having a good time between their indoor space, attached patio, and a large, covered patio just feet away.

    Debonne stood out for its size and sheer number of wines to try. They served flights from a small window inside that also offered a wide range of snacks and bites. The space and patio were definitely suited for larger groups and parties.

    For a break from the wine, we stopped into Red Eagle Distillery, housed in a beautiful, rustic red barn across from M Cellars. While the whiskeys were good, we favored their Red Maple, which is distilled Ohio maple syrup that’s aged in barrels for two years. Unique on its own, I’d make an Old Fashioned with it.

    Red Eagle Distillery - Photo by Donnie Austin
    Red Eagle Distillery – Photo by Donnie Austin

    During our days, we got closer to the lake for lunchtime. Geneva-on-the-Lake is just north of Geneva and provides a strip of road lakeside with a lot of tourist attractions between food and shops. We grabbed lunch outside at the dog-friendly Ruff Life on the Lake before taking our kids to Adventure Zone for outdoor fun.

    Heading a bit further east along the lake, Ashtabula provided an experience that we’d go back for. Our day began on the beach at Walnut Beach Park before we visited Rennick Meat Market for a meal. We all want to go back there for dinner when the menu adjusts slightly with steaks. They also had a small but very impressive wine list between the Ohio offerings and wines from elsewhere. After lunch, we grabbed a flight of beers just yards away at Cloven Hoof and all of the beers were worthy of ordering again when we return.

    Walnut Beach Park in Ashtabula - Photo by Donnie Austin
    Walnut Beach Park in Ashtabula – Photo by Donnie Austin

    This region is only three hours from Columbus and I recommend it for getting away for a quick wine trip, whether you’re making it the whole family and adding kid-friendly options or going with friends or even as a couple’s trip.

    The key is to appreciate the wines for what they are without comparing to places that require a plane ticket and you’ll find plenty to enjoy here in your own backyard of Ohio.

    Find more to explore on the Ohio Wines Website.

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    Donnie Austin
    Donnie Austinhttps://www.columbusunderground.com/
    Donnie is a certified sommelier and likes to share wine, beer, and spirits with others. He spends his free time with his wife, two kids, friends, and cookbooks. You can typically find him cooking on his multiple grills for family and friends. He has a mechanical engineering degree from Purdue University where he also worked on the football team and wrote about sports for the school newspaper. He also holds an MBA from The Ohio State University.
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