It was surprising to learn that Ohio now has 323 wineries!
That’s a lot of wineries for 88 counties, but it works in their favor. Having multiple wineries in a county increases each winery’s visits. There’s a winery within 30 miles of every home in Ohio. Though Ohio is not a large state geographically, it is at #7 regarding wine economic output in the nation.
Ohio has a fascinating history in this industry. Growing up in Cleveland, I wasn’t interested in wine until I went to California. These are fascinating facts that I discovered:
. Ohio has been making wine since the early 1800s. By the mid-19th century, the state was the leading wine producer in the country, thanks to its successful plantings of Catawba grapes along the Ohio River.
The Catawba Boom – In the 1800s, Nicholas Longworth, known as the “Father of American Grape Culture,” cultivated Catawba grapes in the Cincinnati region. His sparkling Catawba wine gained national fame and was even praised by the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Lake Erie Effect – The Lake Erie shoreline creates a microclimate ideal for grape growing. The lake moderates temperatures, preventing extreme cold in winter and extending the growing season in the fall, similar to conditions in some European wine regions.
A Surprising Variety of Wines – While Ohio is known for its sweet and hybrid grape varieties like Catawba, Concord, and Vidal Blanc, wineries also produce high-quality vinifera wines, including Riesling, Cabernet Franc, and Pinot Noir.
The Prohibition Setback – Prohibition (1920–1933) devastated Ohio’s thriving wine industry. Many vineyards were abandoned or repurposed, and the state’s wine industry took decades to recover. They must not have used the wine for sacramental and medicinal purposes like some of the wineries in California
Unique Ice Wines – Ohio is one of the few states that consistently produces ice wine, a rare and highly prized dessert wine made from naturally frozen grapes. Scott wishes the grapes froze in CA. so he didn’t have to freeze them after picking and press for an ice wine later.
Ohio Wine Trails—The state has several wine trails, including the Lake Erie Vines & Wines Trail, Canal Country Wine Trail, and Ohio River Valley Wine Trail, which offer wine lovers scenic drives and diverse tasting experiences.
Ohio’s Longest-Operating Winery – Heineman’s Winery, founded in 1888 on Put-in-Bay (Lake Erie’s South Bass Island), is the oldest continuously operating winery in the state. It survived Prohibition by selling grape juice and opening Crystal Cave, the world’s largest geode, as a tourist attraction.
We wish we could extend our stay, but it seems ideal to visit in spring or fall instead of the depths of winter! Spending some time along one of those Wine Trails would be great. Despite our limited time, we did manage to visit Ferrante Winery, where Nick and Valerie Ferrante graciously hosted us. It turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip.