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Ohio Wine Travel Guide

BY CARPE TRAVEL

Did you know Ohio used to produce more wine than any other state in the country, and Cincinnati was the most important city in the national wine trade. That was in 1859, thanks to Prohibition in the early 1900’s the wine industry in the state died. Today the Ohio wine industry is budding again and Ohio wineries are producing award-winning wines.

The following Ohio Wine Travel guide shares a brief history of Ohio’s wine country, along with Ohio wineries to sip, where to stay and things to do beyond the vines. Cheers!

CLICK TO SEE TABLE OF CONTENTS
HISTORY OF OHIO WINE
WINE REGIONS
PLANNING YOUR VISIT
WHEN TO VISIT
WHERE TO STAY
WHERE TO EAT
WHERE TO SIP
GETTING TO & AROUND
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
MORE THINGS TO DO IN OHIO
INTERVIEWS WITH WINEMAKERS
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OHIO WINE HISTORY

The history of Ohio wineries dates back to the 1800s when Nicholas Longworth, a pioneer in the commercial wine industry, planted Catawba grapes in Cincinnati. The wine was instantly praised by consumers for its semi-sweet taste, and because of Longworth’s initiatives, Ohio became the leading producer of wine by 1859, but the success was short lived. During the 1860s, crop diseases began destroying the grapes and the Civil War significantly reduced the labor force, which nearly wiped out the Ohio wine industry altogether. However, German immigrants came to the rescue when they brought their winemaking traditions to the Lake Erie Islands in northern Ohio.

Ohio’s wineries once again in danger of complete obliteration when Prohibition took effect. However, the 1960s revitalized the state’s wine production when disease-resistant French grapes were planted in southern Ohio. Before long, these grapes were flourishing in the Northern Lake Erie Belt.

Today, there are over 265 Ohio wineries with more on the way.

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WINE REGIONS OF OHIO

Ohio wineries produce more than 1.1 million gallons of wine every year, making Ohio one of the top 10 wine producing states in the country. The state has five recognized AVAs and six wine trails Each of Ohio’s wine trails are located in different parts of the state making an escape to Ohio wine country and easy task.

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THE FIVE MAIN WINE REGIONS OF OHIO

Lake Erie

The Lake Erie AVA includes more than 2 million acres of land on the south shore of Lake Erie in Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania. More than 42,000 acres of the region are planted in grapevines.

Isle St. George

The Isle St. George AVA is located on North Bass Island. More than half of the island is planted with grapevines.

Ohio River Valley

The Ohio River Valley AVA is the birthplace of American viticulture. The Ohio River Valley is centered around the Ohio River and surrounding areas. It is the second largest wine appellation of origin in the United States with more than 16 million acres in portions of the states of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia.

Grand River Valley

The Grand River Valley AVA is located in Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties in northeastern Ohio. The gently rolling landscape of the Grand River Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) benefits from a climate moderated by the thermal effects of a large body of water, in this case, Lake Erie to the north.

Loramie Creek

Loramie Creek is bordered by Loramie and Tuttle Creeks as well as State Route 47 in Shelby County. The Loramie Creek appellation currently has no operating winery in its jurisdiction.

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GO TO INTERACTIVE OHIO WINE MAP
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PLANNING YOUR VISIT

Read on to find Carpe Travel’s first-hand travel tips and recommendations on Ohio wineries to visit and how to help make your stay in Ohio Wine Country a memorable one.
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WHEN TO VISIT

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SPRING

Coming Soon!

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FALL

Coming Soon!

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SUMMER

Coming Soon!

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WINTER

Coming Soon!

WHERE TO STAY

Grand River Valley AVA

Holiday Inn Express Silver City
Quality Inn
Palace Hotel
Ramada Austinburg/Ashtabula
Punderson Manor Lodge and Conference Center
Homewood Suites by Hilton Cleveland-Solon
Hampton Inn Cleveland Solon

Isle St. George AVA

Wingate by Wyndham Lima Downtown
Comfort Inn
Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Delphos

Loramie Creek AVA

Fairfield Inn & Suites Mansfield Ontario
Hampton Inn Mansfield/Ontario
Sleep Inn & Suites Galion, OH
Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Mansfield-Conference Center

WHERE TO EAT

Carpe Travel's Top Picks

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Coming Soon!

WHERE TO SIP

Sip your way through Ohio, here are some of the best wine bars in the state to check out.

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Market Avenue Wine Bar

Swanky spot with artful decor offering seasonal appetizers & desserts, plus many wines by the glass.

Zemore’s Wine Cellar and Bistro

Zemore’s features wines from smaller, family owned wineries from locations around the world. Wines are offered to taste, by the glass, bottle or case.

The Wine Gallery

Relaxed cafe offering wine flights & upmarket American bites, plus a shop for bottles & cases.

The Vault Wine Bar

The Vault Wine Bar operates out of what was previously a bank in Shelby, Ohio, built in 1911. This is where people go when they want a fun and unique experience, drinking wine and enjoying food in a setting unlike any other.

GETTING TO OHIO WINE COUNTRY

If you are Flying…

Coming soon!

If you are Driving…

Coming soon!

GETTING AROUND OHIO WINE COUNTRY

Car Services

Carpe Travel’s Top Picks
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Coming soon!

Tours

Carpe Travel’s Top Picks
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Coming soon!
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FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Be sure to check out these Missouri Festivals and Events that are not to be missed!
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Vintage Ohio

August
This annual two-day festival boasts dozens of wines from Ohio wineries , local artisans, live entertainment, food trucks and more. For those who want even more variety, there is a craft beer section to enjoy. Voted by USA Today 10 Best.

FIND OUT MORE

Geneva Grape Jamboree

September
This year will mark the 55th anniversary of the event, situated right in the heart of Ohio’s rich northeast wine region along Lake Erie. The purpose of the festival is to celebrate the grape harvest in the area, and activities range from wine sampling to live entertainment — and of course, grape stomping. Most importantly, it’s a completely free event.

FIND OUT MORE

Toast of Ohio

June
The annual Toast of Ohio Wine Heritage Festival features Ohio wineries, gourmet food, live musical entertainment, and an art show.

FIND OUT MORE
From A to Z: Top Wine Festivals in Every State Not to Miss
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BEYOND THE VINES

Things to see and do besides sipping wine.
Seriously Fun Things to do in Cincinnati
Seriously Fun Things to do in Cincinnati
What Every Wine Lover Should Know About Ohio Wine
What Every Wine Lover Should Know About Ohio Wine
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INTERVIEW WITH A WINEMAKER

Interviews with Ohio Winemakers coming soon, meanwhile check out the entire series.

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© 2011-2020 Elaine Schoch/Carpe Travel. All rights reserved. May not use text or photos without permission.

Nice To Meet You!

Elaine Schoch, Carpe Travel

Cheers! I’m Elaine Schoch, the editor and founder of Carpe Travel. I’m an award-winning travel writer, wine judge and certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET II), one of the world’s leading providers of wine education and certifications and an American Wine Expert. More…

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