Cheers to Ohio Wine Month?? Here's how we're celebrating | Phil Your Glass
The way I see it, there are no rules when it comes to wine.
Sparkling wine is meant to be enjoyed all year round, not just on New Year's Eve and special occasions.
Who said we can't drink rosé every day?
And why can't every month be Ohio Wine Month?
As it stands, June officially holds that title, though I prefer to celebrate Ohio wines year-round.
I recently took a trip to the Grand River Valley to commemorate the occasion. I continue to be impressed with the wines produced in the Buckeye State, and this visit was no exception.
The Grand River Valley in Ashtabula County is about an hour’s drive from the Akron area and happens to be where over 50% of Ohio’s grapes are grown. I typically only stay a day, but visitors could easily make it a weekend trip (or longer) to take advantage of all the wonderful wines and activities in the area. It’s home to 28 wineries and surrounded by 100 quilt barns and 19 covered bridges to explore.
Not to worry — there are plenty of wineries that serve food or have full kitchens along with several hotels for overnight getaways.
I never come home empty-handed from the wine trail, and this time, I scored four great bottles of Ohio wine to enjoy with friends on my back patio. Here’s how I spent my day.
First stop: Kosicek Vineyards
The best way to start any adventure is with a glass of bubbles, so I first stopped in to see my friends Emma and Anthony Kosicek at Kosicek Vineyards. The brother-and-sister team were just at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus the night before accepting a Director’s Choice Award for their 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Ice Wine.
Emma poured some of their “extra fun stuff” for me in a tall glass flute. Their newly released $22.99 sparkling traminette was aromatic and refreshing. The good vibes in these bubbles were quick to spread as I sipped and Emma told me about its deliciousness.
Emma and her father, Tony, are having a lot of fun with fizz. She was happy to talk about their new sparkling white merlot that was recently bottled for wine club members, as well as her personal "pét-nat" project, which is a traditional 16th century method of making sparkling wine.
There are many wines to try at Kosicek Vineyards; however, I had to stick to my game plan for the day. I’ll definitely be back to visit with Brix, the winery dog, and to sample a pie from their new wood-fired pizza oven.
Mark your calendars for the end of August. That's when the sea of sunflowers next to the winery are in full bloom.
This third-generation winery is definitely one to watch.
Follow @Kosicekvineyards on Instagram for the latest news and events.
On to Baci
One of my goals for this trip to the Grand River Valley, or any wine excursion I happen to be on, is to explore something new. I follow Baci Winery on Instagram and knew I had to stop.
May 22 was the one-year anniversary for new owners Dominic and Shelly Piunno, who renamed the new winery Baci but still call the surrounding vineyard St. Joseph Vineyard. Baci means "kisses" in Italian. What's not to like about that?
I was eager to sample the wines, as winemaker Lauren Fiala has worked in Australia, New Zealand and in the Finger Lakes at Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards in New York.
I started out with a $4 glass of their rosé of pinot noir while I scanned the enticing food menu and gazed at the beautiful outdoor patio. The rosé was quite nice with its rose petal aromas and refreshing flavors of strawberry and watermelon. Lots of cool artwork on the walls kept me cozy.
In true Italian fashion, the Piunnos don’t want anyone to leave hungry. The menu includes a few of my favorites, like wild mushroom arancini, calamari, panzanella salad, a build-your-own-pasta feature, sweet potato gnocchi, eggplant rollatini, five different sandwiches, pizza, and even a chocolate charcuterie board. I sure wish they had a sample platter.
If you don’t drink wine, the menu also includes bottled and tap beer along with a few craft cocktails.
The $14 arancini were calling my name, as was a $13 glass of the 2021 cabernet franc. Three generous-sized arancini were served with a tasty marinara sauce for dipping. The cabernet franc was impressive and proved to be a delectable pairing with the arancini. Since my wine cellar is full of reds, I opted for a $29 bottle of the rosé of pinot noir to take home.
Follow @Baciwinery on Instagram for the latest news and events.
Next stop: Cask 307 Winery
Cask 307 has been on my list of stops for a while. However, it is imperative to check the hours and days of operation for any winery in the Grand River Valley before making the 60-or-so-mile trek to Ashtabula County. That was the rookie mistake I made last time.
The winery is a beautiful, welcoming barn-like structure with exposed beams visible inside the tasting room. A $17 flight of four wines with a souvenir tasting glass was the best way for me to explore their list.
I have never seen an Ohio fumé blanc white wine, so I had to include that in my tasting. It was the best fumé blanc I have tasted this side of the Mississippi.
My favorite was the glass I had during a lunch with Robert Mondavi 20 years ago at his Napa Valley winery. He's the man who coined the term "fumé blanc" in the 1960s for his dry sauvignon blanc.
A $10 glass of Cask 307’s estate-grown fumé blanc has refreshing citrus and grilled pineapple notes. It was a marvelous and unique Ohio Wine find for $30 a bottle.
Follow @Cask307 on Instagram.
Final Grand River Valley stop: Ferrante Winery & Ristorante
A stop at Ferrante Winery & Ristorante is automatic for me when I'm in the Grand River Valley.
It was even more imperative on this trip after learning that owner/winemaker Nick Ferrante was awarded nine gold medals and a Best of Class award for his wines in the recent 2024 San Francisco Wine Competition. It’s a prestigious competition with hundreds of wineries across the U.S. submitting their wines.
Ferrante is definitely another place for good food along the wine trail. I was happy to find that bottles of their winery-only gruner veltliner were back in production after a seven-year hiatus. Ferrante’s gewurztraminer is one of my favorite Ohio wines that I can purchase locally at Heinen’s. It’s the perfect wine to have with carryout Asian cuisine.
Say (Ohio) cheese
On a separate excursion, I recently met up with St. Anne’s Cheese Company owner Annie Foos to taste some of her amazing Ohio-made cheese. Her grandfather was a cheesemaker in Vienna, Austria, back in the day, and Foos is happy to say that she is Ohio Proud of her cheeses.
“I wake up every morning to compete with Velveeta,” said Foos as she talked about her creamy Ohio cheddar cheese made from A-2 Guernsey milk. "Ohio cheese is on fire. ... It’s not all about California, Wisconsin and Vermont.”
Foos went on to explain that cheese made from A-2 Guernsey milk is easier to digest for people who are lactose intolerant. It's also higher in vitamins A, D, B-1, and B-12, as well as beta carotene, she said, adding: “Our cows are happy."
The grass-fed Guernsey cows also eat dandelions, chicory and wild flowers that help give this tasty cheese its pretty yellow color. It’s the perfect cheese to snack on while sipping Ohio wines.
You can pick up a $9.95 hunk of this gouda cheese that’s shaped like the state of Ohio exclusively at Beau’s Market and Deli in Copley. This will be perfect for your next Ohio State tailgate party or to send to any Michigan Wolverine fan on game day.
I will be handing out free samples of St. Anne's Ohio cheeses at Beau's Market and Deli from noon to 3 p.m. June 15. S&M Winery from Canal Fulton will be pouring $1 samples of their wines.
Woof, Wag & Wine Trail
Grand River Cellars Winery & Restaurant, Debonne Vineyards and Cask 307 Winery are hosting a food and wine tasting trail for you and your pooch pal.
These dog-friendly wineries have outside seating areas, so please plan for the weather. The cost is $35 per person and includes a small plate paired with two wines. Pups will get a special treat and a logo bandana.
Sip on a few dog-themed specialty drinks and help raise money for local pet rescues. For more information, go to grandrivercellars.com/events or call 440-298-9838.
Email me at [email protected] with any wine questions and follow me on Instagram @pmasturzo_philyourglass
More: Bookworms have Clancy, film buffs have Scorsese, I have Pozzan | Phil Your Glass
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: A guide to the best wines in Grand River Valley for Ohio Wine Month
