As much as we enjoy Michigan wines, we were very excited when our neighbors at Ohio Wines reached out and invited us to explore some of Ohio’s local wineries. We chose a central spot near Cleveland and departed for our #GrownHere Ohio Wine Weekend Getaway! We explored 6 wineries in ONE weekend, and all within a few hours of home. Michiganders sometimes overlook Ohio when thinking about weekend destinations, but the Cleveland region has MUCH to offer and is less than 3 hours away.
My #1 PRO TIP when visiting a winery is ASK QUESTIONS and get to know some locals! The highlight of our weekend was learning about the different wines and wineries, plus hearing about everyone’s favorite Cleveland restaurants and breweries. We used these tips to find a fantastic breakfast spot our last morning and a wonderful place for dinner Saturday evening.
Ohio has a “cool climate viticulture”, similar to many European, Australian, and even California growing regions. The resulting wines made from cool climate grapes have full fruit flavors, but slightly higher acidity. The wines have a clean, crisp flavor and go very well with food. Many winemakers we spoke with told us Ohio wine leans towards the sweeter side. I personally prefer slightly sweeter wines, and I gravitate towards whites and rosés so I had many options to try!
Here’s a breakdown of the 6 wineries we visited and a recap of the delicious food we ate during our stay! When possible we’ll include all of the wines we tried at each vineyard and the wines tasting notes.
Sarah’s Vineyard
Sarah’s Vineyard was our first stop, Friday evening. This GORGEOUS winery is located near Cuyahoga Valley National Park. We actually drove through the park on our way there, and it is beautiful. You could make a weekend trip of just Sarah’s Vineyard and the National Park and have a GREAT time.
Our favorite part of this Vineyard was the outdoor pavilion area. You can eat and drink on this beautiful covered patio and you’re basically IN THE vineyard. The views are gorgeous and the whole vibe was laid back and relaxed. Sarah’s had a great selection of red and white wines and LOTS of food options. Sarah’s minimizes the impact to the environment produced by bottling wine by keeping their wines on tap. Don’t worry, you can still grab a bottle to go.
Wines we tried:
Miserabile: A Tuscan Blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, and Rubiana grapes – handcrafted for those who like a smooth, lightly oaked, dry red table wine.
Golden Solstice: A fragrant sweet Ohio white wine made from Niagara grapes grown in Ohio near Lake Erie.
Double Trouble: An estate blend of Vidal and Traminette. A dry balance white wine that is clean, bright, and guaranteed to please your palate. Named after the vineyard dogs, Stanley & Fronty.
You can find Sarah’s Vineyard here: 1204 W. Steels Corners Road Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio 44223
You can view their website HERE
Michael Angelo’s Winery
The second and last winery we tried Friday night was Michael Angelo’s Winery. This was about 20 minutes from Sarah’s and also near Cuyahoga Valley National Park. These wineries were convenient to combine because of their close proximity to each other . Again, this location + Sarah’s Vineyards + the State Park would make a fantastic weekend trip.
Where Sarah’s Vineyards felt very rustic and laid back, Michael Angelo’s felt fancier, or as my little sister likes to say “Bougie”. We loved it. The restaurant/Bakery space is beautiful. While we sat at the white marble bar for our tasting, there was also ample patio space with outdoor fire pits and string lights available to sit at as well. Food and wine is ordered at the central bar and then brought to your table. My cousin chose a wine flight and I opted for a glass. The food selection was extensive so we couldn’t resist a Charcuterie plate. For those feeling hungrier, the pasta dishes had me drooling. We ended our night at their bakery and grabbed 2 cupcakes and a brownie to eat back at our hotel!
Wines we tried:
2017 Pinot grigio – Yakima Valley: Rich, golden hue with aromas of ripe apples, orange blossom honey, subtle hints of lemon, and buttery oak. Lively acidity, silky mouthfeel and with a lengthy finish.
2016 CaBernet Sauvignon – Red Mountain Wildflower: The Wildflower Cabernet Sauvignon emits a diverse, bouquet of aromas. This wine displays rich, opulent fruit with notes of black cherry jam, currants, and soft clove along with light oak tannins. Refined, fruity flavors and medium-body create a complex wine with a long, juicy finish.
2016 merlot – Walla Walla Valley: The medium-bodied ruby-red Merlot displays notes of black cherries, blackberries and currants. Black pepper, licorice, and baking spices make for a complex flavor bouquet with moderate oak and long finish.
2016 Pinot noir – Willamette Valley: The 2016 Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley boasts flavors of robust cherry and hints of currants laced with mocha tannins. The wine is medium-bodied with a spiced mouthfeel and gentle acidity making it an elegant, distinguished wine.
You can check out Michael Angelo’s Winery Menu HERE
You can find Michael Angelo’s Winery here: 5515 Broadview Road, Richfield, OH 44286
John Christ Winery
The wines we tried:
Vidal Blanc Ice Wine – Pineapple honey delight
Pink Catawba – A perfect balance of sweet and tart. *** I bought a bottle of this one
Peach– Feeling peachy? This is the one for you
Lambrusca: Medium Dry “Special Blend” of Concord and Niagara, natural grape flavor
You can check out the John Christ Winery website HERE
You can find John Christ Winery here: 32421 Walker Rd. Avon Lake, OH 44012
Klingshirn Winery
This winery was one of my favorites. We stopped to talk to the owner who told us the winery has been in his family since the 30’s. The vineyard is surrounded by new subdivisions that have sprung up around it, but the winery itself has retained its old charm. Tastings are done at the cash register, and there isn’t anywhere to sit inside. We recommend chatting with the owner for a bit and then taking your glasses to one of the picnic tables outside. The family dog likes to check up on you so make sure to give him a pet. Also, I don’t think there is any food available here, but feel free to pack a picnic basket and stay awhile!
Wines we tried:
Country Blush: Hybrid, Semi-Dry Blush wine is an American creation of the 1980s and is made by combining white and red grapes. Klingshirn Winery Country Blush is a semi-dry blend of hybrid wines – like Vidal Blanc and Chambourcin – that produce a beautiful blush color with clean distinctive character of the grapes. *** I bought a bottle of this one
Cabernet Franc: Dry, Cabernet Franc is believed to have been established in the Libournais region of southwest France. In the early 20th Century, plantings in the California wine region were sucessful and popularity peaked in the 1980s. Its ability to ripen sooner and more reliably than other red Vitis Vinifera allows the vine to thrive in slightly cooler climates. The winery locally sources Cabernet Franc grapes, along with their Vitis Vinifera grapes to produce Klingshirn Winery Cabernet Franc. The wine is a full bodied dry red varietal wine with hints of blackberry and strawberry tones and is ideal food pairing wine.
You can check out the Klingshirn Winery HERE
You can find Klingshirn Winery here: 33050 Webber Road Avon Lake OH 44012
CLE Urban Winery
Wines we tried:
Rust Belt Rosé: light and fruity Rosé, with cotton candy on the nose, Jolly Ranchers on the palette, and the tart taste of fresh raspberries at the finish, honors Cleveland’s Rust Belt pride. *** I bought a bottle of this
Lake Eerie Riesling: medium body and acidity and slightly sweet tropical fruit flavors of pineapple, banana and star fruit, honors this great lake.
Drawbridge Pinot Noir: medium body and acidity, mellow tannins, and aromas and flavors of black cherry and berries, honors Cleveland’s river bridges as we wait to hear the one long whistle and two short ones from the water to bring them to life.
Edgewater Blackberry Merlot: medium-bodied, fruit-forward and slightly sweet Blackberry Merlot honors this gorgeous area of Cleveland’s West Side along the Lake Erie shoreline.
North Coast Syrah: full-bodied Syrah, with tart acidity and bold tannins, features aromas and flavors of red berries, pepper, black currants and cocoa and honors Cleveland’s beautiful midwestern waterfront.
You can check out the CLE Urban Winery Menu HERE
You can find the CLE Urban Winery here: 2180 Lee Road Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
Quarry Hill Winery
Quarry Hill winery was the last stop on our way home Sunday afternoon. This winery was off the beaten path and the tasting room overlooked beautiful hills lined with grape vines. This winery and tasting room was built in 2005 and had a modern/rustic feel. They offer a light/limited food menu to compliment the wines. During our visit we grabbed a cheese plate and sat outside with our glasses. Tastings were available at the bar only. Wines here seemed a little more expensive then some of the other stops we made but I still grabbed a bottle of their Riesling. Quarry Hills is part of the Lake Eerie Shores and Islands Wine Trail.
Here are the wines we tried:
Rose’ de Muscat: This was a dry rosé
Cabernet Franc – Dry red
You can check out the Quarry Hills Winery website HERE
You can find the Quarry Hills Winery here: 8403 Mason Road – Berlin Heights, Ohio 44814
We were able to try 6 Ohio Wineries but the state has over 290+ for you to visit. They have many wine trails that would make a perfect weekend trip! Click HERE to begin planning your OHIO WINE TOUR
If you choose to visit the Cleveland Area and follow our winery trail we also want to let you know about some great breweries and restaurants to visit. Keep reading for our foodie and craft beer finds!
You can eat at most of the wineries but we wanted to try a few local restaurants, so save room!
Brew Nuts
Brew Nuts was located in the Gordon Square Arts district. We loved this little neighborhood and stopped here for breakfast on Saturday. There were hip shops and restaurants and we were mad for this cafe. They offer coffee and CRAFT BEER based donuts (plus beer on tap) so this donut shop had something for everyone! It was ROSÉ month so they had a delicious rosé infused donut I just had to try. I would definitely add this to your list of places to visit, and then shop around town for some eclectic souvenirs.
You can check out the Brew Nuts menu HERE
You can check out Gordon Square’s website HERE
You can find Brew Nuts here: 6501 Detroit Ave. Cleveland, OH 44102
West Side Market
If you’re a fan of Detroit’s Eastern Market you’ll swoon over Cleveland’s West Side Market. It’s Cleveland’s oldest public market and houses over 100 vendors offering meats, seafood, fruits, vegetables, baked goods, dairy, flowers, ready-to-eat foods, spices and nuts. There was literally SO MUCH FOOD here. Many of the stands offer sandwiches, desserts, bread, and more to eat while you walk around or to take outside and enjoy. I would definitely add this to your list of places to visit. Saturday afternoon it was bustling with tons of people and the atmosphere was exciting.
You can check out West Side Market website HERE
You can find West Side Market here: 1979 West 25th Street Cleveland, Ohio 44113
The Fairmount
After a day of wine tasting we wanted some substantial food for dinner. Our last winery stop was CLE Urban Winery in Cleveland Heights so we picked a restaurant in the same area. This place was a great find with an array of Craft cocktails and an impressive menu. We sat at the bar but they also had an outdoor patio that looked lovely. Let me state for the record their Rosemary Bacon Fries may be on my 2019 BEST OF list. They were topped with Gouda Bechamel, bacon, goat cheese, and rosemary oil.
You can check out the Fairmount’s Menu HERE
You can find The Fairmount here: 2448 FAIRMOUNT BLVD CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH 44106
Larder Delicatessen
Remember that PRO-TIP I mentioned earlier? When I told you to chat with the locals? That came in handy when one of our bartenders told us we HAD to stop at Larder Delicatessen for breakfast Sunday morning. Larder’s is located in another cute little neighborhood called Hingetown. The delicatessen inhabits an old firehouse and on our sunny Sunday morning visit the big garage door was open, welcoming us in. I ordered the Danish French Toast and it was divine. The menu is always changing but you’re guaranteed to find sandwiches and dishes made with the highest quality locally sourced and foraged ingredients.
You can check out the Larder Delicatessen & Bakery website HERE
You can find Larder Delicatessen & Bakery here: 1455 W 29th St. Cleveland, OH
You can learn more about Hingetown HERE
Somehow in-between eating and drinking wine we found room for 2 Breweries. Cleveland is known for it’s craft beer so I’m glad we fit these stops into our itinerary!
Bookhouse Brewing
Bookhouse Brewing was one of our favorite stops over the weekend. It’s located near West Side Market so we walked over after shopping. We loved our bartender who had tons of useful info about the city and places to eat. We also learned that technically Bookhouse is also a winery because they make cider. Any brewery that makes cider in Ohio has to apply to also be a winery. FACTS. Another interesting tidbit about Bookhouse is they have ZERO tvs inside. Instead they have a lending library and encourage you to read at the bar and actually talk to the people sitting next to you. We LOVED it. The weekend I was there they had a saison/wine hybrid called the Purple Coovee which was delicious. Another bit of trivia we learned from the guys that own the place – they loved the Detroit Guardian Building so much they used it as inspiration for their logo!
You can check out the Bookhouse Brewing Menu HERE
You can find Bookhouse Brewing here:1526 W 25TH ST CLEVELAND, OH
Sibling Revelry Brewing
We randomly saw a sign for Sibling Revelry Brewing while we were inside Brew Nuts and decided we wanted to give it a try. The place was packed and the beer was great. My cousin tried a full beer flight but I sipped on a Grapefruit Seltzer that was dang good. No food available here, although during our visit there was a rib cook off going with tickets available for purchase. If you’re into craft beer I would definitely add this place to your list during your visit.
You can check out the Sibling Revelry Brewing website HERE
You can find Sibling Revelry Brewing here: 29305 Clemens Road, Westlake, OH 44145
Overall we had an amazing time during our weekend visit to Cleveland, Ohio. We want to thank Find Ohio Wines for sponsoring our #GROWNHEREGETAWAY
We’ve included an itinerary you can follow of everything we did during our winery tour weekend! This did include a lot of driving – so make sure you choose a designated driver!
