Girlfriends' Daytrip- Wine Tasting in Geneva

Wine Tasting in Geneva
Geneva, Ohio
April 25, 2009

The northeast tip of Ohio is wine country and is a great destination for a one-tank day trip. We spent an amazing day celebrating a few birthdays in our group. Diana, Jean and Janet were all born on April 23. Diana came up with the great idea to spend the day doing a wine tour of five of the vineyards and wineries in the area. The Winegrowers of the Grand River Valley planned ‘Around the World’, which paired appetizers from different European regions with wines from the Grand River Valley Wine Region. The participating wineries were Debonné Vineyards, Ferrante Winery & Restorante, Grand River Cellars Winery & Restaurant, Laurello Vineyards and St. Joseph Vineyards.

The group included Diana, Di’s friend Kristen, Janet and Jean, Jan, Megan and I. Much thanks to Kristen who provided our mode of transportation, a rocking minivan, and herself as designated driver! Jill, Di’s GPS, unit assisted in directing us to our destinations. The day couldn’t have been better. After a long winter, we were enjoying unseasonably warm April temperatures in the mid-80s. It was so nice being able to wear tank tops and sandals again. We all piled in the minivan and laughed and talked as we headed toward the wine region, taking Interstate 77 North to Interstate 271 North to Interstate 90 East to Route 534.

The first vineyard we visited was Debonné Vineyards. Debonné is a large, polished, bustling vineyard with a lot of outdoor spaces to sit and relax while drinking a bottle of wine and enjoying a cheese plate purchased at the vineyard. The grounds would also be beautiful for a wedding ceremony and reception. They were serving food from Slovenia- Zlinkrofi, a meat-filled dumpling with sauerkraut- and a choice of three white and three red wines. I tried two whites- Vidal Blanc, a sweet wine and Jazz White, a semi-dry. I tried a sip of Kristen’s Harmony, a blend of Chardonnay, Merlot and Riesling. All were good but I preferred the Vidal Blanc. After we each enjoyed a sample of the appetizer and two glasses of wine, we browsed the wine shop, beer tasting room and gift shop. After purchasing a few bottles of wine we gathered to head to the next stop. All in all, Debonné is a beautiful vineyard in a nice setting but lacks a little character.

We headed to St. Joseph Vineyards next. After the polished look of Debonné, St. Joseph seemed like a real home with a tasting room in the back. I loved it- it had a very low key appeal. They were serving food from Germany- a delicious quiche called Zwiebelkuchen German Onion Pie- which was simply scrumptious. Even my very picky little sister Megan, a real hamburger and fries type chick, loved the quiche! I enjoyed mine paired with a Riesling. My next wine choice was the Pinot Noir, which I really enjoyed. Jean got the Merlot and Megan tried the Shiraz so we were all able to sample and compare the three. I think the Pinot Noir won by a landslide! We wandered out back to a small pond and then headed out to the back porch of the tasting room. Picnicking is allowed at St. Joseph so patrons were enjoying their own cheese and fruit with a bottle of wine purchased on site while looking out toward the pond and the wooded areas beyond. I loved the quirky character of this place.

The Grand River Cellars Winery was right up the road and our next destination. To me and I believe everyone else in the group, this was the highlight of the ‘Around the World’ tour. The winery has nice grounds with a restaurant, outdoor patio and manicured landscaping and is understated rather than overdone. After purchasing our tickets, we were told to head down into the cellar. We walked down a series of steps into the basement and entered a huge room with giant vats of wine, other equipment and oak barrels lining the walls. The lights were dimmed and white twinkle lights illuminated the space, paired with candles on wine barrels set up to be used as tables to add to the ambiance. We were all blown away by the charm! We had our choice of their Austin’s White or Austin’s Red paired with an Irish Beef Stew and Oatmeal Bread. I’m not a huge stew fan but it was really good and I loved the bread. We gathered around a wine barrel turned cocktail table and enjoyed the atmosphere of the cellar. A gentleman invited us to sample more wines and we headed over to his table to sample their Vidal Blanc Ice Wine, a winner of the Director’s Choice Award for the Best Dessert Wine in the State! Next he gave us a glass of the White Fox, a sweet wine made from Niagara grapes. I loved the grapeyness of this wine and after resisting at other vineyards, I decided to buy a bottle of the White Fox. In terms of atmosphere, hospitality and warmth, the Grand River Cellars Winery was a huge hit among our group. I hope to visit again soon to try their restaurant, ‘The Tipsy Grape Grille.’

Next we drove to Laurello Vineyards. We had a blast just getting there because Jill instructed us to turn into a grape vine field so Kristen steered the minivan down a dirt road but found another dirt road that led right to the vineyard parking lot. It was an adventure within an adventure. The Laurello Vineyard featured Sicilian Bruschetta. I’m usually not a huge tomato fan but I enjoyed the appetizer with an assortment of red wines. The decor of the vineyard was laid back. There were fish on the wall, large doors, concrete floors and a spacious sitting area with chairs in the back near the barn. The settling was lovely but there wasn’t anything about it that set it apart from the rest. But, the owner would come out to check on customers and the patrons would chat with each other. As one guy asked us what we were celebrating, another took a few groups pictures of us. The laidback atmosphere is complimented by laidback clientele.

The wine tour was from noon to five but it was nearly six by the time we reached Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, our final destination. Although we knew we’d miss the featured Italian appetizer of Portobello Mushroom Risotto and wine pairings, we thought it would be a great ending to our day because it has a restaurant where we could unwind and reflect on the day. The winery is big and bustling- quite the spot to end the evening. Many of the groups that were there were celebrating as well. We got on the restaurant list and then explored the building. There is a gift shop, wine bar and outdoor patio where live music was being played. The outdoor area had several different pavilions and a fountain in the middle. We relaxed outside with a few glasses of wine and listened to the music while watching a woman who was pleasantly drunk on wine dance around the patio. By this point I, too, was pleasantly drunk and very much enjoyed just sitting and enjoying the environment while sipping on glasses of Bianco and Vidal Blanc wines. Our table was large and situated right in front of the windows so we had a great view of the grounds and musician. Megan and I decided to share the Portobello Mushroom & Artichoke Bruschetta, the Pizza Margarita and the Tiramisu. All were amazing. A few others tried the dinner for two which was a three-course meal with wine pairings- cheese manicotti and lobster to start, a beef dish for the second dish and cannoli with red ice dessert wine for dessert. I really enjoyed the restaurant at Ferrante and look forward to returning. Although Ferrante is a larger vineyard that lacks some of the character the smaller vineyards seem to have, it is still warm and relaxing.

To say I had a blast in wine country would be an understatement. As celebrations go, the wine tour was the perfect choice. Not only did I get to spend a beautiful day with my closest friends but we got to enjoy a little slice of what Ohio has to offer. Each vineyard had its own feeling and attitude and I loved the mix that we experienced. There are several other wineries in the area to explore and I can’t wait to visit the region again!

Special thanks to Diana who provided all the pics!