Premier Regions
Ohio's most celebrated wine regions — the essential destinations for any wine country visit.
About Ohio Wine Country
Ohio wine country has a history that most wine lovers don't know — and that history is remarkable. Before Prohibition, Ohio was the largest wine-producing state in America. The Cincinnati area, known as the Rhineland of America for its German immigrant winemakers, produced sparkling Catawba that was served at the White House and praised by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Ohio wine didn't just exist before Prohibition; it was America's finest.
The Grand River Valley AVA east of Cleveland is where Ohio wine reaches its current highest expression. Thirty producers including Debonné Vineyards (the state's most awarded), Grand River Cellars, and Laurello Vineyards make Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay from the lake-moderated soils of the Grand River corridor. The wines are serious, and serious wine lovers have been slow to give them the credit they deserve.
The Lake Erie Islands offer something genuinely unique in American viticulture: island vineyards accessible only by ferry, producing Catawba, Riesling, and Vidal Blanc on South Bass, Kelleys, and North Bass Islands. The ferry ride is part of the experience, and Put-in-Bay's combination of historic winery visits and island resort culture creates a wine tourism experience unlike anything else in the Midwest.
More Ohio Wine Regions
Every corner of Ohio wine country — from the most visited to the hidden gems.
