tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69970984723283287462024-03-13T20:24:45.760-07:00Ohio's Lake Erie WineriesA blog about the Lake Erie shores and islands vineyards and wineries, inspired by the book "Ohio's Lake Erie Wineries" by Claudia J. Taller and the wine country adventures that preceded it.Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-17832918468009654522016-04-20T19:13:00.001-07:002016-04-20T19:14:00.400-07:00Time to Hit the Wine Trails!It's Time to Hit the Wineries Trails!
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On the Wines and Vines trail along Lake Erie east of Cleveland, you're in a historic wine district along the shores of the lake in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. What makes the Lake Erie Appellation unique is the temperate climate that allows viticulturists to grow vinifera Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, and Chardonnay grapes, as well as Vignoles, Baco Noir, and Lemberger varieties. Notable wineries that make bottle estate-grown wines are Klingshirn, Vermilion Valley, Quarry Hill, Tarsitano, and Markko. The experience of tasting wine ranges from standing in bottle storage room, sitting by a cozy fire by with a view of Lake Erie, or eating a sausage and cheese plate at a picnic table.
The Lake Erie Islands are known to have the longest growing season in the Eastern United States. Half of Isle Saint George, also known as North Bass Island, is covered by grapes. Gewurtztraminer, Riesling, and many other grapes grow hardy on the island. Catawba and Delaware grapes have been cultivated on the low, flat island since its settlement in the first half of the nineteenth century. Firelands Winery, one of Ohio’s largest, and Heineman’s, Ohio’s longest continuously-operating winery, use Isle St. George grapes. No wineries exist on North Bass Island.
The Finger Lakes region lies south of the Lake Erie region, but the great lakes from New York and into Indiana.
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Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-53968607099255678842016-02-16T16:30:00.003-08:002016-02-16T16:30:53.014-08:00Too long since I posted, way . . .<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Too Long. But in the last couple of years I produced a new book--Ohio's Canal Country Wineries, another Arcadia book. Find out more about that book at my website: <a href="http://claudiajtaller.com"></a>. Over 40 wineries follow a trail from Cuyahoga Falls to Coshocton and out towards Youngstown, the Western Reserve farmlands. This is not wine country, but it is farm country, and they're growing grapes today. The new book acts as a guidebook, taking people along on weekend journeys or weekday escapes. I hope you like that book as well as you liked the first one.
And if you want to learn more about Ohio wines, check out Pairings -- Ohio's Wine & Culinary Experience, in Geneva. Learn how to properly use knives or the nuances of tasting wine, or attend one of their dinners where food is professional paired with wines. Their job is to provide you with experiences that enhance your appreciation of Ohio wines, which is why they are unveiling a new Wine Club. Find out more at <a href="http://pairingsohio.com/"></a>.
I hope to meet you on the wine trails!Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-57872517513375393652016-02-16T16:28:00.000-08:002016-02-16T16:28:21.382-08:00Check out Chancellor Wine at Kosicek Winery in GenevaThe first time I had Chancellor Wine, a deep red, usually made dry, wine from French hybrid grapes, I was in the New York Finger Lakes, on Cayuga Lake, about 20 years ago. Now I've found an excellent rendition of the wine at Kosicek Winery in Harpersfield. Find out more about this great winery, which grew out of a long vineyard tradition, at http://www.kosicekvineyards.com/. I'm looking forward to buying more Chancellor and enjoying their warm and cozy dining room.
Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-51556275538954191482014-09-27T18:53:00.000-07:002016-02-16T16:27:33.613-08:00Continuing the Tradition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today, after buying 500 vines a year in the intervening years, Arnie has 45-50 acres are planted but he lost his vines in 2014. How Arnie Esterer will carry on after that loss is hard to know. Of the various hybrids tried, the only one that remained was Chambourcin, which does not contain diglycerides and is free of phylloxera, the root louse that caused the demise of European vineyards in the late 1800s. Esterer prefers to grow the great wine grapes—Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Cabernet, and Pinot Noir. Ever concerned about quality, he is ardent about Lake Erie’s reputation. He believes that “if the region is known by hybrids, we’ll be known for second-rate wine.” Markko Vineyards has a 2000-case capacity and produces at least 1000 cases annually.
The Markko trellising system, which is shown on Markko Vineyard’s website, features the raising of the bi-lateral cordon to 54 inches to help grapes survive severe winters. With four spur-cane fruiting positions on the arms of the trellis, it becomes a no-tie system that allows the fruiting canes to droop as buds break and shoots grow. In a teaching voice, Esterer writes on the website, “The higher cordon adds benefits of a warmer micro-climate spring, fall and winter, better air flow and leaf exposure, more ergonomic canopy management and picking zone, open foliage for better spray penetration, and most importantly requires no tying of fruiting canes. The only spring tying required depends on
securing trunks and cordon arms to the trellis wire.”
Arnie does not use pesticides on his grapes, to allow natural, organic, bacterial fermentation. He uses only natural yeast. Esterer interferes with the fermentation as little as possible. He filters only if necessary, and he filters with egg whites, a method called “fining,” if the wine has too much tanninsFining smoothes out the wines.
The cellar, which mimics Dr. Frank’s on Keuka Lake, is at 40 degrees for two months every winter, which takes down the acid in the cellar and acts as a cold stabilizer. The juice ferments in the barrels for three or more years, 6-7 years of fermentation for sparkling wines, to achieve the maximum amount of body to the wine and achieve the “in the mouth” balance of salt, sugar, acidity, astringency, and roundness. One of the key ingredients of the Markko cellar is black mold. “Mold is essential in the wine cellar,” Esterer says.
Anyone serious about winemaking should keep an eye on Arnie Esterer at Markko Vineyard. He models the idea of allowing the Earth give back to us, the harvest to provide just what is needed, and the wine to ferment in a way that yields a flavor as varied as the colors of the sunset. “Customers need to see how wines are made,” Esterer advises. “Winemaking is an art because it sells like art.” Customers should like and appreciate the winemaker. At Markko Vineyard, Arnie Esterer’s love of winemaking gladdens the heart.
Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-28438126913905329892014-08-31T18:49:00.000-07:002014-08-31T18:58:28.171-07:00CRAFTSMANSHIP AT MARKKO VINEYARDS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibErbLu83JXPjpg5bKtXFgBAuNeYaBIHYniLMkmMAElLCz95Ms9QYN0cjFKTvWUMKkgWi0ksQnmxFhrSsfVTvDVcGpG1ja-aVrdA9nQwRYfs9kYWRS3BM_1475bkpo0VDxkFWznE8kD3vZ/s1600/IMG_1073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibErbLu83JXPjpg5bKtXFgBAuNeYaBIHYniLMkmMAElLCz95Ms9QYN0cjFKTvWUMKkgWi0ksQnmxFhrSsfVTvDVcGpG1ja-aVrdA9nQwRYfs9kYWRS3BM_1475bkpo0VDxkFWznE8kD3vZ/s320/IMG_1073.JPG" /></a></div>Wine craftsman Arnie Esterer of Conneaut, Ohio, runs<a href="http://markko.com/"> Markko Vineyard</a>, an experimental winery and is a true Midwest wine pioneer who uses spontaneous fermentations, cellar molds, and risky sur lee barrel aging. In Ohio’s Lake Erie appellation, Esterer is the expert to whom everyone turns for advice on growing grapes and making wine at his Conneaut Creek winery.
Esterer runs a humble winery where the winemaker is a servant who goes with what the Earth yields. No-frills and heartfelt hospitality reflects Arnie’s feeling that “Wine doesn’t have to be aristocratic.” During Markko’s annual Christmas potluck, Arnie treated everyone to white, pink, and red sparkling wines to celebrate the season. Above the tasting counter, the wooden plaque reads “Gladden the Heart,” a motto that runs through the winery.
Born in Germany but raised in Ann Arbor, Esterer graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Economics and an MBA. He served in the US Navy and engineered for Union Carbide for close to 20 years. Living in the Lake Erie region, he was surrounded by grapes and wine-making. “Everyone was a home winemaker in 1967,” he mused on a recent Friday afternoon while we enjoyed his fish soup with Chardonnay. As we talked about those early days, he said “everyone was growing their own grapes and sharing their product with friends and family back then.” Esterer began making his own wine and was so passionate about it that his wife Katie said he should start working in a winery.
In the 1960s, he read American Wines and How to Make Them, a book by Philip Wagner who founded Maryland’s Boordy Vineyards. The book discussed how the cross between labrusca and vinifera wines creates vines that can withstand harsh climates and yield European-style wines, and by 1936, Wagner had introduced hybrid grapes to his vineyards. Esterer was intrigued. In his quest to learn more about wine making, he was also conferring with Doug Moorhead of Presque Isle Wine Cellars, who purchased French hybrid vines from Wagner and vinifera vines from Dr. Konstantin Frank in New York.
Esterer became intrigued. He wanted to grow vinifera grapes as well. He contacted Dr. Frank, and in October 1967, Arnie pressed wine with Dr. Frank and other experts from Cornell University. It was then that he was inspired to plant a vineyard. He and partner Tim Hubbard who died in 2000, purchased 130 acres of land on scalloped Lake Erie region countryside. Arnie learned that site selection requires a prospective vineyard owner to “choose a place with remnants of wild grapes.” In the Spring of 1968, Esterer and Hubbard asked Dr. Frank to send them 2000 vines; Dr. Frank shipped them 500, probably knowing that’s all they could handle. Working diligently and ever concerned about quality and good methodology, Esterer was rewarded with the AWS Award of Merit in 1997 and was profiled in a 1974 Esquire magazine as one of the four great winemakers in the United States.
Anyone who meets him, just loves Arnie. Whenever I see him, his number-one priority is making me happy--whether it's answering my questions, making sure I taste his latest Chardonnay vintage, or checking to see if I need some more cheese. Over and over again, what I hear from his fellow vintners is how much they learned from Arnie. I hope they learned more than how to make wine.Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-6677332109991420672013-11-17T19:27:00.000-08:002013-11-17T19:27:39.130-08:00The Vermilion TourOne of the easiest trails from Cleveland is the Vermilion Valley tour. Paper Moon, Vermilion Valley, and Matus Winery are only minutes from each other, and they highlight how every winery provides a unique experience. Paper Moon has a new Old World feel with its high ceilings, large fireplace, and casual patio near the vineyards where music is heard in the summer and a bonfire blazes in the fall. Vermilion Valley makes a statement with its A-line building on a hill overlooking a pond and rows upon rows of vineyards, while inside, the clean lines of the minimalist architecture complement the business of wine tasting. And at Matus, the oldest of the three wineries, the rugged interior invites parties for people who like wine but aren't quite as serious about it. The three winemakers are as different as the wineries, and their <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgJZrffIIo540Xr4Yj1nKrB2bLc-xgf_Ji-1SUcClA6Zz3b973cSfh7a6ntROXeP41AJPyd9_ZTppWN_rEAFhG-lf1vSj2Qlr1BUu45Jec67D_ey8e5ur9erSKVZ1kO5GJ3vt2l7Q6KlL/s1600/153.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgJZrffIIo540Xr4Yj1nKrB2bLc-xgf_Ji-1SUcClA6Zz3b973cSfh7a6ntROXeP41AJPyd9_ZTppWN_rEAFhG-lf1vSj2Qlr1BUu45Jec67D_ey8e5ur9erSKVZ1kO5GJ3vt2l7Q6KlL/s200/153.tiff" /></a></div>personalities are reflected in the space provided for people to enjoy their wines. You'll find the wines to be better than expected, but that might be because you haven't tried the estate-bottled and handcrafted wines available only at our local wineries.Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-6084988904561016792013-10-26T04:18:00.000-07:002014-08-31T18:59:02.623-07:00And Next -- Ohio's Canal Country WineriesI launched into deep research for my next book by spending a couple days at Gervasi Vineyards in Canton, an amazing Tuscan village on an old tree farm within city limits. Gervasi is a destination winery, as is Breitenbach, where I met with the impressive owner who showed me his winemaking operations. Paul and I visited wineries in Dover, Atwater, and Coschocton, some that grow their own grapes and others that don't, but all with the same passion I found when I wrote "Ohio's Lake Erie Wineries." More details about the wineries I recently discovered and weekend winetasting trips can be found here, until I create space of its own for the next book.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0MX213k6n6B5-R8Ukh87ljbqX4Y2R4GrEVHhmDj6PfDX5EvNIzE0Bi75QE3LWE8m3nXFaHVcvGgeeIKVUQlfT-Y3pGvgvGpfdVseh-mqpwQd2xMoLmQYfX0Ui2j8Aa9kvfusJzRPucCp/s1600/430+-+Klingshirn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0MX213k6n6B5-R8Ukh87ljbqX4Y2R4GrEVHhmDj6PfDX5EvNIzE0Bi75QE3LWE8m3nXFaHVcvGgeeIKVUQlfT-Y3pGvgvGpfdVseh-mqpwQd2xMoLmQYfX0Ui2j8Aa9kvfusJzRPucCp/s320/430+-+Klingshirn.JPG" /></a></div>Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-78878068190270621272013-08-07T07:11:00.002-07:002013-08-07T07:11:15.723-07:00ANOTHER WINERIES ADVENTURE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhupasMr2MPf2EdUNs9ongMzL5_xINcFiDyXqBFg79FG5X7gmkeJ3yE4tNidgKQn2QV7vZgr_sQ6t4ZHPnK4D97L6yRW10eiMHkXrYA8Thc6e95rj4yv3Em22HW596O8cAQcyDSvBLYAiqM/s1600/082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhupasMr2MPf2EdUNs9ongMzL5_xINcFiDyXqBFg79FG5X7gmkeJ3yE4tNidgKQn2QV7vZgr_sQ6t4ZHPnK4D97L6yRW10eiMHkXrYA8Thc6e95rj4yv3Em22HW596O8cAQcyDSvBLYAiqM/s200/082.JPG" width="200" /></a>I'm looking for fellow wineries explorers to join me on weekends over the coming months. Our mission: to learn as much as we can about the Canal Trail wineries of Ohio. Come along with me as I research my next book. Any takers? Send me an e-mail--claudia.taller@yahoo.com.</div>
Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-10775048639334929552012-11-09T02:11:00.000-08:002012-11-09T02:11:00.041-08:00Upcoming Book Signings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: #dadbde; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">Coming up on Winter again, the harvest over, we hope this winter will be kinder to our grapes than last winter was. An early spring followed by a frost hurt last year's crop, but the warm summer created some really great juice for next year's wines. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #dadbde; font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;">I'm going to make the most of winter by planning a wineries tour for mid-January. This should stave off the winter blues. Until then, find me and my books (which make great Christmas gifts) at Laurello Vineyards in the Geneva area on November 17 from 12-5PM; at Markko Winery in Conneaut from 11AM-6PM on December 1; and at Quarry Hill in Berlin Heights from 2:30-6:30PM on December 8. </span></span></div>
Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-50786104642322410672012-10-22T02:03:00.000-07:002012-10-22T02:03:31.348-07:00Silver Lining Riesling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: black;">Silver
Lining Dry Riesling was released at Paper Moon Winery on Thursday, March 8th. Last summer, Adam Cawrse
(winemaker), visited Canada to attend a Reisling conference, and he was inspired to try some new techniques. Only 139 cases of their Silver Lining wine was made available, and we were able to try some during the September wine tasting. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The Riesling grapes in this wine were
hand-picked from Ohio vineyards in the Lake Erie appellation. The grapes were
crushed, lightly pressed, and juice was pumped to a tank for cold settling where it fermented for 3-1/2 weeks. The wine is exceptional with pear, melon, and citrus flavors. It is a great wine, and if you get there soon, you can try it! Paper Moon is on Route 60 in Vermilion.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br />
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Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-76921391856753115492012-10-07T03:53:00.000-07:002012-10-07T03:53:00.722-07:00No One But Hermes Would Dare . . . <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
To grow 25 varieties of grapes on land near Lake Erie in Sandusky. The first vineyards were planted at Hermes Vineyards &
Winery in 2002, ten years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
A country drive south on Route 4 in Sandusky travels through
lush farm country not far from Lake Erie’s shores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hermes Vineyards, surrounded by wild
flowers, hosts wine tastings in an old threshing barn with a dilapidated
silo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But don’t be fooled by its rustic
interior—the barn has been restored into an intimate spot in which to enjoy
Ohio wines from European-style vinifera grapes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>The wine list contains no
grapes native to Ohio, no Catawbas or Concords or anything other varieties
enjoyed in the area during Ohio’s early winemaking days before the Prohibition.
The super-peppery Grenache and the award-winning 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon can
make this wine maker proud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As can the
amazing variety of wines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>White wines
include the well-made Semillon and true German Gewurztraminer and
Reisling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unlike most white wines, the
Sauvignon Blanc is semi-sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The red
wines include grapes originating in Spain, like the Tempranillo, some from
France--French Petit Verdot and Merlot--and Italian vines including Sangiovese
and Nebbiolo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The Sandusky vineyards contain only vinifera grapes--Italian, Spanish, Rhone, and Burgundy grapes are brought in from nurseries after the owner studies the clones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The grapes include Vignior, Alianco, Sangiovese, Nebiola, Cabernet, Tarilea, and Reisling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Owner Dr. David Kraus's mother’s family grew grapes in Germany’s Moselle Valley where the
Hermes family still grows grapes today.Formerly
known as Sand Hill Winery, its name was changed to Hermes Winery to solve the
confusion raised by the name of the vineyards, which has always been
Hermes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-60336802215684795872012-09-30T03:40:00.000-07:002012-09-30T03:40:00.434-07:00A Purist in Wine and Food - Ken Tarsitano<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Ken Tarsitano, owner and wine maker at Tarsitano Winery
& Café in Conneaut, encouraged me to focus on current wineries along the lakeshore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ken takes growing grapes and making
estate-bottled wines a step further:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>he takes the extra steps to be an organic wine maker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When one opens a bottle of Tarsitano wine,
which must be tasted with bread warm from the oven and made behind the tasting
counter, one tastes the Earth along the lake shore. On dairy land originally
owned by the Finnish Ahos and Italian Tarsitanos in Conneaut, Tarsitano Winery
perches on a ridge in a cedar-sided barn. The winery, certified organic in 1998,
grows grapes more naturally by recognizing the negative charges of the vines.
Wine production occurs year round with the introduction of new bottlings at
Christmas to replace those brought out in the summer. The Lemberger wine is
fruity and full-bodied and worth the trip. The smell of baking bread entices visitors to linger over a dish of pasta while admiring the rows of vineyards<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>outside the window. All four
Conneaut Creek wineries equal one Ferrante in production, so they collaborate
with events like progressive dinners. </div>
</div>
Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-10177273155890484682012-09-23T03:30:00.000-07:002012-09-23T03:30:02.126-07:00Ohio - Premier Wine Producing State<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The lure of a romantic lifestyle and self-sufficiency leads
new vintners to follow their dreams every year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Most people don’t know that Ohio once produced more wine than any other
state during the mid-1800s, primarily due to the efforts of real estate tycoon
Nicholas Longworth of Cincinnati, who cultivated 1200 acres of Catawba grapes
on his Ohio River Valley land by 1840. Longworth became wealthy by planting and
harvesting grapes, pressing them to extract the juice, and fermenting the juice
into wine. When southern Ohio grapes started to rot on the vine, the Lake Erie
wine industry flourished. Ohio’s wine industry languished as California’s star
rose at the turn of the 20<sup>th</sup> century. Many wineries continued to
produce wine for local consumption, and nearby farms and vineyards supplied the
grapes until industrialization from Cleveland to Toledo swallowed up prime
growing property along the lakeshore. Prohibition destroyed the wine industry
in Ohio, but a small number of farms along Lake Erie’s shore continued to grow
grapes. </div>
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Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-78157652506981163742012-09-16T03:28:00.000-07:002012-09-16T03:28:00.890-07:00European Viniferas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Wine lovers are often surprised to see Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays in the Lake Erie Region. Lake Erie moderates the lake temperatures, giving the islands and lakeshore a long growing season. While other areas of the state have difficulty growing vinifera wines, the growers in the Lake Erie Appellation can take advantage of their unique climate and grow some of those "noble grapes." Wine connoisseurs and European descendents knew the best
wine came from European varietals. Ohio’s serious winemakers were influenced by
the passionate efforts of Californians to cultivate hybrid and vinifera grapes
and by Dr. Konstantin Frank of New York’s Finger Lakes region, who learned how
to cultivate vinifera grapes in New York. In the 1960s and 1970s, Ohio’s family
farms and wine-loving entrepreneurs turned towards planting vineyards to create
high-quality European-style vinifera wines. Chardonnay and Cabernet grapes grew
alongside native Concord and hybrid Catawba.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
The first one to try grafting vinifera root stock on native stock was Arnie Esterer of Markko Vineyards. The tables on his deck are waiting for you. </span><br />
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Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-12443591980107046852012-09-10T04:16:00.000-07:002012-09-10T04:16:00.206-07:00My First "Official" Wineries Tour<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgJZrffIIo540Xr4Yj1nKrB2bLc-xgf_Ji-1SUcClA6Zz3b973cSfh7a6ntROXeP41AJPyd9_ZTppWN_rEAFhG-lf1vSj2Qlr1BUu45Jec67D_ey8e5ur9erSKVZ1kO5GJ3vt2l7Q6KlL/s1600/153.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvgJZrffIIo540Xr4Yj1nKrB2bLc-xgf_Ji-1SUcClA6Zz3b973cSfh7a6ntROXeP41AJPyd9_ZTppWN_rEAFhG-lf1vSj2Qlr1BUu45Jec67D_ey8e5ur9erSKVZ1kO5GJ3vt2l7Q6KlL/s200/153.tiff" width="130" /></a><br />
We had a great time on our wineries tour this past Saturday. Paul and I led fourteen people to four wineries in Lorain and Erie counties, starting with one of the wineries closest to our home: Klingshirn Winery in Avon Lake. When we arrived, third-generation winemaker Lee Klingshirn was waiting to take us on tour, starting with his vineyards. We learned everything we could possibly want to know about growing grapes and making wine from Lee, and the lesson continued. Adam Cawrse at Paper Moon and David Benzing at Vermilion Valley gave us tour-talks, and when we arrived at Matus, Bob Matus took us out back so we could watch them crush the grapes. We drank wines ranging in color from an almost clear Reflections of Lake Erie white blend to a neon-red dDornfelder. We enjoyed French hybrid wines at Klingshirn, discovered how a new winery makes great wine from California grapes in Ohio, experimented with European viniferas we never heard of, and sipped native labruscas like Niagara and Concord. The sun came out after a dreary start, which lifted our spirits. At the end of the tour, everyone said they were looking forward to the next one. Paul and I are too. We'll keep you posted.</div>
Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-53766810362596626132012-09-07T03:22:00.000-07:002012-09-07T03:22:00.453-07:00Wine Country Adventures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Award-winning Pinot Noirs from St. Joseph share the stage
with Emerine Estates, which produces fruit wines, like blueberry and country
apple wines. Quarry Hill Winery used to sell its wines in an apple barn and Mon Ami
serves its wine in elegant dining rooms. The Lake Erie Shores & Islands
Wine Trail and the Lake Erie Vines & Wines Trail provide an afternoon or
weekend adventure with sweeping views of Lake Erie along scenic byways. A great
selection of wine can be enjoyed in cozy tasting rooms or fresh-air patios.
Serenading accordion music and oven-fresh bread lull into Old World siestas. It's time to schedule your wine-country adventure!<br />
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Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-75622401206028702062012-09-02T03:18:00.000-07:002012-09-02T03:18:00.777-07:00Becoming an Expert, Year by Year<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wvHwiJ1MFpeERSHbhCCckH9nbTmCY5S3SbtP4xYxRqmxfZUSS24IcsoQZ_D1E1RojgbbRzefqrZpGl184YnDcBBrDYx6F1ejOcbKNvup1XEJz-hkXdYF1IXBdCBMzAGXfklJDbIsyH30/s1600/2011+-+Matus+2008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1wvHwiJ1MFpeERSHbhCCckH9nbTmCY5S3SbtP4xYxRqmxfZUSS24IcsoQZ_D1E1RojgbbRzefqrZpGl184YnDcBBrDYx6F1ejOcbKNvup1XEJz-hkXdYF1IXBdCBMzAGXfklJDbIsyH30/s200/2011+-+Matus+2008.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
Winemaking began as a basement hobby for Bob Matus, owner of Matus Winery. Before he opened the winery, he was beating seasoned winemakers in competitions. <span style="font-family: "BookmanITC Lt BT";">In 1998, Bob started growing his own grapes, featuring hybrids such as Foche, Chambourcin, Traminette, and Vidal Blanc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2003, he was named Northern Ohio Winemaker of the Year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matus Winery opened on June 17, 2006, on the 75-year-old Matus Farm in Wakeman, Ohio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The building was put together from remnants of an old tavern in Birmingham, wood from trees on the property, and local sandstone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span> has been making wine for a while. <span style="font-family: "BookmanITC Lt BT";">In 2008, the barn was moved, an addition added, and renovations made. Placed above the mantel in the sandstone is a beautiful 5-foot sandstone wine bottle etched with the Matus Winery logo also made from local sandstone by marble and stone artist, Albert Gasparini.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The winery contains many old treasures with stories all their own. The winery is a </span>little further west of Vermilion Valley. Their Riesling is the most popular. </div>
Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-20011238064062704982012-08-30T03:06:00.000-07:002012-08-30T03:06:00.524-07:00In the Midst of the Vermilion Valley<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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</span>David Benzing and his partners at Vermilion Valley Vineyards opened their beautiful eco-friendly winery on Gore Orphanage Road several years ago. The enviornmentally-friendly winery building is surrounded by vineyards. The winery seeks to educate its patrons on the different styles of wine--estate-bottled vinifera, labrusca, fruit--and has planted oer 5000 grape vines. Music and food are offered on select weekends. Also check their calendar for star gazing on scheduled evenings. Meats and accompaniments are available to create your own picnic meal, including pick-it-yourself sweet corn, salad fixings, and blueberries and other fruits in season. Vermilion Valley Vineyards and Winery about two miles east of the village of Birmingham in northern Lorain County. It will be included on the September 8 wine tour.</div>
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Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-42531724750872942392012-08-27T18:39:00.000-07:002012-08-27T18:39:00.174-07:00It's Only a Paper Moon . . . <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidD2Rlf5xymBWDtFV-9es449jz0h5Y1DcksYG4EDohsseQ4dAOgVvU7vg2ngvH16vw93DBjZxqlrtncmQFKN5Y-brvGIzXvhrsvssk5W_Hv6NVxyVQ9rQ4g39aTVOa6KoB4gMJgvShMMLd/s1600/108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidD2Rlf5xymBWDtFV-9es449jz0h5Y1DcksYG4EDohsseQ4dAOgVvU7vg2ngvH16vw93DBjZxqlrtncmQFKN5Y-brvGIzXvhrsvssk5W_Hv6NVxyVQ9rQ4g39aTVOa6KoB4gMJgvShMMLd/s200/108.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black;">I'm putting off selecting the menu for lunch on the September 8 wine tour, want to think through how I want the experience to be for the guests, and I'm still waiting for RSVPs. I've enjoyed the Panini sandwiches in the past, and one of the best things at the winery is the ability to see the winemaking operations from the dining area. The winery makes a number of good wines, but we should focus on the dry Rie</span><span style="color: black;">sling. Last summer, Adam Cawrse
(winemaker) visited Canada to attend a conference focused entirely on
Riesling. He wanted to gain knknowledge
and techniques to make Riesling for Paper Moon. Adam oversees Lake Erie Appellation grapes as they are hand sorted, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">crushed, lightly pressed, and juiced. Cold fermentation takes 3-4 weeks. Smel and taste the fruit the comes through in the Reisling--do you taste peach, pear, melon, apple? It may be too late to get the special Silver Lining Riesling, but it's not too late to taste Paper Moon's newest release of this "Noble Grape" wine. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://papermoon.businesscatalyst.com/CampaignProcess.aspx?A=Link&VID=2103337&KID=167475&LID=353272&O=http%3a%2f%2fwww.papermoonvineyards.com%2fsss" target="_blank" title="blocked::http://papermoon.businesscatalyst.com/CampaignProcess.aspx?A=Link&VID=2103337&KID=167475&LID=353272&O=http://www.papermoonvineyards.com/sss
http://www.papermoonvineyards.com/sss"><br />
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Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-36296441930758627262012-08-23T18:21:00.000-07:002012-08-23T18:21:00.942-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The “Blitz” was a homemade tractor built in the early 1940s
for use of the Klingshirn family, which began operating Klingshirn Winery in
Avon Lake in 1935. The grapes originally produced wine for the family but large
grape crops caused Albert R. Klingshirn to start selling his wine commercially.
Lee Klingshirn, the third generation owner and operator of the winery,
continues the family farm business today. We'll meet Lee on September 8 during our wineries tour.</div>
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Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-46552540387797730512012-08-22T18:52:00.000-07:002012-08-22T18:52:00.201-07:00An Old Wine Truck and a Ferris Wheel . . . On Lake Erie<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I haven't been back to Old Firehouse Winery since before I finished the book, so I'm looking forward to seeing what they have in their casks this weekend. I'll be there with fellow writer Gina Geither, whose book,<em> Island of Tory,</em> will be on sale with the wineries book. I hope Gina tastes some of the Old Firehouse's wines with me. It should make the Celtic Festival more fun. </div>
Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-24508495184562813032012-08-20T18:07:00.000-07:002012-08-22T18:10:49.907-07:00Firelands Postcard Society<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
When I researched my book I found postcards and wine labels, maps and pamphlets, old photos and advertising copy. Because the book is historical, any item that could be reproduced in a black-and-white TIFF or JPEG format at pre-ordained resolution settings was fair game. The folks at the Firelands Postcard Society, which meets at the Sandusky Senior Center, know all about old stuff, and they'll be bringing their wine memorabilia with them to tomorrow night's meeting where I'll tell them all I know about the grape industry in Sandusky, especially around the turn of the century, when Sandusky was second in the nation in production. The old-timers at the meeting will probably be able to tell me a thing or two about Dorn Winery, the Hommel family, and how Sweet Valley Wine Co. moved its offices from the islands to Sandusky.
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Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-54429981930840752632012-01-29T17:41:00.000-08:002012-01-29T17:41:12.780-08:00Kelley's Island Wine Company<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">KELLEY’S ISLAND, HERE IN CLEVELAND </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9RriHj_eirbYzEC68X7JfhrEm9zjcxCbznNr3996uLbk_zML7wnNDs5yFTz9IhbOAVeRbHtmahdo3DS57EIb9muWBffZWrx17yYJ6l4CqvlvzLjLAHmVMiAsMGm3p1brPsrmzLSItZU5/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9RriHj_eirbYzEC68X7JfhrEm9zjcxCbznNr3996uLbk_zML7wnNDs5yFTz9IhbOAVeRbHtmahdo3DS57EIb9muWBffZWrx17yYJ6l4CqvlvzLjLAHmVMiAsMGm3p1brPsrmzLSItZU5/s200/016.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The story of Kirt and Robby Zettler starts with the history of wineries on Kelley’s Island. Vineyards were well established on Kelley’s Island by the 1840s. Datus Kelley planted Isabella grapes in Kelley’s Island limestone soil in 1842 and his son-in-law, Charles Carpenter, began operating the first commercial winery on the island in 1845. Kelley Island Wine Company was formed in 1865. Determined hikers can still find the impressive solid stone wall ruins of the building, built in 1878, with wine cellars and some equipment intact. The former vineyards around Kelley Island Wine Company are now covered in new growth trees. Kelley Island Wine Company, originally known as Island Number 6 and once one the largest producers of wine in the country, went out of business during Prohibition.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Island history and the prestige of the original winery operations motivated Kirt to seek naming rights to Kelley’s Island Wine Company when he and his family started growing grapes and making wine 30 years ago. “Kirt was studying agricultural engineering in Australia, and they started growing organic vegetables, which wasn’t a commercial success, so they started growing grapes,” Robby reports. Kelley’s Island Wine Company was reborn back in the early 1980s. The plaque behind the bar boasts that the winery makes “Pure Native Wines” from island grapes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The winery has become a destination for vacationers because of the casual ambience of the modern “Australian Outback” building, outdoor seating, and fine chef-crafted food served in the evenings. The winery is a fun place where children can play and patrons can engage in volleyball and horseshoe. During the afternoons, pizza and cheese platters compliment the wine, but in the evening, the chef conjures up scallops and ribeye. The winery also bottles its own olive oil and has a full-service bar. The boats will start running in late March-early April, and the first big event is the Spring Wine Fling on April 22.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">The Kelley's Island Wine Company shows off its wine at their new mainland home in the Cleveland area at Metropolitan Home Design, Lakewood’s newest lifestyle store specializing in global and local home design, food and wine. Author Claudia Taller will be there on February 10 from 7-9 PM to talk about how northern Ohio's wine industry started on the islands and sell copies of her book "Ohio's Lake Erie Wineries." </span></div>
</span></div>Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-7063031372242361792011-12-01T18:31:00.000-08:002011-12-01T18:31:00.222-08:00Get Ye to Markko Winery for the Yuletide Tasting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="yshortcuts2"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">This weekend, December 3 and 4, Arnie and his family and friends will share their bounty and say thank you. The winery is open from 12-5 on Saturday and from 12-4 (I think) on Sunday. The e-blast said "</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">It seems to be the little things we find in wine that add some extra pleasure." </span><br />
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I first met Arnie Esterer, winemaker and owner of Markko Vineyards in Conneaut, on our first Ohio wine country adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arnie, with partner Tim Hubbard, started experimenting with European varietals and French-American hybrids in the late 1960s after purchasing one hundred acres of land, as instructed by Dr. Konstantin Franc of New York’s Finger Lakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are no pretences at Markko—it’s all about the wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The chardonnays and cabernets at the boutique winery are the best in Ohio because they’re handcrafted and estate bottled, and Arnie admits that they are expensive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arnie’s the guru of winemakers in the Lake Erie Appellation, and other vintners like Ken Tarsitano will admit they learned how to trellis vines and craft a decent wine from Esterer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arnie readily explains how the vines in our region must be kept three feet off the ground to prevent moisture that leads to rot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dark cellar of stainless steel for his Rieslings and oak barrels for the Chardonnays and Cabernets remind me that the grapes become wine all on their own, and it’s the winemaker’s job to create an excellent, drinkable wine from the results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we first stood at the counter in the tasting room and tasted dry wines with complimentary cheese, Markko became our favorite Ohio winery because Esterer wants to create the best wine possible from what the land offers, and he does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
</div>Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6997098472328328746.post-46144420113705942832011-11-28T05:13:00.000-08:002011-11-28T05:13:00.315-08:00Wine Country Getaways<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Geneva State Lodge was our grape escape headquarters last weekend when we celebrated our wedding anniversary. We enjoy the inside swimming pool and hot tub and the outdoor walking paths through waves of tall flowing grasses with views of Lake Erie. The rooms, each one with their own porch, are comfortable. Grapes, wine, and covered bridges are picked up in the Lodge's decor. The lobby is gorgeous, especially during the colder months when a fire is crackling in the fireplace and a tall tree lit with white lights stands regally near it.<br />
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The covered bridges are a bonus for our winery excursions, and we visit some of them, like Harpersfield, over and over--the photographs are different every time we go. There were few leaves on the trees, but the winding Ashtabula River and Conneaut Creek with their shale riverbanks present interesting naturescapes We remember the first time we toured the bridges and wineries, fascinated by the countryside of barns and dirt roads only an hour or so from home, which makes our getaways special. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzvj2zBJDwvKmjIXs-3mn39RFQHd0SwKlljOf3llXKiMdt_fk7bZHUfve-l1Kg-GhorpbnndrdlNdlT9ScKdkvqSijaRBbqYGbd5bM00qwkGrgDGNnl_pXXGAzbXttNia2R0O3oQPiJo9/s1600/632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzvj2zBJDwvKmjIXs-3mn39RFQHd0SwKlljOf3llXKiMdt_fk7bZHUfve-l1Kg-GhorpbnndrdlNdlT9ScKdkvqSijaRBbqYGbd5bM00qwkGrgDGNnl_pXXGAzbXttNia2R0O3oQPiJo9/s200/632.JPG" width="200" /></a>We ate dinner at Crosswinds Grille at The Lakehouse Winery on Saturday evening, and we were once again wowed by the quality of the food. Paul ordered the chicken with a salad (which I sampled and found tender and juicy) and I savored the shrimp with spinach fettucini and spaghetti squash, a rich and buttery plateful of deliciousness that I can duplicate at home. We enjoy watching our food being prepared in the open kitchen, which is as large as the dining room. The restaurant is tiny, but we hear it will be expanding. The Lakehouse's cascading deck at water's edge is enticing, even on a dark November night when all that can be seen are white topped waves, but the lull of continuous waves would be pleasant music to sleep by, and one day we'll spend the night at The Lakehouse's bed and breakfast instead of the Lodge. It's much closer to the water and homier.</div>
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Homemade bread, finely crafted wine, locally harvested food, and high-quality pastas and meat await diners at Tarsitano Winery & Cafe. Ken Tarsitano is committed to making every meal a special ocassion, and he did when we ate there late Sunday afternoon. Despite the winemaker's efforts to craft other smooth taniny red wines, I still preferred the Cabernet Sauvignon. Diners have choices of pastas and meats, and everything on the menu sounds so appealing that in the end one has to just choose something, knowing it'll be good. We ate assorted bruschettas and raviolis, and it was all delicious, especially the ravioli made with Ken's grandmother's recipe. The steaks are cooked perfectly. Every bite was better than the last, and when dinner was over, we kept remembering how scrumptious it was.</div>Claudia J. Tallerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17596879683695458235noreply@blogger.com0