Located in the heart of the historic Brewery District of Columbus, the winery opened in 1990 in the second location of the legendary Bavarian Brewery. Established in 1856, the brewery founded this location in 1875. The brewery market that peaked in the 1890s began to deteriorate by the turn of the century, due in part from regional competition and the increasing victories of the local Temperance Movement. The remaining Columbus area breweries, including Bavarian, merged into one company in 1904 but external pressures and local prohibition laws forced the company to dissolve in 1924.

Abandoned and in disrepair by the 1980s, the property that once housed large beer caskets lacked electricity, floors, and doors, but the hand-cut stonework and long semi-circled ceilinged rooms inspired Bill and Jane Butler. As owners of the successful Wyandotte Wine Cellars, the couple knew how to operate and market a winery. They acquired the property and for fourteen years the wine at this location was provided by Wyandotte. The couple sold both locations in the early 2000s.

Today, the cellar is owned by Brian Johnson and offers banquet style dinner seating for up to 100 guests. The establishment offers not only a private label wine produced by Wyandotte exclusive to the cellar but also a variety of Ohio and international wines.

In 1972, Dr. Thomas and Mary Quilter, Ohio Wine Hall of Fame recipients, began growing a wide variety of wine and table grapes as an experiment and hobby on a grain farm thirty-three miles north of Columbus. They learned that certain grape varieties such as Seyval, Marechal Foch, Concord, and Niagara are, in general, more winter hardy and therefore more suitable for the region. A hobby turned into a business when, in 1984, Shamrock become a bonded winery.

Today, the vineyard includes a number of French-American hybrids, labrusca, and some vinifera. The current owners, Van and Emily Creasap, only produce wine from fruit grown on site, with only a few exceptions due to climate issues. Van Creasap is the grandson of Dr. Thomas Quilter.

Willow Hill Vineyard wineowners sipping wine in the tasting room.

Wine owners: Dave Rechsteiner and Elaine Rechsteiner

Dave Rechsteiner standing proudly in front of his log cabin winery and home.

Willow Hill Vineyard staff sipping wine in the tasting room.

Wineowners: Dave Rechsteiner and Elaine Rechsteiner