Browse the Northeast -- Lake Erie Collections
South River Vineyard, 201605/20/2016Glimpse of the original church pews in the tasting room and the stained glass windows. |
South River Vineyard, 201605/20/2016The stone pavilion hides the wine cellar beneath, which is a 3,500 square-foot cavern made of pre-cast concrete. |
St. Joseph Vineyards, 201605/20/2016The endless quest of cultivating a superior Pinot Noir grape in a colder climate inspired winemaker Art Pietrzyk to hang a print of Picasso’s sketch of Don Quixote next to a parody sketch of his family and workers laboring in the vineyards and producing wine. |
St. Joseph Vineyards, 201605/20/2016With vineyards and a tasting room in three locations in Thompson and Madison, the establishment generates around 12 varieties of wine and cultivates about 25 grape growing acres. Staying small is a strategy that works for wine owners, Art and Doreen Pietrzyk. Everything at the vineyards, from the picking to the sorting of grapes, is done by hand and the output of this process is quality control. A former automation engineer, Art has been growing grapes since childhood. Best known for its Pinot Noir, this variety has received a number of California gold medals and is the only Ohio wine featured in John Winthrop Haeger’s “North American Pinot Noir.” A particularly challenging variety to grow successfully in this region, Art’s hands-on process in the vineyards to prevent over-cropping provides the right flavor and tannins needed to produce this award winning wine. The winery has been in operation since 1997 and in 2007, it opened its main Tuscan-inspired tasting room in Madison. |
Tarsitano Winery, 201607/01/2016As a young man, Ken Tarsitano learned from his grandparents the art of home winemaking and the pleasures of growing and creating good food. These lessons turned into a business when Ken acquired his grandfather’s dairy farm in Conneaut in 1996. Ken planted his first vines of certified organic viniferia in 1998. He opened the winery in 2000, the restaurant in 2004, and started teaching viticulture classes at Kent State Ashtabula in 2008. Ken married Kelly in 2005 and together they manage winery operations. Today, the Tarsitanos maintain two wineries, the Conneaut establishment and Flagler Beachfront Winery in Florida. Grapes grown at the Ohio location, which now offers a light snack menu and limited hours, produce the wine offered at both locations. |
The Lakehouse Inn & Winery, 201607/06/2016Relaxing glimpse of Lake Erie from one of the many outdoor patio areas at the Lakehouse Inn & Winery. |
The Lakehouse Inn & Winery, 201607/07/2016Situated on the western side of the Geneva-on-the-Lake, this unique destination resort features an eight room bed and breakfast, four 1940s era cottages, a full production winery, a farm-to-table restaurant, and a day spa on 2 acres with an expansive view of Lake Erie. The location offers a variety of semi-sweet and dry wines designed to accompany the food available at the restaurant. Running the business is a family affair for the Fagnillis, who purchased the property in 2001 and opened the winery in 2002. Sam Fagnilli, who grew up on a dairy farm, is the winemaker and his wife, Karen, assists with the daily operations in the inn, spa, and restaurant. Their son and chef, Nathan, manages the restaurant and Andrea, their daughter, coordinates the location’s events. |
The Winery at Spring Hill, 201606/17/2016In 1953, Tom White, grandfather of the current winery owners, purchased in Geneva 200 acres of orchard land and a cold storage facility used to store the fruit harvested for two other family-owned orchards in Chardon and Windsor Township. The original sign from the Tom White Orchard hangs in the winery as a reminder of property’s historical role in the local agricultural industry. |
The Winery at Spring Hill, 201606/17/2016Interior view of the winery. |
The Winery at Spring Hill, 201606/17/2016In 2009, the brother and sister team of Tom and Cindy Swank, with the help of local investors, renovated their farm market into a winery with an outdoor patio and gift shop. Maintaining the feel of the original farm market was important to all involved and the interior decor includes several pieces of memorabilia highlighting the role the family has played in the history of the region’s agricultural industry. The establishment offers casual dining and several varieties of dry and semi-dry vinifera, semi-dry and semi-sweet labrusca, fruit wines, and hard cider. Entertainment is provided on the outdoor stage. |