BWW Reviews: OHIO WINE FESTIVAL - Showcasing Ohio's Best in Class

The Ohio Wine Festival presented by PNC and Columbus Monthly kicked off its 14th year at the North Market on July 10, and runs through this weekend only. Twenty local wineries, including award-winners, six additional, and two right from Central Ohio (Signature Wines and RockSide Winery & Vineyard) all offered tastings by the pour, glass, bottle, or case. Among the participants this year are:

Brandeberry Winery, Enon; Breitenbach Wine Cellars, Dover; Chateau Tebeau, Helena; Deer's Leap Winery, Geneva; Debonne Vineyards, Madison; Eldchrist Winery, Plain City; Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Geneva; Maize Valley Winery, Hartville; Meranda-Nixon Winery, Ripley; Plum Run Winery, Grove City; Raven's Glenn Winery, West Lafayette; RockSide Winery & Vineyard, Lancaster; Signature Wines, Columbus; Soine Vineyards, Powell; Stoney Ridge Winery, Bryan; Troutman Vineyards, Wooster; Valley Vineyards, Morrow; The Winery at Versailles, Versailles; The Winery at Wolf Creek, Norton and Wyandotte Winery, Columbus.

New this year was a special VIP package that allowed a cap of 500 participants to pay an extra $10 for an hour early entrance, along with a 6-month subscription to Columbus Monthly Magazine, ten tickets for tastings (most average 3-4 tickets per tasting), a souvenir glass, and a gift bag from the North Market and supporting sponsors. Definitely worth an extra $10 to avoid the long lines that eventually flow in quicker than the wine. A suggestion would be to carry the VIP status into the entire evening, allowing those folks a "fast pass" to the front of the tasting tables.

I had an opportunity to sample several local wines during the festival. My favorites included:

*Most Unique* - Signature Wines. Located right here in Central Ohio, Signature Wines is the only all-female owned and operated winery in Ohio. Their unique winemaking process involves bringing in whole grapes from California and aging and controlling them with personal attention to detail. Award-winning owner/winemaker, Kelly Harvey, worked as a field biologist before owning her winery, and was more than helpful and enthusiastic in sharing her knowledge about the winemaking process. I tried the Les Trois Rouges red blend, which is an excellent full-bodied dry red wine with a soft earthy finish. Signature Wines is also unique in that they offer personalized wine labels for any occasion at no extra cost. A great gift idea! Highly recommend Signature Wines! For more information on Signature Wines, visit: http://www.signaturewinesofohio.com/

*Best Red* - Brandeberry Winery. Family owned and operated, this boutique winery is located in Clark County in Enon, about 3 miles north of Yellow Springs. Retired College Engineering Professor Jim Brandeberry, along with his wife Sharon, are owners of the winery. Jim was very knowledgeable and proud to share his knowledge of his award-winning wines. I tried the Vidal Blanc, which is an outstanding dry white wine with a slight oaky finish. The Cabernet Savignon is also a fantastic dry red table wine that offers a nice balance and finish on your palette. Highly recommend Brandeberry Winery! For more information, visit: http://www.brandeberrywinery.com/

*Best Chardonnay* - Meranda-Nixon Winery. My favorite Chardonnay of the evening was presented by Meranda-Nixon Winery. Aged in oak barrels to give it an earthy flair, it also contains a buttery flavor with hints of lemongrass and butterscotch, followed by a citrus finish. A magnificent Chardonnay that has a great balance of oak to citrus, which seemed to be a rarity with other Ohio wines. Home to several award-winners, Meranda-Nixon Winery is located in Ripley, Ohio where they grow grapes, offer tours and tastings, and host dinners. For more information about Meranda-Nixon Winery, visit: http://www.meranda-nixonwinery.com/

*Best Bubbly* - Valley Vineyards. Valley Vineyards offers nationally award-winning, estate-grown table and dessert wines from the Ohio River Valley region. Located in Morrow, Ohio between Dayton and Cincinnati, Valley Vineyards offers weekend cookouts, wine and beer tastings and tours of their estate. I sampled their Champagne, which is not overly sweet, low in alcohol, medium acidity, bright, fruity and intensely aromatic. Definitely a favorite of the night! For more information on Valley Vineyards, visit: https://www.valleyvineyards.com/

Other Notable Wineries. Other notable wineries included Award-Winning Ferrante Winery from Geneva, Ohio (another excellent assortment of reds and whites - and one of the only tables that offered a Pinot Grigio); Breitenbach Amish Country Wines in Dover, Ohio; and RockSide Winery and Vineyards in Lancater.

You also don't want to miss the "Smell Test" presented by Kent State University, the SO Delicious Dairy Free booth with samplings and summer treats, along with other events planned throughout the weekend, including live music, Ohio Lamb Jam, cooking contests, and more.

What an excellent event to showcase Ohio wines in one central location, not to mention a perfect kick-off to launch Restaurant Week, July 20-25.

For more information, visit: www.northmarket.com

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