| Wine region | |
 | |
| Official name | State of Ohio |
|---|---|
| Type | U.S. StateAppellation[1] |
| Year established | 1803 |
| Years of wine industry | 202 |
| Country | United States |
| Sub-regions | Grand River Valley AVA,Isle St. George AVA,Lake Erie AVA,Loramie Creek AVA,Ohio River Valley AVA |
| Climate region | Continental, also humid subtropical in extreme southern lowlands |
| Total area | 40,861 square miles (26,151,000 acres) |
| Grapes produced | Cabernet Franc,Cabernet Sauvignon,Catawba,Cayuga,Chambourcin,Chancellor,Chardonel,Chardonnay,Concord,Delaware,Edelweiss,Gewürztraminer,La Crosse,Leon Millot,Marechal Foch,Marquette,Merlot,Niagara,Norton,Pinot gris,Pinot noir,Riesling,Sauvignon blanc,Seyval blanc,St. Pepin,Steuben,Traminette,Vidal blanc,Vignoles[1] |
| No. of wineries | 280[2] |
Ohio wine (or "Ohioan wine") refers towine made fromgrapes grown in theU.S. state ofOhio. Historically, this has been wine grown from native American species of grapes (such asVitis labrusca), not European wine grapes, althoughhybrid andVitis vinifera grapes are now common in Ohio. As of 2018 there were 280 commercial wineries operating in Ohio, and there are five designatedAmerican Viticultural Areas partially or completely located within the state.[1][2]
The southern shore of Lake Erie falls within the global "Pinot Belt," which also runs throughBurgundy and theWillamette Valley, which according toWine Enthusiast means Ohio has "innate potential for attention-worthy wines".[2]
Wine has been produced in Ohio since 1823 whenNicholas Longworth planted the firstAlexander andIsabella grapes in theOhio River Valley. In 1825, Longworth planted the firstCatawba grapes in Ohio. Others soon planted Catawba in new vineyards throughout the state and by 1860, Catawba was the most important grape variety in Ohio. At this time, Ohio produced more wine than any other state in the country, andCincinnati was the most important city in the national wine trade. Golden Eagle winery onMiddle Bass Island housed America's largest winery in 1872.[3] As in many other states,Prohibition in the United States destroyed the Ohio wine industry, which has struggled to recover. As of 2018 Ohio was the 6th-largest wine producer in the United States.[1][2]
In Fall of 2011Kent State University at Ashtabula became the first university in the state to offer programs inviticulture andenology.[4]
Wholly or partially in Ohio are the American viticulture areas Lake Erie, Isle St. George, Grand River Valley, Ohio River Valley, and Loramie Creek.[2]
In 2018Wine Enthusiast called out Ferrante Winery, Firelands Winery, Gervasi Vineyard, Meranda-Nixon Winery, and Valley Vineyards as "wineries to know" in the state.[2] That same year, RewardExpert analyzed wine ratings on CellarTracker and identified Heritage Vineyards inWarsaw inCoshocton County as having the highest-rated wine in the country.[5]
Many wineries in Ohio are members of the Ohio Wine Producers Association. The site includes resources for produces and consumers, including an extensive calendar of Ohio Wine events. It also includes the Ohio Wine Hall of Fame.
There are six "wine trails" in the state, including the Lake Erie Shores and Islands Trail, the Lake Erie Vines and Wines Trail, the Canal Country Trail, the Appalachian Wine Trail (Southeast Ohio bordering West Virginia), the Ohio River Valley Wine Trail (along the Ohio River in Cincinnati to Dayton), and the Capital City Trail (Columbus area).[2]
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The following wineries andvineyards operate wholly or principally in Ohio.
