A Winter Ice Wine Tour In Ohio Is A Wonderful Reason To Bundle Up And Embrace The Cold
By Sarah McCosham|Published February 01, 2023
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
With its dazzling shoreline and very own national park, Northern Ohio isn’t just one of the most beautiful regions of the country, it’s also one of the best wine-growing regions in the Midwest. And the spirits don’t stop come winter, either; the cold of Northeast Ohio brings out the sweet nectar frozen on the vines in snow-laden vineyards across the Lake Erie snow belt. This creates a microclimate that allows Ohio winemakers to grow grapes and make exceptional ice wines, with many places offering a winter tour of their vineyards that’s worth bundling up to experience.
This might not be the image that comes to mind when thinking of "wine country," but here in Ohio, this snowy scene makes for some of the best viticulture in the country!
Grand River Cellars is an award-winning winery in Northern Ohio that's known far and wide for its ice wine, a type of dessert wine produced from grapes that have been frozen while still on the vine.
Each year, Ohio's cold winters allow the grapevines at Grand River Cellars and other area vineyards to freeze, and the result is a deliciously deep wine you'd think was magically conjured by Queen Elsa herself!
Many Ohio vineyards remain open for ice wine tours and tastings all winter long, but Grand Rivers takes things a step further by inviting wine enthusiasts to come and harvest the frozen grapes straight off the vines!
Ice Wine harvests typically happen in the early morning hours when temperatures dip well below freezing, as the natural water content found in the grapes needs to be frozen when harvested.
At Grand River Cellars, ice wine picking happens in the weeks leading up to the annual Ice Wine Festival, a month-long celebration at numerous Grand River Valley wineries and vineyards during the month of March.
Whether you join your fellow Ohio oenophiles at the festival or opt for a winter tour or picking session, experiencing the delightful vintage known as ice wine is a must this snow-filled season!
Doesn’t an ice wine tour at an Ohio vineyard sound magical? The winter season culminates in the annual Ice Wine Festival, a month-long celebration in March that’s a must for Ohio oenophiles!
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