The Winery Ertel of Ohio

Discovering the wine region of Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state located South of the Great Lakes, between Pennsylvania to the east and Indiana to the west. Traditionally devoted to the production of GrapeJuice and jelly, Ohio is increasingly known for its wine industry and is now one of the top ten wine producing states in the country (although its production is nowhere near that of California, which produces about 90% of American wine). Ohio's Vineyards are home to vinifera and Hybrid grape varieties, including Riesling, Chardonnay and Vidal. The state covers nearly 116,000 square miles of plateaus and plains, with its northern boundary defined by the shores of Lake Erie.

Most of Ohio's vineyard land is on the shores of the lake, where temperatures are moderated by the insulating capabilities of the water. Ohio's American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) of Isle St. George and Grand River Valley are on the lakefront, as is the Lake Erie AVA, which also includes land in Pennsylvania and New York. The Ohio River Valley AVA Lies along the southern border of the state, extending into Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia.