After more than 20 years in Corporate America, proprietors Tracy and Laura Higginbotham turned their love of food and wine into a family legacy at Buckeye Lake Winery. The Thornville winery brings a hands-on California winemaking approach to Ohio, while supporting local growers when possible. Set beside Buckeye Lake, it is also a restaurant and gathering place built around relaxed dining, guided tastings, and lake views.
Virant Family Winery, IncSet among the vineyards of Ohio’s Grand River Valley near Lake Erie, Virant Family Winery makes wines from regional grapes and welcomes visitors with the easygoing feel of a family gathering. The winery also pairs its wine with Friday and Saturday dinners and hosts weddings, showers, and private parties, giving it a role as both a local tasting destination and gathering place.GENEVA, OH
High & Low Winery + BistroRooted in fourth-generation family land, High & Low Winery + Bistro makes wine in Ohio and pairs it with a bistro experience designed for both polished and laid-back moods. The Medina-area winery raises wines from fruit sourced near and far, while its contrasting High and Low tasting rooms offer settings ranging from crystal chandeliers and marble to reclaimed barn siding and cowhide seating. The family-owned business also hosts live music and private gatherings overlooking the vineyard.MEDINA, OH
Harpersfield VineyardSince 1979, family-owned Harpersfield Vineyard has grown grapes and made estate-bottled wines on its working farm in Ohio’s Grand River Valley. Its Geneva tasting room pairs those hand-picked-fruit wines with seasonal kitchen fare, vineyard views, live weekend music, and a fireside setting in colder months.GENEVA, OH
Benfield WinesWhat began as Rob Benfield’s home winemaking project for his wife and friends has grown into a family winery in Swanton, Ohio, producing distinctive wines from grapes sourced from California. Benfield Wines now makes its wines in the restored 1896 Pilliod Opera House, a 9,000-square-foot landmark that also houses its tasting room and event space. The family’s hands-on approach shows in its playful fruit wines as well as its traditional varietal bottlings.SWANTON, OH