Founded in 1968 by Arnie Esterer and Tim Hubbard, Markko Vineyard and Winery produces dry European-style wines from its estate vineyard in Conneaut, Ohio. It was among the first Ohio wineries to successfully grow European vinifera grapes near Lake Erie, building its reputation around the region’s cool climate and Conneaut Creek terroir. Today, the winery’s tasting room and outdoor deck continue the tradition begun by Esterer, remembered as a pioneer of Ohio vinifera winemaking.
2025 Ohio Wine Competition – Gold Medal
2025 Ohio Wine Competition – Silver Medal
2025 Ohio Wine Competition – Bronze Medal
Laleure Vineyards & WineryFounded by Rich and Betsy Hill on a former dairy farm in Parkman in 1997, Laleure Vineyards & Winery grows its own grapes and makes small-batch Ohio wines on the same Geauga County property. The boutique winery became official in 2002 and opened its tasting room in the converted milk-house in 2003, with a cellar that relies partly on the earth’s natural coolness rather than mechanical refrigeration. Its name honors Rich’s French-born grandmother and reflects the Hills’ interest in Loire Valley and Burgundy wine traditions.MIDDLEFIELD, OH
Johnson Estate WineryFounded in 1961 on a century-old fruit farm, Johnson Estate Winery makes estate-grown wines along Lake Erie in Westfield, New York. New York’s oldest continuously operating estate winery remains family-owned across four generations, with 115 acres of vineyards and a historic tasting room housed in a former 1920 apple cold-storage building. Its roots run especially deep in the region’s French-American hybrids and heritage grapes, while its traditional ice wines have been produced since 1995.WESTFIELD, NY
M CellarsMatt and Tara Meineke’s family-run M Cellars grows grapes and makes estate wines on its 30-acre property in Northeast Ohio’s Grand River Valley AVA. The first-generation farming and winemaking family bottles its wines on site, pairing small-lot production with a tasting room overlooking the vineyard. Its portfolio includes European varietals and distinctive regional expressions such as Saperavi, while the winery also serves as a year-round destination for tastings and seasonal experiences.GENEVA, OH
Firelands WineryFirelands Winery is one of Ohio’s oldest wineries, preserving an 1880 cellar built by the Mantey family at its Sandusky home. Under Lonz, Inc., it carries forward regional winemaking traditions while producing estate and Lake Erie wines for customers across Ohio and beyond.SANDUSKY, OH