Okay, so you've browsed and ogled at the quilt shops. You've sampled at the cheese factory. In fact, you've shopped, eaten and toured your little heart out. Now what?
It's time for something a little different, perhaps even a little unexpected in Amish Country...time for a great glass of wine.
Although one wouldn't normally think of this area of Ohio as "wine country," there are a few charming wineries around that regularly give the "big guys" a run for their money. The three featured here are all family-run, and, to some extent, they are all stories of "local boy makes good." However, "good" seems way too trite an adjective to describe the products these establishments put forth. Perhaps "local boy makes well-balanced fermented beverage with velvety overtones and a complex finish" would be more appropriate!
Variety is the spice of wine
As area wineries go, Breitenbach Wine Cellars is the "grand-daddy" of them all. It's by far the oldest (at 23 years) and largest. "Br eitenbach" means "broad or bright stream," and although the business is named for the creek that flows through the property, one can be certain that a "broad stream" of wine (about 150,000 gallons per year) flows from this place!
The extensive gift shop, Der Marktplatz, carries not only wines, but local meats, cheeses, Amish dolls, various and sundry wine accessories and much more. And even though the winery itself is only open for tours on special occasions (such as the annual Dandelion Festival in May), Breitenbach welcomes thousands of visitors each year, from locals to international guests.
How did this business, housed in a can't-miss-it, giant purple barn, begin?
"I don't do anything on purpose," promised founder and chief winemaker Dalton Bixler with a laugh.
Twenty-some years ago, Bixler was involved in real estate when he decided to build a gift shop for his wife. Some friends had gotten the Bixlers "into winemaking," and the family decided to sell the fruits of their labor in the shop. The rest, as they say, is history.
In the beginning, Bixler, his wife and two daughters gathered wild berries for their fruit wines. Standing next to the winery's state-of-the-art bottler/labler, which turns out 100 bottles per minute, daughter Anita Davis remembered hand-labeling the bottles in high school to earn extra money.
"I don't think I'd want to do that now," she smiled.
Today, Breitenbach Wine Cellars produces more than 30 varieties of grape and fruit wines, including port and sherry. Grapes come from northern Ohio and surrounding states, and best-selling, award-winning wines include the whimsically-named "First Crush," "Frost Fire" and "Roadhouse Red." While Bixler's taste changes from time to time, his current favorite is the winery's rich Merlot. Breitenbach wines are refreshingly easy to choose, thanks to a sweetness/dryness meter on the back of each bottle.
A group of Amish families harvests between 1,000 and 2,000 gallons of dandelion blossoms each year, used to make one of the winery's mainstays, Dandelion Wine. While I enjoyed a sip of this regionally-famous dessert wine at the tasting counter, visitors will be impressed with the spectrum of unique fruit wines available, such as peach, apple, blackberry, elderberry, plum and apricot.
Honey, it's one of a kind
Speaking of unique, don't miss a chance to visit the Jilbert Winery in Valley City. Here, Dave Jilbert, a beekeeper since his youth, lovingly watches over about 20 hives, whose honey allows him to produce slender bottles of the oldest known alcoholic beverage on earth -- mead.
"Mead probably dates back to the caveman days," Jilbert said, when early people gathered honey and stored it in some sort of container.
"If it rained, and then (the honey) sat around for a while, it would have eventually fermented," he said, possibly causing the first happy hour.
Mead is admired for its light golden color and sweet taste, according to Jilbert. His spirits (brand name: "Jhelbare") are made using a high-tech method perfected at Cornell University which virtually removes the bitter aftertaste that can plague the drink.
The business started out as "a hobby gone awry," Jilbert said. "I've always had a love for beekeeping, and this is a way I can make something marketable from the honey."
Not surprisingly, the business has developed into a family affair. Jilbert's wife helps out, and his two children have earned the "official" titles of Bottle Boy and Cork Girl. Open on Saturdays, the winery (or more accurately, the "meadery") is housed in a century-old dairy bankbarn and features an inviting gift shop, where tastings, regular honey and beeswax items are also available.
Don't always listen to mom
Lots of farm families tell their kids not to go into agriculture, according to Andy Troutman. "My mom said that to me, and that's probably why I did go into it," he said with a wry grin.
But Troutman has travelled a slightly different road than his forebears, who've been tilling the Wayne County soil since the 1820s. As the founder and owner of Troutman Vineyards, located just south of Wooster, Troutman grows several varieties of grapes on his nine-acre farm.
Troutman's love of the grape started as a 4-H project in primary school; when he went to college, "I knew I wanted to make something," Troutman said. While imbibing some less-than-great wine with his roommate, Troutman came to the conclusion he could make better wine himself -- and he likely has.
Barely two years old, Troutman Vineyards already produces about 1,000 gallons of wine (five varieties) per year, and an expansion of the production area (formerly the farm's chicken coop) is in the works. By next season, tasters will be able to view the wine works through double glass doors -- that is, if they're not enjoying the country air in the outdoor seating area.
In the cozy wine tasting room, visitors can sample any or all of Troutman's five varieties of wine (and for complete amateurs like myself, there are gracious tasting lessons).
Sticking our noses in glasses of Troutman's Red Menagerie, Troutman and I were asked to describe what we smelled.
"Asparagus and tapioca," Troutman said with confidence.
"Red wine?" I ventured. Visitors need not fear -- the staff at Troutman's is warm and patient, and you should leave with more knowledge than when you arrived. Above all, Troutman Vineyards is a place to bring a picnic, set yourself down, and enjoy some good conversation -- along with some great wine.
Getting There
Breitenbach Wine Cellars -- located just off SR 39 between Dover and Sugarcreek; 5934 Old Route 39 N.W., Dover; (330) 343-3603, 1-800-THE-WINE; www.breitenbachwine.com; hours: Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Jilbert Winery -- located 500 feet from the SR 303/SR 252 intersection; 1496 Columbia Rd., Valley City; (216) 781-4120; www.ohiohoneywine.homestead.com; hours: open year-round, except Jan. Feb., Saturdays, 12-6 p.m.
Troutman Vineyards -- located on SR 3, a few miles south of Wooster; 4243 Columbus Rd. (SR 3), Wooster; (330) 263-4345; www.troutmanvineyards.com; open March-Dec.; hours adjusted seasonally; wine tasting room open Tue.-Thu. 4-8 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 12-8 p.m.
July 2003 edition