June is Ohio Wine Month where people from all over the state celebrate the start of summer with their favorite wines. Ohio’s wine-making reportedly started in the 1850s and wineries across the state produce wines such as Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Ice Wine and other favorites. Ohio is in the top ten list of wine production states across the U.S.
Gervasi Vineyard Resort & Spa (GV) is well known throughout the area and Ohio for offering several award-winning wines that are perfect to help celebrate summer on your patio or on theirs (The Piazza).
Eric Rabin, Operations Manager for The Cave at GV offers several suggestions for reds and whites that have a perfect body or are filled with summer fruit deliciousness to enjoy during the summer months.
“For a red wine, I suggest Serenata, a Malbec with its tart black cherry flavors and hints of anise and clove,” Eric said. “Even though it is deep ruby in color, it has a medium body, which makes it a great choice for the warmer months. I also suggest Truscano, a Sangiovese, for a red as well. It has red fruit flavors and a nice amount of oak on the nose.
“For whites, I suggest Passione, which is one of our Family Reserve wines. With a light sweetness and flavors of orange blossom, lemon zest, honey, and melon, this is a perfect white for a warm summer day. If you like a dry white, I suggest Fioretto, our Sauvignon Blanc. Lemongrass, apple, and lime permeate this flavorful wine that can really beat the summer heat.”
The Cave is all about the wine at Gervasi and guests can stop in for tastings of a variety of wines that would be perfect to serve during the warmer summer months or anytime throughout the year.
Pairing Wines with Summertime
One of the many aspects of wine drinking that wine enthusiasts enjoy is pairing wines with a variety of meals, including grilled foods during the summer. Eric said GV has the perfect selection of reds and whites for you and your guests when serving dinner with everyone’s favorite grilled delectables.
Eric said, “For grilling, I suggest wines that can stand up to the stronger flavors that come with a grilled steak, seafood, or vegetables. Romanza, a Rosé, can do this very well, and won’t lose its delicate flavors of strawberry, red raspberry, and red cherry. For a red, I like Nebbiolo. A red wine that is lighter in color but has a rich, deep fruit flavor and earthiness, this wine can compete with food items right off the grill.”
Outstanding Ohio Wines
With so many states across the U.S. offering wineries with their own special brand of wines, what makes Ohio wines stand out from the rest? Eric offered a few suggestions as to why Ohio wines are an exceptional choice for the wine enthusiast but can be challenging for the winemakers including:
- Ohio wines need to be cold-hearty and usually have a higher acidity to survive the colder months.
- Ohio’s growing season is shorter than the west coast.
- Ohio has less daylight with a cooler climate.
Eric added, “Ohio grapes that thrive in our environment are usually grapes used to make white wines and are hybrid grapes. We have a few American Viticultural Areas (AVA), with the Grand River Valley which is a source we use for up to five varietals to create some of our white wines.”
GV Goes the Distance to Make Exceptional Wines
Gervasi Vineyard has been making exceptional wines for well over a decade. The award-winning destination resort has perfected several factors in the growing and production areas.
Eric said, “I cannot speak to what other Vineyards do to create their wines, but I can speak about what Gervasi does to make their wine exceptional. We hand harvest all our grapes from our Vineyard, as well as any grapes we receive from another vineyard. Our grapes are fermented as soon as possible to allow us to control what yeast ferments the grapes and to obtain the best qualities from the grapes to create our wines. We utilize natural cork to bottle our wines, not synthetic or twist-off caps. Our wines are kept at the correct temperature to ensure the highest quality of wine.”
Celebrating Wine Month and Celebrating Life
Gervasi is known for its many ways to celebrate life including offering upscale gourmet dining, luxurious overnight stay accommodations, amazing landscapes, a world-class spa, award-winning spirits and what makes GV famous, award-winning wines.
Guests will enjoy the experience of visiting The Cave for its amazing layout and design and of course to speak with the wine experts about wines.
June is the perfect month to celebrate Ohio wines. The month offers the first day of summer, many warm days and starlit nights, and a shift from working hard every day to relaxing, vacationing and gathering with friends and family.
“Ohio vineyards should be thriving by June, allowing for a wonderful view as we enjoy the Ohio wines. In addition, it is finally warm enough for dining and drinking al Fresco, which just adds to the ambiance of an Ohio winery. It is also a great month along with July and August to visit GV, The Cave and many of the other venues on the property,” Eric said.
