Our own little piece of the Napa Valley is nestled on the south shore of Buckeye Lake just 25 miles east of Columbus. It may not be the Pacific Ocean, but the sunsets over the lake are still worth the trip.
The winery is the creation of Tracy and Laura Higginbotham. Tracy’s previous occupation took him to Napa frequently, and several years ago he made the decision to change careers and bring a little bit of California to Ohio, opening a beautiful winery overlooking Buckeye Lake. The lake itself is in a bit of turmoil right now due to the water level being reduced, but that has just driven the Higginbothams to redouble their efforts to make the winery a very special destination.
For starters, there is the wine. Buckeye Lake Winery sources most of their grapes from Napa, Sonoma, Lodi and the Russian River Valley. After hand-selecting the best grapes, Tracy coordinates their picking, crushing, and initial fermentation. The young wines are then sent to Ohio to be aged in the tanks and casks at Buckeye Lake Winery, resulting in a family of Buckeye Lake wines that range from a Pinot Grigio and a barrel-aged Chardonnay to a Zinfandel and a fine Cabernet Savignon aged 18 months in oak. Buckeye Lake Winery also offers Sweet Lake View, a white wine that is an all-Ohio product. The grapes are selected from a vineyard in Madison, Ohio, and the wine is produced and bottled on-site at the winery. It is also their best seller.
In addition to their own wines, they always have several Buckeye Lake Brewery beers on tap from their neighbors just across the lake. They winery also serves food, prepared by former Cameron Mitchell chef Don Upperman. He has crafted a menu that is rich in exotic small plates and includes soups, sandwiches, steaks, pasta, seafood and flatbreads like Fig and Gorgonzola or The Don Juan, featuring blankened chicken, jalapeno, roasted corn and spinach. On Friday the winery features a rotating Seafood Special and on Sunday mornings they serve brunch.
The winery also hosts events, including the upcoming Harvest Festival October 17-18, a free admission family-friendly event with live music, big screen OSU football, cotton candy and a bounce-house. Other winery events worth checking out include their annual Halloween bash, the Sip/Shop/Savor event just before Thanksgiving, and the annual Polar Plunge, where brave souls jump into Buckeye Lake in the middle of February. Buckeye Lake Winery also offers a Wine Club, members of which get access to monthly events including wine dinners and tastings.
Buckeye Lake Winery is open Wednesday through Sunday starting at 11 AM and is located at 13750 Rosewood Road in Thornville.
