June celebrates booming Ohio wine industry with Ohio Wine Month

While the Midwest is commonly known for cranking out crops like corn, soybean and barley, Ohio has actually been busy making a name for itself as the eighth largest producer of wine in the U.S., boasting 268 active wineries and 26 more in planning. Governor Kasich named June the official Ohio Wine Month in 2012 to celebrate the local wine and winemakers responsible for bringing nearly $97 million in wine-related tourism each year.

Ohio Wine Month will be celebrated with a variety of activities and special events across the state, including the nearby Valley Vineyard Wine & Beer Festival on June 2-3 and Grove City Wine and Arts Festival on June 17. A full list of events can be found below or on the OGIC’s interactive calendar.

The Ohio Grape Industries Committee (OGIC) is hosting a social media contest on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter open to anyone wanting celebrating Ohio Wine during June. Winners will be selected randomly each day and awarded wine-related prizes such as gift certificates and winery souvenirs. Learn how to enter and find additional contest details below.

Ohio wines won more that 92 medals in the 2016 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition including Best Resiling (2014 Ferrante Riesling) and Best Cabernet Sauvignon (Gervasi Cabernet Sauvignon). Ohio’s fertile soil and temperate climate are credited for the unique, high-quality harvests. Ohio Ice Wine, known to be particularly sweet and flavorful, is also some of the best in the world thanks to consistent below freezing winters in the Grand River Valley.

“There’s just so much that Ohio wine and Ohio wineries have to offer,” said Lisa Deliberato of Hello engagement agency, which is working to promote Ohio Wine Month with OGIC. “This is a great time to show people what’s right in their backyard and that you don’t have to all the way to Napa or Sonoma.”

Some of Ohio’s most well know wineries include Firelands Winery (Sandusky), Ferrante Winery & Ristorante (Genva), Debonne Vineyards (Madison) and Breitenbach Wine Cellars (Dover), Heineman’s Winery (Put-In-Bay), Gervasi Vineyard (Canton), Vinoklet Winery (Cincinnati), Wyandotte Winery (Columbus), Harmony Hill Vineyards, (Southwest) and Valley Vineyards (Morrow). Columbus has thirteen local wineries, which can be found on the Columbus Winery Directory.

Contest Rules from OGIC:

#30CheersOH Daily Contest
To celebrate Ohio Wine Month, the OGIC is hosting a contest throughout the month. To enter, do the following:

• Share a photo on social media at an Ohio winery or enjoying an Ohio wine from a participating retailer
• Use tags #OhioWine and #30CheersOH
• Post on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) June 1- June 30

Each day the committee will randomly pick a winner using those hashtags and give away something wine-related, including gift certificates, wares and souvenirs via participating wineries and retailers. At the end of the month all 30 winners will automatically be entered into a grand prize drawing for pizza, a winery tour and overnight stay at French Ridge Vineyards.

Official Ohio Wine Month Events:

June 2: Casa Vino Burger Bash at Ferrante Winery & Ristorante
June 3: Cajun Boil at Chateau Tebeau
June 3: Paws on the Patio at Merry Family Winery
June 9: Casa Vino Burger Bash at Ferrante Winery & Ristorante
June 10: Summer Sizzlers Series Patio Cookouts at Wyandotte Winery*
June 11: 2nd Annual Social Sunday at Lina Wines
June 14: Paint & Pour at Camelot Cellars*
June 16: Casa Vino Burger Bash at Ferrante Winery & Ristorante
June 17: Woof, Wag & Wine at Grand River Cellars Winery
June 18: Father’s Day Celebration at Grand River Cellars Winery
June 22: UnWine at Lina Wines
June 23: Casa Vino Burger Bash at Ferrante Winery & Ristorante
June 24: Toast to Summer Wine Festival at Washington Courthouse
June 24: Cork and Canvas at Merry Family Winery
June 30: Party with Justo Saborit at Grand River Cellars
June 30: Casa Vino Burger Bash at Ferrante Winery & Ristorante

*local to Columbus