Local Flavor

Ohio has been home to some of the best craft breweries over the years, and while dozens have met an untimely demise (a post for another time), many are currently alive and thriving. Great Lakes, Barrelhouse, Hoppin' Frog and Buckeye Brewing are great examples of the healthy local beer market here in Ohio, and are all breweries capable of producing world-class beer.

Wine is another story. While dozens of wineries dot the landscape throughout the state (most of which are located along the lake from Port Clinton all the way up to Ashtabula), serious wine is difficult, if not impossible, to find. Whether it be the soil, the climate, lack of expertise, lack of a captive market, or all of the above, the vast majority of wine produced, bottled, and sold here in the Buckeye state tends to be cloying and sweet. Vinifera grapes are tough to come by, so you're more likely to find Pink Catawba, Concord and Chambourcin than Chardonnay, Merlot, and Syrah.

So, I was more than a tad curious to hear about a winery in Sandusky (just about an hour from Bowling Green) that produces, bottles and sells only vinifera grapes, and not just any grapes - we're talking Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Tempranillo, Petit Verdot, Semillon, and others. Well, I stopped by Hermes Vineyards ( http://www.hermesvineyards.com/) yesterday to give 'em a try. First of all, Hermes (also known as Sand Hill Winery) is on State Rt. 4, just a couple of miles north of the Ohio Turnpike. As I pulled into the parking lot in a driving rain, I was greeted by a silo and a small barn. Inside the barn is a charming and rustic, yet modern, tasting bar, complete with tables downstairs and more seating in the upstairs loft. Quite frankly, the place was unexpectedly beautiful, and it would be easy to spend a lazy afternoon tasting wines while glancing at the voluminous field of vines stretching away from the picture window.

I met Millicent, the winery manager, and she graciously poured me samples of all their available wines. All of the wines were from the 2006 vintage (a difficult one here in Ohio - especially with a wet and cold harvest), with the exception of a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. I tried four whites (Semillon, Gewurztraminer, semi-sweet Sauvignon Blanc, semi-sweet Riesling) and ten reds (Grenache, Nebbiolo, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot, 2005 and 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and a Port). It was a mixed bag. As for the whites, the Semillon stood out to me as creamy, a tad spicy, and varietally correct (Millicent also let me know about a sold-out Viognier which was well received by wholesale and retail customers alike). The reds were all on the lighter side of the varietal (visually, most resembled Crystal Light in a wine glass), and some were tough to drink. Others stood out as interesting, if not downright unusual. The Grenache, Nebbiolo and Petit Verdot offered a little spice and/or earth, and the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (the only red to see some oak treatment) had a nicer, almost silky mouthfeel.

I give Hermes Vineyards high marks for ambition in all aspects of their business - from the wonderful tasting room inside the restored barn, to the friendly service, to the amazing variety of wines that they bottle and sell. While my opinion of serious red wines made in Ohio may not have changed much, Hermes is definitely on the right track, especially as their vines mature (they were just planted back in 2002). I am already looking forward to trying some of their barrel samples from 2007 (generally regarded as a much better vintage than 2006 in this area).

Cheers!