My friend Carli and I spent the summer visiting as many Ohio wineries as possible, so she suggested we make a stop to visit 1285 Winery. Located near the Ohio Reformatory, we decided to check out the Richland County Wine and Ale Trail. Pulling into the drive, I noticed a sign for the Blueberry Patch and quickly learned that there are blueberries here as well.
I was surprised to learn that The Blueberry Patch was the first business here opened by Lisa and Steve Beilstein, The Beilstein’s purchased the land in Mansfield in 1981 in hopes of planting apple trees, but quickly learned that the soil was best suited for blueberries. I would have never guessed.
We parked the car and began walking into the winery as the sun began to set. It had been an overcast day, so the lights on the exterior were lit, giving the entrance a beautiful glow. I wished we would have arrived sooner to spend more time in the outdoors.
1285 Winery was opened in 2014. The wines are made using some of the best fruit or juice in the US and internationally. The owners knew the importance of working with well-established farms to ensure the best, approved practices for wine-making.
The interior was beautifully designed with dark hard wood with silver accents. We decided to sit at the bar for our first drink and then wandered around to explore the upstairs and shops.
Reviewing the menu, we decided we wanted to start out with a glass of wine. I could not resist the Apple Cider wine with a cinnamon sugar rim. With a strong flavor of tart apple, the cinnamon sugar gave the drink a sweeter aftertaste. An amazing combination. Carli ordered the Blueberry Bliss.
Sitting at the bar, Lisa mentioned that the front door had been recovered from a local home. If you look closely, you can see a bullet hole in the glass, but you wouldn’t notice it if it wasn’t brought to your attention. Apparently this incident happened prior to the door being brought over and installed at the winery.
Looking over the menu, we noticed a wide variety of options. I couldn’t decide between one of the wood-fired pizzas and a salad. While many of their food items are perfectly paired with their wines, Carlie and I ordered the cheese plate to share and then we each decided on an entree. Since Carlie selected the Flatbread Pizza with Pepperoni and selected a craft beer to pair with her meal.
I ordered the Cranberry Apple Walnut Salad and paired it with their apple cider wine with out the cinnamon, the second go-around. Our meals would be ready in close to thirty minutes, so that would be enough time to find a gift for Carlie’s upcoming birthday.
Instead of waiting at the bar for our food, Carlie and I stepped out to browse the shopping area, The Blueberry Patch. With about five minutes remaining until our food was ready, we walked up a long flight of stairs to their multi-use room for banquets, weddings and overflow. We returned in time for dinner and drinks.
We finished our meals and ordered a final drink to enjoy on the patio. We had such a great time exploring the Blueberry Patch and 1285 Winery before leaving for Bucyrus. I hope Carlie decides to have her wedding here so that we can both come back again for the great food and wine. I guess we don’t need to wait that long. I am sure we will be back sometime soon.
Have you visited the Blueberry Patch or stopped in for a glass of wine at 1285? I would love to hear about your visit if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reading about my time at the Blueberry Patch and winery. Wishing you many Happy Travels!
What to See and What to Do:
1285 Winery at The Blueberry Patch
1285 W. Hanley Rd.
Mansfield, OH 44904
Telephone: 419 884 1797
The tasting room is open 4 to 10 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 4 to 11 p.m. Fridays and 2 to 11 p.m. Saturdays. The Blueberry Patch’s gift shop and cafe will maintain their regular hours.