Sipping on a glass of Country Rose, I enjoyed the gorgeous rural landscape in the eastern region of Ohio, home to the Three Rivers Wine Trail. Painted bright yellow, Yellow Butterfly Winery stands out among the rolling hills of farmland, offering spectacular views of its vines from their two-story deck.
Making its home in a 100 year old restored farmhouse in Newcomerstown, this fabulous winery is easy to find. The beautiful rustic interior provides plenty of space for visitors to enjoy their wines. The tasting bar is also located inside and I was prepared to sample a wide range of fruit wines as well as the traditional wines that I have come to love in Ohio.
The winery offers three wine samples for a dollar, and since there are so many interesting combinations, I selected a total of nine.
The first wine on my tasting sheet is the Passionate Peach. The beautiful pale yellow color of this wine reminds me of straw, but smells like I am surrounded by a peach orchard. It is crisp with a bit of thickness which reminds me of a dessert wine.
Strawberry Fields is a lightly colored fruit wine made of strawberries and apples. There is a hint of strawberry in the smell and it has a light, fruity taste with a little stronger alcohol taste towards the back of my tongue. This is a very refreshing wine, and I purchased a bottle to enjoy on a hot summer day.
While I am trying my second sample, Lisa, the head wine steward brings me a small taste of Cranrazzmatazz. It is one of their newest wines and has been a huge success for the winery. It has a deliciously unique fruity smell and tastes amazing. Made from a combination of cranberry, raspberry and apple, this is a very sweet wine with a smooth texture.
Wistful Watermelon is made from watermelon and apples. I liken it to the watermelon-flavored Jolly Rancher with a tartness towards the back of my tongue.
Sweet Meadows is lighter in color than the previous wines I had tasted and is made from a combination of both the Concord and Niagara grape.
Sweet Red is the perfect Concord grape wine which is popular among Ohio wine drinkers.
Country Rose is my favorite out of all of the wines and is perfect for any occasion. I love the smell, the taste and the color of this wine and bought a bottle to enjoy later at home.
I thought I would go out of my comfort zone and order a semi dry so I added the Ohio Vidal Blanc to my wine tasting. Despite my usual preferences, I like this wine. Put it on ice and this would be another great wine for the summer season.
My final selection is the Golden Apricot. It has a great texture and consistency with a mild apricot flavor.
At the Yellow Butterfly Winery, the winemaking process takes place on the property from start to finish. Michael wasn’t shy about crediting the late Leland Weiss of Rainbow Hills Winery for helping him when he started out. Each winery advertises for each other close to their properties, which goes to show the camaraderie in the Ohio wine business. It makes me proud to be a part of it.
Michael enjoys having his guests get involved in the naming of his new wines. When he releases a wine he offers tastings at a discounted rate. But I’ll have to wait until next year.
I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Michael and admire his passion for converting skeptics into wine lovers. “It’s all about drinking the wines that you like, any way you like to drink them,” says Michael. I ordered a bottle of Country Rose and decided to check out the view which is more than stunning. I enjoyed the music, listening to the live entertainment and wanted to take in the moment. It was a perfect afternoon to enjoy some delicious wine.
Have you visited Yellow Butterfly Winery? I would love to hear about your experience or let me know your favorite wine from this amazing winery by leaving a message in the comments section below! Cheers!
Many thanks to Michael White and everyone at Yellow Butterfly Winery for their generosity and hospitality.
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What to See and What to Do:
Yellow Butterfly Winery
11661 Blue Ridge Road
Newcomerstown, Ohio 43832
Telephone: 740 492 1216
- Hours: The winery is open the months of February to December, Tuesday through Saturday from 11:30 AM to 6 PM and later on the weekends. The winery is closed on Sunday and Monday. Hours are seasonal and are subject to change. Please refer to the winery’s website for any updates to its hours of operation and schedule of events.
- Amenities: Weekend entertainment, dining, wine tastings, outdoor seating, online shopping, wine, private events and scheduled events
- Tips for Your Visit: Please note that the wine tastings are only provided during certain hours and are subject to change. As always, please drink responsibly.
Those that were on the tour were provided with a country BBQ Rib/Chicken or Steak Dinner with two sides, the winery’s famous wine cake and a wine tasting! this offering is also available to those visitors who reserve in advance on Saturdays for a cost of only $25. Dinner reservations must be made by Thursday by calling 740 492 1216. Live entertainment is also available during the summer months, so check out their website for a list of events.
Where to Stay:
Hampton Inn
200 Morris Crossing Avenue
Newcomerstown, OH 43832
Telephone: 740 498 9800
Where to Eat:
Railroad Restaurant & Saloon
509 Main Street
Coshocton, OH 43812
Telephone: 740 575 4151
It was a day to try some fried food and I could not pass up the opportunity to try the deep fried pickles because I prefer the chips over the spears. The spicy cajun dipping sauce was the perfect condiment. I also ordered the lobster bisque which was creamy, delicious and full of lobster meat.
What to Read:
- Restored Ohio: History Brought Back to Life, by Glenn Morris
- Lost Circuses of Ohio, by Conrade C. Hinds
- A Taste of the Hocking Hills by Matt Rapposelli
- Asylum on the Hill, by Katherine Ziff
Photo Guide for Southeast Ohio:
- Hocking Hills State Park, Athens, Ohio
- The Wilds Safari Park, Cumberland, Ohio
