After making several trips to Athens to visit my sister, I decided to stop by Hocking Hills Winery in Logan on my way home to Columbus. Beckoned by billboards along US-33, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to sample locally-produced wines and purchase a couple of bottles for myself.
Max and Loris Davidson owned the property and raised cattle on the farm until the land was passed down to their family by 2008. Wanting to maintain the farm for agricultural use, it was their grandson, Blaine, who came up with the idea to plant a vineyard to produce wine as Hocking Valley Vineyards. That same year, 2013, they planted their first 600 vines on just over one acre. The grapevines included the hearty French-hybrid varietals that would thrive in the cold weather of Ohio to include the Chambourcin, Traminette and the Vidal Blanc.
The large room is a great meeting place with the tasting bar on the opposite side of the entrance. I grabbed a seat and a menu and within minutes ordered their wine flight where I could sample eight of their sixteen varietals.
Their estate grown wines include:
- Vidal Blanc, first harvested in 2013 from their estate grown grapes. It is a full bodied white which pairs with shellfish and chicken.
- The Vidal Blanc grapes are also used to make the Lilly of the Valley wine
- Sauvignon Blanc, first harvested in 2016 from the Lontue region of the Curico Valley of Chile, South America. Pairs great with grilled chicken as well as Greek and Mexican cuisine.
- Traminette, first harvested in 2017
Additional Wines:
- Chardonnay aged in American Oak for 8 months
- Pinot Grigio from grapes harvested from the Lontue region of the Curico Valley of Chile in South America. The cool wine region allows the grapes to flourish in the Andes Mountains providing a crisp, dry white.
- Riesling from the Columbia Valley of Washington state in a cool climate resulting in semi-sweet wine which balances out rich, saucy dishes. (This was one of my favorites!)
- Moscato from Lodi, California
- Sweet Chardonnay from California’s Central Valley
- Malbec
- Syrah
- Zinfandel from Lodi, California is a region where much of the great Zinfandel is produced. Pair this wine with rich meats.
- Hocking River Red, a sweet red wine blend
- Rock House Rouge
- Balanced Rock Port, a dessert wine
- Peach Wine Slushy
- Raspberry Wine Slushy
While the winery has been winning awards since 2015 and their wines have also been recognized by a number of organizations:
Awards and Recognition?
- 2019: Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor!
- 2019: Riesling awarded a Silver Medal at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition!
- 2019: Chardonnay awarded a Bronze Medal at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition!
- 2019: Hocking River Red awarded a Bronze Medal at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition!
- 2018: Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor!
- 2018: Petite Syrah awarded a Bronze Medal at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition!
- 2018: Trillium awarded a Bronze Medal at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition!
- 2017: Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor!
- 2015: New Business of the Year Award by the Hocking Hills Chamber of Commerce!
Hocking Hills Winery offers a nice menu of appetizers ranging from $8 to $20 and visitors can also order food from local restaurants through UberEats, DoorDash or from the restaurant’s website as well.
What to See and What to Do:
Hocking Hills Winery
30402 Freeman Road
Logan, OH 43138
Telephone: 740 385 7117
- Hours: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1PM to 8PM, Friday from 1PM to 10PM and Saturday from 11AM to 10PM; Closed Tuesday
- Tips for Visiting Hocking Hills Winery: The winery caters to hikers, so make sure to stop by! In addition to wine, the winery provides additional juices and water. Children are permitted as well as dogs. They do not accept reservations. Their white wines are vegan but egg whites are used in their red wines to soften the tannins. Outside food and beverages are not permitted but they have a menu which is also located on their website.