Engineering Fabulous Wines, Vinoklet Winery

24 June 202323 September 2024

It was a beautiful day, so I planned a visit to Vinoklet Winery & Restaurant on Cincinnati’s Westside. As I pulled into the parking lot, I was more than surprised by the number of cars and was having a difficult time finding a parking space.

Vinoklet hosts a buffet style dinner over the weekends and is also a popular place for hosting events. That evening, there was a family reunion, a business dinner as well as a bachelorette party. I was incredibly grateful that the hostess found a small table for me in a corner when I explained I was interested in a wine tasting.

In addition to sampling wine, I decided to purchase the cheese tray which included Swiss, Cheddar and Pepperjack cheese, pepperoni, crackers and grapes. It was the perfect amount for the tasting, but I wished that I had booked a reservation for the buffet-style meal where fish, steak and shrimp were grilled to perfection served with salads, sides and decadent desserts.

There are a total of nine wines available for tasting, arranged from dry to sweet with the reds to my left and the whites on my right. I began my tasting with the Brother Joe, a cabernet sauvignon described as “A premium red wine made with cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and chambourcin grapes. Rich ripe flavors with an elegant finish”.

The Cincinnatus was next, which is a “dry red table wine made with Merlot and Chambourcin grapes. Vibrant flavor with a harmonious finish”. I picked up a bottle for our family cookout that weekend, knowing it would be perfect with steak.

I enjoyed the Sunset Blush and It was such a great, refreshing wine that I ordered a glass after my tasting. This is a “semi-sweet wine made with Catawba, Vidal and Niagara grapes. Aromatic fruit with a zesty finish.”

The last red wine on the list was the La Dolce Vita, translated as “The Sweet Life” in Italian. It is a “sweet red dessert wine made with Chambourcin and Concord grapes. Soft and fruity to enjoy anytime”.

Halfway into my tasting, I had the privilege of meeting Kreso Mikulic, the owner of the winery. Checking in with his guests, he was enjoying a glass of wine. Making his rounds, he stopped by my table after coming in from outside and we chatted a few moments about his winery.

Kreso is originally from Croatia, where wine was a part of his everyday life. Just like many of the northern Italians, each of the members in his village grew their own grapes to produce wine for their families. He actively participated in the process as a child and has years of experience making extraordinary wines.

Kreso went on to become an electrical engineer, moving to the US and finding work with the General Electric Aviation division. He is credited with a variety of patents for the aerospace industry. Once he retired, he opened the winery in 1980 and has been hosting guests in Colerain for nearly forty years.

Sunset Blush

Continuing with my fifth sample, I learned that the Traminette is a grape blend of the Seyve, a French American hybrid with the vitis vinifera of German descent. It is the next wine on my list and described by Vinkolet as a “premium wine with spicy characteristics of honey and florals”. The taste was strongest towards the back of the tongue.

Tears of Joy is definitely a drier wine and is made with Vidal Blanc grapes. It is “crisp and full of flavor yet soft to the palate”. It was a little too dry for me, but I really enjoyed the Dreamer, a semi-sweet wine made with Vidal Blanc grapes and an Ohio favorite, the Niagara. The winery labels it as “perfectly balanced and delicate to the taste.”

In Vino Veritas was another favorite wine at Vinoklet Winery. Also made with Niagara and Vidal Blanc grapes, this is sweeter than the Dreamer and would be a great wine to enjoy on a summer afternoon.

Passion was the last wine in the tasting and was absolutely delicious. I couldn’t resist and had to purchase a bottle to enjoy at home.

What I liked most about the winery was that it is also a restaurant and banquet facility. Located on rolling hills, I enjoyed walking out to the acres of vineyards that would soon produce grapes over the summer months. Relaxing at the bonfire after dinner is a favorite pastime with many of Vinoklet’s customers and the sunsets from here are absolutely breathtaking.

The Weekend Dinner option includes the buffet and there are Weekend Grillouts over the summer months offering a wide selection of meats. In the evening, the winery sets up the fire pit when the weather permits.

Vinoklet Winery is the perfect location to enjoy an evening meal or celebrate a special event. With the scenic views, delicious foods and award-winning wines, we found the winery more than exceptional. What makes Vinoklet so special is also memorialized in Kreso’s philosophy. When it comes to wine, “the best wine is the wine that pleases you the most”, and at Vinoklet Winery there are so many award-winning options from which to choose. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to make wines, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to be an engineer.

Have you visited Vinoklet and do you have a favorite wine from the winery? Do you have a favorite Ohio winery? I would love to hear about it to experience it for myself. If you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below, that would be great! Many Thanks for reading about our evening wine tasting at Vinoklet and wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Vinoklet Winery & Restaurant
11069 Colerain Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45252
Telephone: 513 385 9309

Hours: The winery is open from noon to 5 PM on Tuesday, noon to 8 PM on Wednesday and Thursday with wine tastings from noon to 4 PM, noon to 11 PM on Friday and Saturday with wine tastings from noon to 4 PM, from 1 PM to 5 PM on Sunday. The winery is closed on 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.

Where to Stay:

Hampton Inn Cincinnati – Northwest/Fairfield
430 Kolb Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45014
Telephone: 513 942 3440

Where to Eat:

Enjoy the buffet at Vinoklet on Wednesdays and Thursdays or visit on Friday and Saturday nights for the opportunity to grill your own entree with a selection of side dishes, desserts and of course, wine!

Hundley Cellars, A Cozy Winery in Ohio’s Grand River Valley

15 April 20222 March 2025

An adorable cottage sits in the midst of northeast Ohio’s wine country. With brown shingle siding, a stone fireplace, vaulted ceiling and hunter green roofing, it looks more like a hunting lodge than a Great River Valley winery . From the moment I arrived, I felt as though I was sitting in the midst of a best friend’s great room. The gorgeous light wood interior, accented with dark furniture was classic and extremely cozy.

I selected a table looking out towards the deck where it was still quite cold to be seated outside. I placed my order at the tasting bar for a flight of wines and a small plate from the simple snacks menu which included cheese, crackers and meat for an additional charge.

My wines arrived and shortly thereafter the Cheese Board which had some amazing samples of Cotswold (Gloucester with Chives, England) cheese, Red Dragon (with Whole Grain Mustard, Wales) cheese, Five Counties/Stripey Jack (England) Vintage Cheddar (Canada), pickles and artisan crackers. The meat selection was the perfect size that paired well with the wines I had selected.

Starting out with the Chardonnay, I noted the beautiful blonde color of the wine and simple body. Lightly oaked, this perfect buttery Chardonnay would pair quite nicely with a lovely Camembert. I knew that my sister will enjoy this wine over the holidays and added this to my list of wines I wanted to purchase.

The Estate Traminette was the color of sunshine and I could taste the minerals in this wine for certain. It was a perfect pairing with the crackers that were placed on my board as the third set from the left.

Interestingly, the Niagara had what appeared to be bubbles and I enjoyed this wine with the selection of meat. It was a semi-sweet wine that had a mild bite to its finish.

The Estate Seyval are grown on the property and are hand picked during harvest. With a color of light straw, this wine had a medium body and a short finish and I imagined it would be perfect with grilled salmon or a tuna steak.

The Late Harvest Vidal was another estate wine which had a hint of light green to its light yellow undertones. It had an intense honey taste with a strong apricot smell. The taste was fruity with a smooth texture and I knew this would pair well with my spicy Asian dishes.

The Merlot had a nice dryness and full body. A beautiful beet color, this purplish red wine was perfect with the meat and cheese and ended with a short tart finish.

My final sample was the Harvest Red. Solid red in color it had it had a very strong grape smell which reminded me of jam. A very sweet grape juice taste which I find to be typical of Ohio wines and always a delicious choice.

Hundley Cellars opened its doors in 2014 and offers an amazing selection of wines. Sitting on 35 acres in Ashtabula County, the property includes a beautiful outdoor deck to enjoy the pond and surrounding vineyards.

Have you had the opportunity to visit Hundley Cellars? I would love to hear about your visit and learn which wines you enjoyed most if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reading about my visit to Hundley Cellars and wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Hundley Cellars
6451 St. Route 307
Geneva, Ohio 44041
Telephone: 440 361 3088

Hours: The winery is open from 12 PM to 7 PM on Wednesday and Thursday, 12 PM to 9 PM on Friday and Saturday and from 12 PM to 6 PM on Sunday. The winery is closed on Monday and Tuesday. Hours are seasonal and are subject to change. Please refer to the winery’s website for any updates to its hours of operation.
Amenities: Weekend entertainment, dining, wine tastings, outdoor seating, wine, private events
Tips for Your Visit: During the nights when the winery provides entertainment, wine tastings are not available. As always, please drink responsibly.

Where to Stay:

The Lodge at Geneva on the Lake
4888 N. Broadway
Geneva on the Lake, Ohio 44041
Telephone: 866 806 8066

Where to Eat:

I recommend having snacks at Hundley Cellars because they are fabulous and unique! Here are a couple of suggestions close by if you would prefer a full menu option:

Chops Grille & Tap House
1752 State Route 534 South
Geneva, Ohio 44041
Telephone: 440 466 7427

Crosswinds Grille
5653 Lake Road East
Geneva, Ohio 44041
Telephone: 440 466 8668 x4

My favorite menu item is the charcuterie board. Crosswinds is known for its farm to table offerings where everything tastes so fresh.

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The Winery at Wolf Creek in Norton, Ohio

24 June 202022 September 2024

Taking the last sip of my wine sample of Space Cowboy, I noticed a group of bubbly young college students walking through the door of The Winery at Wolf Creek, dressed for a bachelorette party. They approached the tasting bar where I was enjoying a glass of wine when we struck up a conversation. It was their first time here, so they asked what I was drinking and if I had any suggestions for what they should order.

This was their first winery experience but they were not new to wine. We discussed which types of wine they would normally purchase and I shared with them my wine list with all of my hand written notes. I suggested that they start out sampling some of the wines before they commit to a bottle. They agreed that the sweet, fruit wines were more their style so they started out with samples of Blue (blueberry), Original Sin (apple) and Space Cowboy (peach).

The server set them up as I took a glass of Redemption out to the patio, waiting for a pizza from Fat Boys. Redemption is a French-hybrid blend that is light on the sweet side which I absolutely enjoy chilled.

I took a menu outside to look over the beer selection that includes craft beers from local and popular breweries as well as ciders and fruit based ales. The Winery at Wolf Creek has a limited menu of cheeses, meat and crackers but they welcome patrons to bring their own foods to enjoy with their wines while enjoying the spectacular view.

With a few minutes to spare, I reviewed my tasting notes and information that I had collected from my server. Distracted by the beautiful view of the Akron skyline, I noted which wines I would be purchasing before leaving the winery.

The Vignoles was my first sample which is a semi-sweet estate wine that I found had a lingering sour finish. This having been my first experience with this wine, I was curious to learn about specific food pairings that may alter the taste of the wine and found an unusual list to include pumpkin and ginger-based foods as well as gingers snaps*.

One of the varietals grown on the estate, Vignoles is one of three grapes that make up about 80 percent of their white wine production which also includes the Pinot Gris and Leon Millot.

Peppery and smooth, the Zinfandel was my absolute favorite but having learned that the winery makes a great Cabernet Franc, I had to sample this wine as well.

Summit County provides a grape growing terrior that includes sandy loam, clay loam and gravel. Because the climate is similar to the Loire Valley in France, this provides the potential as a perfect location for growing Cabernet Franc and Chambourcin varietals.

Switching over to sweet wines, Sweet Revenge is a beautiful Ohio rose that the winery has been making for over twenty years. A blend of Seyval Blanc and French Hybrid wines, this crisp, delicious wine is a classic.

I am always interested in sampling the fruit wines from Ohio wineries because they have the potential to be extremely fruity or combined with grapes, have subtle notes of fruit flavor in the blend. Blue, a semi-dry blueberry wine was rich in color as well as a little tart which I found to be an absolute lovely combination.

Original sin is the perfect name for this crisp, apple based wine, but it is Space Cowboy that wins my vote with its full peach flavor in every sip.

The sun is starting to set on this beautiful, brisk October evening. I bring myself inside where I can continue admiring the outside view from the beautiful glass windows of the tasting room.

My pizza had just arrived, so I ordered a bottle of Zinfandel, knowing that the winery can repackage the remaining wine for me to take home.

The Winery at Wolf Creek is open year around, with limited hours during the winter season. Cellar tours are available by appointment and wine tastings are offered daily. The winery offers a great selection of wine accessories, clothes, gift baskets and of course, wine which ranges from $14 to $24 per bottle.

The bachelorette party is going strong in the tasting room and I stop by to inquire how they enjoyed the wines. The bride-to-be, dressed in red, mentioned that they had such a difficult selecting a favorite that they purchased one of each to enjoy with their large group. I told her to beware of the Big Bad Wolf as I exited the winery, happy to see they were having the time of their lives.

Have you had the opportunity to visit The Winery at Wolf Creek? Did you pack a picnic or order some food? What was your favorite wine? I would love to hear about your visit to The Winery at Wolf Creek if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reading my post about The Winery at Wolf Creek and wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

The Winery at Wolf Creek
2637 South Cleveland Massillon Road
Norton, Ohio 44203
Telephone: 330 665 1445

Where to Stay:

The Whimsical Pig Bed & Breakfast
2682 South Cleveland Massillon Road
Norton, OH 44203
Telephone: 330 576 6104

Ron and Sue Bishop were absolutely lovely hosts. The French toast for breakfast was amazing!

Where to Eat:

Wolf Creek Tavern
3044 Wadsworth Road
Norton, OH 44203
Telephone: 234 571 4531

Seated on the outside patio, I was so excited to try an order of homemade pierogis and I selected the fish and chips for my entree.