A sweet, older couple in their 70s were enjoying a glass of wine while sitting at a high top in the tasting room. I had just ordered a few wine samples at Ferrante Winery and Ristorante and took a seat near their table so I could look out the window and feel the warmth of the sunlight beaming in.  I was taken by surprise when the lady, wearing a classy blue and white suit, asked me if I was from out of town.  She noticed that they had not seen me in here before and said that they could answer any questions I had about the wines because they were regulars.  I smiled, thanked them for their hospitality and thought to myself, “I want to be her when I am her age.”  I answered by telling them that indeed I was visiting for the weekend and had a couple of activities lined up for the next couple of days.  Before I had finished my wine samples, Martha, Joe and I were sharing family pictures and had become best friends.   Wine is guaranteed to bring people together.

Entering through the French doors at the stone entrance, I immediately noticed that the facility is quite large with plenty of outdoor space amidst endless rows of grapevines.  The inside was absolutely gorgeous with a restaurant straight ahead or the tasting room and store to the left.   Of course I was drawn to the store with its large selection of wine and beautiful flooring with multicolor slats.  Close by was the wine bar, so after reviewing the wide selection of products, I placed my order for my wine tasting and caught up with the server, who was restocking the wine for the day.

Ferrante Winery provides a number of pre-set tasting menus, so I selected the Proprietor’s Selection Tray which included medium to sweet wines, “ a selection of Ohio’s unique & favorite wines.”  Here is a list of my tasting notes related to this amazing wine selection.

• American Riesling win the Best Riesling at the Finger Lakes Wine Competition in New York
  • Very clear, no legs and smelled fruity; I could taste apricot and peach and the wine had a perfect finish
• Finger Lakes Riesling which won 2 double gold awards in multiple competitions
  • Very light wheat color; thicker consistency with a tart smell, tastes fruity with a slight mineral taste and a long finish
• Grand River Valley Vidal Blanc
  • Similar in color to the American Riesling, this wine was very clear. It had the same consistency as the Finger Lakes Riesling  with a crisp smell of apricot and apple;  with a fuller taste it had a bold acidity;  tasted very similar to an apple jolly rancher
    • In 2017, this wine won Best in Show at the San Francisco Chronicle International Wine Competition
• Blanco – won the Gold in the OH wine competition
  • Golden colored, thicker body and a great grapey smell, milder acidity; more fruity in taste (grape) with a short finish
• White Catawba – Gold OH Wine Competition
  • Very light-bodied wine and very light yellow with a unique bouquet, not too fruity but with subtle grape taste
• Rosato – Best Blush in the OH Wine Competition
  • Peachy pink in color, light body, subtle berry aroma, lingering acidity and short finish
• Jester’s Blush
  • Beautiful peach color, lovely smell, sugary sweetness, taste the same over full palate, short finish
• Rosso
  • Beautiful ruby red, grape juice with a kick; would taste amazing COLD!
• Pink Catawba – smells like cotton candy, medium body with a sweet finish
• Ice Wine – the Vidal Blanc is buttery and beautiful!

Founded in 1937 by Italian immigrants Nick and Anna Ferrante, the winery produced the Russo,  Bianco, Concord and Niagara.  Their son Peter moved the winery to its current location in 1979 and added the restaurant.  Located in the Grand River Valley, some consider this area to be Ohio’s Mini Napa and I could not agree more.  The vineyard offers an Italian inspired menu created by chef Nina Salerno.  The gorgeous space is large enough for celebratory get-togethers or enjoy a glass of wine on the outdoors terrace while watching live weekend entertainment.  The original farmhouse has been converted into their wine productio facility and is well-known for producing Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and their famous Grand River Valley Riesling.

For now, I will enjoy the wonderful company of Martha and Joe, learn more about their family and take note for any additional winery suggestions they may have for the area.  Wine is such a beautiful way to bring people together and Ferrante Winery is one of the best Ohio wineries to enjoy a glass or two with new friends.

Have you had the opportunity to visit Ferrante Winery?  Did you have lunch, dinner or enjoy a wine tasting?  I would be happy to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below.  Many thanks for reading about my wine tasting at Ferrante Winery and wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do: 

Ferrante Winery & Ristorante
5585 State Route 307
Harpersfield Township, OH
Telephone:  440 466 8466

Where to Stay:

The Lily Cottage
1164 Idlewood Drive
Geneva, OH  44041
Telephone: 440 853 9373

Where to Eat:

Check out Ferrante’s extensive menu!   I thoroughly enjoyed the Gnocchi Brue made of “tender chunks of filet mignon simmered in our Merlot wine demi-glace with Portabello mushrooms and onions.  Served on potato gnocchi and spiked with gorgonzola cheese!

What to Eat: The cuisine in northeast Ohio is very diverse with a wide variety of Old World cuisine.  Here are a few recommendations:

• Assiette de Fromage (Cheese Plate) from L’Albratos for a wide ranges of cheese
• Barberton-style Fried Chicken, made from a Serbian recipe is an amazing dish from White House Chicken in nearby Barberton, Ohio
• Beef Cheek Pierogie’s from Michael Symon’s Lola
• Corned Beef Sandwiches from Slyman’s
• Polish Boy at Seti’s is a kielbasa topped with meat, coleslaw and ketchup.
• Pierogie’s from Sokolowski’s University Inn
• Veal Parmesan at Trattoria on the Hill in Cleveland’s Little Italy neighborhood