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Tag Archives: Steuben

Featured Ohio Winery: Terra Cotta Vineyards

16 June 20248 February 2025

Passing cattle farms along the hilly landscape of Muskingum County, I approached Terra Cotta Vineyards in New Concord, Ohio.  The long gravel drive boasted beautiful full grapevines that would soon be ready for harvest.  It was an early Saturday afternoon, the calm before the storm as a large crowd was expected for the winery’s popular weekend cook outs with a selection of strip steak, marinated pork or salmon cooked over the grill.

The winery, owned by Donna and Paul Roberts, was first established in 1996 sitting in the midst of fifty-six acres.  With an environment similar to the European wine regions, the Roberts family found the perfect terrior to grow quality grapes that can sustain the cold Ohio winters.

Entering the rustic winery, the light woods of poplar accented by the terra cotta walls were overshadowed by the gorgeous open, cathedral ceiling.  The tasting table was to my left where I decided to try a few samples which included the Chambourcin,  Steuben, Baco Noir, Catawba and the Terra Rosa.

I ordered a glass of the Terra Rosa and took a seat on the back porch to admire the dramatic valley views and rolling hills.   I learned that beneath the beautiful green landscape was red clay soil and the region is known for its beautiful clay ceramics.  In addition to their daughter, Alysia’s pottery, it was how the Roberts’ family came up with the name of the winery, Terra Cotta Vineyards.

So while I am enjoying the panoramic view and the delicious wine, I think about the upcoming harvest.  While so many factors have an impact on the quality of the wine, all of the preparation and maintenance over the spring and summer will be important.  But in the end, everything is about the harvest.

I would be interested in hearing about your visit to Terra Cotta Vineyards, if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below.  Do you have a favorite wine or another Ohio wine suggestions?  I would be happy to learn more about the Ohio wine industry and look forward to your message and recommendations.  Wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Terra Cotta Vineyards
2285 Rix Mills Road
New Concord, OH 43702
Telephone:  740 872 3791

Please refer to the winery’s website for the most up-to-date information such as hours of operation.

Where to Stay:

Hotel Garland
150 Garland Way
New Concord, OH  43762
Telephone: 855 462 9255

Where to Eat:

Theo’s Restaurant
632 Wheeling Avenue
Cambridge, OH  43725
Telephone:  740 432 3787

Looking for authentic home cooking, we stopped at Theo’s Restaurant for lunch and ordered burgers and fries.  The service was excellent and so was the food!

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Sampling Some Redneck Love at Kennedy Vineyard, New Madison, OH

25 June 201918 September 2024

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Kennedy Vineyard was a welcome sight among the crops of corn and soybean of Darke County.    As I approached the graveled driveway leading to the winery, grapevines were loaded with juicy varietals most popular in the Ohio wine region.

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Having just opened for the afternoon, I entered the warm and welcoming winery with a casual and country style.  There was plenty of seating but that would not last for long. As I took my place at the tasting bar, I was greeted by winery co-owner, Louisa Kennedy.

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The large windows looking out into the vineyard provided stunning views of the DeChaunac grapes, planted over 10 years ago, by Barbara Kennedy, Louisa’s mother-in-law.   Fields of corn were converted to vineyards and after many years of producing wine, the winery opened over two years ago.  Additional varietals that thrive at Kennedy Vineyard are Chambourcin, Vidal, Cayuga, Concord, Steuben, Niagara and Catawba grapes.

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The first wine I sampled was Lone Cedar Red, described as “a well-balanced and full-bodied wine with notes of sweet cherry”.  Winning the 2015 Bronze Medal at the Finger Lakes Wine Competition, this wine was very smooth and beautiful in color.  Named after the sole cedar tree which stands on the property, it is perfectly paired with a steak or can be enjoyed as a casual drink after a long day at work.

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My next wine was “a semi-sweet wine full-bodied  with bold flavors of blackberry and lingering black cherry.”  Made with a blend including DeChaunac grapes, I enjoyed the wine’s subtle finish and beautiful label. I was not surprised to learn that it had won the 2015 Silver Medal Winner, Finger Lakes Wine Competition.

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One of the qualities that I admired about Kennedy Vineyard was their passion to give back to their community.  By purchasing their wine Resilient, proceeds from the sales are provided to help fund epilepsy research.  I learned from Louisa that the teens that were photographed for the label are from a local high school. Although these students were diagnosed with epilepsy, they were excited for the opportunity to bring awareness of their illness and to show that they can live healthy productive lives.

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While sampling the apple wine, Louisa explained their future plans to convert their barn into a processing room and to further expand the winery.   She has an intense passion for wine and she is currently pursuing a degree in viticulture.  Eager to share her knowledge and expertise, I enjoyed learning more about Kennedy Vineyards and the process of making wine.

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I was ready for my next sample, Kennedy’s Redneck Girl.  This is a beautifully colored blackberry wine which is one of their top sellers.   A “soft sweet wine with lots of character and soft notes of cherry and raspberry”, this wine was awarded the 2015 Silver Medal at the Finger Lakes Wine Competition.

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Louisa poured me a sample of Love at First White.  A chilled sweet wine, this “elegant sweet white blend with bold flavors of the Niagara grape” is perfect  for a hot summer day.

So what do you have when you combine Redneck Girl with Love at First White?  Redneck Love, a perfect wine combination.  I decided to purchase both bottles so I could enjoy these wines at home.

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Spending time with the Kennedys was a great way to enjoy my afternoon.  I was off to find a place for dinner when John recommended The Merchant House in Greenville.  He insisted I try the Pig Candy and mentioned that the restaurant had recently opened about a month ago.  Apparently it was already creating a local buzz, so I knew I had to check it out, but not without resisting the temptation to play with the winery’s adorable kittens one last time.

Have you visited Kennedy Vineyard and have a favorite wine that you would like to share?  I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reading about my amazing visit to Kennedy Vineyard and wishing you many Happy Travels. Cheers!

What to See and What to Do:

Kennedy Vineyard
3911 State Route 722
New Madison, OH  45346
Telephone:  937 273 8381

  • Hours: The winery is open from 6 PM to 9 PM on Friday and 2 PM to 9 PM on Saturday.  The winery is closed from Sunday thru Thursday. Hours are seasonal and are subject to change. Please refer to the winery’s Facebook page for any updates to its hours of operation and listing of events.
  • Amenities:  Weekend entertainment, wine tastings, wine club, wine baskets, wine, gift shop, private events and scheduled events
  • Tips for Your Visit:  During the nights when the winery provides entertainment, wine tastings are not available.  As always, please drink responsibly.

Find Kennedy Vineyard on Facebook and don’t forget, they can also ship wines directly to you as well!

Where to Stay:

Best Western Monroe Inn
40 New Garver Road
Monroe, OH  45050
Telephone:  513 539 4400

Where to Eat:

The Merchant House
406 S. Broadway Street
Greenville, OH  45331
Telephone; 937 459 4405

Pig Candy is hands-down my favorite appetizer on the menu! Smoked, candied bacon, with cinnamon, sugar and unique blend of spices makes this selection a favorite of the restaurant’s patrons.  The Pig Candy BLT is also a popular offering, which includes the amazing appetizer on bread with lettuce and tomato.

For pizzas, I can’t get enough of the Detroiter and Cherry Margherita pies!

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About Me!

I have had a passion to travel for as long as I can remember and landed my dream job at the age of 19 on a cruise ship. The Suite Life of Travel is about those experiences as well as my future endeavor to explore this amazing world!

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