A small vineyard and a beautifully groomed entrance greeted me as I arrived at Wyandotte Winery. Established in 1977, Wyandotte stakes its claim as the first and oldest winery of Central Ohio.

Entering the front door, I was met by a pleasant server at the wine tasting bar.  As I reviewed the wine list and the small plate items, I placed my order for the Meat and Ohio Cheese plate as well as seven wine samples, which were $1 per pour.  For visitors who buy six bottles of wine, ten free samples are included, while a 10% discount is provided for the purchase of wine by the case.

• Carmenere Malbec Blend: lovely combination, not as dry as a Malbec, Pinot Noir or Merlot but had a hint of tartness; beautiful deep red color described with aromas of smoke and vanilla, cherry highlights, and a mild black pepper finish. $14.99  per bottle
• Vin De Cacao – semi sweet red wine infused with cocoa; delicious and great for an after dinner drink; soft thick texture with a hint of chocolate described as off dry. $13.99 per bottle
• Apple Hill – using apples from an orchard in Mansfield, this wine was crisp with a nice apple taste which was not too overpowering and had a hint of spice.  $13.99 per bottle
• Grandstand – an Ohio Catawba; sweet white, all about the grape. $13.99 per bottle
• Sweet William – Sweet American Table Wine mad of Ohio Foch and Niagara, a red/white blend.  A local favorite, this wine is sweet and fruity.  $14.99 per bottle
• Hope is100% pomegranates making it sweet and tart.  Proceeds from this wine benefit cancer and you can purchase it by the glass for $8 or $14.99 per bottle.
• Vintage Harbor Reserve Port – luxuriously rich fortified dessert wine available by the glass for $8 or by the bottle for $29.99.

Ask about their Heirloom Chardonnay, the Ice House (Ice wine from Gewurtraminer), Glass House from Vidal Blanc, wine slushies and sangria pitchers.

I enjoyed learning about the history of Wyandotte Winery, first established as Jones Wyandotte Wine Cellar.  The home-style winery was designed and built by Floyd Jones, which included a cellar where the wine was produced, and on the first floor, the tasting room, gift shop and living quarters of Mr. Jones and his family.  Floyd offered a variety of grape-based wines, while creating specialized wines from rhubarb, beets and dandelions.

In less than 10 years, the Jones family turned the winery into a prosperous business and sold it to Bill and Jane Butler in 1985.  Bill successfully continued the wine-making tradition and won many awards for his wine and became well-known for his Raspberry Champagne.  Expanding its operations to include the William Graystone Winery and Restaurant, the Butlers opened a second location in German Village in 1990 hosting elegant dinners and special events.

By 2004, Wyandotte Wine Cellar was up for sale and today’s owners, Robin and Valerie Coolidge re-opened Wyandotte Winery in 2007.

From harvesting and bottling, to fermentation and aging, all stages of wine production are conducted onsite.

Harvesting the estate Marquette grapes as well as collaborating with other fruit and grape growers, Robin incorporates Ohio produce as much as possible in creating his wines.  Some of the best local varietals include the Niagara, Catawba and Concord grapes while Riesling, Gerwurztraminer and Pinot Noir also thrive in the Ohio climate.  French-American hybrids that survive well in the cold temperatures include Baco Noir, Chambourcin, Seyval Blanc and Traminette.

Check out Wyandotte Winery’s wine making operation by signing up for a free wine cellar tour on Saturdays.

Wyandotte Winery offers several events throughout the year which are not only educational, but fun.  Valerie Coolidge is the wine and food pairing expert at Wyandotte and teaches guests how to pair food with wine for a more enjoyable experience.  There is plenty of space to host an event, celebrate a birthday or enjoy a special occasion.  With Wednesday Happy Hour and Friday night music, guests should check Wyandotte Winery’s website for fun events year around.

Valerie is also the genius behind the “Famous Wyandotte Wine Cakes” which are prepared with both wine in the batter as well as in the glaze.  The wine cakes are available both at the winery or by ordering them online.  Samples are available upon request at the winery.

Relax in the outdoor space at Wyandotte Winery and you may find yourself in the hammock.  Buy a bottle or enjoy a glass for $6 (a glass of Port for $8). Wine slushies in cherry, berry or kiwi as well as Sangria are also on the menu.  From the words of winemaker, Robin Coolidge, “Drink what you like!”

Have you had the opportunity to visit Wyandotte Winery  to sample some of their amazing wines?  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 fabulous time at Wyandotte Winery and wishing you many Happy Travels!  Cheers!

What to See and What to Do: 

Wyandotte Winery
4640 Wyandotte Drive
Columbus, OH  43230
Telephone:  614 476 3624; 877 906 7464

Hours of Operation:
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and Saturday from 1 – 7; Friday from 1 – 9

Wyandotte Winery also owns Rockside Winery in Lancaster under the management of their son Ryan, opened in November of 2014.

Where to Stay:

Hilton Columbus at Easton
3900 Chagrin Drive
Columbus, OH  43219
Telephone:  614 414 5000

Where to Eat:

Cap City Fine Diner and Bistro
1301 Stoneridge Drive
Gahanna, OH  43230
Telephone:  614 478 9999

I was in the mood for real diner food, so I ordered the Warm Pretzel with (beer) Cheese to start and the Diner Meatloaf Sandwich as my entree.

Here are more of my favorite Columbus Classics:

• Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream:  Known for her unique flavor combinations, Jeni Britton Bauer has made ice cream famous in C-Bus!
• North Market:  A one-stop shop for universal cuisine, Columbus’ North Market is worth a stop in the Short North District of the city.
• The Thurman Cafe:  The Thurmanator is the burger of all burgers at this longtime local cafe in German Village.  There may be a wait all burgers are made to order.
• Schmidt’s Sausage Haus and Restaurant:  While the sausage at Schmidt’s is the official food of Columbus, it’s the amazing Cream Puffs that have the locals lining up at the door.

What to Read: 

• Columbus: The Story of a City, by Ed Lentz
• Columbus, Ohio: A Photographic Portrait, by Randall L Schieber and Robin Smith
• Ohio in Photographs: A Portrait of the Buckeye State, by Ian Adams
• Secret Columbus, by Anietra Hamper

Photo Guide for Columbus: 

• Coffman Park: small ponds, bridges, white barn, pavilion, landscaping, public art
• Columbus Museum of Art:  the grounds, inside artwork and special exhibits
• Everal Barn and Homestead:  landscaping, white barn, beautiful lake
• Frank Fetch Park:  gardens, brick paths, beautiful trees and landscaping
• Franklin Park Conservatory:  beautiful gardens, artwork, flowers and special exhibits
• Gantz Park:  barn, beautiful trees,
• German Village:  brick streets, landscaping, parks, charming architecture, Old World charm, historical buildings
• Grove City:  brick roads, small town, shopping area
• Hayden Falls:  wooden walking path, waterfall
• Historical Village of Hilliard:  a small village to include a schoolhouse, train car, chapel, log cabin, covered bridge, gazebo and granary
• Homestead Park in Hilliard: walking path, covered bridge, barns, trains, tractor, pond and pet park
• Inniswood Metro Gardens:  gardens, lily pond, herb garden, play area for children, secret garden
• Ohio State House: rotunda and landscaping (photo permit required)
• Ohio State University:  campus, landscaping, Mirror Lake, Ohio Stadium (you can pay a small fee to take photos inside)
• Park of Roses in Clintonville:  various types of rose gardens
• Riverfront Park:  city view, Scioto River, landscapes, fountains, walking paths
• Schiller Park:  gardens, walking paths, stone columns, wooden bridge, small lake
• Scioto Mile:  city views, Scioto River, landscapes, fountains, walking paths
• Scioto Park in Dublin:  statue of Chief Leatherlips, river views, landscaping, and paths
• Short North:  restaurants, italian village, shops, city views, murals
• Topiary Park:  depiction of George Seurat’s 1884 painting, landscape, fountains, small pond, gazebo