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.