Established in 2001, the Ohio Wine Hall of Fame recognizes the outstanding contributions of individuals to the wine industry in Ohio. Created by the state’s grape and wine community, an anonymous committee annually reviews nominations submitted and selects the inductees. Full biographies of Ohio Wine Hall of Fame recipients are available on the website of the Ohio Wine Producers Association.
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2005 Inductee, Arnie Esterer; Winemaker and Owner of Markko's Vineyards10/11/2016Arnie Esterer and Tim Hubbard (1923-2000) planted their first vines in 1968 and built the winery in 1972 in Conneaut. Known locally as the godfather of Ashtabula County winemaking, Arnie Esterer began his tutelage under the late Dr. Konstantin Frank, a well-known viticulturist and winery owner who promoted the vinifera varieties in the Finger Lakes area in New York and other areas along the East Coast throughout the 1960s and into the early 1980s. Under Frank's direction the winery became the first in Ohio to successfully grow European vinifera grapes. Photo features Arnie Esterer and the late Linda Frisbie (1940-2015), veteran wine taster and employee at Markko’s Vineyard for over 40 years. |
2004 Inductees, Dr. Thomas and Mary Quilter; Winemakers and Owners of Shamrock Vineyard10/11/2016Dr. Thomas Quilter (1921-2006) and Mary Quilter (1921-2010) were inducted for their years of pioneering in the Ohio wine industry. In 1972, the couple began growing a wide variety of wine and table grapes as an experiment and hobby on a grain farm thirty-three miles north of Columbus. They learned that certain grape varieties such as Seyval, Marechal Foch, Concord, and Niagara are, in general, more winter hardy and therefore more suitable for the region. A hobby turned into a business when, in 1984, Shamrock become a bonded winery. Tom and Mary Quilter emphasized the pairing of French-American hybrids with traditional foods of the area. Tom served six years on the Ohio Wine Producers Association Board of Directors and represented the wine industry in many agricultural meetings. Mary's dedication to the winery and vineyard made it possible for Tom to serve the wine industry. Source: Ohio Wine Producers Association Hall of Fame website. |
2003 Inductee, Ken Schuchter; Winemaker and Owner of Valley Vineyards10/11/2016Inspired by Dr. Garth Cahoon, a well-established viticulturist and an Ohio Wine Hall of Fame inductee, that his family farm in Warren County had the ideal soil and weather condition to grow grapes, Ken Schuchter (1931-2016) started Valley Vineyards in southwest region of Ohio in 1969. The vines and winery began to thrive under Ken's leadership. Early on Ken was involved. He assisted in the formation of the Ohio Wine Producers Association and the Ohio Grape Industries Program. He served on the association’s Board of Directors for ten years and for twenty years he acted as a board member for the Ohio Grape Industries Program. Over the years, Ken and Valley Vineyards have earned countless awards and recognition for the excellence of their wines. |
2002 Inductee, Lou Heineman; Winemaker and Owner of Heineman's Winery10/11/2016Lou Heineman was honored for his leadership on the board of the Ohio Wine Producers Association and for his role in bringing his century old family business on Put-in-Bay into a new generation of Ohio winemaking. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Lou carried the tradition of making fine island wines such as his renowned Pink Catawba. He also helped guide his son Edward, as the winery moved to producing French American hybrids and European style varietals. He served as a founding member of Ohio Wine Producers Association and also as it's president in the 1980s. With his background in local island government, he lead the industry toward a realization of the importance of becoming politically active to build awareness of the importance of the industry to both the agricultural and tourism communities. Source: Lou Heineman and Donniella Winchell Named to the Ohio Wine Hall of Fame Press Release from the Ohio Wine Producers Association (2002) |
2002 Inductee, Donniella Winchell; Director of the Ohio Wine Producers Association10/11/2016Donniella Winchell joined the Ohio Wine Producers Association in 1978 and held the position of executive secretary. In 1984, she became the association’s full time director. During the ensuing years she helped build the organization from a fledging cluster of 9 farm wineries to a dynamic group of nearly 65 wineries and several dozen growers. Under her leadership, the industry initiated the Vintage Ohio wine festival, which served as a model for similar events in several states. She has been active nationally with the Winegrowers of America, the American Vintners Association, the National wine Vision strategic planning group and the Wine Market Council. She also serves on several state and local tourism committees, underscoring her belief in both regional tourism and economic development. Source: Lou Heineman and Donniella Winchell Named to the Ohio Wine Hall of Fame Press Release from the Ohio Wine Producers Association (2002) |
2001 Inductee, Robert Gottesman; Owner of Paramount Distillers10/11/2016Robert Gottesman (1918-2000), owner of Paramount Distillers as well as Meier’s, Mon Ami, Firelands and Lonz wineries, was responsible for leading the resurgence of the wine industry in the early 1970s. In 1994, he was inducted into the Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame and was a founding member of the Ohio Wine Producers Association. He was also instrumental in initiating legislation that created the Ohio Grape Industries Committee. Sources: Ohio Wine Industry Honors Founding Fathers with the Creation of the ‘Ohio Wine Hall of Fame’ Press Release from the Ohio Wine Producers Association (2001), and Ohio Wine Producers Association Hall of Fame website. |
2001 Inductee, Nicholas Longworth; Founder of Ohio's Winemaking and Grapegrowing Industry07/01/1858Nicholas Longworth (1783-1863), recognized as the person most responsible for bring winemaking to the Buckeye State, was the first inductee to Ohio Wine Hall of Fame. Ohio owes the rich heritage of its wine industry to Longworth, whose passion for growing native grapes and producing wine in the Cincinnati region led to the development of the Ohio wine industry in the 19th century. Longworth’s vineyards and winery produced more wine than any other in the country. In 1842, Longworth created America's first champagne, which he called "Sparkling Catawba". With praise from across the country and as far away as Europe, he could hardly keep up with the demand for his champagne and Catawba wine. A lasting tribute "Ode to Catawba Wine" was written by the well-known poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Sources: Ohio Wine Industry Honors Founding Fathers with the Creation of the ‘Ohio Wine Hall of Fame’ Press Release from the Ohio Wine Producers Association, and Ohio Wine Producers Association Hall of Fame website. |
2001 Inductee, Dr. James Gallander; Professor at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center10/11/2016Dr. James Gallander, born in Peoria, Illinois in 1937, earned both a bachelor's degree in 1960 and doctoral degree from Ohio State University in 1964 in food technology. He began his career at Ohio State University in 1963 as an instructor at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) at Wooster. He received the rank of full professor from the department in 1972 and developed the center's enology program. Working with Dr. Garth Cahoon, an OARDC professor also inducted into the Ohio Wine of Fame in 2001, Gallander helped to plant the first hybrid grapes on the Wistar Marting farm in Clarksville. This event marketed the beginning of the ‘modern’ Ohio grape-wine industry. Gallander has authored hundreds of studies on food science and enology, has organized the Ohio Wine Competition for many years, and has served as the advisor to the Ohio Wine Producers Association. In 1985, he also received the award of merit from American Wine Society, a non-profit, educational, consumer-oriented organization for those interested in learning more about all aspects of wine. Sources: Ohio Wine Industry Honors Founding Fathers with the Creation of the ‘Ohio Wine Hall of Fame’ Press Release from the Ohio Wine Producers Association (2001), and Ohio Wine Producers Association Hall of Fame website. |
2001 Inductee, Dr. Garth Cahoon; Professor at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center02/01/1994Dr. Garth Cahoon (1924-2012), a native of Delta, Utah, earned a degree in technical soils from the Utah State University in 1950 and a Ph.D in Plant Science from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1954. He worked as a horticulturist at the University of California at Riverside from 1953 to 1963 before coming to Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster as an associate professor in horticulture. Promoted to full professor in 1967, in 1983 he was named the assistant chair of the department. Professional assignments in India, Somalia and the Caribbean broadened his knowledge of small fruit horticulture. As professors, Dr. Garth Cahoon and Dr. James Gallander, an OARDC colleague inducted in the Ohio Hall of the Fame in 2001, taught and inspired a whole new generation of winemakers in the techniques of growing grapes and making wine. Both were instrumental in the creation of the Ohio Wine Producers Association and the Ohio Grape Industries program. Sources: Ohio Wine Industry Honors Founding Fathers with the Creation of the ‘Ohio Wine Hall of Fame’ Press Release from the Ohio Wine Producers Association (2001), and Ohio Wine Producers Association Hall of Fame website. |