With vineyards and a tasting room in three locations in Thompson and Madison, the establishment generates around 12 varieties of wine and cultivates about 25 grape growing acres. Staying small is a strategy that works for wine owners, Art and Doreen Pietrzyk. Everything at the vineyards, from the picking to the sorting of grapes, is done by hand and the output of this process is quality control. A former automation engineer, Art has been growing grapes since childhood.

Best known for its Pinot Noir, this variety has received a number of California gold medals and is the only Ohio wine featured in John Winthrop Haeger’s “North American Pinot Noir.” A particularly challenging variety to grow successfully in this region, Art’s hands-on process in the vineyards to prevent over-cropping provides the right flavor and tannins needed to produce this award winning wine. The winery has been in operation since 1997 and in 2007, it opened its main Tuscan-inspired tasting room in Madison.