Browse the Northwest Collections
Heineman's Winery, 201607/18/2016
Established in 1888 by Gustav Heineman, a German immigrant, this Put-in-Bay winery offers island tourists a tasting bar, a wine garden, and a gift shop. Tours of the Crystal Cave are also available. Touted as the world’s largest geode, this cave located 40 feet under the winery was discovered by workers digging for a well in 1897. Historically known for its sweet wine, the most popular wine is Pink Catawba. Other native grapes such as Ives, Delaware, Concord, and Niagara are also grown on the island. Ohio’s oldest family owned winery, today the winery is still run by the third, fourth and fifth generations of Heinemans.
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John Christ Winery, 199205/01/1992
Since 1946, John Christ Winery has been dedicated to the production of quality wine. Located less than two miles south of Lake Erie in Avon Lake, all of the wines are produced and bottled on the winery premise. The winery offers a tasting room, tasting bar, and live music. Acquired by the Kopf family in 1995, the location is known for its fruit and medium to sweet wines. It produces between 13,500 to 15,000 gallons of wine annually.
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Kelley's Island Wine Co., 1980s06/15/2016Historic view of the tasting room. Kirt Zettler is pictured to the far right with his wine workers. Wine owner and winemaker: Kirt Zettler |
Kelley's Island Wine Co., 1980s06/15/2016View of the outdoor patio and the Nicholas Smith house. |
Kelley's Island Wine Co., 1980s06/15/2016The original tasting room in the Nicholas Smith house. |
Kelley's Island Wine Co., 1980s01/01/1983The history of winemaking on Kelly’s Island began in the 1842 when Datus Kelley planted the first crop of Isabella grapes. Over twenty years later, the Kelly’s Island Wine Co. opened its doors and operated successfully until the era of prohibition. The island’s historical roots in the wine industry and the strong reputation of the former winery motivated the Zettler family to reestablish the name in 1982 and open a winery in the Nicholas Smith house. In the 1990’s, the owners opened a new winery with a cellar for public viewing adjacent to the original winery. The location caters to vacationers and offers a tasting room, gift shop, restaurant with dining room, and covered outdoor pavilions. Known for its sweet wine, all wines are produced and bottled on site. |
Lonz Winery, 197812/27/1978
Restaurant relief mural at the Lonz Winery.
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Lonz Winery, 198007/01/1980Originally established as the Golden Eagle Winery in the mid-1800s, the Lonz family took it over in the 1920s. Over the years, this Bavarian castle-like structure built in 1942 has been visited by five U.S. presidents and a number of celebrities. In 2001, the state of Ohio acquired the land and established Middle Bass Island State Park. Enologist Claudio Salvador continues to make Lonz wines, a tradition he started in 1979. Ohio Division of Natural Resources unveiled a restoration and preservation effort at the historic site in 2017, where the 150+ year old wine cellars were opened for the first time to park visitors. ODNR saved as much as the original structure as possible, including the cellars, the iconic Lonz Winery facade, and the tower. Historical wine exhibits are inside the preserved cellars of Lonz Winery. These exhibits feature wine-making equipment found on the property, some as much as a century old. |
Lonz Winery, 198609/20/1986
A long-standing island tradition, the Lonz Winery Grape Festival entertained tourists every year with a grape-stomping contest, games, music, wine tastings, and winery tours.
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Mon Ami Winery, 1970s09/13/2016
Built in 1956 by Norman Mantey, the Chalet offeres a full dining menu, wine samples, and weekend live entertainment.
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