Tuscawaras County Wineries

Photos by OHventures

To continue celebrating Ohio Wine Month this June, consider stopping in to one – or all six – of the award winning wineries in Tuscawaras County. While you embark on your wine-tasting experience, be sure to check out the Ohio Grape Industries VIP incentive program, where you can register and win rewards for visiting different Ohio wineries.

Island Palm Winery (Bolivar): Historic downtown Bolivar is the setting for this fun and laid back island-themed winery. When walking in, you immediately get a tiki bar vibe that sets the tone for a good time. Flip Flop Muscat, Seashell Chardonnay, and Shark Bite Zinfandel are some examples of the exciting and whimsical wines found at Island Palm. The best sellers are fruit wines: Pomegranate Cove and Sunset Passion Fruit. They also offer a great bologna sandwich called “The Big Kahuna,” and the tasty home brewed Crow’s Nest Hard Apple Cider.

School House Winery (Dover): One of my favorite wineries in all of Ohio is School House Winery, which was established in an actual schoolhouse from the late 1800s! This bright red structure stands out in the rolling countryside and beckons you to come in the doors and have some wine. All wines have been given elementary school-related monikers, my top picks being Bully Red (dry, smoky, oaky), and Teacher’s Pet (the best seller).

Breitenbach Wine Cellars (Dover): When I visited Breitenbach, it was swarming with visitors, with check-out and wine-tasting lines stretching throughout the winery. Known for over 40 vinifera and hybrid American varieties, Breitenbach produces 135,000 gallons of wine each year. A must-try is the extremely unique (and extremely sweet) Dandelion wine, which has become a mainstay and crowd favorite. It is so popular, that there is even an annual Breitenbach Dandelion Festival each May.

Swiss Heritage Winery (Dover): Located at the Broad Run Cheesehouse, you’ll find yourself amongst an array of cheeses (all made on site), lace, curtains, and other specialty items. Making your way to the rear of the gift shop, you’ll find a counter selling a selection of 17 different wines made on site. The folks at Swiss Heritage will do a great job letting you know which cheeses and wines pair best together. My recommendation is the light and grapey Victorian Lace paired with blue ribbon Swiss cheese!

YOLO Winery (Dover): A winery with the name “YOLO” (You Only Live Once) can only mean good things. The interior has a modern and upscale décor reminiscent of a California-style boutique. Order delicious flatbreads and salads delivered to you fresh from local restaurant Sammy Sue’s. Be sure to sample my personal favorite wine called Party On Garth.

Silver Moon Winery (Dover): A great place to sit back and relax after a long day of traveling and wine sampling. There is a large, open seating area with loads of comfortable couches and chairs that pair nicely with the wines at Silver Moon. Try Blood of Zeus and Luna Bianca. If you’re daring, check out Eve’s Delight or Kiwi Melon Splash!

Discover Ohio Wines!

With more than 150 wineries scattered across Ohio, the state ranks 9th in the nation for wineries - an impressive feat! The temperate growing climate and the fertile soil on the lakeside accounts for the majority of Ohio's most well-known wineries, although no area of the state is lacking!

With so many to choose from, I have compiled a list of 10 unique wineries to visit across the state!

1. School House Winery (Tuscawaras County)
2. Camelot Cellars (Franklin County)
3. Lakehouse Inn Winery (Ashtabula County)
4. Gervasi Vineyard & Italian Bistro (Stark County)
5. Country Porch Winery (Trumbull County)
6. Myrddin Winery (Mahoning County)
7. Firelands Winery (Erie County)
8. Heineman's Winery & Crystal Cave (Ottawa County)
9. ThornCreek Winery (Summit County)
10. Bluebird Winery at Little Forest Inn (Carroll County)

Read my latest guest post on the Ohio Division of Tourism's official blog, Discovering Ohio for photos from each winery as well as my favorite wines I recommend you order at each location!

The Historic Village of Zoar

Photos by OHventures

It's likely that you have never heard of the tiny town of Zoar before now. But the job of OHventures is to bring to light some of the lesser known hot spots that are worth a visit. With 169 residents in the 2010 census, this historic village is one that is sure to turn heads whenever driving through.

On my annual camping visits to Atwood Lake in Tuscawaras County, I would always slow the car down and rubberneck my way through what I later learned was the Village of Zoar. It doesn't take long to drive through, yet there is much to see. The buildings are perfectly puritan, some dating back to 1817 when a group of German Separatists were seeking escape from religious persecution in their home country.

Heading here is like taking a quick journey back in time at a speed of 88.8 miles per hour with Marty McFly. The architecture consists of colonial-looking masonry, ornate observation towers (like that on top of the Zoar Hotel - pictured above), and even homes that resemble log cabins. You will stumble across centuries-old buildings with old fashioned trades, such as the cobbler shop, the blacksmith, and the weaving house. 

Me & Slider hanging out at the Zoar Town Hall!

Many of the buildings are open to the public through educational tours that showcase how things were done in the olden days. You can witness butter churning, bread baking, and tinsmithing on a hands-on guided tour all year long, as well as special Christmas tours to see the village decorated for the holiday season. The Old Cider Mill is currently an antique shop, as well as a bed & breakfast to those who want to stay overnight and get the full experience! Ghost tours, Civil War reenactments, the annual Harvest Festival in August, and nearly year-round crafts are highlights of the culture to be experienced throughout the year in Zoar.

School House Winery

Photos by OHventures

School House Winery

455 Schneider's Crossing Road NW

Dover, OH 44622

(330) 602-WINE

If these walls could talk, they would surely  tell the tales of young Ohio schoolchildren of the late 1800s and early 1900s learning their way through reading, writing and arithmetic in the heart of Tuscawaras County. They'd be likely to spout off stories of dunce caps and chalkboards, yard sticks, and pencil sharpeners. Built in 1886, Oak Grove School held classes in one room from all students grade 1-8 up until 1941. It was thereafter owned by numerous families and used as a home, until it became what it is today: The School House Winery, established in 2009. 

Owners David and Jennifer Jagunic ferment all of the wine on site, most made with grapes from the Lake Erie region. They have approximately 2 acres of beautiful landscaping including a small pond and outside sitting area where patrons can enjoy live local music every Saturday night. 

The school house has been painted a strikingly bright red hue that stands out in the countryside backdrop. Inside, the one-room school house has been transformed to include a wrap-around bar in the center and ample seating throughout. 

All of the wines have been cleverly given elementary school-related monikers, and are available for approximately $13-16 per bottle, $5 per glass, or $0.50 per sample. Naturally, I opted to get a sample of each of the 11 available wines so I could see what tastes each had to offer! Julie, our bartender, poured the samples from driest to sweetest and lined them all in a row!

First up was The Principal, which is the driest red, and seemed like a crowd favorite (others coming to the bar seemed to ask for this one). I personally loved it, given that dry reds are my favorite! The next was Oak Grove, named after the original school. This one reminded me of wine consumed at church during communion, which is a good thing! Equation was next, which was the driest white wine available, and was rather palatable. My absolute favorite was next in line: Bully Red. Full of character, it had a smoky, oaky flavor, and I even bought a bottle to take home!

Next came Eraser, a semi sweet white wine, followed by Teacher's Pet (which wins the coolest name award in my book and is apparently the winery's true best seller), Lazy Daze, Cranberry (a seasonal sweet red), Class Clown (tasted too much like candy to me), and an apple-flavored wine that was a delight!

A small yet incredibly tasteful menu is available that includes meatballs in a bread bowl, 10 inch pizzas (veggie, cheese/garlic, and pepperoni), subs, and pizza rolls. All menu items were made with local ingredients, such as bread from nearby Breadhead Bakery, Mids sauces from Navarre, and cheese from Heini's Cheese Chalet in Berlin.

This quaint winery is one of the most memorable and noteworthy I have been to in Ohio, and is worth a road trip no matter where you're coming from - just be sure to have a DD!