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The Winegrowers of the Grand River Valley will host their second annual tasting event, “Cask 1013”, from noon to 5:00 PM on September 14. The event combines a self-driving tour, a progressive food event and a uniquely blended casks of wine. Participating wineries include: Debonné Vineyards, Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Grand River Cellars Winery & Restaurant, Laurello Vineyards, and St. Joseph Vineyards. The wine tasting, which includes the limited release of the Cask 1013 red wine, will be offered with food pairings to compliment the wine perfectly.
You may visit the wineries in any order you choose. The cost is $6 per person at each winery. The price includes wine and hearty appetizers.
The Cask project was a joint effort of the 5 different Northeast Ohio wineries to each purchase a 500-gallon cask barrel, using oak from different countries. Each location then put only regional red wines from their winery into the barrel, resulting in wines that are smooth, dry, and full of flavors. The first vintage in the barrel was in 2010 and a second vintage was added in 2011. This blend was bottled in 2013, thus the name Cask 1013-the year the project started “10” and the year the wine was bottled “13”. Each year, 100 gallons will be bottled from these amazing barrels, making room for the next years harvest.
All five participating wineries are within 10 minutes of each other, making this a very convenient excursion for travelers. Each winery will feature their cask wine and another regional wine paired with an appetizer. The cost is only $6 per person at each winery.
"This is truly the elite tasting event of the year," said Nicholas Ferrante, owner and winemaker of Ferrante Winery and Ristorante. "The cask wines from the five area wineries are all about bottling the best that we have. The blends are amazing and the consumer can really taste the difference an oak barrel can make."
With the event being in mid-September, during harvest season, it is highly likely that grape pickers will be in the fields and grapes being pressed at some of the wineries. The smell of grapes is sure to permeate your senses as you drive around to the different wineries.
While visiting the area the group encourages travelers to take a mini-vacation and spend their weekend in wine country. There are lots of shops to visit and beautiful covered bridges to check out in the area. For those looking for other things to do contact the Ashtabula County Convention & Visitors Bureau (www.visitashtabulacounty.com) or the Lake County Convention & Visitors Bureau (www.lakevisit.com).
The Winegrowers of the Grand River Valley formed a group several years ago when they began to realize how quickly their wine region was growing. The Grand River Valley Wine Region is one of the fastest growing wine regions in the United States and has the quality wines to prove why. Member wineries have achieved national and international recognition with award winning wines. These wineries must adhere to strict standards.
The Cask Tasting is just one of a series of events The Winegrowers of the Grand River Valley host each year. Other events include the ever-popular Ice Wine Festival and The Turkey Trot.
For more information about the Cask Tasting call 440-466-3485 or go to www.grandrivercellars.com and click on events listing.
Cask Tasting Menu
- Debonne Vineyards - (French Oak Barrel), Chocolate Cherry Brownies
- Ferrante Winery & Ristorante - (French Oak Barrel), Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Souffle
-Grand River Cellars Winery & Restaurant– (Hungarian Oak Barrel), Penne Pasta with Homemade Puttanesca Sauce
- Laurello Vineyards - (Hungarian Oak Barrel with French Oak Heads), Gorgonzola, Fig & Walnut Tartlets
- St. Joseph Vineyards - (American Oak Barrel with French Oak Heads), Pork Au Vin with Bread from Stone Dragon Bakery
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