Knotty Vines: Ohio Winery Visit

By Dr. J, TWAV Tasting Team Member

The next stop for my wife and me on our northwest Ohio wine tour was Knotty Vines in Wauseon, Ohio.  This winery is right outside of Pettisville but carries a Wauseon address.  As you drive up to the tasting room, vines line both sides of the path.  There are 1250 vines that stretch over about two acres.
We were greeted by owner Julie Nofzinger where we began to scan the wine list for what we thought would be five tastes.  Julie was such a welcoming host that we immediately began conversing about our love of making wine and starting a winery; and I forgot to take tasting notes! 

Harvest Gold was the first wine of choice which consists of the Seyval Blanc grape.  Seyval is a hybrid grape with many of the same characteristics of Riesling and the wine it makes is just as enjoyable.
Next was the Knotty White.  This wine is made from Cayuga, which is another favorite grape of mine.  Although I typically prefer dry red wine, I definitely lean towards whites when it comes to hybrid grapes.  They always seem to be consistent, pleasant, and the closest in characteristics to vinifera varietals.

As we worked our way to the reds, we were guided “behind the scenes” with our glasses to see the winery operations.  I was able to ask questions and see the equipment that is used when making the jump from a home winemaker to a small professional operation.   Two dry reds and a blush were to follow.  My fascination with the 128-gallon floating lid stainless tanks led me to lose my short term memory here with the grapes in these blends.  I recall DeChaunac, Chambourcin, and I believe Marechal Foch.  The blush is a fine example of Catawba.  Blush wines do not typically make my wine rack but I just had to have one of these on hand for a summer sipper.
Julie gave great advice and offered to help in any way in the future.  A retired school teacher, Julie is living her retirement dream.  It is up close and personal tastings like this that truly make a winery visit the best that it can be. 

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