It’s not the Russian River Valley of California, but Ohio does have its own wine country. Head north toward Lake Erie, where the land is green with the fresh water of the great lakes and battered from the winds. You’ll find myriad wineries and distilleries. Yes, Ohio wines tend to be sweeter and I am a dry wine guy, but there are some gems. M Cellars was the best of the bunch with some elegant reds and a sparkling brut that was a perfect wine if ever there was one.
In terms of hospitality, South River Vineyard could not be beat. Since we were traveling with Jolene, most of the wineries wouldn’t let us inside. The good folks of South River led us down to a pavilion where they had a fireplace and they started a fire just for us.
Once the sun finally came out, we drove along the lake and took as many covered bridges as we could find—and there are plenty near Ashtabula, including what is (disputably) the longest and shortest covered bridges.
Special thanks to the Mentor Public Library. We borrowed their WiFi on Sunday by pulling up to their branch. Libraries are always useful—even on the days when they are closed. Support your libraries, folks.
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