By Kate Bartlett
Nestled along the shoreline of Lake Erie, lies 53 miles of unique wineries and gorgeous vineyards waiting to be experienced. This upcoming weekend, November 10-12th marks the second of Lake Erie Wine County’s Harvest Weekends, and the perfect opportunity to explore the region. Enjoy authentic, handcrafted wines paired with unique food samplings at each of the 20 member wineries.
The Lake Erie Wine Region is unique in that it covers 2 states with a diverse environment, and thus growing season for wine. “Our location near Lake Erie grants us a longer fall and a later spring,” says Bill Merritt of Merritt Estate Winery. “The grapes here are exclusive to the region due to our unique climate.” In fact, the region is the largest concord grape producer in New York State, producing about 2/3 of the state’s grapes overall. “We have very popular concord grape wines that people travel quite a distance for.”
The Harvest Weekends started many years ago as a way to attract visitors to the area in celebration of fall and the harvest season. The event has grown over the years and evolved to include the 20 member wineries en route this upcoming weekend. “It has been a great event since the start, and it’s an excellent opportunity to experience the regions wineries,” says Bill. “It attracts visitors from several states including Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, New York and Pennsylvania and it’s a great occasion for our region to shine.”
Tickets include a food and wine sample pairing at each winery, additional wine tastings, online access to all recipes at the tastings, and 2 $5 vouches to use at participating wineries or restaurants. Two-day and three-day options are available, and designated drivers may participate free of charge (includes food samples and non-alcoholic drinks). The event runs Friday 12-5, Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 10-4.
Upon purchase, guests select a host winery to pick up tickets and begin their tour. From there, guests provide their own transportation and create their own itinerary, visiting any participating winery in any order.
For more information and to visit tickets visit https://www.lakeeriewinecountry.org/ and follow on social media for upcoming events throughout the year.