While it’s near Amish Country, there isn’t a straw hat or plain cotton dress to be found. And don’t bother with faux cowboy boots.
This winery (and craft brewery) creates sophisticated libations from cabernet sauvignon to frontenac gris. Then again, there’s also Redneck Red and Mad Cow wines.
A third-generation farm supports the tasting center, which offers live music, events and family fun during the summer, fall and beyond. Take the drinking outside or visit a gift shop stocked with deli items and baked goods. But above all else, the wines are the star here.
“We’re a dry county, so for us to serve we have to make everything here,” says manager Michelle Bakan.
The farm supplements its own vines with grapes from locations such as Pennsylvania, California and Oregon, but all are crushed and fermented on-site.
Thirty of 50 wines are available at any given time, ranging from reds and whites, dry, sweet and blended, to blush and fruit wines. Imagine it: an early-fall trip for a glass of Apple Pie Reserve wine, wagon rides and pumpkin-picking.
“We always have something happening,” Bakan adds. “Our motto is we make great wine fun.” 6193 Edison St. NE, Hartville, 330-877-8344, maizevalley.com
Try This: Expertly blended with depth and tang, Very Berry ($16.99), a melange of blueberry and raspberry, tastes like summer in a glass.
