The Warren County winery has captured the “best red” designation in the agriculture department’s Ohio Quality Wines “Director’s Choice” competition four times in the last six years. In 2014, the winery’s 2012 syrah and its 2012 cabernet franc tied for the designation of “Best Red Wine.” The same two wines in earlier vintages — the Valley Vineyards cabernet franc and the winery’s syrah — tied for “best red” in 2012, and the winery’s cabernet franc captured that honor solo in 2011.
Here’s why those accomplishments are significant: a disproportionately large concentration of the state’s vineyards and estate-grown wines are located in the opposite corner of the state, in northeast Ohio along Lake Erie. Valley Vineyard’s sweep of the “best red” category four out of six years — combined with southwest Ohio winery Meranda-Nixon’s Cabernet Franc Reserve capturing the overall “Best of Show” award in the Ohio Wine competition just last month — represent a feather in the cap for vineyard owners and winemakers in the southwest quadrant of the state.
The Valley Vineyards Wine & Beer Festival will offer “A Taste of Warren County” as it celebrates the winery’s 46th anniversary from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday. It will feature food from local producers, live music, cellar tours, tethered hot-air balloon rides and other events. There is a $5 parking fee.
For more information and details about the festival's events, check out the Valley Vineyards web site.
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