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Home > Blogs > Uncorked > Archives > 2007 > April > 04 > Entry
Rhone, Italian varietals in Ohio? Who knew? One NYC psychiatrist, that’s who
First, thank you for the excellent suggestions and advice for Cathy and Elizabeth yesterday, and as Cathy says in a comment — keep ‘em coming! But as always, we move on…
I’m working on a more in-depth piece on this topic and will share the link when it’s available, but Hermes Vineyards in Sandusky is too fascinating to keep secret.
The Ohio winery, with 30 acres of vineyards, is located near Sandusky, Ohio, not far from my old stomping grounds of Fremont, where I worked my first newspaper job out of college. I sure didn’t recognize the region as a hotbed for growing vinifera grapes from the Rhone region of France and from Italy, but that’s exactly what Hermes proprietor Dr. David Kraus is doing.
Kraus is a Sandusky native, but his “day job” has taken him to New York City, where he is a psychiatrist with a private practice in Manhattan. But he flies back to Sandusky frequently to keep an eye on his vineyards and winery. The land he’s cultivating for wine grapes has been in his family for more then 150 years. Kraus will tell you — and will produce data to back it up — that the microclimate in and around Sandusky is very conducive to growing wine grapes, especially those of Rhone and Italian varieties.
Now, fortunes have been lost on attempting to grow these European grapes in the wrong parts of Ohio, where the frigid winters kill the more sensitive vinifera vines. Yet, Sandusky — at one time the wine-grape-growing capital of the U.S. — benefits from the moderating influence of the Great Lakes, which provides an extended growing season.
Kraus has planted two dozen grape varieties, including Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Viognier, Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon — you get the idea.
Of course, the proof is in the glass. And Hermes delivers. Pour some of these wines “blind” for wine enthusiasts, and they’ll never guess the wines came from Ohio. I did just that last Friday at Jay’s Kitchen Door, where the 2006 Hermes Viognier was quite a favorite of the tasters, and the 2006 Hermes Syrah converted a few folks as well. Both wines cost about $15.
Add Hermes to the success that Kinkead Ridge has enjoyed with vinifera grapes down in Ripley, and that many other Ohio wineries are enjoying as well, and, well, I’ll repeat what I wrote after the Cincinnati International Wine Festival: If Ohio wines were a stock, I’d be buying.
If you’re in the neighborhood of Sandusky this summer (Cedar Point, perhaps?), stop in at Hermes’ tasting room. Or make a special trip and visit some of the neighboring wineries too.
There is fun and exciting stuff happening in our own backyard. And a visit sure is cheaper than a trip to the Rhone or Italy….
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
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Comments
By cathy
April 5, 2007 12:30 AM | Link to this
Thanks for sharing info about Hermes in Sandusky. I think it’s great that they are pairing the wine tastings with musical artists (e.g.,acoustic guitar, Angel Foss, etc). IMHO, many of the Ohio wineries have recently made leaps and bounds in their wine producing quality. It is a good situation for all of us! Let’s plan a road trip!
By John-Perrysburg
April 4, 2007 9:52 PM | Link to this
Mark, Who needs “inky black, concentrated, monster-reds” anyway…..not me for one! I’m looking for food friendly, flavorful wines that will let me drive home after dinner at a friends house, don’t go down like cough syrup, AND wines that nobody else knows about. “Hermes Vineyards” might just do the trick. I think I’ll just drive over there this weekend and give ‘em a try. Thanks for the tip. John-Perrysburg
By Mark Fisher
April 4, 2007 9:53 AM | Link to this
John: Most of the reds I tasted from Hermes seemed to have achieved sufficient ripeness, yes, although these wines are not inky-black, super-concentrated, monster reds. I haven’t tasted enough vintages to know whether he’ll be able to do this year in and year out, but the results from Hermes in 2006 — which some Ohio winemakers from other parts of the state say was a poor vintage because of the wet, cool fall — are encouraging to say the least.
By John
April 4, 2007 8:45 AM | Link to this
My only question about red wines from northern Ohio is do they have enough time to fully mature on the vine during the growing season? Your comments are enough to encourage me to try some of their white wines.