I am excited to announce Tour de Cincinnati’s first collaboration. Because I am more of a beer person (and I’m not what you’d consider “classy”), I have partnered with Blake, a friend of TDC, who is far classier, worldly, and more qualified to talk wine than I am.
Thus, I present to you, an introduction to the Wine Wednesday series:
Cincinnati’s beer scene is second to none in the region, and one of the best in the country. With over 30 craft breweries in greater Cincinnati (and that number growing seemingly every day), it’s easy to see how Cincinnatians, transplants, and visitors of the Queen City are completely obsessed with the locally-made frothy goodness. However, beer isn’t the only libation being made and enjoyed in Cincinnati. The beer capital of Ohio is also embracing another movement: the urban winery.
I know what you’re thinking. “Local wine? In Ohio?” Yes. Local wine. In Ohio! And specifically in Cincinnati. Similarly to Cincinnati being the leader of beer distribution in the 1800s, it was also the leader in wine production. But thanks to that pesky Prohibition movement and California’s perfect weather, wine production moved almost completely out of the region and to the West Coast. Throughout the years, the city and region maintained some of that wine making tradition. That tradition, mixed with Cincinnati’s amazing maker’s movement in artisan and craft delicacies, has created a resurgence of locally made wine. Today, Cincinnati is home to a few urban wineries; two of which (Revel OTR and Skeleton Root) have manifested in brick and mortar locations within the last year and call Over-the-Rhine home.
Unlike beer, wine can seem very intimidating. However, with the right guide, an open mind, and a desire to look classy AF, wine can be just as enjoyable as beer.
While the fabulous Linsinnati is busy mastering the beer scene in the Queen City, I hope to be your wine tasting guide. I will bite the bullet and review some of Cincinnati’s urban wineries. (You’re welcome.) The goal is to create a beginner’s guide to Cincinnati’s wine community that is an accessible road map for getting wine wasted in Porkopolis. (Fine. Corkopolis.) I’ll chat with some of the makers, experience the various wine-making spaces and, of course, drink all the wine. Just for you! The focus will be primarily on urban wineries, but may eventually include wineries just outside the city limits and wine-specific bars that offer food pairings. What’s wine — or any drink, really — without delicious food pairings?!
If you have any suggestions for my tipsy journey, let me know!
Blake is a Cincinnati transplant and absolutely loves it here. Outside of getting wine tipsy and tweeting about it, he enjoys indulging in the bars and restaurants of Northside, where he, his partner, and cat reside. Blake is an avid FC Cincinnati fan and currently sits on the board of supporters’ group Die Innenstadt. His hobbies are avoiding priorities, binge watching the Golden Girls, and throwing shade.
For more of his adventures around Cincinnati and beyond, you can follow Blake on Twitter and Instagram.
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