Did you all know June is Ohio Wine Month?!! Well, ladies and gents, it sure is! If this was news to you too, no worries! You’re just in time to start celebrating for the second half of the month! Pursuit of Delights partnered with Ohio Wines to visit one of their official wineries- which means the wine is made in Ohio and grapes grown in Ohio.  It was so hard to choose just one, as there are over 300! In the end, we kept it local and visited the top-rated wine shop in Cincinnati… Henke Winery. How we’d never been there before is still a surprise to us, but we are so glad we finally did!

Henky Winery is an urban winery located in the West Side of Cincinnati. They have been established since 1996. When we entered, it felt as if we walked into one of our family member’s home (who happened to be serving delicious wine ). They’ve grown to become one of the top urban wineries and have won a multitude of medals such as one of their most recent- Top 10 Urban Wineries by Wine Enthusiasts! How impressive! The size is also quite surprising. It is much larger than it appears to be with multiple rooms. Accommodating many guests would be possible even though it may not look it from the outside.

What we love about them is all their wines are made in their own cellar. I assumed they would have a small selection, but there are multiple dry, sweet, and sparkling red and white options to choose from. If you’re unsure of what to get, start with a tasting! You will receive five selected wines for $10 and get to keep the glass! Whoop! My favorite white was the Chardonnay which won a double gold in the Ohio wine competition. For red, my favorite was the Norton, which is made from an American grape. Thomas Jefferson said this was probably one of the best American grapes to make wine from. These grapes are grown in Winchester, which is about 75 miles away. Henke certainly would’ve made Thomas Jefferson proud with their Norton! As if your selection was not hard enough, they also have 3 more coming back soon: The Sparkling Wine, Rose´, and Cranberry Apple (I personally cannot WAIT to try this one!)

I want to also take a moment to talk about the food options offered. Their food is American/eclectic with a variety of appetizers, salads, soups, entrees, and desserts. We began with the cheese and charcuterie board, which you really can’t go wrong with. It’s a great way to snack while continuing with your tasting. For entrees, we ordered the Atlantic Cod Filet (which came with a side and salad) and the Linguini Carbonara. They were both fantastic and cooked perfectly. The carbonara could have easily been two meals for anyone. I would also recommend adding a bread basket considering you may be drinking a decent amount of wine!

This was such a cute winery to visit! I was pleasantly surprised by the amazing wine and rich food. You can see their full wine selection and food menu by visiting their website. In preparation for the weekend, we hope you take the time to visit one of the Ohio wineries in celebration of Ohio Wine month! We highly recommend Henke Winery, as it’s charming, has great wine, and the owner Joe is extremely personable and certainly knows his wine! Their metals decorate every room so as soon as you walk in the door, you’ll know you’re in for a great treat!

If you want to explore additional locations, you can find a full list of the certified Ohio Wineries here. Maybe we’ll even see you at one! :)

 

Cheers and Happy Wine Month!