Harvest on the Lake Erie shore can run later than it does farther inland. The lake releases heat as the land cools in autumn, helping delay frost near the vines. The National Weather Service’s 1981–2010 averages off Cleveland put the water at 66°F on October 1. That is a historical regional reference, not a temperature measured at our vineyard.
We pick the estate Cabernet Franc by hand, placing the clusters in crates to keep the fruit intact. The crates travel about a hundred yards from the rows to the cellar under the mansion. The fruit is pressed the same day it is picked.
The wine then spends twelve months in French oak. The 2022 Estate Cabernet Franc received Double Gold at the 2025 Ohio Wine Competition. Lake Erie Living covered that first harvest and the award.
The vines sit between the front door and the water. Come for lunch or dinner during harvest season, or read The Grand River Valley, Explained for more about the lake and the growing season.
