Wineries from Lake and neighboring Ashtabula County achieved significant recognition at the 2025 Ohio Wine Competition, held May 13-15 at The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake’s conference center. The event, sponsored by the Ohio Grape Industries Committee, attracted a record 545 entries from across the state, all competing for top honors.
Ferrante Winery claimed the prestigious Overall Best of Show award with its Non-Vintage Rosé. Additionally, the winery’s 2022 Bourbon Barrel Aged Vidal Blanc Ice Wine earned the Director’s Choice Best Dessert Wine title. Located at 5585 State Route 307 in Harpersfield Township, Ferrante Winery is among five local wineries featured in the upcoming Rosé & Roses Wine Trail tastings scheduled for June weekends.
M Cellars secured the Director’s Choice Sparkling/Rosé Wine award for its 2021 Blanc de Blancs, crafted using the traditional champagne method. The Geneva Township winery, situated at 6193 South River Road West, also won Best of Show and Best of Ohio Sparkling Wine honors for its 2023 Madelyn, a sparkling Riesling. Winemaker Matt Meineke was recognized alongside Ohio Representative David Thomas and Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge for this achievement.
In other categories, South River Vineyard’s 2023 Semillon received the Director’s Choice Best White Wine honor, while Grand River Cellars earned both Best of Show and Best of Ohio White Wine for its 2023 Riesling. The “Best of Ohio” designation is reserved for wines composed of at least 90 percent Ohio-grown American, Labrusca, Hybrid, or Vinifera grape varieties.
The judging panel comprised 15 experts from diverse backgrounds—including educators, restaurateurs, winemakers, scientists, and retailers—from states such as California, New York, Iowa, and Florida. Among them was sommelier Brian Fife, wine director for World Wines & Liquor in Mentor, who has served as a judge ten times. Judges conducted blind tastings with minimal discussion to ensure impartiality. Fife highlighted the exceptional quality of the entries, praising Ferrante Winery’s Rosé as a standout.
A total of 57 wines achieved double gold status, a distinction requiring unanimous agreement by judges on two separate occasions. Local wineries earning this prestigious honor included Baci, Laurello, Debonne, M Cellars, Vincent William, Laurentia, and Kosicek.
The Ohio Wine Competition continues to showcase the state’s growing excellence in winemaking, with Lake and Ashtabula County wineries emerging as leading contributors to the region’s vibrant wine industry.
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