My grandfather loves Meier's port wine, so my aunts and mom decided to surprise him with a trip to…read morethe winery, the oldest and largest wine producer in Ohio.
I was thrilled to get to tag along ... except for one thing. I'm pregnant, which makes trips to wineries considerably less fun.
So it was such a great surprise when the winery hostess at Meier told me they make juices and do juice tastings as well. At least I could participate in my own way.
My grandfather, aunts and mom got two tastings each, which were $1 each. I smelled some of the wines they got (can't stop me from living vicariously through my nose, right?), and the tawny port and the spiced wine, which is served warm, smelled delectable. Meier specializes in sweet wines, much like other midwest wineries.
For my sparkling juices, I got the Cold Duck (with a name like that, how could I not?!?) and Spumante.
The Cold Duck is made with concord grapes, and the Spumante is made from Muscat grapes.
Both were great, but like the description for the Spumante states, it is "practically identical to the alcoholic alternative." If you want to feel like you're drinking without, ya know, "drinking," this one is for you. I wish I would have grabbed a bottle when I was there.
(And if you do decide to buy some bottles of juice or wine making supplies from their shop, be sure to check in via Yelp and use the $5 off $10+ purchase.)
The interior of Meier is pretty dated, but again, it's the oldest winery in Ohio. It reminded me of my late great aunt's basement. There is a great outdoor area, though, and the shop is large and right next to the tasting room.
If you want to eat while you're there, it is BYOF (bring your own food). You can buy cheese-and-cracker or chips-and-salsa plates or get some food delivered.
If you like sweet wines with perhaps a bit of history, definitely give Meier's a try.