Vintage Ohio offers grub of food to go with all that wine

In the 25 years since Vintage Ohio started drawing folks to sample Ohio wines, taste buds have become more sophisticated, wine tastings have proliferated and dinners matching wines to foods have become commonplace. Area supermarkets and wine stores now routinely stock Ohio wines that were hard to find outside of the wineries back in the ‘90s.

Vintage Ohio is unfolding again on Aug. 2 and 3 at Lake Metroparks Farmpark in Kirtland, where 16 wineries and a trio of breweries from across the state will offer tastes of what they do best. Near the entrance, the Celebration Tent will be open from 2 to 7 p.m., welcoming back the seven original wineries who began the Vintage Ohio tradition in 1994. They’ll be pouring their award-winning viniferas.

I think it’s smart to go with a plan and stake out a shady spot to settle in before beginning to taste. It’s also a good idea to think about what you’d like to eat with your adult beverages.

Food vendors will tempt tasters to match the wines they’ve selected. Picnic tables and blankets on the lawn will serve as dining tables near the music stages that beckon both dancers and listeners.

Meanwhile, a cooking tent will showcase even more tastes after guest chefs show how to make a variety of dishes that will easily transfer to home kitchens and backyard grills.

The expected foods such as tacos and chips, Italian sausage, corn dogs, burgers and pizza will be available, along with ice cream, lemonade, kettle corn and donuts but those wishing more adventure in their tastings will also find satisfaction. Consider, for instance, the Hawaiian shrimp tacos and lobster mac and cheese to be found at the 216 Bistro truck or the sweet and sour chicken, or grilled chicken satay on a stick from Bangkok House.

Designated drivers, non-wine drinkers and kids will find Mexican sodas at the Barrio Food Truck, fresh-squeezed lemonade at Original Greek Gyros and non-alcoholic slushies at Nectar of the Vine.

Consider a pretzel dog, fried pickles, cheese curds or a waffle iron sandwich from Eats Food Truck or blooming onions, boneless riblets, or chicken on a stick at Gary’s Famous Foods or maple barbecued pulled pork or a cilantro lime rice bowl from The Hunger Squad food truck.

Ohio Farm Direct will have grass-fed beef as reuben burgers, cheese burgers, and hotdogs topped off by grass fed ice cream. And River Ranch will dish up jumbo scallops, spicy elk burgers and alligator kabobs.

Beef stroganoff and chicken paprikash can be found at Sue’s Pierogis, while baklava can be tasted at the aforementioned Original Greek Gyros.

Many of the wines being poured at Vintage Ohio continue to be native wines, although hybrids such as Seyval Blanc, Chambousin and Vidal Blanc certainly can be found. The original wineries holding forth in this year’s Celebration Tent were the first to depart from making native Concord, Niagara, Catawba and Delaware wines and by the ‘90s had begun making viniferas such as Chardonnay, Riesling and the Cabernet cousins.

Those who arrive at Vintage Ohio between noon and 5:30 p.m. will receive three bonus tasting tickets to redeem in the Celebration Tent, where limited production wines typical of the newest era of Ohio wines will be poured. These award-winning wines are some of the best wines these wineries have ever produced. Treat yourself to some tastes of the future.

Get details at visitvintageohio.com.

Local Flavors Janet Podolak