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not. Determined to preserve the mansion,
an idea was hatched to place a winery at the majestic bay front estate overlooking the harbor. With no wine making experience
the McCanns collaborated with award win-
ning wine maker, Claudio Salvador. Pro- duction of their wine occurs in Sandusky
at Firelands Winery. The grapes are gath-
ered from a variety of locations, including
the Bass Islands, Catawba, and Pelee Island.
The Pink Catawba, Concord and Riesling grapes are grown on North Bass. Lime in
the region’s soil is not condusive to grow-
ing grapes needed to produce dryer wines. Robby Morrow, the general manager of Put-in-Bay Winery, explained, “fruit and
juice from Napa Valley and the Central Coast are used for dryer wines” such as Merlot.
Now in its sixth season, the winery offers wines to satisfy any palate, from sweet to dry, including Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, a sparkling Moscato, and Supo Eno Red. Robby enthusiastically not- ed, “our number one selling wine is Sauvignon Blanc;” and “soon to be released is a California Gewurztraminer,” claiming it’s “perfect.” Cheese and meat snack plates and select artisanal pizzas are also available to enjoy on the porch or patio.
You can find Terry Heindenrich pouring wine in the spacious wood paneled tasting room, which
Winery visitors enjoy an expansive view of the Put-In-Bay harbor.
interestingly was once his family room. Terry stat- ed, “it is fun to see people enjoy the house, and relax in what was once my front yard.”
Uniquely the winery pairs its wine with its his- tory. Five samplings of wines can be tasted over the course of a 35-minute historic tour of the home and estate, at a cost of $10 per person. Rob- by notes, “we squeeze years worth of history into 35 minutes, so no two tours are ever the same. You learn something new about wine and the island’s history every time!” So plan a visit to the winery and toast the island’s rich history. For more infor- mation go to www.putinbaywinery.com.
The historic Dollar Estate on Put-in-Bay is now the home of Put-in-Bay Winery.
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