M is for Marvelous

On my recent stop at Pairings, Ohio's new wine and culinary education center, I tasted a red that blew up my ideas about what could be made from local grapes. The explosion came courtesy of the 2012 Meritage from M Cellars in Geneva. It's a blended Bordeaux-style wine, made with cabernet sauvignon, cab franc, merlot and petit verdot, aged in Hungarian oak. Grower and vintner Matt Meineke calls it  a field wine, meaning the fruit is all picked and fermented together, and he's the only registered producer in the state. More importantly, it's a fantastic, full-bodied sophisticated wine with whispers of berries, smoke and wood. Curious about the who, what and why of this 2-year-old winery, I made it my business to go there the following day.

It's a beautiful spot — acres of grapes, a patio overlooking the fields, a handsome modern tasting room and spacious airy dining room where Meineke, his wife Tara and guest chefs host occasional and exclusive wine dinners. In fact, the next one, a celebration of corn and tomatoes is scheduled for September 5 and the menu prepared by Bob Sferra looks amazing.  I had a chance to preview all Matt's wines that will be served and some not yet available ones as well, and they're all pretty amazing too.

His gruner veltliner, uncommon for this region, is unfiltered with intense notes of apple and pear. He's offering another lovely white, Rkatsiti, that is new to me and made from an ancient Ukrainian grape. Matt describes it as "sauvignon blanc without the grass." I love his dry riesling, and the soon-to-be-released 2013 vintage is even better than the year before  — a terrific balance of acid and fruity with a bigger mouthfeel and his earthy rose. The pinot noir is sturdy and round with lots of baking spice flavor. None are typical for this region.

Jillian Davis, owner of Toast, told me she always tries to keep something of theirs on her list." I agree that the wines are surprising and head and shoulders above what anyone else is doing in this area. I keep telling people they're not just good-for Ohio wines. They're good wines!"In Cleveland, some of his wines are also available at Flying Fig,  Bin 216 and the Market Avenue Wine Bar. But the weather's still fine, the drive is short, and the experience such a nice one, so I suggest planning a trip to M Cellars for a tasting of your own.

NEO Napa

In June, the region took a big step in branding itself as a distinctive grape growing and wine making district with the opening of Pairings in Ashtabula County. The lovely new center, years in the making and meant to showcase Ohio vintners doing high quality, medal-winning Euro-style wines, features a tasting room for their products — most from the Grand River and Lake Erie viticulture appellations — as well as an outdoor patio where visitors can enjoy wines by the glass or the bottle, and a kitchen and dining room for culinary demos, hands-on classes and special dinners. The center, off Geneva's main drag at the end of a dirt driveway, is also a starting point and stop along the way for local winery tours.

A few grape vines edge an empty field in front of the building now. One day, there will be a complete winemaking operation there that will serve as an incubator for start-ups and a visitor education center. For now, farmers set up shop there on Saturdays. The place is open seven days a week. A chef grills food to go with selected wines every Thursday night from 5:30 to 7:30. A tapas dinner is scheduled for Aug. 30, with advance reservations required.

My inaugural visit to Pairings was all discovery and delight. The facility, a converted barn, is done up in weathered wood with garage doors that are opened in good weather. A copper-topped, U-shaped bar has stools on the two long sides for those who want to spend some serious time sampling flights of reds and whites. And I must say I was pleasantly surprised to find some good, nuanced dry wines being poured. I really enjoyed the 2012 Cab Franc and Cab Sauvignon from Valley Vineyards, located in the Ohio River Valley near Cincinnati. Cask 1013, a blend from Madison's Grand River Cellars, had an intriguing complexity that comes as much from the blending of both red vinifera and vintage years. The number on label meant that it was started in 2010, wine from the 2011 and 2012 harvests added and bottled in 2013. The result was impressive. I learned about how it was made from staff member Nancy Evans. Her presence really enriched the experience. A recent graduate of Kent State's fledgling enology program and winemaker herself, she talked us through our tasting, providing knowledgeable commentary, thoughtful insights, and insider tips. If you end up buying a bottle after a tasting, the retail price is discounted by $5.

Nancy also hooked me up with a really interesting local winemaker that I went to meet the following day. More on him and the amazing wines he's creating next week.