One For The Grape

Adopt A Vine

Support Local Agriculture - Adopt a Vine

Ohio Wine Producers Association and Lake County Soil & Water Conservation District are working with the grape industry in Northeast Ohio to protect the unique and irreplaceable vineyard lands of the region.

One for the Grape was introduced in 2007 as a locally generated fund oriented to protect vineyard lands and sustain the viticultural industry in Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake Counties.

One for the Grape expanded in 2008 with the launch of the Adopt a Vine program at Vintage Ohio. This spring, Adopt a Vine is offering bare-root grafted vinifera vines for sale.

Adopt a Vine provides an opportunity to help preserve our vineyard lands and expand wine grape production acreage in Northeast Ohio. Now you can put your charitable dollars towards preserving the lands that grow the grapes forever.

Vines can be purchased to be planted in one of four participating vineyards:

Your vines can also be planted at home. Two varieties are available: Riesling and Cabernet Franc. Both species are vinifera cultivars derived from European grapes, and both are grafted on American rootstock developed specifically for our climate in Northeast Ohio.

Riesling is a white grape which originates in the Rhine region of Germany. It is an aromatic grape variety used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling is highly "terroir-expressive," meaning that the character of Riesling wines is clearly influenced by the wine's place of origin.

Cabernet Franc is one of the major varieties of red wine grapes grown in Bordeaux. Cabernet Franc is lighter than Cabernet Sauvignon (of which it is a parent). These thin-skinned grapes produce wines with strong aromas of raspberries, green peppers and fresh cut grass while carrying high levels of acidity. The Cabernet Franc wine's color is bright pale red.

Vines are available at three levels:

Taster: 3 vines for $30
Enthusiast: 10 vines for $100
Connoisseur: 50 vines for $500

The Connoisseur level provides a level of interaction with the vineyard of choice, which includes two bottles of wine, a pair of Schott Zwiesel wineglasses and an invitation to help with the grape harvest, followed by a reception featuring goat cheeses from the Mackenzie Creamery of Hiram, Ohio. A plaque engraved with the donor's name and date will be mounted on the post at the end of the row of grapes.

To adopt a vine, contact Maurine Orndorff at the Lake County Soil & Water Conservation District. The telephone number is 440-350-2730.

Go Green this year! Protect the legacy of our vineyards in Northeast Ohio by adopting a vine.