Mother and daughter Kate and Lindsey Krieger are fans of Ohio wine.
“We’ve visited and enjoyed at least 20 Ohio wineries in the past year,” Kate said during a recent visit to the Dragonfly Winery in Canal Fulton. “Lindsey prefers the fruitier wines, but I enjoy the crisp whites — and there are many really good ones.”
The Jackson Township residents are willing to travel for a good wine, saying concerts and special events make their sipping adventures even more fun. Wineries have become tourist destinations as wine lovers plan visits to sip award-winning vintages, enjoy offerings from their restaurant menus, plan a picnic or listen to live music.
The Ohio wine industry continues to experience growth, with the number of wineries climbing from 265 in 2016 to 430 this year. The Buckeye State produced 6.3 million gallons of wine last year, ranking sixth in the nation, according to the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Trade Bureau. Not surprisingly, California leads all states by a wide margin with 508 million gallons produced.
The wine industry in Ohio generates close to $7.7 billion in total economic activity, according to the 2025 report “What’s Wine Worth to Ohio” by the Washington, D.C.-based National Association of American Wineries. It also produces 1.29 million tourist visits and $246.41 million in annual tourism expenditures, the study says.
“There are 430 wineries throughout Ohio, contributing billions to the state and local economy,” state Department of Agriculture Director Brian Baldridge said during a recent visit to Maize Valley Winery and Brewery in Marlboro Township.
The industry has grown so much that the state last year launched the Ohio Wines VIP app, an online passport.
From grapes to glass to local pride
Some wineries sell at their locations only, while others are often available at a local grocery store, farmers market or wine-specific events like Island Wine Fest in Put-In-Bay, Vintage Ohio Wine Festival in Kirtland and Vintage Canton.
Many of the best-selling wines at Ohio’s wineries are fruity in nature — but for as many bottles of fruit-centric wines that are sold, there are Stark wineries like Dragonfly Winery in Canal Fulton that feature a selection of 25 wines from dry reds to chilled sweet wines.
“We import the juice for our wines from California,” owner Tiffany Craney of Dragonfly Winery said. “My husband and son produce the wine on site.”
The Dragonfly Tea Room opened in 2011, and the Craneys started producing wine in 2017 for private parties, eventually adding it to the menu. Craney purchased the current property and relocated along the Tuscarawas River in 2019.
“I decided to turn that second building located on the property into a full wine production and tasting room. It has been a great success,” Craney said. “The two businesses work very well together.”
Gervasi Vineyard, a longstanding tourist destination in Canton, features customer favorite wines in their restaurants and for sale on-site. Since opening 15 years ago, the estate has hosted more than 24,000 tours of the winery and distillery. For a unique experience, wine enthusiasts can purchase tickets for a curated tasting and tour of the wine barrel room at The Cave.
Chris and Kim Rohr, owners of Lost Trail Winery in Marlboro Township, believe that life is better lived outdoors, with wine enjoyed in hand-crafted, small batches.
The couple strive to bring something different to the community, not only through the Adirondack camp-inspired environment they’ve created but through their special events.
“But where we try to differentiate ourselves the most is through our servitude to our customers,” Chris said.
“At 3 years old, we’ve grown more than we could have anticipated, but feel we still have so much potential yet to realize,” he said.
The couple have plans to continue to grow Lost Trail Winery in the future.
Growing the future of Ohio wines
Ohio has 1,458 acres of vineyards, according to the National Association of American Wineries report. The state is hoping to grow that number.
The Ohio Grape Industries Committee provides grants to existing and new vineyards through the Vineyard Expansion Assistance Program to expand by covering the cost of vines — up to $9,000 for three acres.
The program first ran 2008-2011, utilizing U.S. Department of Agriculture specialty crop block funding. In 2020, the program was reinstated, with funds coming from the Ohio Grape Industries Committee.
Sixty-one recipients have received funding, with nearly 100 new acres planted.
Bev Shaffer, Food & Drink reporter for The Canton Repository, can be reached at bshaffer@gannett.com or 330-580-8318.
Ohio wine industry by the numbers
Number of wineries: 430
Number of vineyard acres: 1,458
Jobs supported: 45,000
Annual tourist visits: 1.29 million
Annual tourist spending: $246.41 million
Federal, state and local taxes paid: $937.55 million
Source: National Association of American Wineries and Ohio Department of Agriculture
This article originally appeared on The Repository: More than a sip: Ohio wine industry drives jobs, tourism, growth
Reporting by Bev Shaffer, Canton Repository / The Repository
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