20th Annual Ice Wine Festival
The celebration has begun for the 20th Annual Ice Wine Festival! Join us in the Grand River Valley from March 1st - 31st to celebrate this unique dessert wine that can only be found in select areas of the world.
Ice Wine is a specialty wine, available in very few places around the country. Typically made from Vidal Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, or Cabernet Franc, these grapes are harvested while frozen. The longer a grape stays on the vine, the greater the residual sugar content. Each frozen grape only yields 2-3 drops of juice! It is not uncommon to see grapes being picked at midnight with headlamps and flashlights.
The result is a very sweet dessert wine. We celebrate this local treasure the entire month of March here in the Grand River Valley!
Throughout the month of March visitors can take part in the Ice Wine Trail from 12 pm-5 pm each day. Sample ice wine paired with small bites at the following 7 participating locations: Debonné Vineyards, Ferrante Winery, Grand River Cellars, Laurello Vineyards, Cask 307, South River Vineyard, & Red Eagle Distillery.
Patrons will visit each of the seven participants in any order they choose. Each establishment will provide samples of their libation along with a delicious appetizer. Area maps will be provided at all wineries to help patrons plan their trail. You don’t want to miss this event! Be sure to book your stay today in the Grand River Valley.
Things To Do
From March 1st - 31st visitors can take part in the Ice Wine Trail from 12 pm-5 pm each day. Sample ice wine paired with small bites at the following 7 participating locations: Debonné Vineyards, Ferrante Winery, Grand River Cellars, Laurello Vineyards, Cask 307, South River Vineyard, & Red Eagle Distillery.
Ice Wine Lunch & Dinner Menu at Ferrante
Enjoy featured ice wine menu items for Lunch & Dinner at Ferrante Winery. On Festival Saturdays, Ferrante will have outdoor fire pits for guests to enjoy and Chef Kelly will be grilling up sweet and spicy skewers. They will also be featuring live music on Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays!
Ice Wine Marshmallow Roast at Grand River Cellars
You won't want to miss the Ice Wine Marshmallow Roast at Grand River Cellars, which can be ordered at any time of the day. Enjoy live music Thursday, Friday, & Saturday evenings as well as Sunday afternoons. Don't forget to stop by on Festival Saturdays to select a few sweets from the Pucker Up pop-up shop including ice wine cotton candy, ice wine candy apples, & more!
Production Tour at Debonné Vineyard
Have you ever wanted to take a peek behind the vines to see how wineries create the delicious wines we know and love? Now you can! On Festival Saturdays, Debonne Vineyards is offering production tours with their winemaking staff. You'll travel to the cellar or press house on a guided tour to take a look behind-the-scenes and learn more about the winery. Walk-ins may be available, but registering beforehand is highly recommended. Get your tickets here.
Habenero-infused Ice Wine at Laurello Vineyards
Spicy & sweet is the perfect combination & Laurello Vineyards has mastered it with their "Simply Mad" habanero-infused ice wine. Enjoy a sample of it at this stop along the Ice Wine Trail paired with a scoop of delicious ice cream. Enjoy live music at Laurello on Fridays and Saturdays during the month of March.
Festival Saturdays
"Festival Saturdays" are back this year! Enjoy all of the excitement of the festival on Saturdays with featured activities, live music at some locations, and onsite vendors. Want to beat the crowds? Visit Sunday through Friday for a quieter experience. In addition to the ice wine trail, many other area wineries will have ice wine tastings available to guests.
Ice Wine Progressive Dinner
The Ice Wine Progressive Dinner experience is one like no other! These events take place on four separate Fridays in March during the Ice Wine Festival, each date with its own unique menu. Start with an appetizer and wine pours at Debonné Vineyards. Move on to Grand River Cellars for a full-serve main course and paired wines. And end the evening with dessert at Cask 307 with additional wine pours. $59.95 per person includes tax & gratuity. Get your tickets here.
Ice Wine Truffle Party at Debonne Vineyards
Love chocolate & ice wine?🍷🍫 Debonne Vineyards is hosting an Ice Wine Truffle Party with The Bom Parties on Sunday, March 19th from 2:00-3:30pm.
You'll be making adult truffles with your favorite Debonné Ice Wine. You'll receive a glass of wine when you arrive and a sample of Cherry Bourbon, Vidal Blanc, or Riesling Ice Wine that you'll use to infuse your truffles and enjoy during the workshop. Each guest will make & take home 20 truffles, less any that you may eat along the way. Tickets are $50 per person and can be booked here.
Frozen, Too! Ice Wine Dinner @ Cask 307
Join Cask 307 on March 21st to celebrate with a 5-course catered prix fixe menu intertwined with a musical revue of the award-winning Disney movie, Frozen 2, and many more chilly melodies performed by Soprano, Julie Anna Gulenko, and friends. The cost is $59.95 + tax & gratuity per person. Cost includes your first drink of the evening and of course, Ice Wine with dessert! Call 440-307-9586 for reservations.
Where To Find Ice Wine
Check out other wineries in the area also celebrating ice wine this month! Ice Wine can be found at any of the below wineries. If you can't make it out this year but are craving that sweet taste of Ice Wine, please note that many of the below wineries also offer shipping!
Places To Stay
Looking for a place to stay during your visit? Whether you're traveling with a large group or looking for a cozy couples getaway, our lodgers have you covered! Check out our full list of lodging partners here. We highly recommend booking early as certain dates in March are starting to book up fast! We hope to see you soon in Ohio Wine Country.