Shamrock Vineyard - Waldo, Ohio
Posted by: Mr. 0
N 40° 28.837 W 083° 00.862
17T E 329260 N 4483052
Located outside of Waldo, Ohio, Shamrock Vineyard is one of the few wineries in Central Ohio.
Waymark Code: WM216V
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 08/18/2007
Views: 73
Shamrock Vineyard was the first winery in Central Ohio when it started back in 1971. Dr. Thomas Quilter and his wife, Mary, decided to plant a few grape vines to see if they would grow. Dr. Quilter loved plants, and enjoyed experimenting with them. He tried many different varieties until he finally found a few that would grow in this area.
This winery was bonded in 1984, and prior to that the Quilters sold their grapes to home winemakers and other local wineries. 25 different varieties have been tested here and they currently grow "French-American hybrids, labrusca, and some vinifera."
Dr. Quilter's grandson Van Creasap took over the business in 2006 when Dr. Quilter passed away. Van gave me a quick tour showing some of the plants, and explained the difference in appearance of the vines. He also lead me through the harvesting and processing details and took me back into the old farmhouse for a quick tasting of 5 of their 10 different wines, all at no extra charge. He is very friendly and made time for my unannounced visit even though he was very busy preparing several batches of wine.
Shamrock Vineyard is open May 1 - Oct. 31 Monday - Saturday from 1pm - 6pm. You can also call in advance for special hours, and should call if you'll be with a group of 8 or more. He said that winter hours vary depending on the weather and how many people show up. He may be open all day, or close early in the afternoon if the weather is bad.