Nicholas Longworth believed that the Ohio River Valley had the potential to be a major wine producing area and planted Alexander, Isabella and Catawba grapes in the early 1800s. By 1860, Ohio wineries produced more wine than any other state, but over the next 30 years, disease and the Civil War decimated Ohio’s wine industry. The planting of hardy, disease-resistant hybrid grapes in the 1960s led to the revitalization of Ohio’s wine industry, and more than one hundred and thirty Ohio wineries are located within five American Viticultural Areas (AVA). Wineries are conveniently scattered throughout the state with clusters of wineries near Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland. Scroll down to find Ohio’s best wineries. The “Highest Visitor Ratings” section lists Ohio wineries that have received visitors’ highest ratings for service, views, and wine quality. The “Highest Wine Critic Ratings” section lists the producers of Ohio’s best wines based on awards won at international wine competitions. The “All Ohio Wineries” section contains a comprehensive, and continuously updated, list of Ohio wineries. Click “map view” to access the advanced winery search to find wineries that provide vineyard lodging, have food available to complement their wines, host vineyard weddings, or produce wines from organic grapes. We make it easy to find the best wine tour and tasting destinations in Ohio wine country.