Over seventy years ago Albert R. Klingshirn faced circumstances instrumental in turning his Avon Lake farm into a family tradition that has subsequently spanned three generations. The year was 1935 and Albert's vineyard had produced a bumper crop of grapes. As Prohibition had just been repealed two years earlier, he installed twenty 50 gallon wooden barrels in the cellar of his family's home where he began the process of fermenting the grapes into wine. Within five years, the venture had proven so successful that Albert moved the fledgling business into a newly built, two level winery.

Albert's son and daughter-in-law, Allan and Barbara, purchased the farm and winery in 1955 and continued to expand the product line. Lee, Allan and Barbara's youngest son, took over the family business in 1985 when he returned from Ohio State University with a Bachelors Degree in Viticulture and Enology. Today Lee, his wife Nancy, and his parents work together to ensure their family tradition continues to grow and thrive. We met with Lee and Nancy recently, and listened as they provided this overview of the products and operation of Klingshirn Winery;

Klingshirn Winery offers a variety of products made primarily from our own grapes. Every fall we process between 120 and 140 tons of grapes into wine, fresh grape juice, juice for home wine makers, and juice we sell to other wineries. We have our own retail carry-out store featuring reasonable prices on a wide selection of wines. We offer both traditional American varieties, such as Concord, Niagara, Catawba, and Pink Catawba, and premium varieties, including White Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Vidal Blanc, and Chambourcin, in addition to dessert wines and sparkling champagne.

We are members of the Ohio Wine Producers Association and the Lake Erie Quality Wine Alliance, and work to promote the Lake Erie area's potential for growing grapes and producing world-class wines. Throughout the summer we host steak fry's and attend various promotional festivals throughout the state. We have been named in the Top 100 Things to Do by the Motorcoach Association and are listed by Ohio's Lake Erie Circle Tour as a recommended location to experience the natural beauty, historical tales, and outdoor recreation available along Ohio's Lake Erie shoreline.

Great wines come from quality grapes and great wine makers keep their vineyards close to home. Our vineyards are about a mile and a half from the shores of Lake Erie, thus we are blessed with the temperate micro-climate associated with Lake Erie. We take great pride in growing world famous varieties of grapes right here in Avon Lake.

Klingshirn Winery grows some of the best grapes and produces many of the most distinguished wines available from the local growing area. Call or stop by Klingshirn Winery today, and don't forget to tell them Avon Lake Business & Living sent you!