of grapes would do well in the soil and climate that is being considered. Todd’s work involves helping Ohio’s wineries set up their retail operation and the selection of the wine products that they plan to offer — creating their wine list, if you will. Even though the OARDC is an educational entity, neither Todd nor David consider themselves to be teachers in the strict sense of the word. As I mentioned earlier, they are mainly outreach specialists for the industry.
Todd Steiner
Their goal is to help those in Ohio’s wine industry improve grape quality, and thus wine quality. They are more interested
and Cab Francs. Ohio’s wineries also
events, OARDC also provides valuable
in quality than they are quantity, with
produce some red wines; most of which
advice to the winners and the runners up.
the ultimate goal of achieving maximum
comes from the southern part of the state.
production efficiency.
As researchers, Todd, David and their
a very good time for wine in general, and
coworkers are endeavoring to identify
Ohio wines in particular. Evidence of that
dates back to 1820, when the first known
wine grape varieties that will continue to
can be seen in the growth of the wineries
bottler, Nicholas Longworth, produced
develop Ohio’s reputation for excellence
or stand-alone wine bars across our state.
his product at his home near Cincinnati.
in wine making.
They are found in large cities, small towns
The recorded history of Ohio’s wines
While you have probably tasted some of
Wooster’s OARDC receives the majority
According to David and Todd, this is
and intimate villages. There are six
the Buckeye state’s wines at your favorite
of its funding from the Ohio Grape Industry
distinct grape growing regions in Ohio,
pubs and bars, you probably are not aware
Council (OGIC), and those dollars are the
and it might surprise you to learn that the
of just which kinds are the most popular.
result of taxes on all wines grown and
region that produces the most Ohio wine
For many years, Ohio has been known
consumed in our state, whether they are
is the northeast part of the state.
for wines that were sweet and pink. As
produced in state or not. In turn, David,
the production increased and matured,
Todd and their division do the research on
grown through the recent past, the
Todd said that the industry wanted
those products.
industry did experience a bit of a setback
to move into wines that were more
A good deal of Todd Steiner’s time
While the number of wineries has
due to the “polar vortex” that hit Ohio in
sophisticated. The results include what
involves work with OGIC’s Quality Seal
January 2014. There was extensive grape
Todd says are some great Chardonnays
Program, which is run four times a year
and vine damage to our state’s vinifera
and involves the judging of
(common grape vine), but the industry
Ohio wines. The purpose
enjoyed a good year due to the addition of
of these tasting evaluations
more fruit from out of state to augment the
is to increase consumer
loss of product from in-state vineyards .
awareness of the quality
David Scurlock
If what you have just read has surprised
wines produced from grapes
you — and, by that, I mean that you never
grown right here in our
realized until just a few minutes ago that
own backyards. He helps
Ohio is one of the leading wine producing
to judge wines submitted
states among the 50 — then I have done
by Ohio producers. Winners
my job. As long as David Scurlock and
are selected, and along with
Todd Steiner continue to do their work at
his participation in those
the OARDC, Ohio’s wines will continue to
professional wine tasting
flow and grow. $ MG
16 pairings heartofohiomagazine.com/pairings