Catawba Island’s Beautiful Ohio Winery & Restaurant
One of Ohio’s best-kept secrets is a beautiful little winery and restaurant on the shores of Lake Erie. Great food, amazing wine, music, and scenic views await you.
Mon Ami Winery is a picturesque place to enjoy incredible wine and delicious food. Part of a wonderful vacation destination, the winery and restaurant are conveniently located on Catawba Island in Ohio, on the western rim of Lake Erie, between Toledo and Cleveland.
Mon Ami Restaurant and Historic Winery
Visiting Mon Ami Restaurant and Historic Winery is like a nostalgic trip to a fine chateau in the wine country of France or Napa Valley. In fact, Catawba, which is a peninsula, is on the same latitude as the prestigious wine regions of the world. Spain, Italy, Germany, France, and Napa Valley, California all sit along with the same general location. In addition, optimum conditions of winds blowing off the lake and a high number of frost-free days produce ideal growing conditions for grapes.
Mon Ami has created some of the most excellent wines from the region for almost a century and a half. The winery was originally founded in 1872 as a wine cooperative Not long after the 18th Amendment was repealed, Mon Ami was founded in Sandusky and was one of only a handful of wineries in the United States specializing in the manufacture of domestic champagnes. Moving from its original location during an acquisition in 1937, the winery relocated its equipment from Sandusky to Catawba, near Port Clinton, Ohio. The beautiful stone restaurant was added on in 1945 after a devastating fire destroyed a large part of the building.
Over the years, large amounts of time and investment have maintained and enhanced the charm of the building and scenic grounds. Renovations include a new main dining room, new and innovative wines, special new rose gardens, and a gift shop where wines can be tasted and purchased. Soon, customers and connoisseurs will be able to order wines through Mon Ami’s gift shop website.
Some of the most popular wines are Lake Erie Gewurztraminer, Pinot Grigio, and Riesling, which have all recently won the highest honors at national and international wine competitions. Another treat is the premier Ice Wine, produced from grapes hand-picked after they have frozen on the vines
On Sundays during the summer, Mon Ami features live music on their lawn as well as entertainment year-round in the Chalet. There is something magical about sipping a fine glass of wine outdoors in a picturesque setting, listening to classic jazz, and feeling the gentle breezes of nearby Lake Erie. If you’re looking to travel to Ohio, Mon Ami is a must-see destination.
Mon Ami Restaurant and Historic Winery is located at 3845 East Wine Cellar Road Port Clinton, Ohio 43452. For information, call 419-797-4445 or 800-777-4266. The winery and restaurant are open year-round.
Mon Ami Restaurant and Historic Winery
3845 E Wine Cellar Rd, Port Clinton, OH 43452
Phone: (419) 797-4445