Sun, Nov 22 2009
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Published August 29, 2008 06:41 pm - ASHTABULA COUNTY, Ohio –– Were you hoping to escape to the shore this year but your wallet is coasting on empty?
Look no farther than nearby Ashtabula County, Ohio –- home of lighthouses and spectacular Lake Erie sunsets, bunches of wineries and well-maintained covered bridges linking it all together. Who needs Napa? We’re next to the so-called “Napa of the East.” Coast through ‘Napa of the East' in Ohio Covered bridges, fine food, great lake await Story and Photography By Kim Curry Herald Travel Editor ASHTABULA COUNTY, Ohio –– Were you hoping to escape to the shore this year but your wallet is coasting on empty?
Look no farther than nearby Ashtabula County, Ohio –- home of lighthouses and spectacular Lake Erie sunsets, bunches of wineries and well-maintained covered bridges linking it all together. Who needs Napa? We’re next to the so-called “Napa of the East.” I visited the region in June with my good friend Doug, who found some cool things online when he was looking for bicycling events. I was open-minded but my enthusiasm was curbed. The last time I ventured to Lake Erie in Ohio was when my 2002 Chevy Cavalier was shiny new and I drove my friend Doreen to Geneva-on-the-Lake for Fourth of July festivities. First-timers, we were disappointed to see garbage, glass and dead fish on the beach. We also weren’t impressed with the pervy carny/adult arcade atmosphere on the strip. The winery samples in town were like rotgut -- though the grape juice was tasty. I haven’t been back but I hear things have improved. A previous road trip in that direction was with my family to Debonne Vineyards in Madison, Ohio, for hot air balloons and jazz. We had a great time at the chalet winery. So with one pro and one con for the region, I didn’t know what to expect. But Ashtabula County turned out to be one of my favorite summer destinations. We left Sharon on a perfect June morning and found our way quickly to Tarsitano Winery & Cafe in the middle of Conneaut, Ohio, countryside (four miles from Lake Erie and four miles from Pennsylvania), thanks to online directions. We had reservations at Tarsitano for a belated birthday dinner so we wanted to locate it early. Check their Web site for a fascinating history of land and family. Ken Tarsitano is owner, winemaker and chef and credits other area winemakers with helping him press the first grapes in 2000. A modern barn holds an open kitchen, a wine bar and an eclectic collection of tables and items. Joining other wine tasters at the bar, we sipped a couple of selections (warning –- they charge $1 per sample, even if you purchase wine or food). I liked the Riesling ’06 and the Isabella ’06, named after the owners’ adorable baby daughter, who was in the room. They describe it as a sweet and fruity apple Riesling blend -- a perfect pairing from a mother who comes from apple growers and a grape-growing father. I was starving so I bought a sampling of cheese and a mini loaf of their fresh-baked bread to take with us. There are 17 covered bridges in Ashtabula County, including the longest in the U.S. We planned to track down its northeast corner’s three covered bridges and three other wineries before dinner. Note: Be sure to grab a Conneaut, Ohio map of attractions from the display of brochures at Tarsitano. From the winery, we found State Road Covered Bridge nearby. It offers a beautiful vista. Unfortunately, the rain began to fall as soon as I broke open the bread/cheese box. We snacked under cover, and then drove north to Buccia Vineyards, which does double duty as a bed and breakfast. 
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