Why you should visit the wineries in Hocking Hills
This blog post covers the best wineries in the Hocking Hills of Ohio State.
Wineries in Hocking Hills are conveniently located near Columbus, Cincinnati, and Hocking Hills State Park.
The Ohio wineries on this list are the perfect place to sit back and relax with a glass of wine. Especially after you’ve explored Hocking Hills attractions like Ash Cave, Whispering Cave, and Old Man’s Cave.
Exploring is thirsty work!
And if you want to stay overnight several of the wineries in Hocking Hills have cabins.
Cabins, caves, and wines sound like a healthy balance of activity and indulgence to me.
But if you want to skip the caves altogether and just enjoy the wine I wouldn’t blame you.
How to access wineries in Hocking Hills, Ohio
The Hocking Hills region of Ohio is located in the Appalachian Mountains foothills.
Hocking Hills is a relatively short drive from two major cities: Columbus and Cincinnati.
If you’re not from the Midwest you could fly into Columbus or Cincinnati, rent a car at the airport, and drive to Hocking Hills.
The Hocking Hills region is only an hour drive southeast of Columbus, Ohio. If you’re from Columbus then you’re lucky! It’s the perfect distance for a day trip.
But if you live outside of Columbus, Ohio then you can fly into John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH).
Hocking Hills is a little more than 2 hours drive west of Cincinnati. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) serves the city.
The small towns of Logan and Lancaster are a good place to stay overnight or grab a bite.
Logan OH is located 20 minutes from Hocking Hills State Park. Lancaster is a 28 minute drive from the park.
Be aware that you will need a car in order to explore the wineries in Hocking Hills.
The best wineries in Hocking Hills
Le Petit Chevalier Vineyards and Farm Winery (Creola, OH)
Le Petit Chevalier Vineyards is a short 11 minute drive from Hocking Hills State Park, which makes it the perfect place to quench your thirst after you explore Ash Cave.
Their tasting room is open 6 days a week and a rotating selection of food trucks are available every Saturday from 1 – 6 PM. Small plates are available every day should you get hungry.
Le Petit Chevalier Vineyards produces a wide range of wines including dry reds made from oaked and unoaked Norton grapes. There’s a semi-dry Chambourcin and two dry whites made from Seyval Blanc and Itasca grapes.
Their most popular offering is the sweet tart apple wine, which won Gold in the 2024 Ohio Wine Competition.
A Le Petit Chevalier Vineyards and Farm Winery even has a vacation rental called The Winery Loft located directly above the winery. Sounds like it’s time for a road trip!
Hocking Hills Winery (Logan, OH)
Hocking Hills Winery is a family-owned and operated winery founded in 2013.
They host fun special events like live music on weekends. Plus they’re very accessible – the winery is located just 6 minutes west of downtown Logan.
Hocking Hills Winery crafts their wines from local grapes such as Catawba, Vidal Blanc, Brianna, LaCrescent, Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Regent.
They also source grapes from elsewhere in the United States including Red Mountain and the Walla Walla Valley in Washington State.
Hocking Hills Winery tasting room is open all week except for Tuesdays. Reservations are not required to sample wine.
Manchester Hill Winery and Vineyard (Circleville, OH)
Manchester Hill Winery sells quality wines and hard ciders.
Wines include Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin, Niagara, and Concord. They offer four sweet wine options including their award-winning Winter Solstice ice wine made from Vignoles grapes.
Manchester Hill Winery also turns locally sourced apples into hard ciders flavored with peach, tart cherry, and holiday spices.
Wine flights are $8 apiece.
If you’re feeling hungry the winery serves food like charcuterie boards, cheese boards with a rotating variety of cheeses, appetizer trays of vegetables and hummus, and panini sandwiches. Their Sunday brunch menu includes specialty mimosas!
There’s even a cabin located on their vineyard property if you’d like a charming and cozy vacation rental in the Hocking Hills region.
Manchester Hill Winery and Vineyard is a 23 minute drive southwest of Lancaster, OH.
Shade Winery (Shade, OH)
Shade Winery is a small winery located 14 minutes south of Athens, Ohio.
Their wines include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chambourcin, Riesling (off dry), Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. There’s also an estate-grown wine made of Vidal Blanc grapes.
Multiple sweet wines made from Chambourcin, Catawba, Niagara, and Concord grapes round out the menu.
Each wine tasting includes six wines for $15 (each pour costs $2.50). The tasting room is open Wednesday through Saturday. Sunday through Tuesday they’re closed.
Shade Winery asks that guests make reservations using this link, which is featured on their Facebook, Instagram, and website as well.
Shade Winery also serves food like a Caesar salad, a classic burger, an aged sirloin, and crème brûlée.
Outside food and dogs are not allowed.
Valley View Hills Winery (Sugar Grove, OH)
Valley View Hills Winery is an 18 minute drive north of Logan, OH. They have a winery, a full menu, and charming log cabins.
Valley View Hills Winery crafts wine from Napa Valley grapes. They work with grapes such as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Merlot, Concord, and Niagara.
Their “Sugar Grove” series highlights fruit flavors including peach, raspberry, apple, blackberry.
Each tasting flight costs between $8-10 and includes four pours. You can choose between a Sweet Flight, Dry Flight, or Combo Flight.
Valley View Hills Winery has an extensive menu full of salads, dips, charcuterie boards, and pizzas that compliments their wine. No outside food or drink is allowed.
The winery tasting room is open Wednesday through Sunday. They’re closed Monday and Tuesday. Keep in mind that pets are not allowed inside or outside.
And if you’d like to stay overnight, Valley View Hills Winery offers deluxe cabin rentals nestled in the heart of the Hocking Hills.
Valley View cabins vary in size and can sleep between 2 to 18 people. The specialty cabins feature a fully equipped kitchen, an outdoor fire pit, and a jacuzzi tub. Each log cabin sits on a two to five-acre lot so you’ll have plenty of privacy.
Pleasant Hill Vineyards (Athens, OH)
Pleasant Hill Vineyards is a family-owned and operated winery just 8 minutes south of Athens, Ohio.
In 2012 the Corder family bought a former horse farm and turned it into their dream boutique winery.
Ross and Sandy Corder apprenticed at a local winery to learn everything possible about managing a winery, vineyards, and tasting room. Their son Nick and his wife Anne joined Pleasant Hill Vineyards as well.
Anne crafts a delicious weekly food special to compliment their wine. Menu updates are listed on the winery’s Facebook page.
Their hours of operation are 4-9 PM on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and 2-9 PM on Saturday. No reservations needed.
Revolution Rockbridge Winery (Rockbridge, OH)
Revolution Rockbridge Winery is a small craft winery in the hills of Hocking County. It’s a 10 minute drive west of downtown Logan, Ohio.
Revolution Rockbridge Wine Co. is a family-owned and operated winery that crafts wine on site.
They produce a variety of dry white, dry red, and sweet wines. Fruit wines, specialty wines, and pepper wines add some spice to their wine menu.
RXR Winery hosts live music events and food trucks occasionally. Regular food options include prepackaged charcuterie boards, cheese trays, and chips. Outside food is welcome but outside drinks are not.
Revolution Rockbridge (RXR) Winery offers customizable wine flights in two formats. Guests can choose between four samples for $8 or six samples for $10.
They are currently open Thursday through Sunday and closed Monday through Wednesday.
Rockside Winery and Vineyards (Lancaster, OH)
The Rockside Winery vineyards occupy a beautiful 17 acre property in the rolling hills of Fairfield County near Lancaster. The winery is a short 7 minute drive north of downtown Lancaster, which makes it easily accessible by car.
Rockside wines are crafted from estate grown grapes and from other vineyards throughout the world.
Grapes such as Cayuga, Chambourcin, Niagara, and Vidal Blanc comprise the majority of their dry wines. The sweet wine lover will appreciate Rockside Winery’s apple wine, cherry wine, raspberry merlot, and chocolate infused red wine.
Guests can choose their own wine flights, which are priced at $2 per taste or 5 tastes for $12. Given that pricing it seems more economical to skip the full five wine flight and instead order each taste individually.
If you happen to get hungry they also serve wood-fired pizzas and small plates.
Rockside Winery and Vineyards is open every day of the week except for Monday. Appointments are not required for wine tastings.
Similar wine regions to explore
Ohio State wine destinations to visit
If you’re looking for more Ohio wineries check out our list of the best wineries in Madison, Ohio. Madison wineries in have three major things going for them. They’re close to Cleveland (only 40 minutes), they’re near Lake Erie (an 11 minute drive), and they’ve got great wine.
Put-in-Bay is a quaint village on South Bass Island in Lake Erie. Put-in-Bay wineries offer delicious wine, beautiful old buildings, and the world’s largest geode. It’s an unexpected (yet delightful!) combo.
Midwestern wine destinations to explore
Petoskey, Michigan has two of the finer things in life: lake days and wineries. It’s one of the most popular vacation destinations in the Midwest for good reason. The wineries Petoskey MI offers mix great wine and relaxed vibes. And when you’re not drinking wine you can explore Lake Michigan.
If you’re interested in lakeside wineries may I suggest Waconia, Minnesota? Lake Waconia is much smaller than Lake Michigan, it’s true. But Waconia is a small town full of natural beauty and good wine located just west of the Twin Cities. These three Waconia wineries craft award-winning wine from Minnesota-grown grapes.
