A winery day trip from Cleveland usually means heading east on I-90 to Madison and Geneva, in the Grand River Valley. The wineries there sit close enough together to visit several in one afternoon, and many run full restaurants, which makes a long day easier to plan.
Madison is in Lake County, and Geneva is just over the line in Ashtabula County. Ice wine is a specialty at several stops, and most of these wineries book live music. This story covers the valley stops roughly in the order you reach them, then the closer options south and east of the city. For every winery on the map, open the full guide to wineries near Cleveland.
Madison, then Geneva
Where to stop in the Grand River Valley
Madison
Grand River Cellars Winery & Restaurant
Best for: A sit-down meal and ice wine
Grand River Cellars Winery & Restaurant sits in the woods on Route 528 in Madison and runs a full-service restaurant, with a fireplace inside and a dog-friendly patio. Ice wine is the house specialty, so finish the meal with a glass.
Live music is a regular part of the week here, so check the calendar if you want a band with dinner.
Madison
Debonné Vineyards
Best for: A courtyard, live music and beer on site
Debonné Vineyards is a family-owned estate winery on Doty Road in Madison with a big courtyard and regular live music. The Double Wing brewery is on site, which helps if not everyone in the car drinks wine.
Try the Chambourcin or the Riesling Reserve with a wood-fired pizza.
Madison
Cask 307
Best for: A flight with a view of the valley
Cask 307 is Debonné’s tasting room on Route 307 in Madison, with big windows over the Grand River Valley. The wines lean European in style, and ice wine is on the list.
Pair a flight with charcuterie or a flatbread. Since Debonné owns both, the two make an easy pair of stops on the same afternoon.
Geneva
Laurello Vineyards
Best for: Ice wine and room for a big group
Laurello Vineyards is an Italian-themed boutique winery on Route 307 in Geneva, known for its ice wines, including a habanero version worth trying for the novelty.
The on-site restaurant welcomes large groups, so this is the stop to book if you are traveling with a bigger party. There is live music as well.
Geneva
Ferrante Winery & Ristorante
Best for: A long Italian lunch or dinner
Ferrante Winery & Ristorante on North River Road in Geneva is a family winery dating to 1937, with a full Italian restaurant serving lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. The whites and the Vidal Blanc ice wine are the ones to try.
If you want one proper sit-down meal on the trip, this is a natural place for it, and it books live music too.
Geneva
M Cellars
Best for: Dry wines and estate sparkling
M Cellars is a family-run boutique winery on South River Road in Geneva that focuses on estate-grown vinifera, the classic European grape varieties. The Meritage and the Brut Rosé are its calling cards, and it is one of the best-liked wineries in the valley.
If you prefer dry wine, put this stop first on your list. There is plenty of outdoor space, and South River Vineyard is a short walk away.
Geneva
Old Mill Winery
Best for: A casual stop in Geneva itself
Old Mill Winery is in an 1860s mill beside working railroad tracks on South Broadway, in the city of Geneva itself. Order a wine burger with a wine slushie or sangria.
Live music is on the calendar, and the old building alone makes it worth a stop on the way back to I-90.
Planning the drive
How to plan the day
Pick a driver before you leave or book a ride, since the wineries are spread along rural roads. The Madison stops sit on the western side of the valley and the Geneva stops to the east, so choose one town as your base and add a stop or two in the other.
Eat at one of the restaurant wineries around midday, such as Grand River Cellars, Ferrante or Laurello, and keep the tastings lighter before and after. Schedules change through the year, so check each winery before you set out, especially for live music and brunch.
For a first trip, one good order is lunch at Grand River Cellars, then Debonné and Cask 307 in the afternoon, then over to Geneva for M Cellars and a casual last glass at Old Mill Winery before heading back west on I-90.
Closer to home
Wineries south and east of Cleveland
If you do not want the drive to Ashtabula County, Sarah’s Vineyard sits inside Cuyahoga Valley National Park on Steels Corners Road in Cuyahoga Falls, with a daily menu, live music and wood-fired pizza on select days. Try the Cuyahoga Valley Reserve Zinfandel. Michael Angelo’s Winery in Richfield is a bakery and winery serving Italian family-style dishes and house-made pasta on a lively patio.
On the east side, Sapphire Creek Winery & Gardens in Bainbridge Township near Chagrin Falls is a Napa-style barn winery with gardens, fire features and a full restaurant. Its sister, Orchid House Winery on Treat Road in Aurora, adds gardens, weekend brunch and a members-only bourbon lounge. Farther south, The Winery at Wolf Creek in Norton sits on a hill over the Barberton Reservoir, keeps goats and alpacas, and lets you bring your own food. See every winery on the map to find one closer to you.
Good to know
Questions before you go.
Is there a winery near Cleveland that works for a family outing?
Maize Valley Winery & Craft Brewery in Hartville is a farm winery and craft brewery that shares its grounds with a corn maze and a market. Mad Cow is its signature wine.
What is ice wine?
It is a sweet dessert wine made from grapes left on the vine until they freeze, then pressed while still frozen, which concentrates the sugar. Several stops in Madison and Geneva pour it.
More wine country
Every winery near Cleveland on one map
Find vineyards and tasting rooms from Geneva and Madison to Aurora, Richfield, Cuyahoga Falls and Hartville.