Long-awaited Michael Angelo Winery applies finishing touches

by Laura Straub

The first glasses are being poured at Michael Angelo’s Winery, near the Richfield and Broadview Heights border at the corner of Boston and Broadview roads.

Beginning Aug. 14, the initial guests – aside from tours by family and friends – were to experience the winery, owned by the Ciocca brothers, through ticketed multi-course food pairing events and panini nights.

The winery and vineyard were scheduled to be fully open by mid to late August, with tours, tastings and a lunch menu during the day, and the finest wines with grapes from many renowned wine-making regions at night. Matthew and Michael Ciocca also operate the popular Michael Angelo Bakery in Broadview Heights.

They have taken care not to overlook anything. They began fermenting their wines at their facility last November. And to find the best grapes for those wines, they traveled from Canada to Chile, meeting the farmers themselves.

“We want to see where our grapes are coming from,” said Michael. “We want to form great relationships with our growers and farmers.”

As a result of these relationships, the brothers hope to have total knowledge of the grapes, from the farm on which it was grown to the weather that season.

“Our goal is to get the best grapes in the world, even if it’s a once in a lifetime purchase – that year, we’ve got it,” said Michael. “When people come in, they’re not just drinking Ohio wine, they’re drinking the best there is to offer, made right here in Richfield.”

The brothers decided to purchase a variety of grapes sourced from the West Coast and are featuring 10 wines: cabernet sauvignons with grapes from Red Mountain AVA in southeastern Washington, sauvignon blanc with grapes from Clear Lake in California, a Riesling and pinot grigio with grapes from the Yakima Valley in Washington, a zinfandel with grapes from the Sierra Foothills of California, a pinot noir with grapes from the Willamette Valley in Oregon, a chardonnay with grapes from the Russian River Valley in Sonoma, Calif., and a merlot with grapes from the Walla Walla Valley in Washington and northeastern Oregon. They also plan to have an Ohio sparkling wine by the holidays.

“Our message with these grapes is that they come from regions that are specifically known for their wine,’’ Michael said. “We want to stay true to the terroir of the grape and make the best wine from the region.”

The wines take anywhere from six months to two years to age – whites take six to eight months, reds take one to two years. Michael said when they make reds, they will reserve some cases for as long as six years to age and achieve a big red style.

The Cioccas are also hard at work in Richfield creating the best grapes. The vines for their estate wine are in their second growing season. “So far, so good,” said Michael. “They’re young plants and it is a lot of work.”

With the vines tied onto a trellis, it’s starting to look like a real vineyard, but they are not ready to pop the cork on their estate wine, which will likely be a sparkling white, due to Ohio’s relatively short growing season.

“We’re pretty excited about the opportunity to create something spectacular from Richfield, Ohio,” Michael said.

The brothers have worked with their chef to create a menu to perfectly complement their wine selections. That includes appetizers like crab cakes, arancini and sweet potato balls, plus pizza and plated creations.

But what might excite the brothers the most are the paninis, which will feature bread made the same way it is baked in their bakery, using just water, salt and flour in a stone oven.

“I can’t wait for people to try it the way we eat it, so they can see how special it is,’’ Michael said. “It’s basic but it’s beautiful. Customers can sit in the tasting room and watch these loaves coming out of the oven.”

Although the focus is on the featured wines and the menu, the winery building itself is a sight to behold.

“The building is very unique to the area, and it’s made as a seasonal place that can be used in the winter, fall, spring and summer,” said Michael. “You can see all of these seasons from your seat.”

With a tasting bar, couches in a lounge area and a 7,000-plus square foot patio, customers can also see the barrel room and vines from their seats. The space is designed to encourage people to float through the building, and for them to take their time and stay a while.

The building features spaces that can accommodate in-house food parings, birthday parties and rehearsal dinners. For events as big as weddings, however, Michael would recommend renting the whole facility, which comes with a price tag that covers putting a business out of commission for an evening.

Whether it is holding events, making wine, serving food or growing grapes, at the Michael Angelo Winery, the spotlight will be on what is being produced in Richfield.

 

Featured image photo: Photo by S. Serdinak