The first thing you should know about wine is that it doesn't matter if other people think it's good. What matters is what you think.
"The best wine for you is the wine that pleases you the most. Don't trust nobody." says winemaker Kreso Mikulic in his thick Croatian accent. "If someone gives you their best wine, don't believe them. You are the judge. If you don't like it, it is no good."
Vinoklet Winery in Northwest Hamilton County is more garden than vineyard. Ripening grapes hang from the vine in the archway leading into the winery, they hang heavy overhead on the lit pathways around the restaurant and near the terrace. Everywhere in this 30-acre vineyard, a grapevine is within reach. Even plucked from the vine, the grapes, just coming into harvest season, are delicious.
Sitting at "his" table on the upper level of the Vinoklet Winery restaurant overlooking the vineyard, Mikulic takes swigs from his glass as he tells stories and makes jokes, all punctuated with innuendo and his love of women and wine.
He looks and acts exactly like what you'd want your local winemaker to look like, with his wily hair and an unruly mustache - or is it unruly hair and a wily mustache? After a few glasses of his signature wines, it is difficult to remember.
He refills glasses and empties a bottle of his In Vino Veritas, or Liquid Sex, as it is known by its fans, and notes that after a few glasses of wine, many people like to leave the confines of the restaurant and wander the vineyard or sit by the bonfire.
"Wine is not essential for life, but it helps. You feel better," he says. "I tell people, 'If you're going to drink alcohol, drink wine. It's from the ground. It's natural juice. You know where it came from.' And besides, you drink beer, you spend the night in the bathroom."
There are more than 10,000 different wines, but here Mikulic creates six. And even the most untrained palate can appreciate them for their smoothness, leaving not a trace of bittersweet once they are swallowed. He says he cannot choose his own favorite. It's like with your kids - you cannot say which one is your favorite, he says.
Christin Sams enjoys a birthday dinner with her fiancé,
Raymond Fitzgarrell, at Vinoklet Winery. Both are from Colerain Township.
Rows of grape vines line the 30-acre Vinoklet Winery.
During the weekends, patrons can grill their own steaks,
chicken, cod or mahi-mahi for dinner on a large grill at Vinoklet.
Pairing food with wine is tricky. The best thing to do is ask for a recommendation if you're not sure, says sommelier Kyle Beasmore.
You have to know your grapes. Here are some grapes you're likely to see in your wine travels,
- The most popular white grape varieties are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling.
- The most popular red grape varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Zinfandel.
