Feel the sun on your face as you sit back, enjoying the gentle breeze blowing over the green, rolling hills. Bulging clusters of succulent grapes hang from rows of vines, begging to be picked and pressed into a fine Ohio wine. Wait a minute, is this really Ohio?

Actually, the Buckeye State is one of the top 10 wine-producing states with 109 licensed wineries. In 2007, Ohio winemakers produced more than 750,000 gallons of wine, valued at more than $75 million.

Touring wineries and tasting wines has become a popular vacation idea for couples, families or girls’ weekends. There are a variety of wineries located throughout the state, with several different kinds of wines to sample, stories to tell and adventures that await. Here is a small sampling of Ohio’s bounty.

Central Ohio
Camelot Cellars Winery, Columbus, www.camelotcellars.com  
A full service, on premise winery right in the Short North district of Columbus. You select and make your own wine and Camelot monitors the fermentation process as the wine matures. After 6 to 8 weeks, you bottle, cork, seal and label your personal vintage. Custom made wines yield approximately 28 to 30 bottles.

Or, make an evening of tasting the wide variety of wines on reserve.

Favorite wines: Staffers call the Luna Bianca “The white wine for red wine drinkers.” Spot on. Camelot also features a bevy of options from Chile, France, Italy, Australia and Spain.

Slate Run Vineyard, Canal Winchester, www.slaterunwine.com  
Located just 19 miles south of Columbus is Slate Run Vineyard. With 4 acres of vines and 53 varieties of grapes, Slate Run provides a complex array of flavors.

Not to be missed: 99 Premblage Reserve: flavors of bell pepper and black cherry.
Finale: honey, apricot and pineapple character. 2004 Premblanc: (92 percent Chardonnay) dry, white wine with a balanced oak quality.

Soine Vineyards, Powell, www.soinevineyards.com  
Soine (pronounced soy-knee), established in 2003, has 6 acres of prime farmland used to grow three types of grapes. The winery is estate operated, which means the owner-operator resides at the facility. Tour the process room where wine is produced and stored, and then sip a variety of wines as you relax in the comfortable tasting room. Check the Web site for events, such as the Fall Harvest Tour.

Top Sellers: Cayuga White: grapefruit, apricot and floral flavors. 2007 Chambourcin: Blackberry and cherry flavors and a hint of oak.

Wyandotte Winery, Columbus, www.wyandottewinery.com  
Wyandotte is a winery, not a vineyard. Instead of growing their own grapes, they search for the best fruit farms and vineyards in Ohio and the country to hand craft their wines.

Take a tour of the winery and learn about wine making. Enjoy cheese and crackers or create your own personal labels. The selling point, however, may be the winery’s Hope Wine, which is a pomegranate dessert wine high in anti-oxidants. A portion of proceeds from the wine’s sale go toward the Jim Tressel Family Fund for cancer research and education.

Tasting tips:
Statehouse: Full bodied blend of cabernet and merlot. Sweet William: Sweet red like a rose with a large appeal. Hope Wine: Pomegranate dessert wine, high in anti-oxidants.

Shamrock Vineyard, Waldo, www.shamrockvineyard.com  
Located in Waldo, 33 miles north of Columbus, is Shamrock Vineyard, home of the first successful wine-grape planting in Central Ohio. Twenty-four years later, you can tour the vineyard, taste 10 different wines and enjoy the peace of the countryside.

Customer favorites:
Buckeye Red: Best seller for more than 20 years, socially sweet. Vidal: German style, fruity, slightly sweet.

Northeast Ohio
Maize Valley Market and Winery, Hartville, www.maizevalleywinery.com  
Maize Valley is located about 30 minutes north of Canton and is a self proclaimed, “winery with ADHD.” It is different than most since it started as a farmers market and added the winery along the way. The large restored barn has a huge selection of gourmet sauces, meats, cheeses, and jams for sale, as well as fresh baked pies, cookies and breads.

There are 12 grape varieties planted at Maize Valley and several wines available to taste for 25 cents apiece. Entertainment is nightly and there are also many activities for the family during the day. This fall, pick a pumpkin and visit the corn maze, or check out the wine and art show Sept. 27.

Have fun with:
Red Neck Red: No. 1 seller, sweet, intense grape aromas. Sinfully White: Dry chardonnay with tropical fruit notes. Mad Cow: Popular summer white with a strong grape aroma.

Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Geneva, www.Ferrantewinery.com  
Family owned since 1937, Ferrante is one of the largest wineries in Ohio with more than 45 acres of vines and 115,000 gallons of wine produced each year. Enjoy award-winning wines, a fine Italian restaurant, gorgeous views of the vineyard and music on the weekends.

Don’t miss:
Golden Bunches Dry Riesling: Aromas of peach and citrus. Signature Series Chardonnay: Aromas of melon, pear and butterscotch. Cabernet Franc: Flavors of raspberry and strawberry.

Harpersfield Winery, Geneva, www.harpersfield.com  
A quaint, European-inspired winery since 1979, Harpersfield grows only French wine grapes that are 100 percent estate bottled. Relax in the beautiful, rustic tasting room, savor the aroma of freshly baked breads and stroll in the surrounding vineyards. Blues and swing music keeps you company at night.

You must try:
Pinot Noir 2006: Aromas of dark cherry and lavender. Chardonnay cuvee sans chene 2007: Crisp, clean and lightly oaked. Rose of Pinot Noir: Vibrant with aromas of strawberry and raspberry.

Debonne Winery, Madison, www.debonne.com  
Four generations of winemakers at Debonne ensure quality. Tour the underground facilities and buy a tasting tray of eight different wines. Year-round activities such as hot air balloon races, car shows and Sunday jazz festivals keep this winery busy and enjoyable.

Must have new releases:
2007 Chardonnay: Aromas of banana, toasted almond, vanilla and butterscotch. 2007 Riesling: Aromas of peach, apricot and light spice.

Northwest Ohio:
Hermes Vineyards & Winery, Sandusky, www.hermesvineyards.com  
In the middle of the 19th century, Sandusky was the wine-grape growing capital of the United States. It has an extended growing season of more than 200 days, from April to harvest at Thanksgiving. Hermes Vineyards has 30 acres on which it continues the tradition of growing a wide variety of grapes. Enjoy wine tasting at Hermes’ restored pioneer barn with a light snack and an acoustic guitarist on weekends.

Recommended tastes: Two Chardonnays from the 2007 harvest – Limestone Hills Chardonnay, which has a mineral note being planted on a bed limestone; Dahs Creek Chardonnay, which has a tropical fruit note planted in a sandy loam soil.

Heineman’s Winery, Put-in-Bay, www.heinemanswinery.com  
Gustav Heineman, a German immigrant who knew the Lake Erie Islands would be ideal for growing grapes, founded Heineman’s Winery in 1888. Visitors have been tasting wine and grape juice in the beautiful wine garden and touring the winery since.

Check Out:
Pink Catawba: Top seller, medium sweet, very pink. White Riesling: German style sweet, frequent award winner.

Southwest Ohio:
Vinoklet Winery, Cincinnati, www.vinokletwinery.com  
Set atop the rolling hills of Hamilton County, Vinoklet provides a picturesque view of the surrounding vineyards, lakes and sunsets. September 13 and 14 is Vinoklet’s Art and Wine festival, with bands, strolling musicians and grape-stomping competitions.

Give these a try:
In Vino Veritas: Sweet, white wine, soft to the palate. Traminette: Dry, white table wine, spicy and fragrant. La Dolce Vita: Sweet and flavorful red wine.

Valley Vineyards, Morrow, www.valleyvineyards.com  
Located along the hills and valleys of the Little Miami River between Dayton and Cincinnati, Valley Vineyards has 60 acres of vines with 27 varieties of grapes. It was first in Ohio to produce Ice Wine, in which the grapes are harvested and pressed when they are frozen. There are plenty of festivals, feasts and cookouts all year to enjoy with its internationally award winning wines.

Try tasting:
Cabernet Franc: Cherry and black currant aromas with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon. Vidal Blanc of Ice Wine: Dessert wine with hints of apricot and pineapple. Honey Mead: Produced from fresh clover honey, served hot or cold.

Southeast Ohio:
Raven’s Glenn Winery & Italian Restaurant, West Lafayette , www.ravensglenn.com  
You will find Raven’s Glenn on the banks of the beautiful Tuscarawas River. The view from its Italian restaurant is breathtaking and the authentic food is paired with a compatible award-winning wine.

Don’t miss:
White October: Chardonel grape, notes of vanilla and papaya. Pinot Grigio: Semi-dry with aromas of pear and figs.

Coffee Cake Winery, Hopedale, www.coffeecakewinery.com  
The rolling hills of Harrison County is a lovely place for a picnic lunch and wine tasting at Coffee Cake Winery. Stroll through the 3 acres of vineyards featuring 2,300 vines. Or try a cheese and wine tasting evening where six cheeses from a selected country are matched with six wines from Coffee Cake’s collection.

You must try:
Nightfall: A semi-dry, fruity red. Satin: A sweet, flavorful white.

Colleen D’Angelo is a contributing writer for Luxury Living Magazine.