If you are new to the winery tasting experience, here are a few suggestions for your venture. First, taste wine with friends. It will be more fun with comrades in the exploration. In the tasting room, the staff will enjoy sharing about their wines. So ask about the vineyards and how the wines are made. Plan for food around your tastings. It enriches the experience, moderates the alcohol and nurtures responsible tasting. Winery staff and restaurant servers will gladly recommend a food and wine pairing for you.
To make your winery visit more rewarding, here are a few tips on appreciating wine. Be open minded and try different wines. You’re buying a taste not a house. First, consider the color. It should be clear and inviting, perhaps prismatic or deep and rich. Next, place the glass on the counter and rotate the glass in short circular patterns to set the wine in a swirling motion to release its aromatics. This method is safer than free hand and will save on dry cleaning bills. Smell the wine. Try to identify the aromas. Imagine you are strolling through a produce market admiring the fruits and vegies. Do you detect any of these in the wine? Pineapple, strawberry, cherry, peach. Maybe apple, green pepper, mushroom or something from the herb counter. You get the idea.
Now take a sip, not a gulp. You are tasting, not quenching thirst. The wine’s personality will reveal itself with levels of sweetness/dryness and sensations of acidity. Look for the flavors from the produce market. With reds, you will encounter degrees of tannins that can make your mouth feel dry even though it’s wet. Consider the wine’s body. Is it light or weighty? And the finish? How long does the taste sensation last after you swallow? Longer is better. Above all – taste responsibly.
This is just a quick primer, but hopefully you will find these tips helpful in your tasting experience.
Salute!
There’s no getting around it – Gervasi Vineyard’s Pavilion, located at the edge of the spring-fed lake, is definitely not your grandfather’s pavilion. Classic and classy in every way, Gervasi’s 4000-plus-square-foot open air pavilion complete with a stucco and stone exterior and interior wood ceilings is the perfect outdoor setting for the vineyard’s 2018 summer Musica Concert Series.
Between June 26 and August 28 concerts featuring regional and nationally known artists and groups will perform just feet from the vineyard’s grape vines and although The Moonlight Seranaders kicked off the series of six concerts on June 12, never fear, the wide variety of artists still to come this summer means there’s something for just about everyone’s tastes.
The Tuesday summer series’ next concert is on June 26 featuring two-time Grammy Award winning jazz keyboard legend Bob James, who’s blend of smooth, classic and fusion jazz has been part of the jazz music scene for the last half century. While James has released over 50 albums, his composition “Angela” – the instrumental theme from the sitcom Taxi – is likely his been known song.
Michigan’s The Backbeats bring the sounds of The Beatles to Canton July 10, where dancing, clapping and laughing will most certainly be encouraged by “John, Paul, George and Ringo” as the band performs songs from the early years when the lads from Liverpool toured the globe.
British international vocalist, entertainer and producer Helen Welch and her trio bring “A Little Brit Different” show to the edge of Gervasi Lake on July 31. Welch has performed all over the world with renowned orchestras, released numerous albums and in concert mixes swing, pop, soul and plenty of “cheeky” British humor. Raise of glass of wine as you welcome Welch to Canton!
Georgia singer and songwriter John King brings his own brand of country music to The Pavilion on August 21. King’s first Top 40 hit “Tonight Tonight” was heard weekly during the 2014 NFL season on Thursday nights and in 2016 “We Went” garnered the young singer/songwriter’s first number one hit as recorded by Randy Houser.
The timeless music and wacky hi-jinks of Frank, Dean and Sammy close out the 2018 Musica Concert Series on August 28. Yes, The Rat Pack is back, featuring Damion Fontaine, Scott Brotherton and Stan Davis who’ll be performing classics from “the day” sprinkled with country and Motown classics. Let the summer sun slip away with a walk down memory lane!
All shows begin at 8pm, so why not make a full night of it by having dinner at one of Gervasi’s three distinct restaurants before the show? Concert details, prices and bookings can be found at gervasivineyard.com or by calling 330.497.1000.
With the construction for the Gervasi distillery and boutique hotel underway, GV Destinations has released the name, renderings and logos for the two new buildings that will reside on the south end of the 55-acre estate.
The distillery is cleverly named “The Still House at Gervasi Vineyard”. A still is an apparatus used to distill liquid mixtures by heating to selectively boil and then cooling to condense the vapor.
Following suit for the name of The Crush House (which houses the winery), The Still House will house the distillery, feature craft cocktails, a cigar lounge, and a coffee house. The large 10,000 sq. ft. structure will feature an extensive line of craft spirits including those locally made. The distillery will open with wine barrel aged bourbon, whiskey, vodka, gin, and select liquors and brandy. The offering of spirits is still under development and will evolve as Gervasi seeks to obtain a master distiller.
“The inspiration for the Italian structure of the distillery is to replicate the look of a church,” said Ted Swaldo, Owner/Proprietor of GV Destinations. “The church, which includes a bell tower, is the center of the town in small villages in Italy, so we felt it was a perfect fit on the Gervasi estate. It is important for us to continue to connect to the Tuscan-inspired feel, but we also wanted to introduce a new design with a fresh look. We found a photograph of a mission-style chapel in Tuscany that we loved and incorporated it in the design.”
The theme of a mission-style church continues inside as the large open structure boasts high ceilings, wooden beams and pendant lights. In the spacious structure, two cozy lounges are accessible for small groups to retreat. Oversized windows will showcase the distillery to allow guests an inside look at the still process. Outside, cigar aficionados can relax at the cigar lounge overlooking the GV estate.
The Still House will be known as a distillery, craft cocktail and cigar lounge by night, but during the day, the church-like structure will transform into a coffee house. The café will feature a new line of Gervasi’s premium blend of organic, fair trade, locally roasted coffee. A variety of specialty coffee beverages will also be available.
The boutique hotel named “The Casa at Gervasi Vineyard” (“casa” translates to the word “house” in Italian), will be built immediately behind The Still House. The single-story structure will host 24 large, luxurious suites. The 18,000 sq. ft. luxury hotel will complement the Tuscan paradise with the same mission décor including off-white stucco with a dark roof, wood accents and wrought iron. Wall niches and Italian tile inlays adorn both the interior and exterior of the guest rooms. Italian tile floors include wood accents; rustic beams and wood ceiling details crown the Tuscan-inspired look.
The Casa will feature a shared lobby and offer an exercise facility for Gervasi guests. The lavish guest suites will mirror the suites in The Villas with high end amenities and features: luxury king-sized beds, in-room fireplaces, heated tile floors, heated towel bars and grand showers, as well as other deluxe amenities. In addition, each guest suite will have a covered veranda with direct view and access to a private courtyard and pond with beautiful gardens.
An offering of five different Italian-style gourmet continental breakfasts is included for overnight guests and will be delivered to guest rooms, as well as the availability of deluxe in-room services such as spa treatments, massages and yoga. Guests may order Gervasi wines, specialty foods, and flowers to be delivered to their room.
Gervasi Vineyard is excited to offer a NEW learning experience for high school students interested in the culinary arts. This program is being offered in collaboration with the Boy Scouts of America Exploring Program, which offers career development opportunities for youth.
Students age 16+ and their parents are invited to join us for an exploratory workshop on Tuesday, April 10 from 4-6 pm to learn more about the program. Interested students will then have the opportunity to sign up for an accelerated 8-week course (Spring 2018). During this weekly program, participants will be exposed to and learn important hospitality skills: kitchen basics, event set-up, restaurant operations, resort operations and much more!
Our vision at Gervasi Vineyard is “to become a leading destination winery resort and restaurant group that delivers a world-class hospitality experience where people can connect to enhance their lives.” There is no better way for us to do this than by mentoring and developing the next generation entering the work force!
GV Exploration Workshop – April 10
4 pm: Welcome and meet the chef
4:15 pm: Tour of facilities
4:45 pm: Culinary demo experience
5:30 pm: Question and answer session with the chef and culinary team members about what being in the field is like
Please RSVP to Gretchen Wendell at gwendell@gervasivineyard.com.
We look forward to meeting our juni
Congratulations to the winner of our Ultimate Prize Package, Gloria Mantini of Lorain, Ohio! The raffle was made possible by Gervasi Vineyard, in partnership with the Pro Football Hall of Fame and Taste of the NFL, to benefit the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.
The $5,000 prize package included:
“I love Gervasi Vineyard!” Mantini said. “My husband and I celebrate our anniversary there every year! We when we’re there, we feel like we’ve just taken a trip to Italy. We are just blown away to win this prize! Thank you so much!”
330-497-1000
1700 55th Street NE, Canton, OH 44721
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