Meranda Nixon Winery

The Glass Is Always Half Full in Ripley, Ohio

For Seth and Tina Meranda, the future of their diversified operation was rooted firmly in the past. And we do mean rooted—vines, grapes, and all.

Seth Meranda purchased the five-generation family farm from his grandfather in 1992 and set to work raising tobacco, corn, soybeans, and Angus cattle. He married his wife Tina a few years later and together they looked for ways to diversify the traditional crops. First came sweet corn, then a haunted corn maize charity benefit—but the right diversified crop to make the tobacco farm sustainable seemed elusive. That was until they realized that Ohio River Valley had once been the largest wine producer in the nation, from the 1830s through the 1850s, when a Cincinnati merchant had over 3,000 acres under contract and sold his wine even in European markets.

So in early 2003 the Merandas put together a business proposal for a diversification project for wine grape growing. Vineyards were built and their first harvest of grapes went to Ohio wineries in 2005, the same year they decided to take the business a step further and produce the finished product right on their farm. The Meranda-Nixon Winery—capable of producing 3,000 cases—was born. 

“Our grand opening was in April 2007 and our first three releases were all award-winning wines,” says Seth Meranda, whose operation was also named as one of only 13 in Ohio with the Ohio Quality Wine Designation. “Today we have seven award winning wines to choose from. We direct-sell our wines all over Ohio, but mostly in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas. You can find Meranda-Nixon Wines in the finest restaurants in the area, as well as in grocery and special retail stores—Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chardonnay Reserve, Traminette, Red Oak Creek, Catawba, and Chambourcin. In 2009 we’ll also offer Cabernet Franc and Norton, bringing our total operation to 10 ½ acres.”

“There are a lot more variables in high-quality wine grape production than in any other crop grown on earth, so it can be challenging,” Seth notes. “But it’s always rewarding to see the decisions made in the vineyard show up in your glass of wine. And the biggest surprise for both of us is how quickly our children, 9-year-old Preston and 6-year-old Austin, have learned about viticulture and wine grape processing from crush to bottling. Preston regularly gives winery tours when Mom or Dad are busy!”

To learn more about Meranda-Nixon Winery or plan a trip to their Tuscany-style tasting room overlooking acres of vineyards, be sure to visit www.meranda-nixonwinery.com.