Loramie Creek AVA

Loramie Creek AVA was formally established on November 25, 1982, by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, making it one of the first AVAs to be formalized in the United States. The petition was submitted by Homer K. Monroe, proprietor of Vinterra Farm Winery and Vineyard. At the time of establishment, the AVA supported two operating wineries, both focused on French hybrid grape vineyards. Today, the appellation has no operating wineries and no active grape growing within its boundaries, and no wines are currently labeled with the Loramie Creek designation.

• Established November 25, 1982, among the earliest AVAs in U.S. history
• Petition filed by Homer K. Monroe of Vinterra Farm Winery and Vineyard
• Originally supported two wineries growing French hybrid varieties
• Currently dormant, with no active producers or vineyards

Loramie Creek AVA sits in Shelby County, Ohio, southwest of the city of Sidney in the west-central part of the state. The appellation spans just 3,600 acres, or 5.6 square miles, placing it among the smallest designated wine regions in the country. It is framed by two waterways, Loramie Creek and Tuttle Creek, both of which flow into the Great Miami River. Elevation across the AVA ranges from 940 to 1,000 feet above sea level.

• Located in Shelby County, southwest of Sidney, Ohio
• Spans 3,600 acres (5.6 square miles)
• Bordered by Loramie Creek and Tuttle Creek, tributaries of the Great Miami River
• Elevation between 940 and 1,000 feet above sea level

The AVA experiences a humid continental climate typical of west-central Ohio, with cold winters and warm summers that define the growing season. Soils belong to the Glynwood-Blount Soil Association, characterized by gently sloping to sloping uplands with moderately well-drained and somewhat poorly-drained profiles. These soils formed in clay loam or silty clay loam glacial till. Baco Noir, the signature red variety grown here, thrives in the region's heavier, dark loamy soils, which carry high organic matter content.

• Humid continental climate with cold winters and warm summers
• Glynwood-Blount Soil Association, formed in clay loam or silty clay loam glacial till
• Soils are moderately well-drained to somewhat poorly-drained on gently sloping uplands
• High organic matter in dark loamy soils supports Baco Noir cultivation

Viticulture in Loramie Creek AVA centered on French hybrid varieties, with Baco Noir as the key red grape. French hybrids were chosen for their ability to withstand the challenges of the Ohio climate and the region's heavy glacial soils. The wines produced were primarily red, reflecting the dominance of Baco Noir in the vineyards. With no current producers operating in the AVA, commercial production has ceased entirely.

• French hybrid grapes formed the basis of all vineyard plantings
• Baco Noir was the principal red variety cultivated
• Wine production focused on red wine styles
• No wines are currently produced or labeled under the Loramie Creek AVA