Gervasi Vineyard is proud to announce their first wines made exclusively from their vineyard. These two new wines, Frontenac Gris (Lascito) and Aromella (Passione) will be part of a new series of wines called Gervasi Family Reserve. Both wines will be released on Tuesday, August 25th from 6-7:30pm at an exclusive ticketed tasting event. The event will take place in the spectacular outdoor Pavilion with breathtaking views of the vineyard and lake. Tickets can be purchased online at www.gervasivineyard.com. Gervasi Vineyard is a 55-acre estate located within the city limits of Canton. This is a significant milestone for Gervasi, who recently celebrated their five year anniversary in March. Their first vineyard was planted in the spring of 2009 and after six years of hard work and nurturing, they are releasing their first wines 100% from their own vineyard.
The vineyard and winery team at Gervasi describe it as their labor of love. Brian Gregory, Vineyard Manager affirmed, “In a hand tended vineyard, you develop a very intimate relationship with your vines. Not only does each variety have its own personality, but after five years tending to these vines in all seasons, sometimes I feel like I can tell each individual plant from its neighbors. These vines have been nurtured since they were bare root twigs, tucked into seemingly unpromising Canton soil. They’ve survived two vortexes, the drought of 2012, the Memorial Day freeze of 2013, and all the winged and four-legged creatures who find grapes delicious. Needless to say, I am looking forward to my first glass, the distillation of a whole lot of love and care.”
Gervasi’s Winemaker, Andy Codispoti aspires to produce elegant wines of the highest quality that will complement gatherings of family and friends. Codispoti, an Italian immigrant, learned the art of old world winemaking from his father and mother who owned several small vineyards in his birth town in southern Italy. Responsibility for all phases of making Gervasi wines from vineyard to bottling, Codispoti exclaimed, “The debut of Gervasi’s estate grown wines is a much-anticipated celebration. In the heart of Canton, Ohio, hand-managed vineyards and innovative vinification methods have produced wines with a unique and alluring persona. We are excited to present Lascito and Passione to our community.”
Sandy Prentice, Vineyard and Property Operations Manager chimed in harmoniously, “From tree farm, to vineyard, to our first wine! It’s been a fabulous transformation; let’s drink to the fruits of so many peoples’ labor!”
Gervasi Vineyard is owned and operated by the Swaldo Family. Their Family Reserve wine collection will be crafted with grapes picked from their vineyard and capturing the true essence and character of Gervasi Vineyard. It will be a way for the Swaldo’s to put a story and personal family member connection to each wine and label. Appropriately, the first wine to be released (Lascito, which means Legacy in Italian) will be a tribute to Ted Swaldo, the founder of Gervasi Vineyard.
The story behind ‘Live your Legacy’ is best expressed by Ted Swaldo himself, “Each day, I am motivated by the challenge to live my best life. Within each day, I look forward to doing something that will create a memory and make a difference in someone’s life. Deep inside, we each have a purpose and a legacy to live and to leave behind. Finding it and honing it is sometimes difficult. Yet, it is there waiting to be discovered – which can happen at any point in life. The generations ahead need all of our legacies and stories as guideposts for how to be personally fulfilled and how to, in some small way, leave the world a better place.”
Scott Swaldo, Gervasi General Manager, penned the story of Aromella (Passione, meaning Passion in Italian). ‘Live with Passion’ for Scott Swaldo means, “If our eyes are wide open, we can see that life offers many opportunities. Without the filter of passion, it can be easy to get lost or to simply go through the motions. I believe that each of us has a passion, intense emotion, enthusiasm, desire or affinity for something. While it can take discipline, focus and time to clearly define our passion, it is the energy behind our purpose and sense of meaning. It is passion that propels us to take those necessary and sometimes difficult actions to achieve our dreams. Otherwise, our dreams are simply trapped inside our imagination. Live your passion today.”
The Swaldo family has created for guests a beautiful property that integrates the pleasures of wine, food, atmosphere, tradition, and service into memorable moments that last a lifetime. They invite you to escape to Gervasi Vineyard, come savor fresh cuisine and handcrafted artisan wines in three unique on-site dining options. You can explore Gervasi’s world-class winery and enjoy many experiences: wine tastings, wine education classes, public & private winery tours, seasonal vineyard tours, wine & food pairings, and other specialty wine events.
What’s up next for Gervasi Vineyard? Well, according to Swaldo, a third wine Marquette (Unita) will be released in the winter and will also be a Family Reserve and 100% from their vineyard.
Gervasi Vineyard is located at 1700 55th Street NE, Canton, Ohio. For more information about Gervasi Wines, visit www.gervasivineyard.com or call 330.497.1000.