Emerita Winery Opens in Madison with Estate-Grown Wines
Published by: Cleveland.com
Original article found here
On a quiet plot of land south of the Grand River in Madison, Kathy Crowley found her post-retirement second act, something she’d been planning for years.
That plan came to fruition in May, when Crowley and her business partner Ann Moore opened Emerita Winery at 5631 Ledge Road, Madison. The boutique winery is built not just on artisan wines, but on reinvention, persistence and a lot of volunteer elbow grease.
More than 15 years before the tasting room opened its doors, Crowley was thinking about life after retiring from her information technology career. Her original vision was simple: an apple orchard.
But after running the numbers, she realized the margins would be too thin to support year-round income. So, she looked for another path, also rooted in agriculture, but with more possibility.
That’s when she discovered the applied science in enology and viticulture programs at Kent State University, Ashtabula branch. The undergraduate enology certificate focuses on winemaking techniques and technology, while the viticulture certificate covers grape cultivation and vineyard management.
Crowley decided to get both certificates. She already held an undergraduate degree from Bowling Green State University and a master’s degree from Case Western Reserve University, so most of the coursework requirements were behind her.
What remained were lab sciences and internships — the hands-on work that would pull her into the Ohio wine community.
By 2015, she had earned associate degrees in applied enology and viticulture after studying viticulture under the late esteemed grape grower Arnie Esterer at Markko Vineyard & Winery in Conneaut and enology with winemaker Ed Trebets at Debonné Vineyards in Madison.
That same year, Crowley and Moore found the property that would become Emerita: 105 acres with a ranch house sitting amongst it all.
With help from what Crowley affectionately calls the “leprechauns” — volunteers made up of relatives and friends — the pair transformed the ranch house into a tasting room. Along the way, they acquired a piece of wine history: the original tasting bar from Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery in New York’s Finger Lakes region.
A Ukrainian-born viticulturist, Dr. Frank is known for transforming viticulture in the Finger Lakes and beyond. He proved that European grape varieties could grow in cooler climates and make fine wine. The bar is a symbolic link to wine history.
The winery itself carries a deeply personal name. “Emerita” honors Crowley’s grandmother.
Twelve acres of vineyards grow Riesling and Bordeaux blend grapes as well as native Concord and Niagara grapes. While waiting for the estate vines to mature, Crowley began sourcing grapes from other regions to create small-batch wines, including pinot gris and sauvignon blanc.
“We’re going to make small batches of great wines,” she said.
Production remains intentionally intimate — often just 40 to 60 cases at a time. Like many startup wineries, operations still rely on hands-on work, from hand-filling bottles to corking them assembly-line style with volunteers helping along the way.
The tasting room currently offers Pinot Gris, an estate Riesling, Chardonnay, rosé, merlot, pinot noir, Syrah and zinfandel. Guests can order wines by the bottle or glass. Cheese and charcuterie boards are available for pairing.
Despite being new, Emerita is already gaining attention. The winery recently earned four bronze medals Riesling, Chardonnay, merlot and Syrah at the 2025 Ohio Wine Competition.
The atmosphere Crowley and Moore envisioned is relaxed and welcoming. The winery is ADA-accessible and dog-friendly. It will playfully offer two dog-inspired wine labels: “Shea nannigans,” named after their Australian cattle dog Sheamus, and “Quinn tessential,” inspired by their black Labrador Quinn.
“Shea nannigans” is sweet white blend, while “Quinn tessential” is an estate Bordeaux blend.
There’s also a U-pick Concord grape program for visitors who want a hands-on vineyard experience.
For now, Emerita Winery is open noon to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with a grand opening celebration planned for August. Upcoming plans will be announced on the website and social media.