Sarah’s Vineyard

Sarah’s Vineyard is a family-run working vineyard and winery on land leased from Cuyahoga Valley National Park, in Cuyahoga Falls. Its tasting room combines a kitchen, bar and art gallery; outside, a deck faces the grape rows and a seasonal pavilion gives you another place to eat. Make this a meal or wine stop, with time to browse the gallery and grounds.

The family grows several grape varieties and makes nearly a dozen wines, including an estate wine. The kitchen serves wood-fired pizza, along with salads, sandwiches, shareable starters and desserts. The gallery has paintings, pottery, glass sun-catchers and handmade pieces for sale, so there is something to browse after the meal.

The winery building uses a hand-hewn timber frame from a pre-Civil War barn near Cloverleaf High School in Medina County. The barn was dismantled and moved to the park, then rebuilt for the winery. It opened in 2007 after four years of work by staff and volunteers.

The open-sided pavilion has white-oak trusses spanning more than 36 feet and a three-story wood-burning fireplace. Its stones came from Cleveland’s East 14th Street. The pavilion is seasonal; if you have your heart set on it, check whether it is open before you go.

The outdoor areas include a deck overlooking grape rows, picnic tables, a butterfly garden, a koi pond and a small waterfall. It’s an easy place to settle in outside; visitors often value the setting as much as the meal.

Margaret and Michael Lytz founded the vineyard in 2007 and named it for Margaret’s daughter Sarah. The family tends the fields in her memory; Sarah died in 1998.

Outside food is not allowed at the winery’s regular seating, apart from exceptions for private bookings and event cakes. Any alcohol consumed there must be purchased on site.