Butler County winery to celebrate 10th anniversary with annual wine festival

The Mason s Red is a new release and will be featured at the Hanovery Winery festival this weekend. CONTRIBUTED

The Mason s Red is a new release and will be featured at the Hanovery Winery festival this weekend. CONTRIBUTED

Hanover Winery is turning 10. The community can join in the anniversary celebration at the Hanover Winery Wine Festival on Friday, Aug. 16 and Saturday, Aug. 17.

Festivalgoers will enjoy wine, food and live music during the two-day event.

Hanover Winery Owners Eddie and Elizabeth McDonald started the annual festival in 2010 as an anniversary celebration and a customer appreciation event. Every year since, they’ve continued the tradition during the summer, and the festival has grown each year. Situated on a 15-acre property, the family-owned and -operated winery opened in 2009.

“I’m excited that it’s our 10th anniversary, and that we’ve been so well received in the area. With the growth of this event, we are going to have more food trucks than we had last year, and our entertainment is spectacular. We’re also excited to see people come out and have a good time. They can come out and enjoy a local business. We are the only winery in Butler County,” said Eddie McDonald.

“We have a lot of people in the area, once they find us, they realize that we’re 35 minutes from downtown Cincinnati, we’re 35 minutes from Eaton or Dayton, so we’ve adopted the tagline ‘Hanover Winery – Just far enough to feel like you’ve gone somewhere,’” he said.

Located in Hanover Twp., Hanover Winery affords a park-like setting with a pond, mature trees and beautiful sunsets. Guests can enjoy wine by the glass or purchase a bottle to drink during the festival. Wine frappes (slushies), house-made Sangria, soda and bottled water will also be available. There will be live entertainment and food vendors on site. Last spring, a new pavilion was added for the performers. (There will be no wine tastings during the event.)

“Locally, it’s also exciting that Hamilton is growing like it is, and that we can be more involved with everything that’s going on in our own area. We’re located between Hamilton and Oxford,” said Elizabeth McDonald.

On Friday, Angela Combs and Harold will perform at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, Misterman and the Mojo Band will take the stage at 3:30 p.m. Thunderbay Band will perform at 7 p.m.

Best Thing Smokin’, The Italian Truck, J. Damon’s Wood Fired Pizza, The Dawghouse and Hamilton! Just Desserts will be available on Friday. On Saturday, food vendors will include The Italian Truck, J. Damon’s Wood Fired Pizza, The Dawghouse, Hamilton! Just Desserts and MamaBear’s Mac. Last year, close to 1,000 guests attended the two-day event.

Hanover Winery offers more than 27 award-winning wines from dry to sweet dessert wines, including many wines that have earned International wine-competition Double Gold, Gold and Silver medals.

“Dammit Annie!” is one of Hanover Winery’s most popular wines, a berry blend sweet enough for dessert. The wine was named after the McDonald’s youngest Labrador retriever, Annie. Mason’s Red (named after the McDonald’s Chocolate Lab, Mason) is one of the new releases as well as the custom SchutzenApfel (approved by the Schutzenfest Kolping Society,) which is mostly a Riesling with a little bit of apple blended in.

The award-winning Hanover Winery wines are also featured in area retail locations, including Kroger’s, Jungle Jim’s International Market, Noonan’s and many more. The winery has also expanded to offer wines at retailers in Dayton, Columbus and other nearby markets. A list of retailers is available at www.hanoverwinery.com/our-wines/retail-locator.


WANT TO GO?

What: Hanover Winery Wine Festival

Where: Hanover Winery, 2165 Morman Road, Hanover Twp.

When: Festival hours are Friday, August 16, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday, August 17, 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Winery hours are 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. both days.

Cost: $5 entry, or a $15 pass, which includes entry, a commemorative wine glass and guest's choice of a glass of wine. Guests pay admission fee upon arrival to the event.

More info: www.hanoverwinery.com or email info@hanoverwinery.com. 21 and over event. Guests may bring a lawn chair or a blanket. Rain or shine. (No wine tastings during the festival.) No outside beverages. Parking is available on site.

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