History

Ohio’s history in wine making took root along the Ohio River near Cincinnati more than 100 years ago. Meier’s Wine Cellars, Inc. began in the late 1800’s as a small grape juice business. John Michael Meier once grew his grapes on land now known as the Kenwood Towne Center north of Cincinnati. His son, John Conrad Meier, discovered in 1895 a method of bottling fresh grape juice and formed the John C. Meier Grape Juice Company, Inc.

Around the turn of the century, land was purchased in Silverton, Ohio along the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad line. During prohibition, the company prospered making sparkling Catawba grape juice. The company returned to making wine after prohibition’s repeal in 1933. In 1938, the company’s articles of incorporation were formally amended and the company was renamed Meier’s Wine Cellars, Inc.

Jug in the 1950sIn 1941, land was purchased on North Bass Island (Isle St. George) in Lake Erie and most the company’s grape needs were met from those vineyards. Over the next 35 years, the company continued to prosper extending their wine making skills by producing table wines, sparkling wines, dessert wines, vermouths, and carbonated grape juice. In 1976, the company was purchased from the Meier family yet still operates as Ohio’s oldest and largest winery.

As the industry changed Meier’s has adapted to serve its needs. Over the last 20 years Meier’s as evolved to not only a historic winery but an innovative and efficient production facility. Meier’s offers contract packaging including custom blending, product storage, and private labeling. Meier’s Wine Cellars has 3 bottling lines and a new ( 2018) canning line. With roughly 6 acres of property Meier’s Warehouses have ample storage space for finished goods in its bonded ware house.  MWC is able to produce, bottle and store n/a Juice and alcohol products such as beer, wine, malts, and spirits.