Open: Year Round

History of the Winery

Firelands Winery is the vanguard facility for Lonz, Inc., the parent company owning the Firelands, Mon Ami, Lonz, Mantey, and Dover wine lines. The name "Firelands Winery" was chosen to signify the area in which the original winery was located. During the Revolutionary War, the Firelands region of north central Ohio was allotted to Connecticut citizens whose homes were burned by the British. As they resettled, they brought with them their wine making heritage, and a love for fine wines. Heritage is important at Firelands. The original wine cellar at Firelands, built in 1880 by the Edward Mantey family, has been incorporated into the present Sandusky facility. In 1979, the Mantey Winery was purchased by Bob Gottesman, owner of Paramount Distillers, who had a vision for a better Ohio wine product. His vision revived the lagging Ohio wine industry, and helped propel it into the future. With the addition of Claudio Salvador as wine maker, the wines have steadily improved and are now National and International award winners.