Drink in the View: Scenic Sips at the Winery at Wolf Creek

From atop a hill at the 35-acre Winery at Wolf Creek, you can see the approximately 200-acre Barberton Reservoir surrounded by a natural preserve below. As you sip wine, gaze upon goats, trellised grapes, sweeping views and more. “It’s a grand vista,” says co-owner Andy Troutman. “You can see downtown Akron. You can see all the way up to Cuyahoga Falls. We’ve got a spectacular view.”

With 40-plus years of experience in grape growing, Troutman now focuses on varietals, including cabernet franc, riesling, pinot grigio and chardonnay, in the winery’s 10-acre vineyard. Find a rotating dozen or so wines on the list at the 50-seat tasting room that’s open daily.

Made with Delaware grapes grown on-site, White Lies is the winery’s most popular selection — and one of its sweetest. Many dry red drinkers order Exodus, a Chianti-style wine. Produced from traminette grapes grown on-site, white port Pandemia is a rare gem. “It’s very aromatic — a little bit of spiciness to it,” says Troutman. “It’s a fortified dessert wine.”

Rotating fruit wines are in demand too, including Original Sin, which is made with apples from Geig’s Orchard in Seville. The stainless-steel-aged chardonnay is unique as it forgoes typical oak barrel aging. “The stainless-steel is more fruit-focused, so you get a lot more of that apple, pear, melon kind of fruit nose,” he says.

Below the Great Room event space, find the Distillery at Wolf Creek. Opened in 2015, the original distillery burned down in a 2017 fire. Having been rebuilt, the distillery reopened this May and now serves guests on Saturdays. Sip bourbon, apple brandy or gin, or try cocktails with those spirits.

Grab a Grandpa’s Cheesebarn meat-and-cheese box — or bring takeout — and snag one of the picnic tables scattered throughout the property. Kids and adults alike love petting and feeding crackers to the goats. There are nine, including three babies born in April. “The goats are something. They definitely bring people out. Nothing like mixing wine and farm animals,” Troutman says. “That brings a lot of joy to people.” Celebrate summer solstice with the Burning Goat Solstice late-night event, featuring Whiskey Wagon eats, music and fire June 20.

Dog owners enjoy taking their pooches to yappy hours on Tuesday nights and can also participate in a dog 1K June 8. Jam to live music from Canton singer Robin Roseberry June 6 and Westfield Center singer-songwriter Jim Gill July 31.

“You’ve got this great view and then you pair it with great music and a good bottle of wine,” Troutman says. “It’s a very festive, happy atmosphere.”

2637 S. Cleveland Massillon Road, Norton, 330-666-9285, wineryatwolfcreek.com