CLEVELAND, Ohio - For some wine-loving folks in Northeast Ohio, it's not enough to check out a list at a restaurant for a glass or peruse store shelves for bottles to add to their cellar.
There's a group of wine aficionados who are doing a lot more than simply raising a glass of their choice. They are rolling up their sleeves, lifting pitchforks, scooping and pressing grapes to make wine.
Spoiler alert: If you think homemade wine is limited only to undrinkable swill or overly sweet grape juice that your Uncle Joe used to make, guess again. The North Coast Wine Club is making delicious wine.
The five-year-old co-op group is composed mostly of 75 to 80 couples. They buy grapes twice a year, usually from California in the fall and South America in the spring. The $250 dues buys members into a case of wine.
"We're creating a community and an experience," said Tom Radu, one of the group's founders.
"Everybody," adds Dave Sabo, "pitches in."
Everybody includes Annie Spadaro, who climbed up on a truck and shoveled grapes into a crusher. And Adam Jacobs, who helped found the club and whose father owns the space the group uses.
That communal spirit was at work on a recent Saturday at a business facility owned in Solon, where the club meets. Many of the members are "empty-nesters" looking for something social to do, Sabo said.
People buy into the grapes, and the result this year will be 11 different wines, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir.
"I've been making wine since I was a kid," said Radu, who grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania. "Some friends wanted to make it with me so we said 'let's start a club.' " In its relatively short existence, the club has amassed a handful of medals for its creations.
"People are telling us 'we're not making wine; we're creating an experience,' " Radu said.
It's a private club, so there is no selling.
"A lot of hands gets everything done," Radu said. "We're drinking it as fast as we can make it. We drink, we eat, we work."
Winemaking involves crushing, where grapes are destemmed. They are left to ferment, in barrels, pressed and punched down. The latter involves using a fairly heavy pole with a flat end to push, or punch down, the grapes and get the skins to the top. It has to be done several times a day.
The aging process often involves barrels, which can impart various flavors, like butterscotch or vanilla in wines.
Those interested in learning more about the club can check out their Facebook page.