Photo: Sergey Nazarov / iStock / Getty Images
MARC BONA Features writer, cleveland.com spoke to Bill about Gunselman’s Steakhouse & Bar opens this week - How to picnic at Blossom: 28 tips to know - ‘We love the journey’ – NE Ohio couple marks two decades in California for biodynamic vineyard cultivation
Click Here To Listen Live https://www.iheart.com/live/news-radio-wtam-1100-17
‘We love the journey’ – NE Ohio couple marks two decades in California for biodynamic vineyard cultivation
SCHEDULED for 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 9, in ENTERTAINMENT
BRECKSVILLE, Ohio – Several years ago, Michael Oravecz made a bold comment about Mila Family Vineyards, a California winery he owns with his wife, Loretta DiChiro.
“We’re going to bring Sonoma to Ohio,” he said.
The couple has done exactly that. This year, Mila – a mashup of the couple’s first names – is celebrating more than 20 years of having land in California.
What is unique about their biodynamic winery is, despite being located in some of the most fertile ground on the planet for Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, their bread-and-butter grape is Grenache. They spent years traveling and studying the varietal before they planted a vine.
“It takes a long time; we didn’t want to get it wrong,” DiChiro said.
When it came time to plant their flag – or vine, as it were – they chose land outside of Healdsburg in California’s Alexander Valley, a fecund area in the heart of wine country. They have 55 acres. To put that in perspective, neighbor Kendall-Jackson has 5,000 or so acres, they said.
“We were – I don’t want to say ‘pioneers,’ but we’re darned close to it, because most everything around is Cab and Chardonnay,” Oravecz said. “We did it out of passion, and it’s worked out, because people have become more educated about Grenache.”
The couple immersed themselves in viticulture practices and farming. They traveled the world, studied the grape, went to tastings, trained their palates. Their marketing has been very basic, from their Brecksville office.
“We’ve done very little PR; we’ve been very grassroots,” said Oravecz, who wears out a frequent-flyer path between Northern California and Northeast Ohio.
“Wine is basically an experience and a story,” he added. “Our story is we’re bringing Sonoma to Ohio, and when we’re in Sonoma we’re bringing Ohio to Sonoma,” Oravecz said.
Alcoholic licenses vary regarding manufacturing locations, according to Ohio law, and also restrict Mila – which does not make wine in Ohio - from having a tasting room. Mila’s winery is based on direct-to-consumer sales. And those sales are “very organic,” Oravecz said.
“We can have four people sitting here and pour them wine – we can’t charge them for it – and if they want to buy wine it has to be shipped from California,” he said.
Often the intimate tastings are a result of a charitable auction donation, DiChiro said.
As a boutique winery, they have to pick and choose specific events, because they don’t want to hire just anyone to represent them to reflect their story, she said. The face time allows folks to
ask about their background in Ohio, and DiChiro’s lineage (her family is from Italy).
Mila offers about half a dozen wines, including a unique Rosé of Grenache that tastes as wonderfully smooth as a dry rosé from the South of France. The flagship is Grenache / Garnacha, and they also grow Syrah, Carignan and Cabernet Sauvignon.
“The funny thing in Northeast Ohio is that they know Cab, and when they try our other wines they love them - but they will never try them on their own,” DiChiro said.
(DiChiro is right. People tend to shy from varietals they know little about let alone cannot pronounce. Viognier is an approachable white wine but not common on restaurant menus. Blaufränkisch. Zweigelt. And Grenache, to name a few.)
She said the resulting pleasant surprise is fun to see: “They don’t know what to expect. They just have fun going through the wines and learning.”
In the end, “meeting all the people is fun for us. We’ve met people in Northeast Ohio we never would have met,” DiChiro said. “We love the journey.”
They mulled moving to California, but their teen boys attend St. Ignatius High School, are involved in sports and have friends. The couple also runs Terra Group, a real-estate services company.
Related coverage: Richfield couple’s Mila Family Vineyards brings Sonoma to Northeast Ohio after years of planning
“We stayed here because we’re from the Midwest and have Midwest values,” said Oravecz, who attended Miami University. DiChiro went to Bowling Green. Their winery also has some infrastructure from Ohio; years ago, they shipped a couple of barns to their land.
Oravecz estimates at least 20 winemakers in the Napa-Sonoma region are from Northeast Ohio. For the couple, they have a farmer, winemaker and operations folks out west, but they do their sales and marketing from Ohio.
And marketing is key, because they run a biodynamic winery.
“The reason we went biodynamic is because if you spray (with chemicals) now you’ve killed the soil that is below the grapevines. Now you have to fertilize the soil with another chemical, usually an oil-based chemical or fertilizer,” Oravecz said. “Now the plant’s not really happy with you. So you have to use insecticide, some pesticide, maybe some spray that deals with disease. Now you’re at four or five chemical sprays on these plants.”
Also, some larger wineries can alter winemaking to force the taste to conform year after year. Not Mila. The couple lets their winemaking and terroir stand on their own.
“It’s not like (producing) Coca-Cola, where it’s meant to taste the same,” DiChiro said.
The larger companies look at it like “but it’s business, and it’s the cheapest way to farm that land,” Oravecz said.
“We did an estate thing; we could have just bought juice. A lot of people, when they start a label, you can buy the grapes, so you cut a contract with the farmer and make the wine, or buy the juice from another winery,” he said. “Or you can do what we did, took this long, lifetime approach to creating our wine-farm on our 55 acres to where we’re trying to create our own self-sustaining ecosystem on the property. That’s a lifelong journey, where everything could come from the property and nothing from outside. That would be no tractors. I don’t know if we’ll do that.”
Mila’s farming practices are in what Oravecz describes as a “low-intervention category.” They do not toss in additives.
“Robert Mondavi says there are 100 decisions that go into a bottle of wine. He’s probably right. There’s probably more than that. It starts from the farming with day one from when you prune in the beginning of the season and in how you prune. Those are two decisions on what you are going to grow that season,” Oravecz said. That’s followed by soil and fruit management. The result for Mila are fine, age-worthy wines.
“When we’re selling our wine we’re really selling ourselves,” Oravecz said. “We’re selling our story and we’re selling our passion.”
Gunselman’s Steakhouse & Bar opens this week (photos)
OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio – The folks behind Gunselman’s Steakhouse & Bar have taken an old location and applied some TLC, added a few touches of Cleveland history and embraced the natural vantage of its surroundings.
The result, said David Grace, one of the owners, is a new “polished casual” restaurant along Main Street in the picturesque Cuyahoga County city of Olmsted Falls.
The restaurant, at 7928 Main St., is close to nature trails and has an intended split personality. Upstairs offers a slightly more formal but not stuffy space, while downstairs is a comfortable, cozy Irish-pub-like haven with open-air design to a back patio.
The refurbishing strikes a deft touch to the old-vs.-new design balance.
“This is like the Spruce Goose to me – if we can just get it off the ground,” owner Joe McDonough said of the work that went into transforming the old Olmsted Falls Library, which dates to the 1830s.
Grand opening is 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 10.
Construction marries old and new. Modern décor meshes with salvaged pieces from some cool Cleveland landmarks.
A small waiting area has a pew from Sokolowski’s in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood. The dining-room ceiling is from Lolita, also formerly in Tremont. Refurbished barn wood lines the wall, and curved wall tables come from an old printing press. Eight-foot by eight-foot beams stand not far from a beautiful, elegant, modern bar top. Sandstone blocks bordering the back patio come from an Amherst farmhouse.
“Like Gunselman’s we wanted to make sure people know we recognize the history,” McDonough said.
McDonough likens the space to “Cheers,” the classic bar made famous in the 1980s sitcom that put the focus on the downstairs casual bar that had a formal dining room above.
“Down here you can bring a dog for the patio, come in shorts, walk the trail, and you’re not going to feel uncomfortable,” McDonough said.
“We like to think of this as a mini Gunselman’s,” Grace said of the downstairs. So expect the burger made famous in Gunselman’s original location, which is about 6 miles to the northeast. Gunselman’s original location has been in Fairview Park since 1936.
Grace, who once was general manager of Hard Rock Café in Las Vegas, has been business partners with McDonough for 10 years in the Fairview Park Gunselman’s. They go back to grade school, McDonough said. John Caine also is one of the owners. They also maintain Gunselman’s To Go in Rocky River.
A front-porch patio gives the new space a bistro-like feel.
“We actually fought the architects on this,” McDonough said. “They said a front porch would balance the new building out. We said, ‘I don’t know if we really need that with new seats and everything.’ But now it’s really cool because you have the covered bridge over there and the community church (across the street).”
“We call it the best location on the west side,” Grace said. “We really took a conscious effort to sit in every seat and say, ‘What’s the view?’ If you sit anywhere you’re either A, looking at the falls or B, looking at the covered bridge.”
The dining room has just a couple of shelves of books, a nice homage to the location’s former occupation. The building dates to the 1830s.
Aaron Olmsted founded the library with his ox cart full of books, said McDonough, who said he has a list of the original volumes and wants to find them to replenish the shelves. For now, a handful of books in the dining room were his great uncle’s, a monsignor.
In another modern touch, the restaurant has two kitchens. They describe the price point as “a step above Outback Steakhouse and below Cabin Club,” Grace said.
“The No. 1 thing is have a great steak and great baked potato. Let’s start from there and work our way through,” he said.
The menu might be tweaked, but it offers a handful of appetizers from mussels to carpaccio and a charcuterie board, plus soups, salads, seafood, steaks and entrees ranging from pork chops to paprikash. Entrees come with two sides.
The Pierogi Lady’s pierogis are on the menu, and all steaks are Certified Angus Beef.
Working Class Brewery makes a Kolsch for Gunselman’s, plus there are Great Lakes Brewing Co. offerings and one from Fat Head’s Brewery in addition to other beers.
Gunselman’s has eased in with some soft-opening nights, with the downstairs space already serving as a respite for diners to sip an after-dinner drink, Grace said. He added the city was helpful in welcoming the restaurant, even clearing undergrowth to allow for the view of the falls.
McDonough had the idea of installing uplighting outside, so the trees take on a cool hue. And even though the two places are different, the owners want to make sure the spirit of a neighborhood joint comes through.
“We want it to be the same as Gunselman’s, where people come in and it’s, ‘Hey, what’s going on, how’s the family, we’ve got your table ready, c’mon in,’ ” McDonough said.
How to picnic at Blossom: 28 tips to know
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Blossom Music Center is a summer rite of passage, one that is as much about food as it is music.
Sprawl out on a blanket or relax in a lawn chair while you nosh and enjoy the musicians as they accompany a film score, feature a soloist or perform a composer’s works.
A few years ago we ran this list of pointers to enjoy an orchestra show at Blossom. Here are 28 pointers to get the most out of the experience:
Related coverage: Cleveland Orchestra announces 2024 Blossom schedule with 2 big movie nights, Leslie Odom Jr. & more
1. Lawn vs. pavilion: The lawn can accommodate 13,500 spaces; the pavilion has 5,700 seats. If you are in the lawn for an orchestra show, you can bring food and drink. If you have pavilion seats, restrictions are in place for what you can bring in to the lower seating area. This is why you will see coolers and blankets stacked and lined up behind the pavilion’s back row after performances start. Pavilion folks picnic, then leave their stuff behind the back row.
2. Prepping: Freeze ice packets a day before you leave. If you are going to hear music from a composer you are not familiar with – like Rachmaninoff on Saturday, July 13, or Shostakovich on Saturday, July 22 - take five minutes to read up online. Also: Right before you head out, put a bottle of wine in the fridge as a potential nightcap upon returning home.
3. Call a sitter: Taking kids is great – it’s family time and exposes them to classical music. Crying babies and whiny kids are not OK.
4. Parking: Tall letter designations are perched atop light poles. Photograph your location letter as soon as you get out of your vehicle. Also: For those who park in the East Bumblewipe, Ohio, lots, trams ferry people to the venue.
5. Early birds: Gates open two and a half hours before an orchestra show. The earlier you get there, the more choices you have to stake your spot. Performances usually last about two hours.
6. Little red wagon: If the kids have one, borrow it. If they don’t, buy one, or go with a professional picnic caddy. Wagons are easy to handle your haul from parking lot to lawn and back. Tip: If you have a kids’ wagon, rust-proof the bottom.
7. Ground cover: You need more than a blanket. Bring a tarp as bottom layer, then at least one large blanket.
8. Know the weather: Often, the sun stays pretty warm for an hour or two leading up to the performance, so bring a hat and sunglasses. Later, it can get dewy and cool, so stash away a hoodie, jacket, shawl or windbreaker. A poncho never hurts, either. Remember: The venue is in a valley.
9. Chairs: You can bring your own or rent one from Blossom. The chair-rental stand is located after you pass the ticket kiosk. If you are bringing chairs, be considerate to those around you. Stay as low as possible to avoid obstructing others’ view.
10. Reading material: Before the music starts, there’s nothing more relaxing than sipping a beverage, reading the Sunday paper (uninterrupted!) and watching squirrels dance along the pavilion rooftop. If it’s just you and a pal, bring a book. You won’t be the only one.
11. Meetups: Because of all the landmarks (location to stage, proximity to a certain concessions stand or vertical beam), it’s an easy place to meet someone. In the old days, a flag, balloon or bandana atop a pole helped. Now cell phones have that covered to assist the Johnny-come-latelys. But a vertical marker might help you navigate back from the bathroom. Just make sure it doesn’t obstruct views, or remove it when the show starts.
12. Sounds of the season: If you are meeting someone, keep your cell phone on. After friends arrive or before the performance starts – whatever comes first - turn off ringtones. Everyone came to hear the orchestra, not that Nickelback song that plays when your pal calls.
13. Wine stems: Other than your hand, you have two choices to hold your wine glass: The heel of your tennis shoe (classy, eh?) or a wine stem. This simple, curved stake sticks in the ground and balances a glass. (The shoe works well for cans.) Remember: You will be on a slope.
14. Drinks: Pack wine, beer (lighter, or “sessionable,” brews are better on a hot night), water, plus soda or juice boxes for the kids in a small, cushioned cooler that folds well. Tips: Use ice packs, not ice, so there’s no potential puddle to deal with at night’s end. Rolling coolers are helpful, too.
15. About the wine: Many summer sippers like Sauvignon Blanc come in picnic-ready screw caps. When you’re buying a bottle or two, pay attention if it’s a cork or cap. The other option is canned wine. Cleveland-based Graham + Fisk’s Wine in a Can is an option. Also, single-serving vessels (187ml) are available. That’s the equivalent of one glass, or one fourth, of a regular-sized, 750ml bottle.
16. Hydrate: Bring water. Bonus: Cans of carbonated water can help keep food items cool.
17. Vessels: No glass. Stick to acrylic wine glasses and plastic cups.
18. Snacks: You always can eat chips at home. Try grapes, sliced apples, baby carrots, nuts (splurge on Cashews or assorted mixes), olives – whatever you like to nosh, whatever keeps well in a baggy or plastic container.
19. Appetizers: Cheese and crackers are easy to remember, but a paring knife and small cutting board also help. A loaf of Italian or French bread never hurts. Hummus goes well with everything from celery to carrots to bagel chips.
20. Salads: Cherry or grape tomatoes mixed with diced mozzarella and a bit of olive oil and basil travel well in individual containers. It also eliminates the need to bring dressing.
21. Main course: Fry or bake chicken strips!
22. Not allowed: While Blossom officials are pretty open to what you bring in, open-flame grilling, drones and pets are not allowed. Basically, use common sense.
23. Food options: If time is short or you prefer not to cook, Blossom has concessions. Or allow enough time to stop some place and pick up your favorite to-go. If you don’t want to, or can’t, eat on the lawn, tables are located near parking lots and behind the lawn. You can pre-order food to pick up at the Blossom Grille or make reservations to eat on the Grille’s terrace. Packaged picnic meals also are available to bring to your lawn space.
Related coverage: Blossom Music Center concert menu features celebrity chefs, signature drinks, local food faves & more
24. Fight the bugs: Stuff a couple of dryer sheets in your pocket or waistband; some bugs don’t like them. Don’t forget repellent spray and citronella candles. Various anti-insect bracelets also are on the market. Avoid wearing perfume or after-shave.
25. Navigation: Familiarize yourself with the lay of the land when you plant yourselves. If your pal is wearing a bright red shirt, remember that. This is important because 1. You don’t want to waste time being lost when you can be enjoying a show; 2. You don’t want other people to make fun of you as you wander aimlessly whispering “Sorry, sorry.”
26. Little but important things: Hand sanitizer, soundless games or puzzle books for kids, salt and pepper packets or shakers, paper-towel roll, linen towel, plastic utensils, paper plates, matches or lighter, church key, corkscrew, wet naps, Shout Wipes and small flashlight. The latter is helpful after a performance to shine a light on your area to make sure you didn’t drop something, like car keys, a wallet or a Hailey’s Corker.
27. Give a hand: Folks, it’s not Grand Central Station at rush hour, and we’re all going to get home. Stay to the end to give the musicians the ovation they deserve. Suggestion: Head to the Blossom Tasting Room for dessert or coffee while the herd of vehicles inches its way out. It’s located near parking lot A – where the gift shop used to be – and has tables inside and out.
28. Bag it: Bring plastic bags for the end of the night: One for garbage, one for recyclables. Bins for both are located along the pathways near the lawn.
Ideas? If you’re a Blossom pro, let us know what you bring, do or avoid to enhance your experience. Email mbona@cleveland.com with BLOSSOM in the subject line. Include your name and hometown. We might write another story offering more tips.
If you go: https://www.clevelandorchestra.com/blossom
Location: 1145 W. Steels Corners Road, Cuyahoga Falls. The outdoor venue, opened in 1968, is about 30 miles from downtown Cleveland and 10 miles north of Akron.
When: The 2024 season began June 29 and covers 17 performances running to Sunday, Sept. 1.
Tickets: General lawn admission starts at $25. Walk-up sales are available, but advance ticket sales are strongly encouraged.
Lawn books: Lawn ticket books are $200 and include 10 lawn/general-admission tickets and 20 Under 18s free passes.
App: A wallet app for paperless tickets is available for download via Apple and Google Play stores.
Kids: With the Under 18s program, you receive two free tickets for someone under 18 for every adult ticket you buy. It exists for most orchestra concerts at Blossom.
Group sales: To buy 10 or more tickets, call 216-231-7493.
Parking: Free lots. Volunteers direct you right to your space.