Cast Away, On Put in Bay

What could be better than driving a golf cart around a beautiful island in the middle of summer?  Driving a golf cart around a beautiful island in the middle of summer drinking wine, that’s what!

Ok, we were not actually drinking wine while driving the cart–we didn’t have to!  On South Bass Island, Ohio on Lake Erie, better known as Put in Bay, we found a beautiful Victorian mansion where you park your golf cart, sit overlooking the bay, and enjoy delicious local wines.

On Put in Bay island, beer is commonly sold by the bucket.  After the buckets have been drained, they are donned as headgear by the stumbling tribe known as the bucket heads who can be found wandering the streets of Put in Bay loudly chanting their appropriate mantra: “We are the bucket heads!”

We did not want to become bucket heads ourselves, but we were enticed by the cultural phenomenon of drinking early in the afternoon.  My parents, Amanda, and I found an elegant and enjoyable venue for this indulgence at Put in Bay Winery’s Doller House where we sat on the lawn under the shade of a pear tree, sipped good local Riesling and looked out over the bay.

The grapes that Put in Bay Winery uses to make their wine are grown on nearby North Bass Island–the quiet, agricultural brother to the touristy South Bass Island where they sell the wine.  The Put in Bay Winery Riesling was served slightly chilled and was very refreshing on the hot summer afternoon.  The wine had a light golden color and tasted of pears and wet stones and it was crisp and acidic with a touch of sweetness.

Mother Nature persuaded our party into staying for a second bottle of wine, this time the Put in Bay Winery Merlot.  A rainstorm drenched the island as we sat on the front porch of the old, pale yellow home and uncorked our bottle of wine, kicked up our feet, and watched the rain as it cooled the hot day.  The ruby colored wine was rich, just slightly tannic, and tasted of cherries, raspberries, and a hint of musk.  Perfect for a rainy summer afternoon!

The hot ground still was steaming when the rain trickled out.  We hopped into the golf cart and began cruising around the small island.  From cliffs of South Bass Island State Park to the Commodore Perry Monument everything looked a little brighter and the mood was just a little lighter.  “I think Put in Bay needs a little wine,” my mom said.  Maybe those bucket heads are smarter than they look!

We dropped of the golf cart and boarded the ferry back to the mainland.  We felt the lake breeze and watched a seagull flying alongside the ferry, cruising on the draft from the boat.  We had made the journey to South Bass Island, drank delicious local wine, explored the island in our rental golf cart, and most importantly, enjoyed the beautiful day and each others’ company.  What could be better than that?