Local Author Talks Wine

There's really no reason to keep importing your fine wines from Napa Valley. You can find all the crisp Rieslings and earthy Pinot Noirs you crave right here on the North Coast. Just ask Cleveland freelancer Claudia Taller, author of Ohio's Lake Erie Wineries, a new guide that serves up an in-depth look at the people and the land behind the region's coastal wineries. According to Taller, Ohio was one of the nation's top wine producers before the temperance movement took hold; today, thanks to improved viticulture, we're making a comeback. "Not a lot of people think about Lake Erie when it comes to wine, but they should," she says, both for quality and for value. Taller's fave, for instance, is the Cabernet Sauvignon from Conneaut's Markko Vineyards; and Lake Erie ice wine is some of the best in the U.S., she tells us. So before you splurge on that bottle of Silver Oak, take a look at the book. It just might change your mind. Taller will be at Hudson's Learned Owl bookstore today from 4 to 5 p.m. for a book talk and signing. — Barnes 204 N Main St., Hudson, 330-653-2252, learnedowl.com.