At One Stylish Party, we believe in celebrating all of life’s special occasions. For some occasions, that means throwing a party or an intimate gathering, and on other occasions, like a wedding anniversary, it means taking a mini vacation to spend some quality one-on-one time with your spouse.This week marks 8 years that my husband and I have been married. I knew I wanted to do something special, so I began to search online for “romantic getaways near Cleveland” which led me to Gervasi Vineyard. The 55 acre estate encompasses two vineyards, a working winery, an upscale boutique inn, event space and several dining options ranging from an upscale authentic Italian bistro, a seasonal piazza with al fresco dishes served lakeside and a modern wine bar and eatery with a casual Venetian-style menu.We decided to book a one-night stay in one of their 24 luxurious villa suites on a Thursday night, that way we could celebrate our anniversary, yet still make it home for sports and activities with our two sons over the weekend.As soon as we pulled through the colossal iron arch at the entrance to Gervasi Vineyard, we immediately felt as though we were transported to Italy (which just so happens to be where we spent our honeymoon!) I’m still in awe that such a unique Tuscan-style destination exists in Northeast Ohio within an hour of our home in Cleveland, Ohio!Upon check-in, we were given the keys to our room located in Villa Trentino. The rooms at Gervasi Vineyard exude a warm, rustic charm with meticulous attention to detail and thoughtful Tuscan-inspired design choices. Each room also includes its own cozy fireplace, beautiful views of the grounds and a heated towel bar (which I personally loved!) We were also surprised to find that my parents and grandfather ordered a wine gift basket from The Marketplace that was waiting for us in our room upon arrival. We had beautiful spring weather during our stay, so my husband and I spent a good portion of our time outdoors exploring the lush, picturesque grounds of the property and soaking up the sunshine on our villa patio while sipping a glass of wine.Later in the evening, we celebrated our anniversary with a rustic Italian dinner at The Bistro. The restaurant exists in what was formerly a barn built in the late 1820’s. While it certainly would have been easier to knock the building down and start from scratch, the owners of Gervasi Vineyard have been committed to reviving and reinventing every aspect of the property they purchased in 2009, while also keeping green initiatives at the forefront of every construction decision that has been made.I can’t say enough about the food and service at The Bistro. My husband ordered a lamb dish that was so tender the meat practically fell off the bone and I ordered the Italian beef short ribs, which is one of their signature dishes (and for good reason!) Our server was incredibly knowledgeable and attentive throughout the evening and even brought out a special anniversary dessert at the end of our dinner.The next morning, we woke up to a delicious Italian-style continental breakfast delivered in an elegant wooden wine box to our villa. The breakfast included a variety of house made quiches, granola and pastries served with fresh coffee and juice, which we enjoyed on our villa patio while watching the swans swim around in Gervasi Lake. After a relaxing morning in our villa, we made reservations for a private winery tour with a food and wine pairing. It was such an enlightening experience to learn more about the wine making process. There is such a science to making wine, and one thing is for sure, the wine makers at Gervasi Vineyard have the process down pat. The tour concluded with a sampling of 4 Gervasi wines paired with small plates from The Crush House and an explanation of why each pairing goes so well together. After the winery tour, we stayed for lunch at The Crush House, which was the perfect ending to the perfect anniversary getaway. Although our time spent at Gervasi Vineyard may have been brief, we loved every minute of it and will surely be back again in the future!
Susan Sutton says
Gervasi is a true gem. We are fortunate to live within 2 miles of the vineyard and take advantage of the art shows, weekly car shows and an impromptu dinner whenever we can. Glad you ejoyed your visit to Gervasi in Plain Township!
Connie winkler says
What a delight reading this thorough, enticing description of the “Gervasi experience”. We live about 1 mile from there and feel so fortunate to be able to take advantage of all she is describing on a frequent badis!! Bravo to the Swaldo family and their continuing vision of bringing incredible opportunities to all!!
Mary Sica says
It looks so inviting. Looks like the perfect place to share an anniversary. What a beautiful vineyard, with a Tuscan flavor. This is now on my must go list.