Troutman Vineyards

Open: Year Round

History

Deanna and Andy Troutman opened the winery at Troutman Vineyards in June, 2001. The property was owned for many years by Russell Stauffer, who raised chickens and sold produce in a roadside stand located near the house. The winery building was renovated from one of the property's original chicken coops.

Andy and Deanna moved to the property in the fall of 1997 with plans to start a small, high-quality winery. Deanna, a marketing executive, and Andy, vineyard manager at Wolf Creek Vineyards, began planting vineyards in Wayne County in the spring of 1998. After three seasons of very cooperative weather, the first crop was harvested in the fall of 2000, with the winery debuting three wines from this first vintage the following summer.

When Russell Roosevelt Stauffer (center) began growing gladioli, State Route 3 was known as 3-C and was the main road connecting Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati. The Troutman family farm (right) was located just a few miles south of the present-day winery in the tiny hamlet of Springville.

The Johannes Troutman (Trautmann) who immigrated to the colonies in 1748 was employed as a vineyard worker (vinedresser) in the village of Schriesheim, Germany. Located a few kilometers north of Heidelberg castle, Johannes certainly would have known of the giant wine cask cellared there that can still be seen today.