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Cortland’s Greene Eagle Winery offers fine wine, serene scene
The Vindicator (Youngstown)
Photo
Keith Bliss (left) and his brother Dale (right) owners of the Greene Eagle Winery in Cortland.
CORTLAND
It’s a Saturday afternoon at Greene Eagle Winery in rural Trumbull County, and the mood is sublime like the pear and kiwi wine that flows like nectar from heaven.
Yellow flames snap in an open hearth, and pewter mugs line a rustic shelf.
Beyond the window, snow blows in powdery swirls across open fields that mirror the waning blue light.
At a nearby table, patrons seated in Windsor chairs nibble sliced cheese and chat quietly.
Later in the evening, live music will fill the cozy, post-and-beam dining area with warm-spirited mirth.
If you’ve been searching for class and serenity in a quaint country setting, you’ve found it.
“We wanted this place to have a colonial feel, like an old tavern,” said Keith Bliss, who owns Greene Eagle along with his brother, Dale Bliss. “We try to be a place where people can come and sit down and chat by the fire and enjoy good food and good wine in a nice, country atmosphere.”
So far the plan seems to be a success.
Since opening at 2576 Davis Peck Road in December 2009, Greene Eagle has gradually built a loyal following, and new patrons are discovering this Cortland gem all the time.
“We had always talked about having a winery,” Keith said.
“People love wineries, but Trumbull County only has two, and most people think they have to drive all the way up to Ashtabula County to enjoy good wine, good food and entertainment. We wanted to change that.”
Although the Bliss brothers don’t grow their own grapes, they do produce their own wine in the basement of their establishment.
“We plan to start growing our own grapes very soon, but it will probably be five or six years before we can harvest a crop,” Dale explained. “We’ll start slow and probably plant just a quarter acre. For now, we buy juice from an outside source.”
Meanwhile, the results of their current wine making taste simply divine.
Greene Eagle serves eight types of wine, and it’s difficult to choose a favorite.
However, Keith said Constant Bliss, a pear-kiwi fruit wine, tends to be at the top of many lists.
“Constant Bliss is a cool, crisp white wine that tastes silky smooth and fruity sweet,” Keith said. “It seems to be our most popular.”
John Wajda, a frequent patron, said he isn’t really much of a wine drinker, but he really enjoys the taste of Constant Bliss.
“It’s very sweet and light,” he said, adding, “My wife, Mary, and I live in Johnston, and we come here often to support the local business and enjoy the atmosphere. It’s nice to have a place like this close by.”
Besides Constant Bliss, Greene Eagle’s wine list also includes Emberglow, a strawberry-rhubarb wine with an intense flavor and slightly dry finish; Twilight, a blueberry-flavored red wine; Misty Dawn, a golden white wine made from Gewurztraminer grapes; Whispering Breeze, a light-bodied, white Riesling; Purple Rain, an elderberry wine; Velvet sky, a dry Pinot Noir; and Fireside, a dry Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blend rich in antioxidants.
All wines are $19.50 per bottle and $4 per glass.
“Most of our wines tend to be sweet,” Dale said. “Velvet Sky and Fireside are our two driest wines.”
The Greene Eagle menu also boasts appetizers, soups, sandwiches, dips and desserts.
Traditional favorites include cheese plates, pizza, artichoke dip, Italian subs, turkey clubs, buffalo chicken wraps and pulled-pork sandwiches.
The George and Martha chicken salad is served with sugared walnuts and dried cranberries, and the mouth-watering Ciabatta bread comes with garlic butter and Asiago cheese.
Keith’s wife, Peggy Bliss, does most of the cooking along with a family friend, and Dale’s wife, Denise, also helps with various tasks at the winery.
Besides food and drink, Greene Eagle also serves up an impressive variety of entertainment and special events.
Various bands play on the weekends, and during fair weather, outdoor events help draw crowds.
“We have car shows in the summer and a special Halloween event where the headless horseman makes an appearance,” Keith said.
On Friday, an Abraham Lincoln impersonator was to conduct a fireside chat. “And in March, we’re hosting a magician,” Keith said.
The Blisses own 60 acres surrounding the winery — something that makes it easy to schedule outdoor events of all kinds.
The cozy post-and-beam, Cape Cod-style winery seats about 70, and during warmer months, more seating is available on the deck.