Ken Schuchter, founder of Valley Vineyards in Morrow, Ohio, died Oct. 10 at the age of 85. Schuchter planted 20 acres of hybrid and vinifera grapes in 1969 and opened Valley Vineyards winery the following year. As the first commercial grape grower in the Ohio River Valley since before Prohibition, “he was largely responsible for the resurgence of winegrowing in southwest Ohio,” according to Donniella Winchell, executive director of the Ohio Wine Producers Association. Schuchter was a founding member of the Ohio Wine Producers and on the first Grape Industries Committee, which laid the foundation for the growth of the Ohio wine industry from 13 wineries in 1975 to 192 today.

Valley Vineyards was nearly destroyed by fire in June 1983, but was rebuilt by the following February and has grown to 107 acres of vineyard and produces 35,000 cases per year. Schuchter was “technically retired” from the winery, that is now managed by his son and daughter-in-law, Kenny Joe and Dodie Schuchter, and his grandson, Joe Schuchter.