Lake Erie’s storied bootlegging history comes to life with our new collection of underwater-aged sparkling wines. Throughout the Prohibition Era, cargo of clanking contraband was transported over our waters under the cover of darkness, cleverly referred to as “Midnight Herring” by clever sailors.

Inspired by and as a tribute to those rebels who added some color to our region’s history, we are proud to introduce this collection of our locally-grown, locally-crafted sparkling wines aged far beneath the surface of our Great Lake.

For more than one full year 13 cases of our South Shore Wine Company Sparkling Riesling were submerged at a depth of 130 feet on the shipwreck site of the legendary John J. Boland, Jr. vessel. The wine was aged in optimal darkness, rocked by the gentle undulation of the water, resulting in an elegant effervescence that preserves the crisp acidity of the Riesling.

The first edition of Midnight Herring was celebrated release party at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center in Erie. A limited supply of the first edition bottles are still available for purchase at South Shore Wine Company in North East, PA. Purchase price is $130 plus tax and includes a commemorative gift box.

The second edition of Midnight Herring was sunk in September 2025 and will debut in late 2026. Stay tuned for details and sign up for Mazza emails to keep in the loop.