CLEVELAND, Ohio –In a nearly 100-year-old brick storefront in Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood, a new chapter is about to begin. After years of renovation work, basement winemaking sessions and family collaboration, Melted Wings Winery is preparing to open in early June.
The urban winery, founded by a group of family members and longtime friends with roots on the Greek island of Ikaria, aims to bring an intimate, community-driven wine experience to Cleveland’s west side.
“What we’re making isn’t necessarily Greek wine — it’s wine made by Greeks,” said co-owner Nico Papafil. “Our approach is heavily inspired by the generations before us: making wine by hand, focusing on hospitality, and creating something meant to be shared.”
The ownership group includes Papafil, brothers Nick and Chris Tripodis, Stamati Tripodis and Steve Roditis. The owners describe the winery as an “all hands-on deck” family project.
The winery occupies a building the partners purchased in the winter of 2019. Over the decades, the space has worn many identities — from storefront church to computer store to dentist office — but the group saw potential in the place.
“We wanted a place that felt like a cellar,” Papafil said. And the building’s basement met their needs.
The owners brought the vision together. And the building recently passed its final inspections with plans to begin with limited opening days on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
The winery’s name, Melted Wings, draws from the Greek myth of Icarus, who ignored his father’s warning and flew too close to the sun.
According to Greek lore, Icarus fell into the sea near Ikaria, the Aegean island where the owners trace their winemaking roots back generations. Ikaria is also known as one of the world’s “Blue Zones,” places associated with unusually long life expectancy.
“Legend has it that the wine and wine-making process are responsible for long life on the island,” Papafil said.
Tripodis said he learned to make wine by watching older relatives carry on traditions passed down through generations. He learned the hospitality business from his father, who owned Cleveland’s Tick Tock Tavern in Lakewood for years.
Before purchasing the winery building, the group made wine together for family and friends. The hobby steadily expanded, especially after 2020, when they began producing larger batches and selling bottles at Greek festivals and community events.
Melted Winery has three reds, three whites and a rose. The Montepulciano will be released soon.Paris Wolfe
Today, the winery produces roughly 2,500 to 3,000 bottles annually. Grapes are sourced from growers in California as well as the Finger Lakes. Production is largely done by hand. Corking and labeling are still done manually.
The winery currently offers seven wines and wine-based beverages, including chardonnay, semi-dry Riesling, sauvignon blanc, sparkling rosé, tempranillo, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. An “Ikaros Melt” wine slushy will also be available. A Montepulciano, made with grapes from Sonoma Valley, will be bottled and released later this summer.
“We’re excited for people to try it. It’s something we’ve really enjoyed working on,” said Papafil.
Tasting bar at Melted Wings Winery.Paris Wolfe
Inside, the winery can accommodate about 30 to 35 guests between the bar and seating areas, with room for another 20 to 25 on a newly covered, ADA-accessible patio. The menu will feature Greek-style tapas and prepared charcuterie boards designed to complement the wines.
All the men have outside careers; the winery is a labor of love.
“This is what brings me joy,” Papafil said. “We want to create a welcoming space to enjoy wines the way they’re meant to be enjoyed.”
The owners hope the winery feels less like a bar and more like an extension of a family table — rooted in conversation, food and connection.
“For us, wine has always been tied to family, friends, conversation, food and community,” Papafil said. “That’s the experience we hope people feel when they walk through our doors.”
Melted Wings is at 4861 Broadview Road, Cleveland.
Dining and Cooking