Urban Vintner, Willoughby

Ed is a native Northeastern Ohio resident. Growing up in Mentor, he spent the majority of his time in Mentor and the surrounding neighborhoods playing multiple sports and enjoying the outdoors. His college years took him right down the road to Case Western Reserve University where he majored in Chemistry and excelled at football and baseball. After earning a master’s degree in Education from John Carrol University, he taught high school chemistry for seven years at Beachwood High School. This is where Ed’s life took a complete turn and a decision was made that would affect his future working career.   Ed was offered the Head Winemaking Position at Debonné Vineyards in Madison, OH in 2004 and spent the next 13 years there. In his tenure as winemaker there, he was awarded more than 950 medals: 200 gold and double gold, numerous silver and bronze medals, and 14 Best of Show for his wines in competitions ranging from the Great Lakes Wine Competition and the Finger Lakes International to the Florida State Fair and the Los Angeles County Fair. Trebets also was the winemaker for Debonné’s 2013 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine that won the 2015 San Francisco Chronicle wine competition for best dessert wine.    During that time, Ed and his wife Gina founded Muddy Paw Wines in pursuit of Ed’s dream to have his own brand and label. They also wanted a purpose-driven brand where they could give back to the community. This is how Muddy Paw was born. They teamed up with the Geauga Humane Society’s Rescue Village where they save and rehabilitate animals who are in need. Part of the proceeds from each bottle goes back to Rescue Village which helps with the purchase of food and other needs the animals may have. Then, in the spring of 2016, Ed decided it was time to further is dream by pursuing his own business venture starting a winery in the city, and that his how Urban Vintner was formed. Ed has a passion for winemaking and his goal now is to source the best quality fruit from other parts of the country and even from select regions in the world. Ed strives to produce the highest quality wines by paying special attention to the fruit and the process. Wines are produced under both the Urban Vintner and Muddy Paw Wine labels.   Combining his experiences as a winemaker and educator, Ed was hired by Kent State University at Ashtabula in 2016, to lead the future development of the degrees and serve as a full-time faculty member in the two associate degree programs. Established in 2011 to serve the wineries and vineyards of Ohio, Kent State Ashtabula’s program has continued to grow. Graduates have gone on to work as winemakers in Northeast Ohio wineries or to open their own winery or vineyard. Over the next few years, Trebets said he hopes to expand the program with the addition of a true working winery to serve as a classroom for students.    Trebets and his wife, Gina, have been married since 2007 and reside in Chesterland, Ohio, with their son, Jaxson. In his spare time, Trebets enjoys fishing, hunting and spending time with his family.