Fall and winter mark a shift to sweater and jacket weather, the changing colors and falling of the leaves, and the ever-presence of pumpkins, cider and general cozy feelings. It’s the perfect time to visit ThornCreek Winery & Gardens in Aurora, with its rustic yet comfortable, modern indoor spaces and its garden-centric outdoor scenery. Jstyle visited the winery to capture the moment with a rural and charming setting that’s so fitting for the seasons.
Photography: Casey Rearick / Casey Rearick Photo
Fashion: Jessica Simon
Hair & makeup: Yvonne Shvartshteyn / The Perfect Veil
David Aronov
David wears a multicolored check wool sport coat by Jack Victor, a blue check tech blend sport shirt by American Heritage Shirt Co. and off-white tech cloth chino pants by 7Diamonds, all from Ticknors Men’s Clothier in Beachwood. Brown boots by Aldo are his own.
Age: 25
City: Kent
Synagogue: Solon Chabad
Studies: Architecture student at Kent State University
Olivia Setnik
Olivia wears a floral maxi dress by M.A.B.E from LADDER in Shaker Heights. Sneakers by Puma are her own.
Age: 26
City: Cleveland’s Edgewater neighborhood
Synagogue: Jewish Family Experience
Work: Incoming recruiter for Trusted Human Capital
Jordan Roth
Jordan wears a wool navy button-down knit sweater by Garnet, a gray stretch cotton sport shirt with blue polygon pattern by Bugatchi and mid-wash denim blue jeans with multicolored contrast stitching by Alberto, all from Ticknors Men’s Clothier in Beachwood.
Age: 27
City: Downtown Cleveland
Synagogue: Temple Emanu El
Work: Real estate agent at Howard Hanna
Leslie Leikin
Leslie wears a long sleeve floral dress with ruffles by Desigual from Knuth’s in Pepper Pike.
Age: 29
City: Downtown Cleveland
Synagogue: Anshe Chesed Fairmount Temple
Work: Manager at Eyezone
Jordan wears a red tech cloth quarter zip shirt with long sleeves, a red stretch cotton sport shirt with black paisley pattern by Robert Graham and mid-wash denim blue jeans with multicolored contrast stitching by Alberto, all from Ticknors Men’s Clothier. Brown loafers by T9 are his own. David wears a light gray tech cloth quarter zip shirt with black stitching by Fundamental Coast, a black eight-way stretch cotton sport shirt by Bugatchi and gray tech cloth stretch pants by J. Braxx, all from Ticknors Men’s Clothier. Black sneakers from Nordstrom are his own.
Olivia wears a striped button-down shirt by Loup and high-rise skinny jeans in ink by Outland Denim, both from LADDER. Jordan wears a navy and cognac full-zip cotton knit shirt by Garnet, a sky blue eight-way stretch cotton sport shirt with brown floral pattern by Bugatchi and khaki stretch denim jeans by Alberto, all from Ticknors Men’s Clothier.
Olivia wears a utility jumpsuit in army green by HarperSage from LADDER. Brown boots from Amazon are her own.
Leslie wears a camel sleeveless knit vest by French Connection, coated straight-leg black pants by Blank NYC, a plaid ribbed-cuff coat by BB Dakota and long triangle necklace, all from Knuth’s. Black sandals by Caslon are her own.
David wears a cognac leather jacket by Scully Leather, a sky blue and brown window pane pattern shirt in eight-way stretch cotton by Bugatchi and dark wash denim jeans with angle weave by Bottega, all from Ticknors Men’s Clothier.
Olivia wears a silk wrap dress by Natalie Martin Collection from LADDER.
Leslie wears a long sleeve long vienna multicolored dress by Desigual and a 3-layer necklace by Nakamol, all from Knuth’s. Black heels by A New Day are her own.
Jordan wears a sport coat and a soft construction shirt from Ticknors Men’s Clothier and khaki stretch denim jeans by Alberto from Ticknors Men’s Clothier. Brown boots by Thursday Boot Co. are his own.
David wears a multicolored poly blend houndstooth sport shirt, gray tech cloth quarter-zip vest by Robert Graham and off-white tech cloth chino pants by 7Diamonds, all from Ticknors Men’s Clothier. Gray shoes by Seven 91 are his own.
Leslie wears high-rise straight crop jeans by AGOLDE, Brie floral top by TART Collections and a black distressed moto jacket by Mauritius, all from Knuth’s. Mules by Sam Edelman are her own.
Thorn Creek Winery & Gardens
A softly rustic winery with gardens throughout, ThornCreek is popular for special events or simply anyone looking to explore a more rural setting with delicious wine and food.
The Aurora property was purchased by owner and founder David Thorn in 2005, renovated over two years and opened its doors in October 2007.
“Our spaces were designed to be this beautiful background that would allow any event to be the showcase,” Thorn says.
With an earthy and elegant backdrop, ThornCreek is a “true winery,” meaning all the wines served are produced there, he says. It partners with vintners and wineries across the country to buy produce, and then wine-making processes like fermentation, blending and aging are done by ThornCreek.
“We’ve been nationally recognized for some of our wines, and regionally recognized for most,” Thorn adds.
ThornCreek’s dining menu provides a similar idyllic country touch to match the space’s feel; entrees and sharable plates are designed to pair well with the wine. It is also known for its annual Harvest Dinner, a farm-to-table five-course meal that hosts 80 people and which Thorn describes as “magical.”
After a second round of renovations that began in February 2020, ThornCreek now has an indoor ballroom with a new entrance, bathrooms and bar. Outside, a new perennial pavilion was added, which hosts wedding ceremonies and offers an additional covered dining space. That’s in addition to more newly created gardens, Thorn says.
“Sitting in that (ballroom) space and looking out into the fountain garden is one of my favorite spaces,” he says, adding another favorite is a private perennial garden, which boasts tables and seating among about 1,500 perennials in a secluded setting. “It is ever-blooming, all season.”
