Catawba Island Wine Co. built the winery in 1872 using local limestone, sand, and timbers. Soon after the repeal of the 18th amendment, the winery was acquired by one of the few producers of domestic champagne at the time, Mon Ami Champagne Co. . The restaurant was added in 1945 and in 1956 the business was sold to Norman Mantey, a family with historic ties to the Sandusky wine-making business.

Meier's Wine Cellars, the largest wine-making firm in Ohio, purchased it in 1980 and Lonz, Inc., the parent company to a number of well-established Lake Erie wine brands such as Firelands, Lonz, Mantey, and Dover, obtained it in 2000. Today, the winery serves a number of labrusca wines and European-style viniferas.

The winery ceased operation of their wine in 2019 due to a name rights issue. It was purchased by Quintin and Donna Smith and renamed Gideon Owen Wine Co., a nod to the man by the same name who moved to Catawba Island nearly 200 years ago and was involved with the original establishment.