Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

Southeastern Pennsylvania is continuing to emerge as a major force in the nation’s wine industry. As wineries usher in major changes that promise to significantly enhance their visitors’ experience, Pennsylvania wines as a whole are continuing to make steady gains in quality, quantity and recognition. Over the past eight years, the number of the state’s wineries has doubled, increasing from around 60 in 2000 to 120 today. And, by winning top awards at the prestigious San Francisco and Los Angeles County Fair Competitions and international critics’ tasting challenges, Pennsylvania vintners have proven they can craft worthy wines.

The Philadelphia countryside is ideally suited for winemaking. The temperate climate, paired with gently rolling hills and large bodies of water, makes for warmer soil that nurtures a long annual growing season. The soil itself is flecked with limestone and gravel—qualities that enhance the fertility of a wide range of grapes. This means wine lovers can find many of their favorites in Pennsylvania’s Delaware Valley, and while no one varietal has yet emerged as the region’s signature, local winemakers point to the popularity and flavor of their chardonnays, pinot grigios, pinot noirs and cabernets.

Many of the area’s wineries grow their own grapes; those that don’t, buy them locally, resulting in a tremendous spirit of cooperation among vintners. They’ve joined together to establish two wine trails in Philadelphia’s countryside: the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail bridges eight Chester County wineries, and the Bucks County Wine Trail unites eight wineries just north of Philadelphia. Visitors can spend an afternoon or even a full weekend touring the trails. They’re situated in the middle of historic and lush landscapes, near dozens of quaint bed-and-breakfast (B&Bs) establishments and close to attractions in Center City Philadelphia, New Hope, Washington Crossing and the Pennsylvania Dutch Country.

Brandywine Valley Wine Trail:

The wineries along the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail are geographically spread out, which allows a dedicated visitor to tour a large swath of this famous region. Each of the eight wineries/vineyards hosts regular tastings, concerts, craft fairs, wine dinners and many other activities that provide a perfect excuse to spend an afternoon or evening sipping in the sunlight or under the stars. Information about Winetasting Passport Packages at nearby hotels and B&Bs is available at bvwinetrail.com.

• Black Walnut Winery – Started by two couples who turned a hobby into a career by refurbishing a 200-year-old bank barn, Black Walnut uses grapes from neighboring vineyards to produce chardonnay, chambourcin, cabernet franc and blanc franc, among others. The tasting room is open for regular drop-ins and appointments. 3000 Lincoln Highway, Sadsburyville, (610) 857-5566, blackwalnutwinery.com
• Chaddsford Winery – International awards keep piling in for Chaddsford’s husband-and-wife owner team, who turned a 17^th-century barn into a small premium operation in the early 1980s, eventually expanding to their current 30,000-case-a-year output of dry reds and whites, as well as seasonal and sweet favorites. Set amid the rolling hills of the Brandywine Valley, the winery hosts outdoor concerts, festivals and special events in addition to regular tastings and tours. 632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, (610) 388-6221, chaddsford.com
• Kreutz Creek Vineyards – This winery’s tasting room is open five days a week in West Chester, with live music scheduled every Friday and Saturday night. A second tasting room in Media also hosts live music on weekends, while special events throughout the year liven up tours and tastings at the vineyard itself, where all 16 wines are available for sampling. 553 S. Guernsey Road, West Grove, (610) 869-4412, kreutzcreekvineyards.com
• Paradocx Vineyard – So named because its four principle owners are doctors, Paradocx opened its new on-site tasting room to the public this year, while its off-site tasting room has moved to The Shops of Longwood Village. The vineyard also opened its winemaking facility to tours. Wines include sangiovese, viognier and a reserve chardonnay, among others. 1699 Fairville Road, Fairville, (610) 255-5684, paradocx.com
• Penns Woods Winery – Originally from Abruzzo in southern Italy, Gino Razzi settled in Delaware County in 1962. He made his first wine in 1997 after three decades as a wine importer, and today visitors to Penn Woods can savor the fruits of his work. 124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford, (610)-459-0808, pennswoodswinery.com
• Stargazers Vineyard & Winery – Stargazers in Coastesville, Chester County overlooks the picturesque Brandywine Creek. After checking on the development of the to-be-bottled vintage in the vineyard, visitors can see the “Stargazers Stone,” which marked an important astronomical observation point used in 1764 in surveying the Mason-Dixon Line. 1024 Wheatland Drive, Coatesville, (610) 486-0422, stargazersvineyard.com
• Twin Brook Winery – This 18-year-old winery is located on land granted to the Religious Society of Friends by William Penn’s brother nearly 300 years ago. Built into a restored 19^th-century wooden barn, the winery still retains its historic character. Live music sessions run through the end of September. 5697 Strasburg Road, Gap, (717) 442-4915, twinbrookwinery.com
• VaLa Vineyards – Wine lovers can combine their passion for the grape with an affection for art at VaLa Vineyards, where the works of local artists are on display in the Galleria, located in a loft overlooking the vineyards. This charming winery has a definite sense of humor and an irreverent image, but that doesn’t keep winemakers from crafting their small-batch blended wines with serious fervor. 8820 Gap Newport Pike, Avondale, (610) 268-2702, valavineyards.com

Bucks County Wine Trail:
The Bucks County Wine Trail is thriving in its fourth full year of existence. It connects eight locally owned wineries, all within a few miles of one another. The wineries currently sponsor concurrent harvest festivals in October, Nouveau festivals in November and holiday festivals in December. Here’s a look at the stops on the Bucks County Wine Trail, buckscountywinetrail.com:

• Buckingham Valley Vineyards – This family-owned operation cultivates a folksy, welcoming atmosphere but uses some of the most sophisticated machinery on the market. Owners have recently invested in new pressing and bottling equipment, and they have made the switch to more eco-friendly screw-top bottles. Tours and tastings run six days a week and are self-guided, self-poured and free. 1521 Route 413, Buckingham, (215) 794-7188, pawine.com
• Crossing Vineyards and Winery – Although the facility and grounds are located on a 200-year-old estate less than a mile from where George Washington crossed the Delaware River in 1776, Crossing prides itself on its extremely modern and sophisticated equipment. Always striving to make wine in the most environmentally responsible way possible, owners have added solar panels to their facilities and plan to run their entire operation on solar energy within two years. This year, they opened a retail location in the Marketplace at East Falls in Philadelphia. 1853 Wrightstown Road, Washington Crossing, (215) 493-6500; 3747 Ridge Avenue, (215) 225-6600, crossingvineyards.com
• New Hope Winery – Set in a quaint red 17^th-century barn, this winery is open seven days a week for tours of its facilities. While wine drinkers can find a nice assortment of popular varietals, adventurous sippers can sample more unusual flavors like blackberry and almondeira, a grape wine accented with hints of natural almond and vanilla. 6123 Lower York Road, New Hope, (800) 593-WINE, newhopewinery.com
• Peace Valley Winery – Wine enthusiasts looking for an opportunity to get closer to the earth can pick their own grapes each harvest season at this winery that overlooks Peace Valley Park. Four acres of land are stocked with two red white varietals (fredonia and steuben grapes) and one white varietal (niagara), which pickers can scoop up for $.75 per pound. After spending a few hours hunched over the vines, visitors can sample from the winery’s 18 estate-bottled wines, now available to taste seven days a week. Old Limekiln Road, Chalfont, (215) 249-9058, peacevalleywinery.com
• Rose Bank Winery – Situated on a picturesque tract of land originally deeded by William Penn to his daughters, Rose Bank Winery captures the history of Bucks County with its 1719 manor house and 1835 stone barn that overlook lush pastures stocked with baby doll sheep. A second-story deck provides a sweeping view of the vineyard. 258 Durham Road, Newtown, (215) 860-5899, rosebankwinery.com
• Rushland Ridge Vineyard & Winery – The family that owns this vineyard and winery began growing grapes in the suburbs of Philadelphia in 1968, and now they fill four acres with chambourcin, cabernet franc and chardonnay grapes. Tastings are free and open to the public on weekends. Rushland Road, Rushland, (215) 598-0251, rushlandridge.com
• Sand Castle Winery – Set on a cliff, this castle-like building houses the winemaking facilities at this 20-year-old winery. Winemakers here produce wines grown exclusively from their own harvest of vines cloned from Europe. Weekend tours and tastings of the chardonnay-, cabernet sauvignon- and pinot noir-based wines are open to the public. 755 River Road, Erwinna, (800) 722-9463, sandcastlewinery.com
• Wycombe Vineyards – The latest addition to the wine trail, Wycombe is open on weekends for tastings of its 2007 and 2006 vintages of pinot grigio, traminette, chardonnay and chambourcin. The elegant tasting room offers outdoor seating, inspiring visitors to relax in the open air as they sample the fruit of the earth. All wines are produced exclusively from grapes grown at the vineyard. 1391 Forest Grove Road, Furlong, (215) 598-WINE, wycombevineyards.com

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside® a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region’s vitality.

For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit gophila.com or uwishunu.com, where you can build itineraries; search event calendars; see photos and videos; view interactive maps; sign up for newsletters; listen to Hear Philly, an online radio station about what to see and do in the region; book hotel reservations and more. Or, call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Historic Philadelphia, at (800) 537-7676.

Contact(s):

• Donna Schorr, (215) 599-0782
• Caroline Bean, (215) 599-7433