Two Gold Medals for Penns Woods Winery at the 2023 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition3/6/2023 ![]() Penns Woods Winery won two Gold Medals at the 2023 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for their Rosé 2021 and Pinot Noir Reserve 2020. Chadds Ford, PA. For the past twenty-two years, family owned and operated winery, Penns Woods Winery has been cultivating and making wine from 100% Pennsylvania grown grapes from their 40+ year old vineyard in the beautiful Brandywine Valley in Chadds Ford. Their scenic vineyard sits on The First State National Historical Park, a 1,110 acres area of protected rolling hills, agricultural land and vital watersheds that straddles the Pennsylvania-Delaware border. In 2013, proprietor Gino Razzi began planting Sandy Hill Vineyard, a 22-acre secondary site in Parkesburg. This unique vineyard site sits on a sunny, gentle slope at a higher elevation with temps that stay slightly lower than their Chadds Ford site, making it a perfect place to grow the cool climate varietal, Pinot Noir. The 2020 Reserve is a blend of their clones 115,777, 667, 114 & Pommard, harvested late in September, fermented with native yeasts & aged for twelve months in French oak. This wine has an enchanting nose of red cherries, plums and earthy florals with fresh red fruits on the palate. The elegant acidity is complemented by well structured tannins and a long finish of baking spices; although it is drinking quite well at present, you can tell this wine will age with abundant grace. In years past, Penns Wood’s signature dry Rosé has been a blend of their Chadds Ford and Sandy Hill sites but, the 2021 vintage is their first single vineyard blend of varietals exclusively from Sandy Hill. The blend is composed of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and a touch of Malbec, harvested mid September then given a slow, direct pressing to leave enough skin contact to impart a gorgeous Provence-esque hue. The wine has a delightful burst of white florals and stone fruit with a refreshing, saline driven acidity. Winemaker Davide Creato says “This Rose is a delicious, crisp, food driven wine. It’s one of my favorite wines to make and to drink. We harvest the fruit just before they fully ripen to guarantee that vibrant acidity, fresh fruit flavors and aromas. The resulting wine is a great example of how working with the vineyard gives exceptional results.” Founded in 1980, the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition is the largest competition of North American Wines. This year, over 5,500 wines from over 1,000 wineries across the U.S. were submitted to a prestigious panel of judges including wine critics, top sommeliers across the industry, wine buyers, educators and winemakers. "Walking away with Gold Medals in Rosé, let alone Pinot Noir, at a competition of this scale is eye opening for the too often unrecognized potential of Pennsylvanian grown wine." says Co-Owner Carley Razzi. You can purchase bottles of this award winning wine at the Penns Woods Winery Tasting Room in Chadds Ford or online. The winery also directly ships throughout the state as well as New Jersey, New York and Florida. Look for Penns Woods Winery Rosé by the glass at all White Dog Cafe locations, Greystone Oyster Bar as well as other local restaurants and breweries in and around the Philadelphia area. The Penns Woods Tasting Room is open daily for wine tastings with special pairing events and workshops throughout the year. Their signature event, Derby at the Vineyard is held bi-annually featuring a live hunter derby horse show where you can sip wine, take in the views while enjoying live music, food trucks, local vendors and more. Reservations are always required on the weekends. You can book online at www.pennswoodswinery.com. Follow @pennswoodswine on social media for the latest on what's happening in the vineyard, upcoming events, specials and more. Raechel Kuehn - Penns Woods Winery Sales Manager, Wine Education & Marketing
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Not that you need much of a reason, but if you’re interested in celebrating the global wine community, we have compiled a comprehensive list of all the official wine celebratory days from around the world! We’re also giving you a sneak peek at all of the special deals, discounts, wine tastings & more we will be offering throughout the coming year in honor of the grapes, wines and vines we love. Join us in raising a glass to our old favorites and maybe even discover something new! January 1/10 - Champagne & French Fries Day February 2/1 - International Furmint Day 2/16 - International Syrah Day 2/18 - Global Drink Wine Day *FREE Shipping with purchase of 3+ bottles! 2/25 - Open that Bottle Night *Photo Contest! Prize, details TBA - follow @pennswoodswine! March 3/3 - Mulled Wine Day *$5 cups of mulled wine! 3/13 - International Riesling Day April 4/14 - Tannat Day 4/17 - Malbec World Day 4/27 - World Marselan Day 4/28 - International Viognier Day *Viognier Reserve 2022 Release! May 5/5 - International Sauvignon Blanc Day *5% of Sauvignon Blanc by the bottle & glass + a specialty cocktail feat. Sauv B! 5/9 - World Moscato Day 5/17 - Pinot Grigio Day 5/25 - International Chardonnay Day *Special Mini Chardonnay Vertical Tasting with 3 vintages! 5/25 - National Wine Day June 6/10 - Durif Day 6/16 - International Drink Chenin Blanc Day 6/21 - World Lambrusco Day 6/23 - International Rose Day *Specialty cocktail feat. Rose! July 7/12 - International Cava Day 7/27 - Shiraz Day August 8/1 - Old Vine Day *$5 glass of our old vine Chardonnay! 8/1 - International Albarino Day 8/4 - National White Wine Day *10% off ALL white wines! 8/18 - International Pinot Noir Day *15% off cases of Pinot Noir! 8/30 - International Cabernet Day *Special comparative tasting of Cab Sauv & Cab Franc! September 9/1 - International Cap Classique Day 9/1 - National Chianti Day 9/9 - International Box Wine Day 9/10 - International Port Wine Day 9/15 - International Grenache Day October Pennsylvania Wine Month! *Special discounts, tastings, workshops & more! Details TBA follow @pennswoodswine! 10/5 - Vranec World Day 10/6 - National Orange Wine Day 10/14 - International Pinotage Day 10/14 - International Prokupac Day 10/22 - Austrian Sekt Day 10/26 - Carignan Day 10/27 - Champagne Day November 11/1 - International Xinomavro Day 11/7 - International Merlot Day *Special mini Merlot vertical feat. 3 vintages! 11/9 - International Tempranillo Day 11/15 - Zinfandel Day 11/16 - Beaujolais Nouveau Day 11/24 - International Carmenere Day December 12/1 - International Maratheftko Dahy 12/4 - Cabernet Franc Day 12/10 - International Tokaj Aszu Day 12/16 - Pinot Meunier Day 12/20 - Sangria Day ![]() Trick or treating is just a few days away & we have some ideas for those late night dives into the kiddos Halloween haul! Blanc de Blanc & Gummy Bears Sparkling wine is perfect for gummys! The bubbles & zesty acidity of the Blanc lifts & lightens the sugary sweetness. The fun fruity bears highlight the bright green apple, orange, grapefruit notes making them pop for a party on your palate. Chardonnay & Salted Caramel Twix A more specialty candy, but well worth the Halloween bucket dive is Salted Caramel Twix. The smooth chocolate builds the body of the wine while the crunch ensures wine doesn't get weighed down. Caramel complements our lightly oaked undertones & the salt not only enhances the flavors of the wine but keeps the acidity lively amidst all the sugar. Chardonnay also pairs incredibly well with Candy Corn, the vanilla buttery sweetness of the candy give our French style Chardonnay give a more rounded mouthfeel & bring to the forefront the more subtle oak aged flavors. Wildflower White & Starburst Cheerful, bright & fruity describes both this special off dry white blend & the Starburst too! The rainbow of flavors captures pleasantly fragrant fruits & florals. The touch of residual sugar keeps the wine from becoming unbalanced by the candy while the zippy acidity & dry finish prevents the pairing from becoming overwhelmingly sweet. Moscato Rose & Sour Patch Kids Sour, mouth puckering Sour Patch Kids call for a juicy, fruit forward wine like Moscato! This pairing is one that balances each other perfectly with the candy cutting the wine's sugar while the wine goes to work on taming those tart, sour notes of the candy . Naked Chambourcin & Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Like a grown up PB&J! Playful fruit punch flavors become more jammy once the chocolate hits the wine & the peanut butter gives the body a luxurious, velvety mouthfeel. Pinot Noir & M&Ms Creamy milk chocolate pairs well with lighter bodied red wines with subtle tannins. Pinot's bold fruit make these candy coated chocolates taste more little mini chocolate dipped cherries with the earthy element of the wine adds complexity to the candy's simple flavor. Pinot also pairs well with red fruit dominated candies such as Strawberry Bon Bons & Twizzlers. Merlot Reserve & Raisinets The dark, lush fruit of this wine is complemented by smooth & creamy milk chocolate. Raisiny flavors meld well with our Merlot's hints of dried floral & leather. The combination gives this whole pairing a satisfying, lingering finish. Lacrima Dolce & Hershey's Special Dark This special dessert wine has beautiful flavors of cherries, fig, prune & cinnamon that long for a chocolaty partner. A dark, bitter chocolate perfectly balances the smooth sweetness of the wine, bringing in drying, tannin texture while the wine softens the bite of a bar with higher concentrations of cacao. Our beautiful bottle of bubbly Blanc de Noir pairs so perfectly with the Italian sweet bread Panettone! We whipped up this special Bread Pudding with a local Ginger Turmeric Honey from Taste Artisanal Market. We will be giving away two boxes of real Italian Panettone with every purchase of Blanc de Noir so you can whip up this delightful pairing at home.
**Panettone is limited- get them while supplies last** We are over-the-moon to have such a ray of sunshine a part of our Penns Woods Family! Sabrina is not only incredibly hard-working, but adds a positive energy to every moment. Find out more about Sabrina below!
Tell us about yourself! Hi, I’m Sabrina! I moved back home to Pennsylvania last year, after living in LA for 7 years. I’m in school right now, studying political science and French. When I’m not at Penns Woods or studying, I love to take my dog on hikes and go for runs with my sister. What interests you about wine/How did you get into wine? Before I started working at Penns Woods, I really didn’t know too much about wine (other than the fact that I liked to drink it). I’ve really enjoyed being able to learn about all aspects of it-from how it’s grown to flavor profiles. It’s all been so fascinating! What hobbies have you picked up while having more time for yourself? I ran my first marathon last year, but running got put on the back burner a bit this year, so I’ve had a fun time picking that back up. I also played DnD for the first time (virtually, with friends spread across the world) and that was a really fun new hobby! Mostly, I really just took the extra time to get back into reading as much as I could! What is your favorite wine? I constantly have a different favorite wine but I’ve been really into a nice Rosé lately! Our 2019 is one of my favorites. And I’m obsessed with the Goat Rodeo Wild Rosemary cheese that we sell here. What is one positive message you want to share with our beloved customers? Thank you for making work during these crazy and constantly changing times so enjoyable and exciting. Everyone has been nothing but kind and friendly and it’s the best atmosphere I’ve ever worked in! What do you enjoy most about Penns Woods? Hands down, the people. I count myself so lucky to be able to work with such great people, selling the best wine around, in one of the most picturesque places I’ve ever seen. ![]() Today is our sweet Sophia's 18th Birthday! So it is fitting that we celebrate her in our Staff Spotlight! How long have you been at Penns Woods? I started working at the tasting room in February of 2019. I found out about working at the winery when Carley and her kids moved into the renovated Vineyard House just down the street from me! I started babysitting for Carley and Andy which then led to me working at the tasting room as well haha. What are your favorite hobbies/activities? In my free time I love to explore the woods and go on long hikes with my dog. Although I can’t drink wine, my favorite pairing is the cupcake and wine pairing because they make the kitchen smell delicious and are super tasty. What’s your favorite thing about Penns Woods? What I love most about Penns Woods is the welcoming environment that we have. When I started working there everyone was super nice and had good attitudes. The staff here are some of my favorite people and many of our regular customers are delightful which makes my days at work the most enjoyable. ![]() Even with meticulous vine training & management grape vines will produce the odd cluster or two in their canopy. What we don't harvest for wine, we will often go back later & pick the random clusters to make jam! Don’t be afraid to experiment with different infused honey & fruit combinations! Ingredients 2 cups of crushed fruit (grapes, pitted cherries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.) ¼ c water 4 tsp pectin powder 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice 2 tsp fresh lemon zest ⅓ c local honey ¼ tsp almond extract Directions
If you have not met Matt already, you are missing out! Matt brings such a positive energy to our team every time that he is around. He is always eager to help and learn more about wine, our members, and our business. We are so fortunate to have him a part of our Penns Woods family! See below for more about our awesome coworker!!
Tell us about your wine background. I got into wine when I lived in Northern Virginia and I had 40 wineries/tasting rooms in the county next to me (Loudoun). I was able to cross off about 20 different wineries while I lived there for 2 years and was able to try so many different wines that I had no idea about. My first experience at a winery, I asked so many questions and loved learning about all the intricacies of the wine-making process! What else are you into? Some of my hobbies include running, keeping an eye on the weather, and traveling! I have a goal of running 100 miles a month (1200 a year) and that keeps me quite busy during these COVID days. Not so much travel this year but my goal is to hit all 50 states by 50 years old! I am currently at 32 states so more than halfway there. The weather has always interested me, so much so that I graduated with a degree in meteorology! Need a forecast? I’m your guy! Any wine or pairing suggestions? My favorite wine is Sauvignon Blanc & my favorite beer is something we often carry here at the Tasting Room- La Cabra’s Providence Pils. My favorite food and wine pairing overall is Chenin Blanc with smoked salmon! Traminette is a unique little hybrid with bright fruit & florals which makes for an ideal counterpoint in rich, savory dishes. Our Monte Cristo Sammy with Cherry Merlot Preserves served on the side for dipping is the perfect pairing for our 2019 vintage of Traminette (call to purchase- limited inventory left!). The lychee & peach notes perfectly complement the ham while the touch of sweetness mellows the more funky gruyere. The best part of this recipe is that you can easily transform your Turkey day leftovers (ham or turkey!) into an out-of-this-world treat that just might show up the holiday meal itself!
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Red Wine Pot Roast is a classic & comforting fall staple. Our Proprietor Reserve's finely structured tannins & balanced acidity complement the fall-apart meat & tender veggies while the dark fruit & notes of oregano meld beautifully with the delicious rosemary kissed gravy- perfect for soaking up with fresh bread!
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AboutGo behind the scenes with the Penns Woods Winery team in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Archives
March 2023
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