We’ve got an announcement to make, and we could not be more excited! This year will mark the first harvest of our newest varietal: pinot noir. This approachable and popular style is a welcome addition to our already stellar lineup of red wines.

​The magic started back in 2013 when we planted pinot noir grapes in our Coatesville vineyard. Since then, those delicate vines have been thriving in the grape-friendly Pennsylvania climate, so all eyes (and taste buds!) are now on harvest.

We wanted to have a new, special varietal, and people love pinot noir,” said Davide Creato, vineyard manager and assistant winemaker. “We’re always looking for something new to try, and we know our customers have high expectations. We feel we can meet those expectations with this pinot noir.”
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Pinot noir is a more delicate red wine because it boasts fewer tannins. It’s flavorful, with many of the same qualities as other reds, but not as big and bold. You’ll notice its brilliant red color in the glass, and then earthy notes plus cherry and currant on the nose. A sip reveals complex hints of dark and sweet fruit, ripe berries, even some smoky and rustic overtones (like mushroom!). Its tannin-acid mix is beautifully balanced, making it appealing to even white wine lovers—and a slam dunk to pair with meals for any season.

“It will all start this fall when we harvest it for the first time,” Davide added. “Pinot noir will head into winemaking, and we expect to have our first bottles available in spring 2018.”

​But wait—there’s more. Davide hints there’s some Carménère planted, and Penns Woods Winery may just have a few surprises in store for that varietal. Watch our blog for updates!

And while we’re at it … we’ve got another big announcement to make. Raise a toast to the newest member of the Penns Woods Winery family: Olivia Bernice Mack—vintage 2016. She’s the daughter of our co-owner and marketing/PR director Carley Razzi Mack and her husband, Eric Mack. Expect to see Olivia at our family-friendly winery soon!

Penns Woods Winery is a family-run Pennsylvania winery. With more than 40 years of experience in the wine business, winemaker Gino Razzi and his daughter, Carley Mack, produce award-winning wines from Pennsylvania-grown grapes. Penns Woods wines can be found in restaurants throughout Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs. Stop in to your local state store and pick from a limited selection of wines, or visit our tasting room for the full offering. The tasting room in Chadds Ford provides an all-around vineyard experience and hosts live music, food and wine pairings and other exciting events each weekend. Score Penns Woods Winery news in your inbox by signing up for our newsletter today!

--Nina Malone

Photo credits: top, Alexandra Whitney Photography; middle, courtesy of PicJumbo/Victor Hanacek.

You’ll certainly want to put this in your heavy rotation for summer fare, but don’t stow it away when the warm weather wanes: this recipe—and wine—has year-long staying power.

Wow those at your table with this firm-fleshed white fish. It boasts a pleasingly mild flavor perfectly accented by the ingredients you use to cook it; plus, its texture is ideal for slicing thin for this recipe.

We chose our food-friendly (and award-winning!) Penns Woods Winery Grüner Veltliner to create a temping marinade for our ceviche. This dry wine’s bright acidity and hints of apple, lime and white pepper are accented by jalapeno, green apple, grapefruit and cilantro to render versatile mahi-mahi mouthwateringly delicious.
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There’s about a half-bottle of Grüner Veltliner in the recipe, so be sure to bring home enough for sipping, too. Enjoy!

This combo jazzes us for two main reasons: men love jerky, and it pushes everyone to new levels of taste exploration. We’ll admit it: jerky has a manly man rap, but trust us; women love it, too! And while we’re fans of jerky and beer, we’re superfans of how wine’s nuances bring out the best in Righteous Felon’s creative jerkies.
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Pssst … want some insider intel? We don't divulge all of our pairing secrets in advance, but here’s sneak peak of just one of the five you’ll enjoy: our Bancroft Chambourcin 2012 with Righteous Felon's newest flavor, Baby Blues Sweet Kick BBQ. Our award-winning wine brings bold flavors with pomegranate, black pepper and sage notes plus a slight peppery kick on the finish, a perfect match for the jerky’s sweet and spicy tastes. Bonus: you can only get this Righteous Felon jerky at the Baby Blues restaurant in Philadelphia, but on Father’s Day weekend you can sample it with a pairing at our Tasting Room.

We have a full weekend of Father’s Day festivities, so grab Dad, Pop, Stepdad, Grandpa—the whole gang!—and visit us:

• Saturday, June 18: Wine and Jerky Pairings—$25 for five pairings; reservations are highly recommended. We’ll also have a free lawn concert with Greg Jones from 2–5 p.m.
• Sunday, June 19: Wine and Jerky Pairings—$25 for five pairings; reservations are highly recommended. The free lawn concert on Sunday will be with Jarrett Muzi from 1–4 p.m.

Feel free to bring a picnic, blankets, chairs and the kids for a family fun day. Or relax on our comfy patio. Raise a toast—it’s Father’s Day!
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Penns Woods Winery is a family-run Pennsylvania winery. With more than 40 years of experience in the wine business, winemaker Gino Razzi and his daughter, Carley Mack, produce award-winning wines from Pennsylvania-grown grapes. Penns Woods wines can be found in restaurants throughout Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs. Stop in to your local state store and pick from a limited selection of wines, or visit our tasting room for the full offering. The tasting room in Chadds Ford provides an all-around vineyard experience and hosts live music, food and wine pairings and other exciting events each weekend. Score Penns Woods Winery news in your inbox by signing up for our newsletter today!

--Nina Malone

Top photo credit: Righteous Felon Jerky Cartel