Why you should visit Chester County wineries
This blog post covers the best wineries in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Chester County wineries are nestled in the rolling hills outside Philadelphia.
The wineries on our list range from small family-owned wineries to large businesses with big estates. Some wineries prioritize Pennsylvania-grown grapes while others source grapes from outside the state.
But the one thing these wineries share is good wine!
Pennsylvania is not widely known as a wine growing state. But guess what… Pennsylvania is the fourth-highest producing state by volume in the country. It’s high time Pennsylvania wine receives praise!
If you’re interested in learning more about Pennsylvania wine then I highly recommend you visit Chester County’s Brandywine Valley. This area is located just outside of Philadelphia so it’s super accessible if you live in the city. It’s also peppered with cute towns that have interesting local histories. And there are wineries of course!
Many of the wineries on this list belong to the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail. We’ll definitely discuss these well known wineries. But we’ll also venture off the beaten path to smaller wineries that may be new to you.
How to access Chester County, Pennsylvania
The easiest way to reach Chester County is by car.
If you already live in the Philadelphia area, then great! It’ll be super easy for you to access Chester County wineries. It’s a 50 minute drive from downtown Philadelphia to the center of Chester County.
Baltimore, Maryland is also within reasonable driving distance. It’s 80 miles from the center of Baltimore to the center of Chester County, which should take a little more than 90 minutes by car.
If you live outside the state then you’ll need to fly into a nearby airport, rent a car, and drive from the airport to the wineries on this list.
There is a Chester County Airport and a Brandywine Regional Airport. Unfortunately they’re small airports not geared towards commercial flights. Instead you should fly into Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).
The best Chester County wineries for a wine tasting
Penns Woods Winery (Chadds Ford, PA)
Penns Woods Winery has a beautiful (and spacious!) outdoor area.
There’s a covered pavilion, fire pits, and tables and chairs beneath shade sails. You can also bring your own blanket or chair and spread out on the large lawn.
There are a few rules about outdoor seating. Lawn seating is first come first served if your group is fewer than 10 people. If your group is greater than ten then you’ll need to book a Shade Sail Rental or plan a private event.
There’s also an indoor tasting room but it’s open seasonally. On Saturdays and Sundays from November through March the indoor tasting room is open by reservation only.
Penns Woods Winery uses 100% Pennsylvania-grown grapes. Grapes such as Chardonnay, Muscat Canelli, and Sauvginon Blanc go into their white wines. Red wines feature Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chambourcin grapes.
Penns Woods Winery is a good fit for large groups who’d like to spread out on a large lawn. It’s also a good fit for music lovers, since they host live music events every week.
Chaddsford Winery (Chadds Ford, PA)
Chaddsford Winery crafts a mix of conventional and unconventional wines and ciders.
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot make up their more traditional wines. But they also experiment with more unusual offerings such as Sparkling Sémillon, Piquette, Sparkling Apple, and Spiced Apple.
You can find Chaddsford wines in three places: their winery in Chadds Ford, their tasting room in Lahaska, and at various pop ups in Philadelphia.
The main Chaddsford Winery tasting room occupies a beautiful barn-style building in the heart of the Brandywine Valley.
Guests can enjoy self-guided wine flights or reserve tastings. Try the “Artisan Series” tasting, which combines small-batch wines from their Artisan Series with light food pairings. The Artisan Series tasting costs $35, includes five pours, and is only available on select Saturdays and Sundays at select times.
The winery’s main tasting room is open seven days a week. The hours of operation are Monday through Thursday (12-5 PM), Friday (12-9 PM), Saturday (12-7 PM), and Sunday (12-6 PM).
The winery also maintains a second tasting room in Lahaska, PA. Their Lahaska location within the upscale shopping mall Penn’s Purchase features “themed tasting salons, expanded outdoor seating, and a private Wine Studio.”
The Acadian Wine Company (West Grove, PA)
The Acadian Wine Company crafts wonderful wines from Pennsylvania-grown grapes.
Owner Kyle Jones worked at several nonprofits before he decamped for the wine industry. He worked for small family-owned wineries in Pennsylvania before starting his own venture.
Today Jones farms a three acre block of twenty-five-year-old trunks of Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and Petit Verdot. He sources grapes like Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Gruner Veltliner, Riesling, and Vidal Blanc from other Pennsylvania winegrowers.
The Acadian Wine Company tasting room is open Thursday through Sunday for walk-in tastings. Their tasting room (called The Wine Bar) operates Thursday (4-8 PM), Friday (2-8 PM), Saturday (12-8 PM), and Sunday (12-6 PM).
You should visit the Wine Bar if you’d like to simply walk in and enjoy a tasting. If you’d like to learn more about the winery then you should book a tasting appointment.
Tasting appointments start at $35 and include a guided tour and tasting. You’ll have to book this experience at least 72 hours in advance. The winery is open seven days a week for curbside pickups and tasting appointments.
Casa Carmen Farm and Winery (West Grove, PA)
Casa Carmen Farm and Winery is a lovely hillside property in the heart of the Brandywine Valley.
Brothers Enrique and Felipe Pallares traveled the world as polo players before founding Casa Carmen in 2017. Their winery is beautifully imagined and beautifully executed. It’s also well marketed. Casa Carmen is, in the words of the Pallares family, “A proposal to view life not as it is but as it should be!”
Casa Carmen Winery takes a low-intervention approach to winemaking. They use sustainable farming methods in the vineyard and minimal intervention in the cellar.
Casa Carmen works with grapes such as Vidal Blanc, Viognier, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. They sell a mix of single varietal wines and vermouth.
I highly recommend a visit to their farm in West Grove, Pennsylvania. Guests can sit outside on the lawn or indoors in the tasting room. The farm tasting room features Spanish-style tapas, vermouth, and wine. Wine flights include four wines or vermouths for $24 per flight. Beer and cocktails are available as well.
Casa Carmen Farm is open Wednesday through Friday from 4-9 PM. They’re also open Saturday from 12-9 PM.
P.S. Casa Carmen has a second location called The Bodega in Chestertown, Maryland.
Va La Vineyards (Avondale, PA)
Va La Vineyards produces small-batch table wines on their family farm in Avondale, PA.
Of all the Chester County wineries on this list, Va La Vineyards works with the most unique grape varietals. French and Northern Italian grapes Tocai, Malvasia Bianca, Fiano, Corvina Veronese, and Charbono (among others!) appear in their wines.
You can sample Va La wines on their small farm near Kennett Square. Seated tastings take place in their century-old barn and small backyard. Walk-ins are welcome but space is limited so it’d be best to make a reservation.
The Va La Vineyards tasting room is open Fridays (12-5:30 PM) as well as Saturday and Sunday (12-6 PM). Wines are available by the bottle, glass, and tasting flight. Flights cost $20 and glasses start at $11.
P.S. Va La earned an endorsement from Alex Delany, former editor at Bon Appétit Magazine.
1723 Vineyards (Landenberg, PA)
1723 Vineyards only uses fruit grown on their vineyard estate in Landenberg, PA.
This commitment to quality results in a short but sweet list of wines. 1723 Vineyards works with grapes such as Chardonel, Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.
The tasting flight costs $18 and includes a 2 ounce pour of four wines. They also offer “Takeaway Tastings” for $20, which is essentially a regular tasting packaged in resealable plastic wine glasses.
Their Landenberg tasting room is open Saturday and Sunday from 12-5 PM. The indoor tasting room has limited seating, so make a reservation if you plan to sit indoors.
There’s plenty of outdoor seating available on a first come first served basis. Check out the picnic tables beside the vineyard. There’s no better place to spend a lazy afternoon.
Stargazers Vineyard (Coatesville, PA)
Stargazers Vineyard was originally founded in 1979. In 2019 the original owners sold their vineyard to two upstarts from Texas.
Current owners Michael Vorauer and Jason Kirkpatrick have continued the legacy of Stargazers while bringing their own energy to the business.
They work with well known varieties of grapes such as Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay, and Grüner Veltliner. Stargazers Winery is among the only Chester County wineries to grow unusual grapes like Arneis and Chelois.
Their Pennsylvania estate has stunning vineyard views, a friendly atmosphere, and plenty of outdoor space. Guests can enjoy wines by the glass, bottle, or flight. Wine flights cost $16 and include four pours.
The Stargazers Vineyard tasting room in Coatesville is open Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 12-7 PM. They’re open Saturdays from 12-7 PM and Sundays from 12-5 PM.
Outside food is welcome so long as you adopt the backcountry travel motto of “pack it in, pack it out.”
Wayvine Winery & Vineyard (Nottingham, PA)
Wayvine Winery crafts low-intervention wines from 100% estate-grown grapes.
They’re one of the few Chester County wineries that takes a low-intervention approach to winemaking. Their wines are minimally filtered, so don’t be surprised if there’s a little sediment in the bottle.
Their Southern Chester County estate is home to a variety of grapes such as Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Barbera, Grüner Veltliner, and Carmine.
You can sample Wayvine wines at their winery in Nottingham or their new tasting room in Kennett Square.
The winery in Nottingham is perfect for a relaxed afternoon spent sipping wine and enjoying good food. On weekends there are food trucks, wood fired pizzas, and live music events. The Nottingham winery tasting room is open Thursday (4-8 PM), Friday (4-9 PM), Saturday (12-8 PM), and Sunday (12-6 PM).
If you’re looking for something that’s better for date nights than family excursions, check out the Wayvine Winery tasting room in Kennett Square, PA. Wayvine wines as well as craft cocktails are available in the cozy, intimate indoor seating area and on their outdoor patio. The Kennett Square tasting room is open Wednesday and Thursday (2-8 PM), Friday (2-9 PM), Saturday (12-9 PM), and Sunday (12-8 PM).
Stone Barn Cellars Winery (Spring City, PA)
Stone Barn Cellars Winery is located in Spring City in Northern Chester County.
They craft dry whites and reds from grapes like Vidal Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. Stone Barn Cellars also makes sweet wines from grapes such as Niagara and Concord.
A 150-year-old German bank barn houses the tasting room and event space. The outdoor deck is the best place to relax with a glass of wine. Especially if there’s live music on a Friday night.
Speaking of Fridays, the winery hosts “Fire Pit Fridays” during the fall (September, October). Doesn’t that sound cozy?
Guests can enjoy wine by the glass, bottle, or flight. Cocktails, wine slushies, pizzas, and charcuterie boards are also available. Outside food is not permitted inside the winery, but you can bring a picnic to enjoy outside on the deck or in the picnic area.
The Stone Barn winery tasting room is open Thursday (1-6 PM), Friday (1-8 PM), and Saturday (12-6 PM).
Turks Head Wines (West Chester, PA)
Founder Allison Owen strives to blend “the best of two worlds” with her Pennsylvania-based winery that processes California-grown grapes.
Head winemaker Kieran Robinson sources grapes from various vineyards throughout Northern California, including the Suisin, Sonoma, and Napa valleys. The grapes are hand harvested and processed onsite in California.
Eventually Turks Head Wines make it across the country to West Chester, Pennsylvania. Their East Coast tasting room is modern, sleek, and upscale.
The Turks Head Tasting Room & Wine Lounge offers wine by the flight, glass, and bottle. A curated list of small bites pairs well with the wine. Tasting flights include 2-ounce pours of five wines for $35 per flight. There’s a red wine flight, a white wine flight, and a “featured flight” with a mix of red, rosé, and white wines.
The Turks Head tasting room has plenty of seating from the large oval tasting bar to the comfortable tufted banquette seating. It’s the perfect place for date night or catching up with friends.
The Bottle Shoppe is a good option if you’d like a bottle of wine to go. They sell bottled wine, wine tote bags, shirts, and hats.
R Five Wines (Downingtown, PA)
R Five Wines brings California wines to the East Coast.
Founders Kieran and Kristie Robinson launched their label in 2018. Prior to that Kieran worked in the Finger Lakes of Upstate New York, the Northern Rhône region of France, and the Napa Valley of California.
The winery sources grapes such as Viognier, Chardonnay, Grenache Gris, Syrah, and Roussanne from the Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley, and Sonoma Valley.
Although their grapes are from Northern California, their home is Chester County, Pennsylvania.
R Five Wines maintains a tasting room in Downingtown, PA. The tasting room features cheese and charcuterie, small plates to share, and seasonally inspired pizzas. Guests can choose between the “Red & White Flight” and the “All Red” flight.
The R Five Wines tasting room is open Thursday (4-9 PM), Friday (4-10 PM), Saturday, (1-10 PM), and Sunday (1-6 PM). Happy hour is from 4-6 PM on Thursday and Friday. Check out “Pizza Thursdays,” which offer a pizza and half bottle for $30.
Paradocx Vineyard (Landenberg, PA)
Paradocx Vineyard boasts over 100 acres of land.
The winery name “Paradocx” is a play on words. The Hoffman and Harris families own this winery and four of them are doctors. Together, the winery is owned by a “pair of docs.” Get it? Paradocx Vineyard is owned by a pair of docs… I didn’t get it at first but I appreciate the creativity!
This family-owned winery sources grapes from their Landenberg estate and from custom growers. Paradocx Vineyard works with grapes such as Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chambourcin, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Vidal Blanc, Catawba, and Niagara.
Guests can relax in a variety of areas from the indoor tasting room to the outdoor patio, meadow, and garden.
The indoor tasting room offers wine by the flight, glass, and bottle. There are half a dozen flights on the menu including the “Red, White, or Sweet Flight,” the “Custom Wine Flight,” and the “Bartenders Select Flight.” If you’d like something more premium choose the “PA Estates Series Flight,” which includes three pours.
The mimosa and wine slushy flights look fun too! Speaking of wine slushies, you can order slushies in the tasting room as well as craft beer, distilled spirits, made to order cocktails, canned cocktails, and food.
Paradocx Vineyard is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 11 AM to 6 PM. On Thursday and Friday they’re open until 8 PM. Saturday hours are 11 AM to 9 PM. On Sunday they’re open from 10 AM to 6 PM. They’re closed Mondays. Outdoor seating is available on a first come first served basis.
Paradocx Vineyard hosts weekly events like Thursday Happy Hour, Friday Live Music, Saturday Music Bingo, and Sunday Brunch. Tasting room reservations are not required but are recommended on busy weekends. Especially if you’d like to secure a spot for one of these events.
Harvest Ridge Winery (Toughkenamon, PA)
Harvest Ridge Winery is a family-owned farm with two tasting rooms.
They work with a variety of grapes including Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Merlot, Norton, Malbec, Barbera, and Petit Manseng. Harvest Ridge Winery also makes seasonally inspired fare like red and white sangrias and the “Punkin Jack” apple wine with pumpkin spices.
The first tasting room is located on their winery estate nestled in the beautiful Delaware countryside. The owners of Harvest Ridge Winery value a time when life felt simpler for them. They hope customers who visit their property will also find relaxation here. Tastings cost $25 and include a tour and six pours.
The second tasting room is in Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania in Southern Chester County. The Toughkenamon tasting room is open Thursday (2-7 PM), Friday (12-8 PM), Saturday (12-8 PM), and Sunday (12-5 PM).
P. S. Check out the winery’s annual Food Truck Competition. Every April Harvest Ridge hosts the region’s best food trucks for a delicious competition.
Vintner’s Table (Phoenixville, PA)
Vintner’s Table is a Phoenixville wine bar that serves Italian-American food, hearty charcuterie boards, and wines from Folino Estate Winery.
The Folino Estate Winery is located in Kutztown in Berks County, Pennsylvania. While it’s always nice to try a wine at its source, the Vintner’s Table in Phoenixville is also a good place to try Folino’s wines. Especially if you’re visiting other Chester County wineries.
Folino Winery works with Italian and French grape varietals including Teroldego, Primitivo, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc.
You can try these wines at their Phoenixville location of Vintner’s Table, which is open Tuesday through Thursday from 4-9 PM. On Friday and Saturday they’re open from 12-10 PM. Sunday hours are 12-8 PM.
P.S. There’s a second Vintner’s Table location in Wyomissing, PA. Check it out if you’re in the area.
Grace Winery (Glen Mills, PA)
Grace Winery occupies a beautiful barn-style building in Glen Mills, PA.
This Chester County winery sources grapes from their own estate as well as local vineyards. They also source grapes from Lodi, California and the Columbia Valley in Washington State.
Grace Winery offers several wine flights. The “Executive Chef’s flight” pairs their wines with cippolini onions, local cheese, venison sausage, and candied nuts. It’s perfect for food and wine lovers. If you’re hungry for more check out their broader dining menu, which offers heartier food like burgers, dips, and salads.
The Grace Winery tasting room is open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Saturday hours differ depending on the season, so be sure to double check their calendar before you head over. In addition to tastings, Grace Winery also offers seasonal tours of the estate vineyard, winery, and manor home. Tours cost $50 per person and last about thirty minutes.
When you visit Grace Winery you’ll notice a gorgeous manor home on the property. That’s the Inn at Grace Winery. The Inn at Grace Winery includes this historic main home (built in the mid-1700’s!) as well as multiple cottages. It would be a lovely place to stay for the weekend.
Where to stay on your Chester County wine trip
The Inn at Grace Winery (Glen Mills, PA)
Only a few Chester County wineries offer lodging. And the Inn at Grace Winery is the most beautiful of them all!
The Inn at Grace Winery offers two places to stay: the main Manor House and separate private cottages.
The Manor House is an historic Quaker farmhouse with wings built in 1734 and 1815. It looks exactly like you’d imagine – stately, refined, and welcoming all at once.
There are nine original cottages complete with king or queen beds, fireplaces, and air conditioning. Many of these cottages are pet friendly, which is a huge plus if you like to travel with your dog.
The property’s newest cottages are located on the far side of the vineyard. Sweetwater House encompasses an East cottage and a West cottage, which both feature large gathering spaces and personal bars.
The Inn at Grace Winery used to serve food in their Manor House Dining Room. The dining room is unfortunately closed but you can dine in the Grace Winery tasting room instead.
Inn at Whitewing Farm (West Chester, PA)
The Inn at Whitewing Farm is a romantic bed and breakfast in the heart of the Brandywine Valley.
This 1700s farmhouse has ten beautifully designed guest rooms with equestrian themes like the Tack Room, Jockey Room, and Clydesdale Suite.
The Inn at Whitewing Farm is as comfortable as it is beautiful. There’s a large pool and Jacuzzi, a tennis court, a wine cellar, and a small library area.
And of course the inn provides a delicious breakfast every morning. The kitchen can also make “European Picnic” and “Farmhouse Picnic” baskets and private dinners for two.
Similar wine regions to explore
We hope you enjoyed this list of the best Chester County wineries!
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If you’re interested in venturing further afield then I suggest you visit New York State ASAP. New York is full of wonderful wineries just waiting to be explored. Two towns worth a visit are Penn Yan and Saratoga Springs.
Our list of the best Penn Yan NY wineries offers a glimpse into the wonderful Finger Lakes region.
Saratoga Springs, NY doesn’t fall within an officially recognized AVA. But our list of the best wine bars and wineries in Saratoga Springs is a great guide to the area.
