We were up in Brandywine the last weekend in September to Brandywine Valley Harvest festival. The Brandywine Valley Wine Trail includes six wineries, all relatively close together. We opted to hit three of them.
The first winery was Folly Hill. Folly Hill is half winery, half wine merchandise shop...I know it seems a lot of wineries are that way, but this one really stood out. Their wines were nice, they have both an oaked and a stainless steel Chardonnay. I always enjoy the contrast between the two. They had a Syrah that was surprisingly good, it is not a varietal that you see a lot of in Pennsylvania, but it was well-done in this case.
The next stop was Twin Brook Winery. Of all our stops this one had the nicest tasting room and the most friendly, though overwhelmed, staff. They had a wide selection of wines including an awful Norton (of course, I think all Nortons are awful -- so don't take my word for it). Their Pinot Grigio was good, a nice light wine. Their Chambourcin Reserve was excellent. They also had a Cabernet Franc which was very smooth and an interesting contrast to the pepperiness of Virginia Cabernet Francs, it was almost like tasting a different varietal.
Finally, we ended the day at Chaddsford. Chaddsford is probably the best-known Pennsylvania winery. They produce 30,000 cases a year and distribute it throughout the Mid-Atlantic and North East regions.
They produce 18 different wines, ranging from fruity wines to a Meritage blend. There were a few wines of note. The Spiced Apple wine is an apple wine fermented with various spices. They also had a good Pinot Grigio and the oaked/stainless steel Chardonnay pairing. In reds, the Due Rossi was an excellent blend of Sangiovese and Barbera. The Miller Estate Chambourcin was also very good. On the other hand, the two Pinot Noirs were disappointing.
The first winery was Folly Hill. Folly Hill is half winery, half wine merchandise shop...I know it seems a lot of wineries are that way, but this one really stood out. Their wines were nice, they have both an oaked and a stainless steel Chardonnay. I always enjoy the contrast between the two. They had a Syrah that was surprisingly good, it is not a varietal that you see a lot of in Pennsylvania, but it was well-done in this case.
The next stop was Twin Brook Winery. Of all our stops this one had the nicest tasting room and the most friendly, though overwhelmed, staff. They had a wide selection of wines including an awful Norton (of course, I think all Nortons are awful -- so don't take my word for it). Their Pinot Grigio was good, a nice light wine. Their Chambourcin Reserve was excellent. They also had a Cabernet Franc which was very smooth and an interesting contrast to the pepperiness of Virginia Cabernet Francs, it was almost like tasting a different varietal.
Finally, we ended the day at Chaddsford. Chaddsford is probably the best-known Pennsylvania winery. They produce 30,000 cases a year and distribute it throughout the Mid-Atlantic and North East regions.
They produce 18 different wines, ranging from fruity wines to a Meritage blend. There were a few wines of note. The Spiced Apple wine is an apple wine fermented with various spices. They also had a good Pinot Grigio and the oaked/stainless steel Chardonnay pairing. In reds, the Due Rossi was an excellent blend of Sangiovese and Barbera. The Miller Estate Chambourcin was also very good. On the other hand, the two Pinot Noirs were disappointing.
Labels: Brandyine, Chaddsford, Folly Hill, Norton, Twin Brook, winery
posted by allan at 11:18 PM
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