Wine In Philadelphia And The Countryside

Philadelphia’s Wine History:

• 1682: William Penn sails to America, bringing along Bordeaux (vinifera) grapevines. Penn plants the vines on Lemon Hill. Bugs and disease prevent the crop’s growth, yet Penn is able to pollinate native vines, thereby creating the first American hybrid of vinifera and vitis labrusca, also known as fox grapes, planted by Penn’s son’s gardener in 1683. The hybrid goes on to be widely planted throughout the United States in the 19 th century.
• 1787: Pierre Legaux plants vines on 206 acres on the edge of the Schuylkill River in Spring Mill. His Pennsylvania Vine Company becomes one of the nation’s first commercial vineyards. Aaron Burr, Stephen Girard, Alexander Hamilton, John Hopkins and Benjamin Rush are shareholders.
• 1900: Every county in Pennsylvania produces wine, for a total of 195,627 gallons per year.
• 1920: Prohibition halts legal wine production, distribution and sales nationwide.
• 1933: Prohibition ends. Pennsylvania establishes the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, whose retailers become the sole source of wine and liquor.
• 1968: Pennsylvania’s Limited Winery Act permits state-made wine to be produced and sold directly to consumers.
• 1990s: With rising costs and just a limited number of liquor licenses, independent restaurateurs go without. Instead, they invite guests to BYOB (bring your own bottle), establishing a major trend across the Philadelphia region.
• 1992: The Brandywine Valley Wine Trail is established for Chester County wineries.
• 2004: The Bucks County Wine Trail unites wineries north of Philadelphia.
• 2009: The Montgomery County Wine Trail becomes the region’s third wine trail.
• 2016: New Pennsylvania laws allow bottles of wine to be sold as packaged goods in restaurants, bars, hotels, groceries and convenience stores.
• 2019: Pennsylvania has more than 270 wineries.

Standout Vineyards & Wine Makers:

• Chaddsford Winery – Founded in 1982, this Brandywine Valley winery grows and produces approachable, food-friendly wines that reflect the Mid-Atlantic Uplands microclimate. Their diverse portfolio includes dry whites, reds and sweet wines; Chaddsford produces more than 30,000 cases annually. 632 Baltimore Avenue, Chadds Ford, (610) 388-6221, chaddsford.com
• Crossing Vineyards and Winery – With a facility and grounds on a 200-year-old estate less than one mile from where George Washington crossed the Delaware River, this Bucks County winery prides itself on creating restrained, European-style wines that have won more than 450 awards. 1853 Wrightstown Road, Newtown, (215) 493-6500, crossingvineyards.com
• Galer Estate Vineyard and Winery – These Chester County winemakers let the terroir express itself, taking a mostly hands-off approach once the grapes are harvested in order to generate different characteristics for each vintage. 700 Folly Hill Road, Kennett Square, (484) 899-8013, galerestate.com
• Karamoor Estate Vineyard & Winery – The international award-winning wines produced at this Montgomery County winery use 100% estate-grown vinifera varieties, grown on a 250-acre property that has been farmed since before the days of William Penn. Visits are by appointment or scheduled tastings only, listed on the winery’s website. 40 E. Skippack Pike, Fort Washington, (215) 641-5800, karamoorwines.com/wines/tours
• Penns Woods Winery – With more than 40 years of experience in the wine business, former importer and Abruzzese winemaker and distributor Gino Razzi produces internationally award-winning bottles, right in the Brandywine Valley. 124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford, (610) 459-0808, pennswoodsevents.com
• Stargazers Vineyard and Winery – Just above the Brandywine River near the Stargazers Stone, Stargazers has pioneered the Gruener Veltliner and Arneis grape varieties. 1024 Wheatland Drive, Coatesville, (610) 486-0422, stargazersvineyard.com
• Stone & Key Cellars – Stone & Key’s bespoke winemaking program brings visitors the full experience of creating their own wine with grapes sourced from California, Washington and Chile. Visitors to the Montgomery County cellars can sample and purchase premade house wines and ciders in the tasting room. 435 Doylestown Road, Montgomeryville, (215) 855-4567, stoneandkeycellars.com
• Va La Vineyards – Lauded four times as one of the country’s 101 best wineries by The Daily Meal and called “individualistic as hell” by Saveur, Chester County’s Va La prides itself on individuality. 8822 Gap Newport Pike (Route 41), Avondale, (610) 268-2702, valavineyards.com

Great Wine Bars:

• Fishtown Social – This spare, woman-owned wine café and shop pours sustainable, organic, biodynamic and natural wines, along with less known varietals, from small producers and interesting wine regions. The neighborhood spot also serves international tapas and a rotating selection of meats and cheeses; on Monday nights, all bottles are half off. 1525 Frankford Avenue, fishtownsocial.com
• Jet Wine Bar – Jill Weber’s South Street spot resembles a space-age diner more than a traditional wine bar. Wine discoveries from Bolivia, Turkey, Greece and other less usual spots fuel Jet, whose outdoor wine garden opened in 2019. 1525 South Street, (215) 735-1116, jetwinebar.com
• Osteria – This convivial North Broad trattoria offers a wide selection of wines by the bottle and glass. Their award-winning wine list is extensive and focuses on the lauded wine regions of Italy and Champagne, France. 640 N. Broad Street, (215) 763-0920, osteriaphilly.com
• Panorama – This veteran Old City trattoria has a Guinness Book of World Records-setting wine tap—or cuvinet—system that is reason enough to sidle up to its cozy wine bar. 14 N. Front Street, (215) 922-7800, pennsviewhotel.com/panorama
• Tria – Beer, wine and cheese have been the passion of this Philly classic since the first Tria opened in 2004. All three locations’ menus change daily and are never short on niche varietals served by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff. 1137 Spruce Street, (215) 629-9200; 123 S. 18th Street, (215) 972-8742; 2005 Walnut Street, (215) 557-8277, triaphilly.com

Great Wine Lists:

• Abe Fisher – CookNSolo, owners of Zahav are behind this spot that pairs small, Jewish American plates with an impressive list of Eastern European reds and whites. 1623 Sansom Street, (215) 867-0088, abefisherphilly.com
• a.kitchen and a.bar – This elegantly spare Rittenhouse spot was an early adopter of the contemporary natural wine movement. On the first Wednesday of every month, a.kitchen discounts their entire bottle list by 50%. 135 S. 18th Street, (215) 825-7030, akitchenandbar.com
• Kensington Quarters – The wine menu at this Fishtown favorite focuses on small-scale producers who work organically and bio-dynamically to create low-intervention wines. 1310 Frankford Avenue, (267) 314-5086, kensingtonquarters.com
• The Love – At restaurateurs’ Stephen Starr and Aimee Olexy’s Rittenhouse farm-to-table destination, an inventive wine program highlights small, sustainable producers. The team here will open most any bottle for a glass pour. 130 S. 18th Street, (215) 433-1555, theloverestaurant.com
• Oloroso – A menu of traditional and reimagined tapas pairs with a line-up of wines and sherries from all of the heavy-hitting regions of Spain. 1121 Walnut Street, (267) 324-3014, olorosophl.com

Great Wine Events:

• Vendemmia Wine Festival – South Philadelphia’s Vendemmia Foundation aims to preserve the neighborhood’s Italian culture by inviting serious home winemakers to enter their reds and whites into a competition with a dozen categories. September 29, 2019. Stephen Girard Park, 2101 W. Shunk Street, (215) 551-3859, thevendemmiafoundation.org
• Nouveau Release Weekend – All seven wineries of the Bucks County Wine Trail give oenophiles a sneak preview of the year’s newest, fruitiest varieties during the heart of harvest time. November 9-10, 2019. buckscountywinetrail.com
• Philly Wine Week – The annual weeklong festival features an exciting lineup of dinners, happy hours, tastings and more at more than 55 venues throughout the city—all to highlight wine as approachable and fun. March 30-April 6, 2020. phillywineweek.org
• Philadelphia magazine Wine Festival – Each spring, Lincoln Financial Field’s SCA Club hosts an annual event featuring more than 500 hard-to-find vintages and rare blends, paired with fare from some of the city’s top restaurants. 2020 date TBA. 1020 Pattison Avenue, phillymag.com/winefest
• Camp Chaddsford – On Saturdays in July, this Brandywine Valley winery offers six-hour summer camp-inspired sessions of wine and local beer tastings and activities, followed by food truck fare. 2020 dates TBA. 632 Baltimore Avenue, Chadds Ford, (610) 388-6221, chaddsford.com

Philadelphia Wine Experts:

• Alexandra Cherniavsky – Cherniavsky’s career as an advanced sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers began at a New Jersey steakhouse with a 900-bottle wine list. Next came leadership of the wine team at the legendary Le Bec-Fin, then a Wine Spectator “Best of Award of Excellence” recognition while serving as wine director at now-shuttered Avance, then another “Award of Excellence” and a place on Wine Spectator’s list of the “10 Best Spanish Wine Lists in America” while at Jose Garces’ Amada. Cherniavsky is now beverage manager at The Love, where she was named 2019’s “Rising Star Sommelier” by Star Chefs and helped lead the restaurant to placements on Wine Enthusiast’s “100 Best Wine Restaurants in America” in 2018 and 2019. 130 S. 18 th Street, (215) 433-1555, theloverestaurant.com
• Sande Friedman – The wine and beer category manager for Di Bruno Bros., a specialty food tradition in Philadelphia since 1939, specializes in small-production, minimal-intervention wines. Friedman is President of Philly Wine Week. She previously spent nearly six years as director of marketing and education for Tria. 1730 Chestnut Street, (973) 650-4456, dibruno.com
• Michael McCaulley – Longtime Tria partner and wine director McCaulley is a two-time James Beard Foundation Award semi-finalist for Outstanding Wine Service and Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional. His sommelier certifications come from both the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and the Sterling School of Vititculture and Vinification in Napa Valley. 1137 Spruce Street, 123 S. 18 th Street, 2005 Walnut Street, (215) 972-7075, triaphilly.com
• Keith Wallace – The founder of The Wine School of Philadelphia has worked as a Napa Valley winemaker, winery consultant, executive chef, wine distributor and journalist. He’s also a wine columnist for The Daily Beast and Philadelphia Style magazine and has authored the cookbook Corked & Forked. 109 S. 22 nd Street, (215) 965-1514, vinology.com
• Jill Weber – Weber is a professional archaeologist and the founder of the restaurant group Sojourn Philly, consisting of Jet Wine Bar, Rex 1516, Café Ynez, and (soon) Sor Ynez. Outside her restaurants, Weber promotes cultural exchange and understanding as president of the Geographical Society of Philadelphia. 1525 South Street, (215) 735-1116, jetwinebar.com

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