During my early days of winery touring, I had thought that one needed to travel far to experience a good wine tasting. After some research, I realized that Chester County has a great number of exceptional wineries, many of which are located in the Brandywine Valley and run by very interesting families. Please note that the Brandywine Valley is only one venue to explore in this county.
What I have found is that in Chester County, the wineries, no matter what are their origins and locations (and all have very unique stories), Chester County wineries all have one thing in common: All of the people involved take pride in their jobs and cannot stop their exhilarating expressiveness about loving what they do. From the grape picker to the grape stomper to the tasting host/hostess to the cashier, these wine-loving people are involved whole-heartedly and take pride in what they offer.
Winery touring makes for a delightful day trip; not to mention, it is an excellent way to support local Chester County businesses.
As far as my personal favorite:Â Va La Vineyards, 8820 Gap Newport Pike, Avondale PA 19311
Currently rated a 4.5 out of 5 on Yelp, Va La Vineyards has a host of Avondale field wines. Among my favorites are Silk (a red wine) and La Prima Donna (a white wine). What struck me most favorably about this quaint, hidden treasure is that you are served wine tastings with a pairing of food. They supply cheeses, crackers, chocolates and other appropriate foods as they educate you about the wines and the suggested food pairings with each sip that is poured. If you choose to stay and enjoy a glass (for what I would consider to be a modest price), there are beautiful views of the vineyard to enjoy from their graciously opened upstairs dining area, back deck and yard.
There are many wineries in Chester County to discover. No matter where you go, you will meet passionate people, strike up interesting conversations and most likely receive a great discount when taking home bottles of wine to share with loved ones and friends.
For a comprehensive list of all wineries in the Brandywine Valley, click here. Additionally, Yelp has gathered ratings from wine-lovers who have branched outside of the Valley into many other parts of Chester County. So, no matter where you are located, there is a fresh tasting awaiting you.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.
This article is intended for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only and should not be construed as advice, guidance or counsel. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
A really nice article!! I don’t think people realize that Chester County has so many great wineries.
Yes, there are many wineries in Chester County…and each is very unique! I think the best part is learning about their histories. Once you visit a few, it’s almost inevitable that you will be touring again on an upcoming weekend. It’s fun!
@tinathomas – We also have a lot of brewpubs, which I kinda knew but really did not realize how many.