A large, historic wine state: Brandywine boutiques, Lehigh Valley vinifera, and the historic Lake Erie grape belt. Updated for 2026.
Pennsylvania is one of the country's larger and oldest wine states, with a surprisingly deep history and three distinct regions worth visiting, even if its reputation still lags its output. Much of the state's wine has long come from the Lake Erie grape belt along its northwestern shore, the oldest commercial wine area in Pennsylvania, where Deacon Elijah Fay planted the first wine grapes back in 1818 and the Concord juice-grape tradition runs deep alongside a growing fine-wine scene. In the east, the Lehigh Valley AVA (established 2008) has become the state's quality standout for cool-climate European vinifera like Riesling, Gruner Veltliner, and Cabernet Franc. And in the southeast, the Brandywine Valley and Chester County wine country near Philadelphia pairs pioneers like Chaddsford with acclaimed boutique names. From historic Lake Erie cellars to serious modern estates, Pennsylvania rewards an open-minded visit.
Below are the Pennsylvania wineries we recommend most, spanning the Brandywine Valley, the Lehigh Valley, and the Lake Erie shore. Current as of October 2026.
A Brandywine Valley pioneer
Founded in the early 1980s by Eric and Lee Miller, Chaddsford helped pioneer serious Pennsylvania wine and remains the best-known name in the Brandywine Valley near Philadelphia. A popular, well-established producer with a broad range, it is the natural first stop in southeastern Pennsylvania wine country.
Good to know: Tastings; winery. Chadds Ford.
Our tip: Taste the broad range at a Brandywine pioneer; southeastern Pennsylvania's best-known name.
Acclaimed Italianate field blends
An acclaimed small producer in Avondale, Va La is known for distinctive, Italian-inspired field-blend wines from its own hillside vineyard, a serious, artisanal destination that is one of the most critically respected wineries in Pennsylvania. A must for curious wine lovers.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Avondale.
Our tip: Taste the singular field blends; one of Pennsylvania's most acclaimed wineries.
A Lake Erie cornerstone
A prominent family winery in North East on the Lake Erie shore, Mazza is a cornerstone of Pennsylvania's oldest wine region, making a broad range from vinifera to ice and fruit wines, a well-established, welcoming anchor of Lake Erie wine country.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. North East.
Our tip: Taste the broad range on the Lake Erie shore; a welcoming regional cornerstone.
A pioneering Lake Erie name
Founded in 1964 in North East, Presque Isle is one of Pennsylvania's oldest wineries and a longtime pioneer and supplier to the wider industry, a historic, serious Lake Erie producer and a key part of the story of Pennsylvania wine.
Good to know: Tastings; winery. North East.
Our tip: Taste at one of Pennsylvania's oldest wineries; a pioneering Lake Erie name.
Lehigh Valley's acclaimed whites
A family estate in Andreas acclaimed for its crisp, aromatic whites (notably Gruner Veltliner and Riesling), Galen Glen is one of the Lehigh Valley's and Pennsylvania's most respected producers, a quality-first stop that shows the serious vinifera side of the state.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Andreas / Lehigh Valley.
Our tip: Taste the Gruner Veltliner and Riesling; the Lehigh Valley's acclaimed whites.
A Lehigh Valley stalwart
One of the Lehigh Valley's larger and longest-running wineries, Clover Hill in Breinigsville makes a broad, popular range and has been a familiar name in Pennsylvania wine for decades, an easy, well-established stop in the state's eastern wine region.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Breinigsville / Lehigh Valley.
Our tip: Taste the broad range at a Lehigh Valley stalwart; established and popular.
A polished Chester County estate
A polished estate in the Chester County wine country near Philadelphia, Penns Woods makes a well-regarded range of vinifera wines in a welcoming setting, a quality-minded Brandywine-area stop that pairs serious wine with easy accessibility from the city.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Chadds Ford.
Our tip: Taste the vinifera range near Philadelphia; polished and quality-minded.
An ambitious Philadelphia-area estate
An ambitious estate in Fort Washington just outside Philadelphia, Karamoor focuses on serious Bordeaux-style and other vinifera wines from its own vineyards, a quality-first, polished producer that shows the higher-end potential of southeastern Pennsylvania wine.
Good to know: Tastings; estate. Fort Washington.
Our tip: Taste the estate Bordeaux-style wines near Philadelphia; ambitious and polished.
Pennsylvania's wine regions are far apart, so plan around one. The Brandywine Valley and Chester County wine country, just southwest of Philadelphia, is the easiest for many visitors (Chaddsford, Va La, Penns Woods, with Karamoor near the city), a scenic day among rolling horse-and-garden country. The Lehigh Valley, about 90 minutes north of Philadelphia around Allentown, offers the state's best cool-climate vinifera (Galen Glen, Clover Hill, Pinnacle Ridge) along an established wine trail. The Lake Erie shore around North East, in the far northwest near Erie, is Pennsylvania's historic grape belt (Mazza, Presque Isle, Penn Shore). Pick a region, plan three or four stops, and visit late spring through fall; autumn is especially scenic, and the Lake Erie area is busiest in summer.
Do not judge Pennsylvania by its volume of sweet and Concord-based wine; its quality reputation rests on cool-climate vinifera, especially in the Lehigh Valley, and acclaimed boutiques like Va La, so seek those out. Do not try to combine the far-apart regions in one trip, Lake Erie is a long drive from Philadelphia. And do not overlook the history, the Lake Erie shore has grown grapes since 1818, among the oldest wine traditions in the country.
Which are the best wineries in Pennsylvania?
A well-rounded list spans the state's regions: the Brandywine pioneer Chaddsford, the acclaimed Va La, the polished Penns Woods, and the ambitious Karamoor near Philadelphia; the Lehigh Valley's acclaimed Galen Glen and the stalwart Clover Hill; and the Lake Erie cornerstones Mazza and Presque Isle. Together they capture Pennsylvania wine from historic cellars to serious modern estates.
What wine is Pennsylvania known for?
A wide range. Historically, much of Pennsylvania's output has come from the Lake Erie grape belt (including Concord juice grapes), but its quality reputation today rests on cool-climate European vinifera, especially from the Lehigh Valley AVA, Riesling, Gruner Veltliner, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay. The southeastern Brandywine Valley adds Bordeaux-style and distinctive boutique wines, so the state spans everything from serious dry vinifera to sweet and fruit wines.
Where is Pennsylvania wine country?
In three main areas, far apart. The Brandywine Valley and Chester County near Philadelphia (southeast) is home to Chaddsford, Va La, and Penns Woods; the Lehigh Valley AVA around Allentown (east, about 90 minutes north of Philadelphia) is the quality vinifera region; and the Lake Erie shore around North East (far northwest, near Erie) is the historic grape belt. Choose one region per trip.
Is Pennsylvania wine any good?
Yes, and it is better than its reputation. While the state makes plenty of sweet and Concord-based wine, its best producers make genuinely serious wine, especially cool-climate vinifera in the Lehigh Valley (Galen Glen is a standout) and acclaimed boutiques like Va La in the Brandywine Valley. Pennsylvania is a large, historic wine state whose quality has risen sharply as growers have focused on grapes suited to the climate.
What is the oldest wine region in Pennsylvania?
The Lake Erie shore in the far northwest, around North East in Erie County. Deacon Elijah Fay planted the first wine grapes there in 1818, and it grew into Pennsylvania's historic grape belt, long dominated by Concord and juice grapes but also home to pioneering wineries like Presque Isle (founded 1964) and Mazza. It is part of the Lake Erie AVA, the first multi-state AVA and the largest east of the Rocky Mountains.
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