Day Sippers
by Emily Kovach
Penns Woods Winery
Drive time from Philadelphia: 35 minutes
Situated on 30 verdant acres in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, this 12-year-old winery is open year round for $10 wine flights and $15 artisan cheese plates in the tasting room or on the patio overlooking the vineyards. Penns Woods’ award-winning wines range from crisp, bright Grüner Veltliner to toasty, red, fruit-forward Cabernet Franc Reserve.
Another reason to visit: Robust event programming, including live music on Saturday afternoons, and seasonal activities like yoga in the vineyards during warmer months.
Stone & Key Cellars
Drive time from Philadelphia: 60 minutes
Founded in 2013 by wine industry veterans Jason and Deb Harris, this Montgomeryville-based operation runs a unique hands-on, design-your-own wine program for budding vintners. Looking for less of a commitment? Stone & Key’s tasting room is open seven days a week for wine sampling and sales.
Another reason to visit: 64-ounce growler fills of their Apple Brandy Barrel Aged Cider, voted Cider of the Year at the 2016 Philadelphia Beer Scene awards.
Rowan Asher Winery & Hard Cidery
Drive time from Philadelphia: 90 minutes
Inspired by their travels to California’s Napa Valley and backpacking through Europe, Misty and Matthew Stallard opened the Poconos’ first urban micro winery and hard cidery in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, in October 2015. Rowan Asher sources all of the fruit for their products from farmers and craft raw wines and ciders, like Indian Head, a semi-dry cider infused with chamomile, and the silky 98 Malbec, oaked for 12 months.
Another reason to visit: The modern rustic taproom also features local beers on draft.
Wyndridge Farm
Drive time from Philadelphia: 2 hours
You may recognize the name, as Wyndridge’s ciders and beers are on tap at many local bars. To visit the source, head to Dallastown (about 20 minutes from York, Pennsylvania), sometimes referred to as “the Napa Valley of Apples.” The farm features a full service restaurant with a well-rounded food menu. All of Wyndridge’s champagne-style ciders, craft beers and housemade sodas are on draft.
Another reason to visit: A working fireplace warms up the dining room in winter, and the outdoor patio offers picturesque views of the farm in spring and summer.
