When you think of agriculture, the first thing that comes to mind is probably a county fair, livestock, or maybe the corn you see growing alongside the road.
(Byline: Annah Burke)
Growing up on a farm and as an active 4-H member, I think I have always had an interesting standpoint on how diverse the ag industry is: from farmers to truckers, the oil and gas field workers, and even seamstresses. Almost anything you touch comes from this industry, including wine.
History of Pennsylvania Wineries:
With Pennsylvania being ranked 5th in the nation in wine production, it is the perfect reason to talk about Pennsylvania’s wine history and why it is such an important part of the agriculture industry. William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, had planted our state’s first vineyard in Philadelphia where Fairmount Park is now located nearly 330 years ago. Today, Pennsylvania is home to nearly 300 Wineries and produces more than two-million gallons of wine a year! In the small town of Shippenville, Pennsylvania, our winery has exemplified that a small business can be a big part of that number. With almost 50 employees, Deer Creek Winery has bottled, labeled, and sold more than a million bottles of their wine! For most of our consumers, this likely happens right in your backyard.
Supporting Local:
The PA Preferred program was started by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to support local farmers, by buying ingredients grown locally in the state. Here at Deer Creek Winery, we are no stranger to supporting local and this program, with our wines. Pennsylvania grapes are known to be most comparable to European grapes. The Pennsylvania climate is perfect for growing some of these notable grapes such as Pinot Noir. Pennsylvania is also known to be home to some hybrid grapes that were developed right here. All of these species thrive in our harsh weather conditions and are the perfect Pennsylvania wine.
Pennsylvania Grapes:
Niagara and concord grapes are most likely two of the grape varieties that you know for winemaking. They are also two of the many grapes grown in Pennsylvania and used in our Deer Creek Wines! Niagara grapes can be found in our wines like Fryburg White, Baby Bear Blue, Black Berry Bling, and White Sizzle to name a few. You can always try our Cranberry Craze to get the concord grape taste you desire!
Visit a Winery Today!
The wine industry is bustling. Whether you want to tour and see how wine is made, taste the variety of wines available to you, or understand the Pennsylvania wine industry better, you are never more than an hour away from a winery, wherever you are in the state!
This blog was written using the following resources:
About Pennsylvania Wines. (n.d.). Retrieved February 02, 2021, from https://pennsylvaniawine.com/about/.
William Penn and the origins of Pennsylvania wines. (2019, October 31). Retrieved February 02, 2021, from https://pennsylvaniawine.com/2018/07/03/william-penn-origins-pennsylvania-wines/.