The winery was opened for business in July of 1990 by proprietors, Joe and Betty Carroll, who had been amateur winemakers for 20 years during Joe’s career as a professor in the College of Business Administration at Penn State. Their purchase in 1983 of the sixty-five acre property was followed in 1984 by the first grape plantings. The entire winemaking operation was initially contained in the original chalet-style building which now houses a state of the art bottling line. A spiral staircase leads upstairs to the tasting room and views of the adjacent pond, mountain range, and the five acre vineyard.

During harvest in the fall, the grapes are processed on a covered cement loading dock with a modern, stainless steel crusher/destemer and bladder press. Several additions to the winery have increased tank and barrel storage capacity to over 10,000 gallons. The latest addition in 1998 provided needed bottle storage and a second-floor banquet room for winery events, conferences, and catered events.

One reason behind the success of the winery is a well-suited microclimate. The open exposure and excellent air drainage on the southern slope of Mt. Nittany protects against early and late frost damage and creates a favorable environment for growing European wine grapes. The five acre vineyard has seven varieties, including Cayuga, Seyval Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc, de Chaunac, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Special note: All grapes are picked by hand at harvest. Volunteers are needed for this. Contact the winery in August to volunteer help.(814) 466-6373 is their number.

This week’s note taker: Hugh Mose