Va La Vineyards (and Pennsylvania wines) - a Post-Script

In response to my last blog post on Va La and other Pennsylvania wineries, a reader brought up the issue of pricing for the better wines produced in the state.  It's an important point, and one that I feel the need to address.

It is quite true that the price points for the best PA wines are not easy on the budget, especially when compared to the PQR (price to quality ratio) that is available from the powerhouses of wine production, namely France, Italy, Spain (and California sometimes).  A lot of it has to do with the cost of production for limited quantities and high quality processing in areas that do not have the infrastructure and other benefits of a long history of wine production.  That being said, given that this is officially PA Wine Month, I wanted to highlight what is going on locally and let people explore on their own with some of my recommendations.  What is especially fun is visiting and enjoying the local wine in situ, as it were. Yes, it's not cheap, but I believe the overall experience is worth the extra $.

In keeping with PA Wine Month, here is some more information on locally produced wines and where you can find them.

In the following link, Craig Laban of the the Philadelphia Inquirer lists his favorite wineries in the greater Philadelphia area, including Va La and Penns Woods.

http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/craig_laban/philadelphia-suburbs-best-wineries-craig-laban.html

From a few years ago, Laban, in the next link, offers his take on Va La's La Prima Donna which I featured in my previous post. He's also a fan:  "I've not tasted a more complex and fascinating local wine, red, white or orange."

http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/craig_laban/20140420_Drink.html


Marnie Old, also of the Inquirer, explores the development of locally produced Cabernet Francs in this link:

http://www.philly.com/philly/food/pennsylvanias-cabernet-francs-are-coming-into-their-own-20171012.html

Finally, for a taste of local wines without having to leave the city, check out the wines now available at Jet Wine Bar on South Street (one of my favorite hangouts):

http://www.localwineevents.com/events/detail/698603/source-juice-email