Wineries of the PA Wilds
- by Ellen Matis
- July 6, 2022
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For many visitors to the Pennsylvania Wilds, nothing beats a refreshing beverage after an outdoor adventure or time spent exploring the communities the region has to offer. While many will head to a PA Wilds brewery, others will seek out wineries and distilleries.
To help you plan a wine tasting experience in the PA Wilds, we’ve compiled a list of each of the wineries in Landscapes across the region. Whether you’re planning a hiking trip in the Allegheny National Forest & Surrounds or a shopping excursion in the I-80 Frontier, there’s a stop with unique PA wines for you to explore.
Tip: Make sure to double check hours of operation. Many establishments have seasonal hours or are open for limited hours on weekdays.
Allegheny National Forest & Surrounds
Explore Pennsylvania’s only national forest, the Allegheny National Forest, and the surrounding communities during a trip through the northwestern section of the Pennsylvania Wilds, then stop by these craft beverage producers along the way.
Flickerwood Wine Cellars
309 Flickerwood Road
Kane, PA 16735
Flickerwood Wine Cellars is located in the Heart of Kinzua Country in Northwestern Pennsylvania and is entirely family built and operated. The winery gift shop offers many unique handcrafted items. Relax at the beautiful hand crafted wine tasting bar and sample over 30 delicious wines that Flickerwood Wine Cellars has to offer; including sweet, semi-sweet, semi-dry and dry table wines, in reds, whites & blushes.
Little Mountain Winery
205 Kansas Branch Rd
Duke Center, PA 16729
Located just outside of Bradford in Duke Center, this winery was established in 2021 and is a peaceful destination to enjoy wine and country hospitality.
Twisted Vine Winery
117 N. Fraley Street
Kane, PA 16735
The flagship location for Twisted Vine Winery is located in uptown Kane, and it features all of Twisted Vine’s products and services, including all the wines, 16 beers on tap, craft cocktails and a full service restaurant. The other two Twisted Vine in the PA Wilds are located in the I-80 Frontier communities of DuBois and Philipsburg.
Winery at Wilcox
202 Marvin St. (Rt. 219)
Wilcox, PA 15870
The Winery at Wilcox opened its doors in the summer of 1994, with an inventory of 1,100 gallons in eight varieties. Almost 30 years later The Winery at Wilcox, Your Winery in Pennsylvania, has a capacity of nearly 100,000 gallons, with more than 45 wines. In 2018, The Winery at Wilcox was recognized as the largest wine producer in Pennsylvania. Nestled in the mountains of the Allegheny National Forest we have become a destination for those who enjoy top quality wines as well as Pennsylvania’s natural beauty. Whether it is dry or sweet, red or white, fruit or grape, fun or serious that tickles your fancy, the Winery at Wilcox has something for you.
Cook Forest & The Ancients
Known as a land of giants because of the “forest cathedral” of ancient pines and hemlocks, this landscape is an ode to the majesty of the Pennsylvania Wilds and home to many of the tallest hemlock and pine trees in the Northeast. If an adventure among Cook Forest & The Ancients sounds mystifyingly exciting to you, rest assured that you’ll rest well during your exploration.
Deer Creek Winery and Bed & Breakfast
3333 Soap Fat Road
Shippenville, PA 16254
Deer Creek Winery is a unique blend of winery, B&B, and event center. The winery offers tastings every day, and live music entertainment every Thursday through Sunday. Stop by to relax and enjoy some wine & food with friends and family. The bed and breakfast offers overnight accommodations with eight rooms, five of which have in-room hot tubs.
Dark Skies
Inspiring awe and delight, Dark Skies is home to the world’s second certified International Dark-Sky Park. Cherry Springs State Park is world-famous for being one the best places in the USA for stargazing and the study of astronomy. But these mesmerizing, star-filled skies are just the beginning!
Rich Valley Wines
400 E Allegheny Ave
Emporium PA 15834
Rich Valley Wines sits at the cusp of the Dark Skies and Elk Country landscapes, right in the heart of our PA Wilds. Owners Ryan & Brandi Magaro are lifelong residents of Cameron County and, after extensively traveling the country over the years, wanted to bring something home to Emporium that had a “big city” feel with that same “small town” charm. Their winery, which came after their first Rich Valley Apiary business, found its home in a formerly shuttered church on Main Street. Rich Valley Wines produces a wide range of wines but attempts to broaden the palettes of both dry wine drinkers (none of the fruit wines are overly sweet) and sweet wine drinkers (none of the traditional wines are overly dry).
Elk Country
Elk Country is a place that lives up to its name. Home to the largest free-roaming elk herd in the northeastern United States, Elk Country features two large visitor centers to welcome you. If you come to Elk Country for the elk, you won’t be disappointed. But if you stick around to see what’s all around you, you’ll be delighted you did.
Benezette Wines
196 2nd St.
Benezette, PA 15821
Located just minutes from the Elk Country Visitor Center, this winery could round out your trip as you cap off the day and enjoy the peaceful Benezette scenery. Sit and enjoy a glass of wine or slushie on their outside Wine Deck and you might just see an elk! Not into wines? They also have a variety of tasty ciders.
Elk Mountain Winery
24670 Bennetts Valley Hwy
Weedville, PA 15868
This small, family-run winery produces handcrafted fine wines ranging from succulent sweet to well-balanced full-bodied dry. The fine wines can be enjoyed while taking in a spectacular view from the winery’s deck while you snack on delicious meats, smoked cheeses, wine-filled chocolates, and other locally created treats from the gift shop. “We offer domestic and craft beer in our lounge area, but if wine and beer are not what you are in the mood for, we have spirits for mixed drinks as well,” the owners state on their WCO profile.
I-80 Frontier
Whether you’re coming from the east, south or west, the I-80 Frontier is the quintessential welcome mat to the Pennsylvania Wilds. With its proximity to Pennsylvania’s southern population centers of Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, not to mention close by New York City, and Cleveland on the western side, it’s easy to plan a trip for each season.
Starr Hill Vineyard & Winery
861 Bailey Road
Curwensville, PA 16833
Starr Hill Vineyard & Winery has been making handcrafted PA wines since 2005. “We use a team method for all our wines from the tasting, bottling, sales and marketing,” owner Kenn Starr writes on the winery’s WCO profile. “Inspiration comes from my father who has been making wine since the 1950s.” Starr Hill was the first winery in the nation with tasting rooms inside Walmart. Its products are also available at Martin/Giant food, Snappy’s, Martin General, Martin Convenience, and Rutter’s Convenience Stores.
Pine Creek Valley and PA Grand Canyon
The Eastern Gateway to the PA Wilds… If it’s your first visit to the region, the PA Grand Canyon is a must see and one of the perfect ways to orient your mind and senses to the wonders of the Wilds. But once you’ve delighted in the Pine Creek Gorge views, you’ll soon discover that this scenic and unique landscape is best discovered from multiple vantage points.
Oregon Hill Winery
840 Oregon Hill Road
Morris, PA 16938
Oregon Hill Winery produces award winning “Pennsylvania Mountain Wines”. Since 1983, the family-owned winery has been creating a variety of wines ranging from dry reds to crisp whites and a wide selection of fruit wines, with a wine for every palate and nose. They offer tastings and purchase of our wines at their 3 locations, all which are located within the PA Wilds. Their main location is in Lycoming County, at 840 Oregon Hill Road, Morris, PA, where all the wine is produced. In Clinton County, the wine bar is located at 67 Reservoir Road, McElhattan, PA. Try a flight of wine or a small selection of PA Spirits and PA beer. In Tioga County, home of the PA Grand Canyon, their wine shop is located on Historic Main Street at 87 Main St in Wellsboro, PA.
Up the Crick – Wine & Antiques
5099 North Route 44 Highway
Jersey Shore, PA 17740
Up the Crick – Wine & Antiques features wine, antiques, and handcrafted goods from more than 80 Pennsylvania artists. Wine tasting is available by Freas Farm Winery, produced out of Berwick, Pennsylvania. This spot hosts an outdoor Makers Market on the second Sunday of each month (May through October) with local food, local produce and local handcrafted goods. At the events, wine tasting is provided by Freas Farm Winery. The Makers Market is pet friendly.
