Pennsylvania Wine Country Guide

Discover Pennsylvania, the Keystone State, one of the East Coast’s most diverse and historic wine landscapes. From the Lake Erie Grape Belt in the northwest to the rolling hills and limestone valleys of the southeast, Pennsylvania offers a broad mix of grapes, styles, and winery experiences.

Today, the state has more than 400 wineries, 14,000 vineyard acres, and ranks 5th nationally in grapes grown, giving it both serious scale and real range.

Pennsylvania’s wine story begins long before the modern tasting-room era. The state traces its wine history back to 1683, when William Penn cultivated a vineyard near present-day Philadelphia.

That deep history now meets a modern, fast-evolving wine scene built on experimentation, local pride, and a willingness to work across grape varieties, from Concord and Niagara to Chambourcin, Vidal Blanc, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay.

Pennsylvania is also a state of strong regional contrast. In the northwest, the Lake Erie AVA is the engine of grape production, with broad vineyard plantings and a long-standing fruit-growing tradition.

Farther south and east, smaller valleys and hillside sites produce a different expression of Pennsylvania wine, with a stronger focus on hybrids, European grapes, and more terroir-driven wines. Across the state’s five AVAs and state-recognized PVAs, wine is shaped by lake effect, river valleys, folded Appalachian terrain, and pockets of limestone-rich soil.

And while you’re exploring Pennsylvania wine, there’s plenty beyond the glass. Wine trails lead through Brandywine countryside, Lehigh Valley backroads, Susquehanna River landscapes, and Lake Erie vineyard corridors, with easy add-ons like historic towns, gardens, covered bridges, and scenic drives. Pennsylvania is the kind of wine destination where the journey matters just as much as the tasting.

Fun facts about Pennsylvania Wine

• William Penn cultivated Pennsylvania’s first vineyard in 1683.

• The country’s first commercial vineyard was founded in Pennsylvania in 1787.

• Over two dozen different grape varieties are planted here.

• Pennsylvania has more than 400 wineries and 14,000+ vineyard acres.

• The state has 5 AVAs and a growing set of Pennsylvania Viticultural Areas (PVAs).

• Concord is the most planted grape variety used for jellies, jams, juice, and wine.

• Pennsylvania ranks 5th nationally in grapes grown and 7th in wine production.

• Lake Erie AVA in Pennsylvania is one of the largest grape-growing regions in the eastern U.S..

• Pennsylvania grows a broad mix of native grapes, French-American hybrids, and classic European varieties.

Sources:

♦ Pennsylvania Wines

♦ Visit PA