Chocolate and whoopie pies aren’t the only treats to sample in Harrisburg, Hershey and Lancaster County. Insulated by the meteorological influences of Lake Erie and the Atlantic, Pennsylvania enjoys a mild climate perfect for growing a wide variety of grapes. The state is home to more than 120 wineries and five different American Viticultural Areas, and the Lower Susquehanna region supports more than a dozen.
What would one expect from a winery located in Hershey? Chocolate wine, of course. Cullari Vineyards (717.533.8985; www.cullari-vineyards.com) has it. Apart from their unique Coco Nostra variety, Cullari produces dry and sweet red, white and pink wines, in addition to wine made from other fruit besides grapes. The winery’s tasting room in Hershey can accommodate 50 to 55 people, and a booking includes a $150 credit for wine.
Located 15 miles north of Lancaster and 13 miles east of Hershey, Mount Hope Estate & Winery (717.665.7021; www.parenfaire.com) is housed in a historic mansion on the grounds of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. The winery crafts fruit wines and meads as well as traditional wines. Private tastings at Mount Hope can be arranged for groups of any size, and formal tastings at its Wine Gallery in Lancaster are available for 15 or more. The mansion itself can welcome groups as large as 150. The property’s Swashbuckler BrewPub is also available for rentals and can seat 60. For a taste of true revelry, the faire runs nearly year-round and welcomes groups of any size in private pavilions.
Specializing in European-style dry wines and Pennsylvania sweet wines, Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery (717.252.9463; www.moondancerwinery.com) also plays host to several music festivals and concerts through the year at its French Country chateau in Wrightsville. A number of spaces are available to groups of 15 to 300-plus, including the tasting bar, a “great room” lined with fireplaces, a patio overlooking the Susquehanna River and the underground barrel cellar.
Harrisburg’s West Hanover Winery (717.652.3711; www.westhanoverwinery.net) crafts 38 different varieties of award-winning wine. Events are memorable with a backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains and unique wood sculptures carved from trees. Private tastings are available for 25 to 30. Groups can also request guided tours of the facilities.
