Wine is a funny drink. You can enjoy it and know nothing about it besides it tastes good, or you can get wayyyy into the subtleties it, down to the climate the grapes were grown in and what year they were harvested. For those of us who don’t know much, buying a bottle at a store can be a little like throwing the dice. Will we like it? Will it be too dry? Too acidic? Maybe too sweet? That’s why we love supporting our local Pittsburgh wineries – you can taste before you buy!
Pittsburgh Winery – Strip District
Pennsylvania Winery boasts bold, dry wines made with California grapes. They’re doing some renovations at their tap room on Penn Avenue, but they have a temporary tasting room set up only a block away so you don’t have to miss out on a single sip.
R Wine Cellar – Strip District
R Wines are carefully blended so they’re distinctive, yet approachable. We can personally recommend their Gluhwein, especially for those winter nights when you’re cozying up with a good book or movie! The winery is in the Strip District, but did you also know they’re available at select Shop’n’Save and Wine & Spirits stores in the area?
Papa Joe’s Wine Cellar – Lawrenceville
Papa Joe’s Wine Cellar is actually part of Piazza Talarico, and we think that’s the perfect pairing (ha!). They’re crafting wines reminiscent of what Papa Joe would have made himself, and even have a picture of his village in Italy on the label.
Engine House 25 Winery – Lawrenceville
Engine House TwentyFive Winery makes their wines using a minimalistic approach and old-world techniques so that the characteristics of the grapes will shine. The tasting room is only open Thursday through Saturday, so plan your weekend now! And they offer 50% of glasses of reds on Thursdays from 5-7, so we’re in for that 😉
Refucilo Winery – North Side
Don’t let the website confuse you…Refucilo Winery has a vineyard in Argentina, but the store is in Pittsburgh. We like that their menu suggests some tapas to pair with reds and whites, and they offer cheese and charcuterie, too. They also give a lot of info about their wines on their website if you’re into the details (like soil descriptions and when the grapes were harvested), which is cool to read even though we have no idea what it means!
Mazzotta Winery – Gibsonia
Mazzotta Winery is located in the same building as Adrian’s Pizza, which makes for a perfect stop in our books! Their reds and whites are definitely tasty, but their fruit wines are the ones people are obsessed with. They make them from the actual fruit juice – no flavorings here – which means it tastes like you’re drinking a mango. An alcoholic mango 😉
Narcisi Winery – Gibsonia
We love a good wine tour, and Narcisi offers them every Saturday and Sunday at 10:30. They have a wide variety of wines, so everyone is sure to find something they like. And they’re right down the road from Mazzotta Winery, so you can visit them both in one day! Impromptu winery crawl, anyone?
Wooden Door Winery – multiple
Another winery that has something for everyone is Wooden Door. They make more than 30 styles of wine! It’s a great place to spend an afternoon because they worked hard to create an atmosphere that will make you feel right at home.
Greenhouse Winery – multiple
Four locations, more than 20 wines, happy hours, and tons of events…is there anything Greenhouse Winery doesn’t do? They also have a banquet room for private events, because we knew you were about to ask. Check their website because their seasonal wines rotate, and they sound pretttty delicious.
Bella Terra Vineyards – Hunker
You might be wondering where Hunker, PA is…and we’re with you. But Bella Terra is 17 acres of beautiful winery estate only two miles off the Turnpike, so we’re up for a visit if you are! Add in red, white, and blush wines, along with hard cider, local beer, and wine cocktails made with PA liquor, and we’re sold.
Deer Creek Winery – multiple
So, the main Deer Creek Winery is in Shippenville, which is kind of far from Pittsburgh. But they have locations all around the suburbs, from The Mall at Robinson to McCandless Crossing. We’re interested in checking out their Inn at the Shippenville location – it has 8 rooms, so who’s coming with?
The Washington Winery – Washington
Remember when we went to Washington, PA? Well, consider this your official reminder about The Washington Winery where you can enjoy a glass, bottle, or create your own wine flight. And don’t forget about the wine slushies once the weather heats up!
Did we leave your favorite Pittsburgh winery off the list? Don’t just wine about it, tell us where else w should go in a comment! (Sorry, we couldn’t resist one last pun because sometimes we make pour decisions ….ha!)
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.