You don’t have to travel to Napa Valley or the Finger Lakes to experience good wine. Right here in Bucks County, there is a rich tapestry of family wineries producing award-winning vintages.
The Bucks County Wine Trail was established in 2004 for the promotion of Bucks County wineries and cideries, and to educate people not only about the wines and ciders, but also the local heritage of the region where they’re produced.
The wineries on the trail include:
• Aviator Vineyard & Winery is located in the hangar at AGA Farms. Visitors can enjoy 10 estate-grown wines
• Bishop Estate Vineyard and Winery in Perkasie offers visitors over 21 different kinds of wine, local craft beer on tap, wine slushies, and sangria on Sunday.
• Buckingham Valley Vineyards & Winery in Buckingham, one of the first and largest farm wineries in the state, offers tastings of red, white, rosé, and fruit wines, as well as several types of Methode Champenoise sparkling wine.
• Crossing Vineyards and Winery is located on a 200-year-old estate in Washington Crossing. It is situated less than a mile from where George Washington crossed the Delaware River in 1776.
• Manoff Market Cidery, a family farm and cidery in New Hope, grows the apples used in their cider, also known as apple wine. They produce different varieties of ciders, both sparkling and still.
• Rose Bank Winery in Newtown produces French-style award-winning fruit wines. The land was originally deeded by William Penn to his daughters.
• Blind Fox Vineyard in Erwinna’s tasting room is not open yet, but you can try their wine at upcoming events like the Bucks County Pour Tour.
The Bucks County Pour Tour will be held on Aug. 2, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Bishop Estate Vineyard and Winery. The afternoon will include wine and cider tastings from the member organizations and plenty of music, food, and a vendor fair.
Cindy Bishop of Bishop Estate Vineyard and Winery told Metro Philly Suburbs, “Expect a laid-back and fun day. All the wineries on the trail will be in one spot and there will be music and food trucks.”
Bring your lawn chairs and blankets for a fun outing, including the music of John McDevitt and the tasty food of the Comfort Kitchen and Meat Wagon BBQ food trucks. Each attendee will receive a Bucks County Pour Tour wine glass, which they can take to each winery’s tent for samples. Each winery is offering at least four samples.
You can also purchase wine, either by the glass or bottle. Local craft beer and wine slushies will also be available to purchase. Tickets cost $28.52 and can be purchased online.
There is no specific beginning or end to the Bucks County Wine Trail, so if you are planning to hit the trail on your own, you can choose where you want to start your journey. It is recommended that you plan to spend a weekend or a two-day period exploring all the wineries on the trail.
Since this tour is self-guided, make sure you allot enough time at each winery with proper travel time to fit all of them in without feeling rushed. Generally, you should plan to spend at least 45 minutes to an hour at each stop.
The cost of tastings varies between each winery, but generally it will cost $6 to 20 per winery per person, with additional charges for food and specialty wines.
Bishop said, “We have been a member of the Bucks County Wine Trail since it started. It is a chance to promote the industry and share resources.”
For more information, visit buckscountywinetrail.com
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