Penns Woods Winery - Great Viognier and Pinot Noir - And Great People!

When anyone asks me about Pennsylvania winemaking, there are always five wineries I make sure to include. One of them, for a long time, has been Penns Woods. Penns Woods has been one of the shining bright spots of the Pennsylvania wine scene since they first opened. When I wrote the book EAST COAST WINERIES, in the early 2000s, Penns Woods was already a leader in fine wine. Nothign has changed. They have multiple vineyard sites, including Sandy Hill and Woodward Farm. The renowned Gino Razzi was the founder and original winemaker. Gino was an icon in Pennsylvania for many years - and he still is.  But today, the winery is overseen by his daughter, the ever effervescent Carley Razzi.  

Carley Razzi

And the husband-and-wife team of  Davide Creato (Winemaker & Vineyard Manager) and Andrea Creato (Chief financial & operating officer) round out the group that currently runs this dynamic winemaking operation. This triumvirate has this goal - to produce great wines and to offer a terrific wine experience. They do it to perfection!

Andrea and Davide Creato (and their children)

I had the pleasure tasting their wines at the winery in 2021, and getting an extensive tour, along with fellow winescribe Robin Shreeves. All the wines were really impressive. The Rose' was very, very good, as was the Chardonnay, and the two Merlot Reserve wines that were experienced. 

But two wines really caught my attention: The Viognier Reserve and the Pinot Noir Reserve. These two wines were really special. Why am I writing about them now? Because these were the two bottles I purchased at the winery that I held onto. And just recently enjoyed them at two separate dinners. Both were immensely delicious, and better than I even remembered! That deserves some saying. 

Penns Woods Winery has been known for sometime for its delicate and floral Viognier. The Penns Woods Viognier Reserve 2020 is a pale golden, light flax color. Peach, apricot, and pear, tangerine and honeydew, and other tropical notes waft from the glass. One starts to salivate just about here. On the palate fresh cut peaches and apricots, and green apple dominate with notes of nuts, honey, and a lovely minerality. The finish is spectacular. There's a great zippy acidity that leaves the mouth puckering. Great notes of green apple, apricot, and pineapple follow. This is an exceptional Viognier, as good as anywhere else in the US. A very special wine. More so, because it was six years old in the bottle when I opened it. 

The Penns Woods Pinot Noir Reserve 2019 is an eye opener of a different kind. 100% Pinot Noir. The grapes come from their Sandy Hill Vineyard, which is located in Coatesville. The 22 acre property sits on a sunny, south facing slope, and sandy and rocky, at an elevation of 860ft and a 45 minute drive northwest of their Chadds Ford Estate. They grow clones 777, 667, 115, 828 & Pommard. In Davide's view, each clone contributes unique qualities that when blended together, create a beautifully balanced wine.

According to Davide, clusters are destemmed but not crushed, and fermented for 10 days in stainless steel. The wine was then aged for 12 months in a combination of new, second-use and neutral oak. The barrels were blended four months before bottling (stored in stainless steel). 

On the nose of this beautiful red wine was cherry, strawberry, and cranberry, with hints of fall. There are some other notes as well. Floral? On the palate, a bowl of fresh red fruit - cherry, strawberry, raspberry- and a hint of plum, as well as a touch of sandlwood? Nuts? The finish is long, with lovely acidity and terrific red fruit lingering on and on. This was a spectacular Pinot Noir, with tremendous power - and finesse. 

And just recently, I was at the East Coast Winery Exposition 2025. There, I got to try the Penns Wood Pinot Noir 2021. This wine was aromatic, complex, with a great floral and fruity nose, deep cherry, raspberry, and plumb notes, and terrific acidity and long lasting flavor! One of the most memorable wines of the expo! And another reminder of how well Penns Woods does Pinot Noir!!!!

Today, when people ask me what are the best wineries on the east coast, Penns Woods comes to mind. Penns Woods has proven yet again what a great winery is really about - great people - and superior winemaking.  Congrats to Carley, Davide and Andrea!