This winery and restaurant prides itself on its “backwoods hometown hospitality”.
Bill Warner, owner, explains the appeal in a video on their website, “Here, you come to a party in our backyard, Perry County style. We started making wine back in the early '80s, and we made this wine in '09…The next year, I made a lot of different flavors…and everybody was liking it.”
He continued, “For one thing, we’re very laid back, very friendly. It’s we all about having fun, you know, it’s nice and cool in the summertime. It’s peaceful. When you come into this place, it’s like you went way out in the country, but you’re only 20 minutes from Harrisburg. It just gives you that feeling that you’re way out there in the middle of nowhere. Our wines are different than most wineries because our wines basically taste more like fruit juice than wine flavor or alcohol. This is all made with real fruit. It’s not flavored wine. Our grapes taste pretty much as close as what the actual grape tastes like. That’s what makes us stand out differently in most of the wineries.”
He said they also have large deck with a roof. According to Warner, “It’s basically a nightclub in the woods. The place reminds you of a barn and it stays cool because it’s in the shade. Once you come do it once, you’ll come back for more.”
While you’re there, check out their menu too! They serve artisan wood-fired pizza and stromboli, as well as woodfired angus burgers and fresh cut fries.
They say, “From hillbilly family roots to the roots of the vines in the vineyards, the fun starts at Buddy Boy Winery!”
Fero Vineyards and Winery, Lewisburg:
Located just off Route 15, Fero Vineyards and Winery features unique fine dry and sweet wines grown and produced in Pennsylvania.
Fero Co-Owner, Chuck Zaleski’s love affair with the grape began at Bucknell University when his studies took him overseas to Vienna. As part of his “personal curriculum,” he would visit several historic vineyards and found himself fascinated with the profiles of the area’s premium varietals such as Rieslings, Weissburgunder, Grüner Veltliner, and crisp Sauvignon Blancs.
After graduating and while practicing medicine back in the states, Chuck met and fell in love with his wife, Daneen, who just so happens to also be an avid wine lover. The couple enjoyed trips to the Finger Lakes region of New York and found themselves discussing the possibility of starting a vineyard of their own. In 2004, the couple had an opportunity to convert part of an 1812 family farm and Fero Vineyards & Winery was born.
Chuck works behind the scenes and is the creator of the fine wines produced at Fero. His great taste and dedication to providing an impeccable product makes Fero wines so exceptional. Daneen is the leader of the staff and the one who ensures seamless communication between the vineyard, the winery, and the tasting room.
Fero has earned dozens of awards through the PA Wine Society, PA Farm Show, Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, and many others. View their long list of accolades here.
Four Friends Vineyard and Winery, Montgomery:
Four Friends Vineyard & Winery is a family-owned, 33-acre estate in Montgomery, that produces wine for all occasions. Come relax on the deck overlooking the vineyard in the beautiful Susquehanna River Valley. Their outdoor covered deck can be rented for a special event - bridal shower, birthday party or business meeting.
Owners, Ken and Tina Day said, “Starting out with a small vineyard, with help from good friends we planted 50 Delaware vines and 50 Cayuga vines by hand (pick and shovel). Since then, we have modernized somewhat, and added more vines each year, with the help of more good friends. (Hence “Four Friends Vineyard” namesake was created).”
In June of 2009 we broke ground for the construction of the Winery consisting of a tasting room with an outdoor covered deck and our wine production area.
Four Friends produces a wide array of wines from extra dry to sweet table wines. They offer tastings for around $4 for a selection of 6 wines.
They also offer light food options like soft pretzels, pretzel wraps, sticky buns, and occasionally homemade chocolate shot glasses. You can also get a 5% discount when purchasing six bottles.
Iron Vines is a small batch, eclectic winery and wine bar located in a restored feed mill in downtown Sunbury. In addition to their house-made wine, Iron Vines serves PA spirits and beer. Their new menu features some favorites from Chef Scott Willard formerly of the Chestnut St. Inn along with some delicious new offerings.
Owner Dave Snyder has always been passionate about music, wine, art, and spending quality time with friends and family. The atmosphere of Iron Vines is like no other place you’ll find around. The space offers a unique array of art pieces, weekend live music, and an extensive spread of wines.
Dave’s interest in wine began in the early seventies, as he began tasting and experiencing wine from all over the world. When creating his own, he wanted something bold, unique, and not available anywhere else.
Dave purchased the winery in May of 2018, formerly the Sunlight Feed Mill, and alongside his wife Ruth, quickly began filling the place with unique art pieces, love, and character. The winery offers live music, a pool table, a wine bar, and an upstairs that is open to the public but also available to rent for special occasions. Don’t miss this hidden gem!
Kulpmont Winery: where coal region heritage meets exceptional winemaking magic. Kulpmont Winery was established in 2016 and produces a full line of wine selections from sweet and dessert wines to fruit and traditional dry wines.
They use high quality juice from some of the best growing areas in the world: New York, California, Italy and South America. The different harvest times of these regions allow Kulpmont Winery to produce high quality wines all year round with new vintages coming out every several months.
Built on friendship: In late 2015, after countless conversations fueled by their shared dreams and aspirations, Rich and John decided to turn their vision into reality: the birth of Kulpmont Winery. This venture wasn't just another fleeting idea among many; it was a culmination of John’s honed winemaking skills and the genuine demand from friends and family who eagerly sought out his exquisite creations.
John’s journey into the world of winemaking had begun years prior with a fortuitous wine-making class. With each batch, his techniques evolved, resulting in wines that consistently surpassed their predecessors. As word of John’s exceptional wine spread, requests for bottles poured in, leaving him gratified by the joy it brought to those who savored each sip.
It was Rich who saw the potential beyond the confines of family gatherings and close-knit circles. He firmly believed in the marketability of their exceptional wines. With unwavering determination, he encouraged John to seize this opportunity. And so, with passion and purpose, they embarked on the remarkable journey of establishing Kulpmont Winery.
Neighbor Lady Vino, New Columbia:
Neighbor Lady Vino was established in 2022 and was founded by couples Buzz and Naomi Reed and Kirby and Tonya Smith. Read more about their joint venture here.
Tonya Smith, one of the co-owners, opened the winery with husband Kirby Smith and Naomi and John (Buzz) W. Reed III, the latter two being the stars of this story.
Explained Tonya: “Buzz and Naomi worked together. Their employer did not allow fraternizing between those considered management and non-management. They secretly began dating, and Buzz, owning a duplex, moved Naomi into the other half of his house. So anytime he referenced her at work, he would call her ‘the neighbor lady’ When they approached Kirby and myself about starting a winery [they know wine, and Kirby and I know business] they had approached us with the name they had always wanted to call a winery if they ever started one, Neighbor Lady Vino. They wanted to start a winery because they were retiring and knew the timing was right for them to do so. They also knew we would be the perfect partners for them.”
The relaxed and inviting lounge area makes this a true winery destination. Their winemaker, with almost twenty years’ experience, enjoys creating quality wines that the novice wine drinker or the experienced palate will enjoy.
Offering nearly 40 different wines, specializing in dry reds while also featuring a variety of sweet and semi-sweet reds and whites, plus signature drinks like the Neighbor Lady Mule and wine slushes.
The atmosphere features a relaxed tasting room with a fireplace, big screens, and an outdoor deck area. They also host live music and events on weekends.
Shade Mountain Winery & Vineyards, Middleburg:
Shade Mountain is a family-owned and -operated 70-acre vineyard with more than 30 varieties of grapes from which all the award-winning wines are made. Their acreage puts them at the top of the Commonwealth for independent wine grape growers, as few PA wineries actually grow ALL of their own wine grapes.
The winery is housed in a 19th Century converted bank barn and has grown to produce over 30,000 gallons of wine annually. Find your new favorite in their comfortable tasting room or while enjoying the beautiful scenery from their expansive deck.
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, Shade Mountain hosts a Fall Harvest Festival that can’t be missed. Alongside grape stomping the old-fashioned way, the customer appreciation weekend features a traditional pig roast, soup, wine tastings, and live music on the deck.
Grape stompings are typically hosted at 1, 2 and 3 pm during the weekend. The Boy Scouts from Troup 441 will be offering up their delightful Kettle Korn! Music will be provided by The Trainwreck Survivors from 1-3 p.m. They will have a tent where wine by the glass and wine by the bottle can be purchased.
In 1989, Karl and Carolyn Zimmerman converted their Snyder County corn and soybean farm into a vineyard. Since then, their four adult children have returned home to join the family winegrowing business. Karl and sons, Bill and Ben, spend their days in the vines and vats while Carolyn and daughters, Amy and Jenny, staff the tasting rooms. As one can already surmise, “family” is a huge part of what makes Shade Mountain Winery work.
They grow natives (i.e. Concord, Steuben, Niagara etc.) without too much difficulty. However, the European varietals (i.e. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay etc.) require more attention and growing techniques such as grafting (where they graft the varietal to root stalk).
They truly do it all at Shade Mountain: cultivate the vines, harvest the grapes, and produce the final product – award-winning wine!
Spyglass on the Ridge Winery, Sunbury:
A unique winery located in a renovated 1814 bank barn just outside of Sunbury, Spyglass plays host to large concerts and many types of events throughout the year. They offer a large selection of dry and sweet wines and have fifteen acres of vines, as well as an on-site micro-brewery. 
What began as a hobby has taken on a life of its own, as both proprietors Tom and Tammy Webb can attest to.
Tom Webb, Jr. had a love of winemaking that stemmed from his high school days. But it wasn’t until college that he learned the actual process of making wine from fresh fruit, from his landlord who just happened to have a small-scale personal winery in the basement of his home. He deepened his knowledge even more while working at a vineyard and winery in the Lehigh Valley area. Tom's wine making skills were an asset to the owner, who was more versed on the vineyard side of things. It was a natural pairing of expertise.
In 1995, Tammy’s grandparents were looking to sell their farm that had been in the family for generations and they wanted it to remain that way. The couple soon realized that the ground was perfect for grape growing. After much discussion, Tom and Tammy purchased the farm. It was time to put Tom’s expertise and love of winemaking to the ultimate test. They started by hand-planting 20,000 grape vines, and selling the grapes to other winemakers. As equipment was slowly purchased, Tom and Tammy began to produce small batches of wines for themselves and close friends. But a bigger idea was brewing.
The farm had a single home and a barn that dated from 1814 situated on it. The barn had plenty of usable space and, with a lot of hard work and vision, could be converted into a unique winery. The main floor of the barn soon became a tasting room, large enough to hold events and functions. The 2-level loft offered additional room while the bottom floor of the barn housed the cellar and production areas. After a long renovation process, the barn was finally complete. Creating the interior filled with stylish fixtures, lighting and tile work, the whole family got in on the fun. The work was completed in record time and the results were stunning. At last, Spyglass Ridge Winery was born.
Over the years Tom and Tammy’s labor of love has grown. Winemaker Dana Walter joined the team in 2006 and has been expanding their menu ever since. Adding a second tasting room to the winery as a convenient and cozy spot for patrons when private parties are held in the main tasting room was another big step.
Live music has always been a passion of the Webbs and supporting local live music has been a priority from day one. The Spyglass Backyard Concert Series has grown over the years from small shows on a hand-made plywood stage, to National acts performing on the venues permanent outdoor stage.
Last, but not least, the Webb’s have worked together to offer Spyglass on the Ridge, combining the tasting room and restaurant for the full Spyglass experience.
Union Cellars is a family-owned and -operated winery with a wide variety of wines - dry to sweet - and a large patio with beautiful views of the vineyard, as well as the rolling farmlands and mountains of Union County.
Located between Lewisburg and Mifflinburg on Furnace Road, Union Cellars Winery opened during COVID, in May 2020, by husband-and-wife Jillian and Mark Rogers and their four young boys. The 3-acre vineyard is surrounded by her parents’ corn and soybean farm, where she grew up.
While the original plan was to build a new structure, they jumped at the opportunity to purchase a former Auto Body Shop adjacent to their parent’s farm. After a full year of renovations in 2019 and thanks to Jillian’s interior design flair, they have successfully transformed the space into a modern, sleek, and cozy light-filled space offering expansive views of the vineyard and farm fields.
They offer a wide variety of wines, seasonally up to 20, ranging from dry to sweet, using their own grapes and grapes purchased from a 250-mile radius, including nearby wineries Shade Mountain Winery and Fero Winery.
Although a young winery, they already have some awards under their belt. Pet-Nat Sauvignon Blanc won silver and Pathfinder dry red wine with hints of wild berry and earthy undertones won bronze in the Camp Good Days Finger Lakes International Wine & Spirits Competition.
One of their most popular varietals is the Pet-Nat dry sparkling wine, made in the rustic Pét-nat style, short for Pétillant Naturel. According to Jillian, the wine is bottled while it’s still fermenting, capturing the bubbles, and giving the wine a crisp, yet rustic, unfiltered, appeal.
Jillian said, “My parents love having the winery here. The farm has been in my family since the Great Depression…my dad is thrilled to see it be put to use in a new and different way.”
Their large patio includes beautiful views of the vineyard, as well as the rolling farmlands and mountains of Union County. Live music is often hosted on the patio in the summer.
Whispering Oaks Vineyard, Sunbury:
This family-owned and -operated vineyard, winery, tasting room and event venue offers delicious wines along with breathtaking views from the patio or observation deck. Whispering Oaks Vineyard offers the perfect location to enjoy a toast to life and the love of it. The last words spoken by visitors are “we'll be back.” 
Owner Tracey Bonney said, “While in our early stages of business it took the input, talent and time of all ten of the family members who share ownership in the business, it is now mainly managed by myself and my husband Ryan on the wine side, and my brother Brian and his wife Jacki on the rental side. We’re all co-owners.”
They recently expanded to a satellite store in the Banty Rooster at Ard's Farm, Lewisburg. You can also find them weekly at the following farmers’ markets: Lewisburg Farmers Market (year-round on Wednesdays) and Selinsgrove Farmers Market (Saturdays, May-November) to name a few.
A unique feature of their tasting room – in addition to wine, it features other locally made items. This includes drinks from local breweries, distilleries and even a selection of locally made sodas (Red Cream, Blue Birch, Moxie) from the Catawissa Bottling Company as well as unique food items such as game summer sausages from Shaffer Venison Farms in Herndon, artisanal cheeses from Goot Essa in Howard and pickles from Peter Peppers PA Pickles made in Lewisburg. Even the chips (Middleswarth/Middleburg) and pretzels (Uncle Henry's/Mohnton) are made locally.
According to Tracey, “One of our most popular wines is our award-winning Poppy’s Peach. It is just like taking a bite from a fresh, ripe, peach. It was named after one of the owners – my father, affectionately known as Poppy by all his grandchildren. He is not a big fan of wine; he says it makes him ‘make faces’. However, he really enjoys our Poppy’s Peach mixed with some ginger ale for a truly refreshing spritzer. With that discovery, he is pleased to say that he can enjoy a wine-based drink that doesn’t make him ‘make faces'.”
Other Notable Mentions:
Catino Vino, a family-owned winemaking supply store, was established in 1996 with one mission: to bring a high-quality winemaking supply store to the Coal Region and preserve the area’s heritage with specialty wines and Italian meats. With grapes and juices coming from all over the world, Catino’s offers the local area a passport to the world of wine.
They also offer beermaking supplies, homemade cured meats and a variety of imported cheeses.
Catino’s also offers a social gathering space. Catino’s new patio is the perfect place to relax, enjoy a band and sip a new favorite vintage.
Fun fact: they offer winemaking classes! Offered in 3-session packages starting at $275 per couple, which includes winemaking kits, custom labels, and hands-on guidance (requires a $100 non-refundable down payment with a minimum of 5 couples per class).
Wine Trail
Established in 2003, the Susquehanna Heartland Wine Trail (SHWT) features 15 wineries nestled throughout Central Pennsylvania, along the scenic Susquehanna and Juniata Rivers. The member wineries are passionate grape growers and winemakers, dedicated to sharing both their craft and the charm of the small towns they call home. Spend a leisurely weekend getaway or a relaxing day trip exploring the trail - sipping award-winning wines, meeting the makers, and uncover the local restaurants, shops, and hidden gems that make the region so special.
