va la vineyards

We went on Valentine's Day weekend for the wine, chocolate, and cheese pairing. The wine was decent, but we have had much better at other wineries. The chocolate and cheese were excellent, however you are given very small amounts. The grounds were clean and the service was very good. Even in the winter the winery looked beautiful. Worth a stop if you are in the area. We wold rate it as 3.5 stars.

make no mistake, Va La's wines are an astonishing achievement for the terroir and climate the winemakers have to grapple with - and to even approach the sort of wines they routinely churn out in the Italian piedmonte is laudable but these wines are winners in their own right. Except you don't find over there blends of barbera, corvina and nebbiolo.... The very elaborate and slow-paced tasting with matching nibbles does work and I'm glad we did it. yes the wines are "expensive" but here you get what you pay for and they were the best wines we tried in PA, bar none. Awesome, especially the Cedar.

I love wine. I love wine tasting. I love a long picnic lunch while sipping a glass of vino. To find any of these together in PA is a treat, however, a very expensive treat. Va La vineyards tasting room is a converted barn and captures rustic elegance. The tasting is professional, informative, and friendly. Added bonus: local cheeses and homemade foccaccia accompany the tasting ($20--that's Napa Valley pricing!). The property is too lovely and when you add live music, it's a perfect afternoon for a picnic and glass (or two) of wine. Now for the wine: the good news is Va La only grows italian grapes, so no juicy juice indigenous PA grapes, and the wine is surprisingly decent. My favorite was the Mahogony, but was quite surpised by the white and the rose', called Silk, was rather pleasing if you like oak. I love oak. But the price. THE PRICE! They have no business charging $50 for any of their wines. Yes, decent wine from PA is exceedingly rare and the whole tasting, languishing in the vineyard listening to music while sipping wine is equally as rare in PA that I rate this experience 4 stars/very good, but because of the astronomical price I will hesitate to return. For $50 you can buy a lot of amazing wine, not just decent wine. Or maybe I will only limit myself to a glass of wine so I can enjoy the experience, because in order to picnic you must purchase either a glass or a bottle. All in all, I think you should go and imbibe--at least once--and you'll probably go back because it's all we got here in PA.

This is an enjoyable way to spend a beautiful summer day. Go for the views because the wine is just ok.

Who would think that you could fine a sophisticated vineyard in the rural, mushroom growing area town of Avondale, PA? Strange but true!Va La's wines rate right up there with the big boys, and while the vineyard is small, their tasting room is spacious and fun. There's also an upstairs room with tables and chairs and an outdoor patio. A fun way to spend a hour or two and taste some really nice, dry wines.

My husband and I just spend a lovely weekend in the Brandywine Valley and just stumbled upon Va La Vineyards. We were the only ones there during an early Sunday afternoon and the tasting (which lasted a little more than an hour) was truly an experience to remember. Janet, our tasting host, was knowledgeable about both the wine and the family who owns the vineyard. This tasting is definitely something to savor, and the wines as well. Not usually a red wine enthusiast, but the 2010 silk was just wonderful. This is a bottle to save for special occasions. Highly recommended.

The Va La tasting experience is exceptional. I've been bringing friends and out of town guests to this lovely vineyard for the last 5 years. The wines are excellent and redeem the PA wine experience... Nothing sweet or syrupy here! The Mahogony wine rivals some mertiages I've enjoyed from Napa. The customer service is always top notch and the local cheese, chocolate, and bread pairings complement the wines extremely well.

We had visited black walnut winery earlier this month and we asked which other winery to visit and hands down they said va la. We asked of it would be okay to bring in kids (with backup MIL) and they pointed to their backyard over looking the vines. The tasting was 20 for four wines but it includes three perfectly paired cheeses, bread with olive oil and a "house" chocolate truffle. We tried Prima Donna, a white wine with a fruity nose but dry to the palate. Two of their silk reds which were both great in their own right and the epic mohagony wine which they recommend decanting for at least 12 hours!!!! The staff were a pleasure to talk to and very informative. All the wines are blends of very rare grapes. They also sell you wine by the glass and have a nice picnic area. Hands down coming back again!

My sister called and asked me if I wanted to go with her and my mother to a wine tasting vineyard in Avondale . I was excited to go and we had a wonderful time. I had gone to several wine tasting vineyards but never had I gone to one that had paired the wine with some cheeses and homemade bread and olive oil to taste with the wine. The lady who shares the information about the wine explains how the palate receives the wine differently when paired with food. Also we learned about the family's history and how the vineyard came about. After the tasting we then purchased some wine and cheese and crackers and went out side to enjoy some live music. the weather was perfect and just a perfect day. You can take a picnic of your own food and buy a bottle of wine and enjoy the music and relax.

I was given a bottle of wine from this vineyard two years ago and was surprised by the quality. At that time I vowed to go to the winery at some point to see for myself.Last week I did just that and the surprise continued. We did the wine tasting which was slow and deliberate with the wines being served paired to local cheeses and chocolates. It was a 45 minute experience in which we enjoyed one white and three reds..The wine is exceptional for this part of the world. I have a wine cellar and prefer big red wine from Washington State or California. The wine here at Va La was, of course, not on the level of those big wines but I bought a case so that speaks for itself.The wine barn is quaint and comfortable and the tasting area is clean and comfortable. The hostess was cheerful and engaging. She had an almost Bohemian quality - in the best sense of that word.All in all I would go back - it was a pleasant break.

The wine was WONDERFUL! and the family that runs things and shares their family history wine bread and culture with you are the best! This was a date for my birthday from my husband and it was a great one. Just going in for a tasting is nothing like any other we have done before. A great time was had by all! I highly recommend Va La if you are in the area.

The best locally made wine I've ever had. Usually end up going here a few times a year. The bottles are more expensive than most PA wines. But, they are worth the extra money because you will enjoy them.

Once you visit Va La you'll realize good wines can be made anywhere - even in Pennsylvania. True, weather and soil aren't as good as in Nappa, but all it requires is enterprise and ingenuity.Before coming to the winery, browse their unique website All pictures and content are created by the visionary behind the winery.The grounds and tasting room are beautiful. Go upstairs and get in line. You'll hear about the winery's quest to create the perfect grape for Pennsylvania soil and climate, and his extreme blending practices of up to 6 grapes in a single batch.The wines keep changing from year to year, in tune with the declared strategy, so if you like their wines the place is worth re-visiting every year, as we've been doing.The Mahogany is a super rich deep red wine, with long after taste and unique aroma, Excellent with meat.If you go for the more understated wines, try Silk, It's got less of a bite and the smooth after taste is perfect for a cheese platter afternoon.If you like your classic cabs and Merlo, this place is a new experience. The wines is different, bold and intriguing and even if you don't like it as much as the famous California wines - I believe for many of you like me you'll realize it's eminently drinkable and come back next year to follow the progress of a true modern-era wine pioneer.

The staff is very knowledgeable and the ambience is very relaxing. The tastings with cheese, divine, and sitting on the deck and looking over the vineyards is like being home in Santa Rosa, California. My favorite place to take out-of-towners.

Best wines I have had in PA, but I did think the cost at $20 for a tasting was a little high.They do pair a cheese or chocolate with each wine which really enhanced the flavor.Enjoyed the experience here