As one of the first wineries to open in Pennsylvania under the Farm Winery Act of 1968, Buckingham Valley Vineyards is steeped in history and takes pride in their facilities and wines.
The Place: Buckingham Valley Vineyards has an expansive and beautiful property on over 40 acres in Bucks County. Driving down the long driveway situated between the vineyard's production acres, visitors' first view of the the winery and tasting room is impressive. Picnic tables and sculptures in the front lawn of the winery serve as a place for visitors to picnic and enjoy the day before or after tastings and self-guided tours.
The Experience: On a busy Saturday at Buckingham Valley Vineyards, the tasting room was packed and slightly chaotic. This is in part due to the fact that Buckingham Valley tastings are free and self-pour. There is no formal tasting, and staff members are only standing by to answer questions, not provide descriptions or information about the wines and vineyard. Guests are welcomed to try as many wines as they want out of the 23 selections offered. Downstairs, a cellar is open to the public for self-guided tours. The whole scene is a bit overwhelming, but fun nonetheless.
The Wines: A free tasting and self-pour option at this winery makes the wine tasting experience very personalized. I chose to taste a variety of reds, whites and fruit wines that I knew suited my palate and then ventured out to try a few new ones. A fan of the Pennsylvania Vidal Blancs, I started my tasting with this wine and was not disappointed with Buckingham Valley Vineyards' version. Other notable whites include the Niagara and the Seyval Blanc. Among the reds, a favorite was the Diego Red, though the Chambourcin and Concordia were also pleasant and neither too sweet nor too bold.
Moving down the line of wines finally brought me to the fruit wines. Buckingham Valley Vineyards has all the standard players that you'll find at most southeastern Pennsylvania wineries -apple, raspberry, strawberry, cherry, and blackberry. While I tend to find fruit wines a bit cloying, the Blackberry wine was enjoyable. A nice White Sangria and Red Sangria also draw upon natural fruit flavors for character and aroma. My tasting was complete with a few sips of the Ruby Port and White Port with their rich flavors and sweet aroma.
Insider's Tip: Bring a picnic lunch to Buckingham Valley Vineyards on a nice day to truly experience everything that this winery has to offer. You can also take a stroll through the vineyard and sample the grapes used to make the huge assortment of wines produced at this timeless winery.
