Housed in a dramatic 18th century red barn, the New Hope Winery wins over guests with historic charm and a central location.
The Place: Situated amidst antique shops and small businesses on a fairly busy route between New Hope and Peddler's Village, the New Hope Winery immediately wins you over with the large, rustic red barn proudly displaying the winery's name. Walking up the ramp to the barn door entrance, guests enter the large room that houses the tasting room, gift shop and a collection of antiques. Nothing seems out of place with the old, dark wood posts and beams, and the whole place oozes charm. The tasting room counter is towards the back of the barn, offering up plenty of room for patrons to indulge in the winery's libations.
The Experience: Upon arrival, guests pay for the winery tasting and receive a complimentary New Hope Winery tasting glass to take home. Leisurely making my way back to the tasting counter, it seemed that people were enjoying the ambience, but not entirely focused on the tasting process. I quickly learned that the staff at New Hope Winery (at least the staff present on the day I visited) was a bit stand-offish and not overly helpful. Throughout the tasting, little information about the wines or winery was given, and the experience was a bit of a bore. It seems as though this winery is a good place for casual wine drinkers who enjoy browsing the gift shop more than tasting the wines.
The Wines: For a $7 tasting fee, guests to New Hope Winery can sample five wines. Out of the five wines I chose, sadly none stood out nor piqued my interest. The whites offered included a Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Chablis, Riesling and Niagara. Moving to the reds, the favorite had to be the Solebury Red, though it lacked depth and character. Other reds in New Hope's repertoire include a Chancellor, Chambourcin Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon, Nouveau 2010 and Concord.
Like most wineries on the Bucks County Wine Trail, New Hope also offers a selection of fruit wines. Though my favorite was the Blackberry, the Raspberry and Cherry wines also had nice body. Out of the variety wines, the Pink Catawba was refreshing, but a little too sweet for my palate. Towards the end of the tasting, I noticed that I was pouring out more wine than I was actually drinking.
Word to the Wise: With appropriately managed expectations, a visit New Hope Winery can be a fun experience. However, if you're looking for a more comprehensive tasting experience and high-quality wines, head to another stop on the Bucks County Wine Trail.
