Looking for new weekend activity outside of downtown State College? How about a wine-tasting trip?
The Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery is located 10 minutes away from State College at 300 Houser Rd. Centre Hall, PA 16828. It is a family-owned winery “dedicated to crafting exceptional local wine” from the winery’s beautiful mountainside location in central Pennsylvania.
Founded by Joe and Betty Carroll in 1990, the Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery is a six-acre vineyard that produces 16,000 gallons of wine annually. The southern exposure and elevation of the vineyard create a climate that is conducive to growing grapes. Cayuga, Seyval Blanc, Riesling, Vidal Blanc, Itasca, and Muscat Valvin are several of the types of grapes that are harvested.
Upon entry at the winery, it is impossible to overlook the beautiful setting. Behind the wooden deck is a large pond with tables set up around the perimeter. Various trees and other lush greenery surround the pond and deck area. Customers are offered the option to taste wine inside the winery, outdoors by the pond, or on the elevated deck overlooking the water.
The menu contains variations of dry whites, dry rosé, dry reds, semi-sweet, semi-dry, sweet, and fruit & dessert wines. The food menu has numerous kinds of cheese, crackers, and other charcuteries that pair perfectly with the drinks. The flights of wine are presented from lightest to darkest in terms of color and richness. Each glass contains approximately two ounces of wine, which equates to between one and two glasses of wine per flight.
The winery is open until 5:00 p.m. every day, and customers have a two-hour window for their wine tasting. After the conclusion of the wine tasting, there are bottles available to purchase inside the winery. VALLEY recommends the sweet Mountain Mist wine or the Spring Creek Peach fruit & dessert wine.
Next time you host a wine Wednesday, make sure to tweet us your favorite kind of wine @VALLEYmag on Twitter!
