“Perhaps the best-known American practitioner of true 'vins de terroir' is East Coast vintner Anthony
Vietri of Pennsylvania's Va La Vineyards. Although Vietri has only a 6.7-acre plot, he has separated
it into four distinct terroirs, each producing a single wine from several varieties...
that, through years of experimentation, each soil has selected. ”
— Roger Morris, Drinks Business
"Tour Pennsylvania through some of America's oldest farmland
to experience one of America's best wineries...
Va La is not merely recommended, it is unmissable."
— -- Lonely Planet, March 2023
"Va La remains very much a rare East Coast cult winery. Owner and winemaker
Anthony Vietri has maintained the same philosophy...growing a number of largely
northern Italian varieties in a single vineyard, producing a handful of small-batch wines,
and selling them out of his farm's tasting room.
Va La was the only PA winery that made all four of the 101 Best Wineries in
America lists that Daily Meal published a few years ago. It’s also unabashedly
proud of remaining old-school…"
— -- Paul Vigna, Patriot News, April and December, 2022
"Va La specializes in small production field blends made predominantly from Northern Italian
and French varieties. Farmer/winemaker Anthony Vietri is a fascinating man,
making fascinating wines. "
— -- Noelle Allen, Philly Eater, August 10, 2021
"Anthony Vietri and his tiny Avondale winery have gotten well deserved national acclaim
for making wines with a true sense of terroir. His fascinating field blends lean Italian with
a signature red made with Nebbiolo..." -- Caroline Coral, Carpe Travel, September 21, 2021
"In France, 'vintner' is used to describe someone like Vietri, a solitary grower who works
a small farm...Vietri's wines are more in the Italian or French style, with elegant, intense,
restrained fruitiness, a disciplined textural structure, and a long, crisp finish with sufficient
but not overwhelming acidity. They're the kind of wines that for centuries, have been
made to take to the dinner table." -- Roger Morris, The Hunt Magazine, September 2021
"The first time we set foot in the stone barn’s tasting room, we knew
we'd found a favorite...The tastings here are perfection." -- County Lines Magazine, January 2021
" A talented vigneron and humble gentleman keeper of family land and traditions...
He makes wines as authentic as any I've tasted outside of Italy."
— -- Hank Zona, The Grapes Unwrapped November 9, 2020
"Recognition hasn't come in contests because they don't enter any."
-- Paul Vigna, Harrisburg Patriot News, May 26, 2020
“...Va La Vineyards remains a rather low-key secret of Chester County, a hidden gem,
its reputation is second-to-none.
— Jen Samuel, The Daily Local, February 23,2020
| Avondale field wines
We are a family farm that produces small-batch dry table wines.
Our wines are made from the north italian and french varieties that we grow here. The farmer is the winemaker. The wines are made in the old world style, to offer earthiness, good acidity, and savory flavors. A small amount of bottles are produced each vintage. We hope very much that you enjoy them. -- Anthony and family.
The entirety of our small production is offered at the farm. Please see the visit page for info. |
This amber field blend wine was produced by
the stony soils of the southeast area of the field.
( tocai, malvasia bianca, fiano,
pinot grigio, petit manseng )
"It is a wonderful field blend of Malvasia Bianca, Petit Manseng, Pinot Grigio, Tocai, and Fiano...
It is a lush, full-bodied, complex blend that has a beautiful color and mouthfeel, with citrus
and tropical notes on the palate."
— David Mullen, New Jersey Uncorked.com, April 28, 2024
"Thanks to @valavineyards for beautiful local wines that were a perfect pairing
with this dinner, especially La Prima Donna, a favorite that is one of the most
golden things in a glass you'll ever drink."
— Craig LaBan, Restaurant Critic Philadelphia Inquirer Instagram, November 26, 2021
"This unique, skin-fermented field blend -- all grown on a single hillside just outside of Philadelphia,
is as complex and textured as any "orange wine" I've tasted from anywhere.
Give it at least an hour in your glass, or better yet, an hour or two in a decanter, to fully enjoy."
— Lenn Thompson, The Cork Report, September 24, 2018
“This aromatic skin-fermented white features Tocai, Malvasia Bianca, Fiano, Pinot Grigio,
and Petit Manseng. Though Anthony Vietri, Va Las owner and winemaker, cultivates mixed
plots planted to northern Italian and French varieties of all colors to be made into
terroir-specific field-blend wines, this is the only white he bottles.…”
— Shelby Vittek, Wine Enthusiast Magazine, May 2019
“Lush, full-bodied with complex citrus and tropical fruit flavors; continues to
develop as it breathes and opens up; intense minerality; long, persistent finish."
— Rodney Chonka, Philly Wine Guy, October 16, 2017
“We started with La Prima Donna, Va La's famed white wine... (the first of many
of Va La's wines that caused me to contemplate the meaning of life)"
— The Drunken Cyclist December 2015
“...I've not tasted a more complex and fascinating local wine, red, white or orange."
— Craig LaBan, Philadelphia Inquirer
“…truly one of the best American whites I have tasted.”
— Roger Morris, Delaware Today Magazine
This dry rosato was produced from the soils
of the eastern slopes of the hill.
( corvina veronese, barbera, nebbiolo,
carmine, petit verdot, etc. )
"This luscious rosato from one of the state's most sought-after wineries
is...nuanced and complex; a wine to sip, not chug."
--- Emily Kovach, PA Eats Magazine Apr 1, 2021
"This is one of the most complex Roses I've ever tasted,
made with Corvina Veronese, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Petit Verdot, Langrein and others...
is amazing. I take that back - EVERYTHING was amazing."
--- Matthew Fitzsimmons, Winetrails and Wunderlust, January 2, 2020
"This is the bottle of wine I look forward to every summer, and it's special for a couple of reasons
this wine is masterfully made, tantalizing, and singular. Va La's Silk is a rosato that can hold its own
against quite literally any other natural rosé in any respectable wine bar in the world.
Simply (and maybe surprisingly) put: This rosato made in Pennsylvania
is one of my favorite beverages in any category."
--- Alex Delany, Bon Appetit Magazine July 24, 2019
"I was also very much taken with the Silk. This is a completely dry rosato (rosé).
And, unlike many so-called "pink" wines, it possesses an unusually full body and delightfully
elegant complex texture. A complete joy on a warm summer's afternoon."
---The Artful Diner, May 16, 2018
"There aren't too many roses that I come across on the east coast that are better on day 2
than on their first day open. This blend from Va La Vineyards most certainly is. Wow.
Strawberries drizzled with balsamic, sprinkled with black pepper in a sandalwood bowl."
--- Lenn Thompson, The Cork Report March 29, 2017
"Silk has evolved into a gorgeous oddity - a wine with voluptuous fruit and what feels like
good structure, but one that also drinks seamlessly with virtually invisible edges."
--- Craig LaBan Philadelphia Inquirer, July 21, 2017
“This is a wine that is hard to describe but it is oh so good. This gets a Whoa.
And then another. Whoa. This wine will not only challenge your conception of a rosé,
it might cause you to question what you have been doing your entire adult life.…”
--- 2013 Silk, The Drunken Cyclist
“This rosato is so much more than your average rose'... this wine dances
across your tongue, coats the sides of your mouth, and excites your senses.…”
--- Silk 2013, American Winery Guide, Steven M. Giles
" ...a red wine drinker's rose, complex...it drinks beautifully
at room temperature or slightly chilled."
-- Saveur the Good Life!
"This wine is beautiful...Purple and red, but translucent.
Big deep flavors of dark raspberry and plum."
--- Carlo DeVito, East Coast Wineries Blog
This red field blend was produced by the black
mushroom soils of the center area of the hill.
(malvasia nera, barbera, sagrantino, carmine,
lagrein, charbono, teroldego, petit verdot)
"If you can get it, a bottle of Mahogany Va La shows off the potential of the black
mushroom soils of this vineyard through a blend of eight grape varieties. This wine
is known for its wonderful complexity..."
— Jill Barth, USA TODAY, July 2019
"Our absolute favorite was the Mahogany...extremely bold, being rich and dark...
This wine could be paired with a winter stew or be enjoyed while sitting at a bonfire
during a crisp, fall evening."
— East Coast Wine Couple, September 5, 2018
“…am not a big red kind of guy, but this is truly wonderful
as the multitude of different components meld together into a cohesive whole.
The wine is wonderful now, but could easily take on a decade in the cellar. Outstanding.”
— The Drunken Cyclist Blog, December 2015
"Mahogany is one of Va Las signature reds and it was a standout of the tasting.
There was just a lot going on in this wine and every taste revealed something different...
It is a great wine by any measure"
--- Brian Yost, The Virginia Grape, June 4, 2018
"It is hard to prepare someone for what their first taste of Mahogany will be.
If there was a First Growth classification of the east coast, Va La Mahogany
would absolutely be on it."
--- Carlo DeVito, East Coast Wineries, April 22, 2018
"And now, the piece de resistancevery dense, concentrated, opening up to reveal
red and dark fruit flavors; velvety, lush texture with hints of bramble, earthiness, dark chocolate,
blackberry, spice; powerful, full-bodied but not overbearing; well-balanced, harmonious."
--- Rodney Chonka, PhillyWineGuy, October 16, 2017
"Nothing against California's new wave of winemakers, but I'd put this Pennsylvania
wine against any of theirs. A wine where you know the winemaker pours his heart and soul
into the vineyard. A special wine."
--- Brian Nicholas Kirby The Other 46 April 2016
"...a breakthrough wine that has a combination of structure, flavors,
and complexity that will improve over the years."
--- Roger Morris, Wilmington News Journal
"...a plush and powerfully intriguing blend called Mahogany... has
'cult wine' potential."
--- Craig LaBan, Philadelphia Inquirer
"...one of my favorites from anyplace around the world."
--- Paul Vigna, The Wine Classroom
"...smoky and chocolaty-rich"
--- David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate "Best of 2012"
This brick-hued field blend was produced by
the red soils on the western edge of the field,
adjoining the neighboring mushroom composting farm.
(nine clones of nebbiolo, from biotypes michet,
lampia, picotener, chiavennasca, and fino, as well as,
special massal selections from this vineyard)
"I'm not one to speak in superlatives, so I'll only refer to Cedar from @valavineyards
as one of the best Nebbiolos outside of northern Italy and one of the best
you'll find grown and made in the US.
And, it's from Pennsylvania. Actually from Pennsylvania."
Hank Zona, The Grapes Unwrapped, November 13, 2022
"My first encounter with an Italian grape outside of Italy was a Nebbiolo I tasted
years ago at tiny Va La Vineyards in southeastern Pennsylvania... In the hands
of Va La's Anthony Vietri, Nebbiolo plays a starring role in a savory, earthy,
velvety, and tangy field blend that is simply: "wow."
Linda Whipple, My Glass Full Blog, March 3, 2021
"All I can say is WOW!...By far the Cedar was the highlight of the visit...
I say this without hesitation, this Nebbiolo was some of the best I've had outside of Piedmont.""
— Wineadelphia blog September 5, 2020
"Va La's Nebbiolo - the one grape Vietri says truly haunts him - is the crown jewel,
benefiting from a steamy fog that emanates from a compost lot next door and drifts
over the vineyard...Though coveted worldwide Nebbiolo has proven difficult to grow
pretty much everywhere other than northwest Italy, yet somehow it has found another
home in mushroom country, PA."
— Mike Madaio, PA Vine Company, January 2020
"The wine we had is actually a #Nebbiolo from Pennsylvania that surprised and delighted!"
—Madeline Puckette, Wine Folly, Instagram December 22, 2019
"Vietri may be the best Nebbiolo specialist outside of Piedmont."
—Wine Enthusiast, Roger Morris, June 2018
“I loved them all. But pay attention to my new favorite, the Italian-styled Cedar.”
— Craig LaBan, Philadelphia Inquirer
… “This is perhaps one of the most unique blends I've ever tasted.
Winemaker Anthony Vietri captures the terroir of his aptly named little vineyard
in this Nebbiolo-based blend bursting with dark fruits, sweet spice, earthiness, tannin, and acidity.”
—Elizabeth Smith, The Traveling Wine Chick Blog
“…could smell this all day…perfect color…no question my favorite
wine, and will be an addition to my cellar.”
— Anthony’s Wine Blog
“...the best Nebbiolo I have tasted outside of Northern Italy…”
— Sommelier News, International Sommelier Guild
“The combination of the land, the vines and the heart and soul of his unwavering dedication in
what he believes, make these wines some of the most intriguing, complex and best I've ever
encountered. Not just in Pennsylvania, the east coast, or even out west in California, Oregon,
or Washington, but anywhere in the world of wine. ”
— Steven M. Giles, SMG Wine Blog
“Here and there vintners prove themselves gratifying exceptions, going against the grain of fashion and propagating field blends and their charm. That includes not just those … in famous growing regions, but also in places where only in this generation were vines even planted at all, as is the case at Channing Daughters on Long Island, or at Va La (not far from the suburbs of Philadelphia and Wilmington on the US East Coast), where Anthony Vietri – also with Italian inspiration - practices co-cultivation and co–fermentation of umpteen varieties. It's not by chance that precisely these — if as yet not well–known — wines from New York and Pennsylvania belong to the most multifaceted and fascinating in the USA.…”
— David Schildknecht, Vinaria
“Anthony Vietri, who crafts the beautiful wines of Va La Vineyards...has developed a deeply
loyal following among those who have tasted the fascinating, soulful wines... ”
— Brian Freedman, Forbes Magazine September 19, 2016
"I was very impressed...They are absolutely as individualistic as hell, and that's great.
Everyone else is trying to make, you know, factory-style Merlot and something like this comes along, it's great."
—Colman Andrews Editorial Director The Daily Meal, Editor in Chief Saveur Magazine
"Vietris wines all field blends from his small vineyardare unlike anything Ive tasted,
not only from Pennsylvania but from the East Coast. Maybe even in the United States...
His wines were game-changers for me "
—Lenn Thompson The Cork Report, March 2016
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We please ask that you take note that:
♦ We advocate the responsible consumption of wine, we do not serve minors or visibly intoxicated persons.
♦ We are a very small family farm, and regrettably unable to accommodate buses, limousines,ocean liners,
or groups over 4 persons indoors, or over 6 persons outdoors, under any circumstances please.
♦ An active, working farm facility where adults are served alcohol should not be considered an environment
conducive to children or pets. Non-Service dogs are permitted, outdoors only, as long as they are
leashed and maintain a 10 foot distance from all other guests. (The same applies to children. 😀)
©2023 Va La Family Farmed Wines. All rights reserved. Images and content are property of Va La Vineyards, unless otherwise noted
Va La Family Farmed Wines | 8820 Gap Newport Pike (Rt. 41) | Avondale, PA | 19311 | 610-268-2702