The Wyalusing Valley Museum will be publishing a ‘Winery of the Week’ feature article each and every Friday from now until the Wyalusing Valley Wine Festival on Saturday, Sept. 15, in an effort to highlight the many loyal Pennsylvania wineries and vineyards that have sampled and sold their beloved varietals at the festival throughout its 15-year history.

Our final ‘Winery of the Week’ is Sand Castle Winery.

They say America is the land of opportunity. Brothers Joseph and Paul Maxian would likely concur with that sentiment having come to the U.S. from Bratislava, Czechoslovakia as young men and starting their very own winery in 1974 known as Sand Castle Winery.

Bratislava is a region renowned for winemaking, which led the Maxian brothers to combine European and American traditions to create world class, premium wines. In fact, the 72-acre estate of Sand Castle Winery located in Erwinna, PA, was named after a magnificent castle in their hometown of Bratislava. The stunning estate offers a 17-mile view of the picturesque Delaware River Valley.

The Central Delaware Valley is recognized by the government as a designated viticultural district, one of the few places in the world where Cabernet, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Noir can grow with equal success.

The 10,000-square foot Sand Castle Winery includes, a tented Garden Pavilion, the second floor Grand Hall, and an expansive tasting room, and a 7,000 square foot wine cellar. Sand Castle Winery hosts daily wine tastings and tours, private tastings, events, and is a distinctive location for parties and weddings.

All Sand Castle wines are made exclusively from grapes grown on the property, earning the esteemed label of estate grown. Of all wineries in the United States, Sand Castle is among an elite five-percent that grow and bottle their own wines on site. The painstaking attention to quality is a large investment that limits production and yields superior wine.

Wine education is a part of every visit to Sand Castle Winery. The enthusiastic winemakers and staff encourage guests to not only enjoy the wine, but also understand where it came from. The relaxed environment leads to a delightfully approachable education on the art of winemaking and the hobby of consumption.

Sand Castle wines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Johannisberg Riesling, and Pinot Noir, which have been specially selected and grafted for the vineyards cool climate and rocky soils. Sand Castle wines are created exclusively using the best European vinifera grape varieties and are all estate grown and bottled. Our seedlings were cloned from European stock, carefully selected from the Mosel Valley of Germany and the Burgundy and Bordeaux districts of France. Grape vines planted in rocky soils combine with the moderating temperatures of the Delaware River to produce fruit ideal for wine making. Grape vines planted in rocky soils combine with the moderating temperatures of the Delaware River are said to produce fruit ideal for wine making.

Perhaps Sand Castle Wineries most beloved wine, particularly among Wyalusing Valley Wine Festival goers, is the “Alpine Spice.” This blend of Chardonnay and Riesling intermingle in this sweet wine mulled with a secret spice blend that is perfect for the fall season. Chilled or heated, it is sure to please the palate.

Sand Castle Winery will once again be attending the annual Wyalusing Valley Wine Festival this year and will, as always, be a heavily visited booth.

For more information, visit www.sandcastlewinery.com.