Happened to visit Galen Glen Winery on the day they offered their annual spring tour. We arrived early and spent some time taking in the gorgeous scenery, then treated ourselves to tastings of Grüner Veltliner, Gewürztraminer, Auslese, Chambourcin - varieties I had never known. This is the most personal and personable winery. Although there appears to be a number of staff members, the owners were on-hand and most friendly. Sarah discussed wine choices in the lovely tasting room while Galen led the tour of the vineyards, answering questions of vines and varieties while discussing the challenges of growing seasons.Did I mention the wines are wonderful? We will be back for another case.
We stopped to have some wine tasting. The views all around are spectacular. The staff very friendly and informative. Wonderful wines and some nice gifts to purchase. Lovely seating inside and out. Definitely will be going back
After sampling wines all around the US and Italy, Galen Glen remains as one of our favorites anywhere. They have some German-inspired whites that are as good as anywhere, including Reislings and the rarer Gewurtztraminers and Gruner Veltliners. The setting is gorgeous on top of a hill overlooking the vines, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and the co-owner, Sarah, recently won the coveted Best Female Winemaker. We would recommend Galen Glen to everyone.
Frankly, we were almost shocked that Pennsylvania wines could be so well developed and multi-dimensional. The winemaker is paving new ground as Winemaker of the Year 2014 and she does a great job. We have been twice to Galen Glen and will return . . . we purchased a mixed case this last trip and are savoring the vintages. The little jellies from the shop make a nice addition to a gift basket. In season, you can pack a picnic and on some summer Saturdays a food truck is on-site - we have missed that but have friended Galen Glen on facebook to get updates.Wine tasting has a modest charge that is waived with purchase - we joined the Case Club and taste for freeWe have Galen Glen programmed into the GPS now and look forward to a nice winding country ride through farms, forests and rising elevation to where the vines meet the sun and dew on hillsides near Hawk Mountain. Cheers!
Even if the wines weren't great, a trip up the hill to Galen Glen would be worth it for the view. This is a lovely little winery, with friendly unpretentious staff eager to share. The tasting includes six wines and the fee is deducted from purchase. Galen Glen is known for their German inspired whites and they are crisp and lush. Some fruity chambourcins, Lehigh Valley thrivers, round out the reds. Try the raspberry, not too sweet, to polish off your tasting, It wish I would have skipped lunch to sample one or two of their paired cheese plate offerings.
Galen Glen Wines is in the rolling country side of Pennsylvania. The view is beautiful as you look out over the vineyards to see the rolling hills. Bring a camera.The wine sampling is $5/person for 6 wines. They apply the $5 to a bottle of wine if you purchase one. They wines are good, especially the dessert wines. The staff is great and very friendly.I recommend stopping here if you're in the area.
This is a small family vineyard with a strong German/Austrian influence. On our post-holiday visit, the roads were twisting and snow-covered (the road it is one is called winter mountain and two of their wines bear this moniker) and while there were some small signs, it would be easy to get lost. This is because it is not placed for the convenience of those visiting but is on part of a farm that has been in the family for 200 years (according to staff), which I view as another reason to support their efforts. They are updating the attractive tasting room with a new slate counter and actual samples of the rock layers under the specific varieties of the vines in displays on the wall. This is a nice building for a winter visit. They have a handful of cafe tables in a side room with a nice view. I would love to return to sit under the lovely covered pavilion that overlooks the vineyards on a warmer day. They had 9 whites, 1 blush, 6 reds, and a dessert wine. Bottles range from $9 - $17. $5 for tastes of up to 6 wines will be applied to your purchase. 10% discount on cases of 12 bottles or more. I am not a big wine drinker so I cannot vouch for specifics but they had won a number of awards and I enjoyed the wine I had. The staff when we visited was very friendly and happy to share info about the wines as well as the history of the operation (almost 20 years). Nice side excursion from Jim Thorpe or stop in the afternoon before heading to Penn's Peak. Open until 5pm on weekends.
A perfect day trip. Galen Glen is truly a hidden gem, that is a must "do" for anyone who loves wine, nice drives, natural beauty, breathtaking scenery. I have toured many wineries in NY and California. None compare to the beauty of Galen Glen. Finding the location can be a little tricky, but, adds more "awe" factor when you actually discover it. The staff are friendly/helpful. The wines are reasonably priced, especially after deducting the $5 tasting cost from your purchases.
We had first visited Galen Glen a few years ago during the Fall when they were operating a hayride through the vineyard - I was impressed it was a family-oriented outing that seemed to be enjoyed by those who participated. Of course, I also impressed by the wines and I looked forward to visiting again during a recent trip to Jim Thorpe PA. On this visit, we arrived soon after the Winery had opened for the day so it wasn't busy, but by the time we finished our wine-tasting and made our purchase it was fairly crowded - however, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, customers and employees alike. We chose several wines - my favorites are the Winter Mountain Red and the Galah, and my husband likes the Winter Mountain White. We also splurged on the Raspberry dessert wine - very sweet, but flavorful and perfect to finish a special occasion dinner.Outside, it was beautiful weather and there were families at the tables or on blankets soaking in the sun or having a picnic lunch. Although there doesn't seem to be a lot of signage to advertise and the location is definitely a bit off the beaten path, Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery is popular and has its dedicated customers - I know I'll visit again next time I'm in the area!
Definitely a place to check out if you are in the area. The ground have superb views on the surroundings, staff is really friendly and laid back, wine testing is very fun for 5$ you can try 6 wines. You can even buy a bottle and drink on site but we didn't got the chance to do at as we arrived to late. Very good experience!!