Chaddsford Winery

Chaddsford Winery, Pennsylvania © Family O’Abe | Flickr

I recently attended a special wine-and-cheese-pairing event with two friends at Chaddsford Winery, in Chadds Ford, Pa. Pennsylvania’s Delaware County hasa number of wineries, with Chaddsford Winery one of the biggest. The themes change throughout the year, but the winery is always hosting a number of events, tastings and festivals.

The Wine & Cheese Pairing With A Twist, the event I attended, ended Feb. 1, but the series now continues with a wine and chocolate pairing, then moves to a wine and fondue special in March.

First up at the tasting I attended was the Proprietors Reserve White, similar in body and flavor to a sauvignon blanc, paired with a garlic crostini, parmesan and a grape. This was my favorite of the whites, but I’m partial to Sauvignon Blanc-style wines. The Barrel Select Chardonnay partnered with pasta with a three-cheese sauce and a pistachio dust. By far, my favorite was the third pairing: Pinot Noir with a devil on piggyback, a date stuffed with fresh goat cheese wrapped in bacon and drizzled with a Vermont maple syrup.

While I enjoyed all the wines and food, overall the tasting left a bit to be desired. The on-site house where the tasting was held lost heat that day, and it was a frigid January afternoon. One small space heater weakly attempted to warm the room, but it remained colder inside than outside. It would have been nice had they tried to accommodate us elsewhere, or offered some small compensation for the inconvenience. All the food came out at once on a small plate, meaning it was cold by the time we got to the second and third pairing. And the entire experience felt a bit rushed, even with them starting about 10 minutes behind schedule. Given the winery’s popularity and the number of successful events ran yearly, I believe my experience was an anomaly, not the norm, and the wines and food were certainly tasty enough to make it worthwhile. All the other winery staff encountered was friendly and helpful.

Our visit coincided with a winter wine festival; food trucks and vendors filled the winery inside and outside. Ice sculptors were on hand, and people were huddled outside with wine beverages, both hot and cold, around fire pits enjoying live music. If you are looking for fun wine-themed activities, check out upcoming events at Chaddsford Winery.

Chaddsford Winery

632 Baltimore Pike

Chadds Ford, PA 19317

tel 610 388 6221