Along a winding tributary of the Susquehanna River sits a lovely winery known for its warm hospitality, rustic charm and phenomenal wines. We spoke with Caleb Wright, co-owner of Armstrong Valley Vineyard & Winery. He and partner Ryan Osborne are second-generation owners and operators of the Dauphin County estate winery.
Caleb Wright of Armstrong Valley Vineyard & Winery
On the day we spoke, Wright had spent the whole morning in a last-minute harvest of Petite Sirah, ahead of heavy rains. “I’d love to let it hang on for another week,” he says. “But we were either going to lose it or pick it.”
Such is the life of a vineyard owner in Pennsylvania. Factors outside of your control can often dictate plans, turning a schedule upside-down. But Wright and the staff at Armstrong maintain a sense of composure, knowing their steady commitment to growth and quality will continue yielding the best products they can make in their particular nook of PA.
The Winery’s Background
The Armstrong Valley Vineyard property has a long and storied history. William Penn’s family gifted Robert Armstrong land in 1769, on which he established a farm. Over time, this land was divided up and sold but, in 2005, the original founders of the vineyard bought back about half of it.
Wright explains, “Armstrong is founded on 100 of the original 200 acres that was granted to Robert Armstrong, the family namesake for the valley we’re in and the creek that runs through the property.”
The first vines were planted in 2009, and the winery’s doors opened in May of 2011. Wright and Osborne have since taken over, and farm about 20 acres of grapes with 16 acres of vitis vinifera, and roughly four acres of hybrid grapes.
The Vines and Wines
Armstrong Valley Vineyards offers a truly impressive range of wine, cider, port and more, for all kinds of palates. Its award-winning wines reflect the diverse strengths of south central Pennsylvania terroir, which is well-suited for European grapes and hybrids, alike. It has large plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, as well as Chambourcin, which thrives there. Armstrong also has great success with German varietals, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio.
“We looked at what are sellable, recognition wines and what can be grown in this area,” explains Wright. “Some parts of PA are too warm for Riesling and some are too cold to ripen grapes, like Cabernet Franc. We’re trying to figure out what we can do in PA, so we planted a lot to see what happens, what we like, what our customers like, and what we can do with those vines. I think it’s an experiment for a lot of Pennsylvania vineyards.”
Armstrong’s dry wines are most popular, though its sweeter products have made a big splash, too.“Our best sellers right now are in a dry, white space, including Riesling and Chardonnay,” Wright says. “We also use Chardonnay in Cha Cha, which is very popular. For dry reds, Chambourcin and Cabernet Sauvignon are top-selling wines.”
Those with a sweet tooth will love Armstrong’s fruit wines, including the cheeky Afternoon Delight that combines strawberry wine with dark chocolate, plus a fantastic array of ciders, which Armstrong started making as an option for beer-loving consumers. The award winning Bad Boy Cider, the sparkling Bad Girl Cider with a touch of cranberry and dry-hopped Bad to the Bone Cider showcase the breadth and depth of flavors possible with Pennsylvania grown apples.
Wright adds, “We have sangrias we make, like a piña colada sangria (Kitty Kolada) that meets the desires of a sweeter consumer coming to the winery.”
When asked how he balances all of this wide-ranging production, Wright replies, “A lot of beer.” Though he’s half-kidding, he does love IPAs from the breweries in the area. “We started doing tap takeovers with Lindgren Craft Brewery in Duncannon,” he says. “Since, we’ve worked with numerous breweries in the area and find that it’s a great way to build up the local ‘craft beverage economy.’”
Estate Winemaking
Estate winemaking is a huge endeavor that, despite its challenges, often results in exquisite wines. Wright shared a bit about the process and staying on his toes, with factors like weather that change from day to day, and year to year.
“2023 and 2024 are prime examples,” he says. “Last year, we suffered the same frost on May 17th and 18th that ran all the way up through the Finger Lakes. Our early bud breaking varietals had massive damage. This year, because of how vines operate, we have a bumper crop of those same varietals.” Later in the season, rain and hurricanes also greatly impact Armstrong’s crop quality and wine production.
But, despite challenges like those, Wright finds a sense of purpose in estate winemaking. He says, “Why I love being an estate winery is because wine, to me, is a definition of place. While I respect the grapes from all of the wonderful places and prominent regions in the world, my vineyard is located in Halifax, and we want to tell the story of Armstrong Valley. To me, it’s about telling the story of your location.”
By growing, farming and harvesting the vines themselves, the Armstrong team achieves an attention to detail resulting in higher quality wines. “We are able to create some really great products out of the fruit we’re responsible for growing,” Wright says. “We make decisions that impact the flavor and quality: how we prune the vines, how we manage the canopy, and all of those steps are super important to the quality.”
He adds, “Coming from Pennsylvania, it’s important that we celebrate the wine we grow here.”
Other Offerings
Beyond its winemaking functions, Armstrong Valley Vineyard & Winery also serves as a magnificent venue for weddings and special events, as well as host to numerous interesting on-site events, like pumpkin carving, plant classes and jewelry making. Wright and the team enjoy creating opportunities to connect with consumers.
“We host many wine/food pairing dinners to engage customers with wines from a different perspective. We have a French-trained chef here. He loves food and wine and we have a ton of fun with him. We’ll do vertical tastings in winter time and special wine flights in the summer. For us, it’s about creating fun, unique experiences beyond the traditional tastings that are available seven days a week in the tasting room.”
In addition to one-time events, visitors can also expect weekly festivities and can opt to stay on the property for an overnight experience. Wright says, “We have live music every Friday night and there are great places locally to grab a bite and then crash in our AirBnB. One option in our Summer Kitchen and the other is in the old Granary. Both sleep four. Those have been incredibly popular, whether for a short weekend away, girls trip or mom and dad’s trip away from the kids. And, if you stay with us, you get a free flight of wine.”
In addition, those interested in sampling the fine Armstrong portfolio can join its Cellar Club, with four quarterly shipments of four to six bottles, designed for both sweet and dry wine consumers. Club members also receive special discounts at the winery, discounted event tickets, access to limited and new releases and reserve vintages plus two complimentary flights per quarter, among other perks.
Though it’s a lot to manage, the Armstrong staff helps to make it all possible. Many employees are retired from social jobs like teaching and nursing, and now love working in the bustling tasting room where they engage with visitors every day. Wright says, “We have an incredible staff that enjoys wine. We’re very fortunate. A lot of places struggle to find people. We struggle to turn people away.”
Despite all of the fun and festivities, Wright says, “We’re a winery first and foremost, so that’s our number one responsibility; to create the best product possible.”
Winemaking In Pennsylvania
Wright is proud to be a part of the winemaking world in Pennsylvania. He says, “We’re super excited to be part of an industry and a state that’s moved into fourth position on wine production, nationally. Someone once said, ‘We’re nestled right between Virginia and the Finger Lakes, who are doing really cool stuff, so why can’t we do really cool stuff, too?’ Maybe we don’t have the silver bullet as a state or region, but I think there are people who have the ability to move PA forward to get us there. It’s a really exciting time period.”
He adds, “I love when people are like, ‘I didn’t know Pennsylvania could produce wines like this.’ I’m like, ‘Yes, look to your left. The vineyard’s right there.’ It’s really exciting to change that trajectory.”
Armstrong is part of an informal coalition, of sorts, with regional wineries that includes Nissley Vineyards, Waltz Vineyards, and Grandview Vineyard. “We’re all an hour’s drive from each other,” he says. “We’ve transitioned into the second generation, and we’re excited to move the industry forward as a cohesive unit, and I know others are out there, too. There’s a lot of opportunity and I’m excited to work with people in Pennsylvania to get there.”
Looking Ahead
For now, Wright says his primary goal is “to survive harvest.” In the big picture, he says, “The goal is to continue to do our best. It sounds super simple, but there’s so much to learn and know and dig into with wine knowledge, viticulture and oenology. Our goal is to continue to learn and to do better.”
He hopes that Armstrong can help chart the future of the Pennsylvania wine industry. “They say, ‘Someone who rests on their laurels is soon to be passed up.’ We want to be on the cutting edge of what PA is able to do,” he says. “I think that offering a positive customer experience and great wines is the North Star.”
To try Armstrong’s array of wines and enjoy all the winery has to offer, visit the Armstrong Valley Vineyard & Winery in person at 212 Rutter Rd., Halifax for the full experience. You can also shop online for products shipped to your door. Wright is happy to answer any questions about wines or product availability, so reach out any time, and follow its Facebook and Instagram pages for events, releases and more.
The PA Vines & Wines series was created in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Wine Association with Round 8, Act 39 grant funding from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB).
The Pennsylvania Winery Association (PWA) is a trade association that markets and advocates for the limited licensed wineries in Pennsylvania.
- Photos: Armstrong Valley Vineyard & Winery
