Pleasant Valley Wine Company

Pleasant Valley Wine Company, also known as Great Western Winery was the first winery in the region and bears the designation as “Bonded Winery No. 1”. Starting in the visitor center you can get a taste of history in the self-guided museum. I recommend taking the 45 minute guided tour though to learn all about the history and wine making process. You also get to explore the beauty of eight buildings that are listed on the National Registry of Historical Places and learn how Great Western got it’s name.

Starting the tour at the Visitors' Center, a van take you to the processing plant. See the processes used for champagne, sherry and wine. Did you know this winery if the largest producer on the east coast for bottle-fermented champagnes? In the tank room you’ll be surrounded by the smell of grapes fermenting and awed with the size of the 42,477 gallon tanks (almost 9500 bottles of wine are in each tank!) Back in the tasting room at the visitors’ center be sure to check out not only the champagnes but I enjoyed the Chocolate Lab - a blend of Labrusca (Concord) grapes and Chocolate – a liquid dessert!