It may come as a surprise that there are wineries in Delaware, and most shocking is that they’re much better than expected.
As someone that lives on the West Coast, I’m surrounded by top quality award winning wine. So when I try wine from locations not historically known for winemaking, it is not usually an enjoyable experience. But Delaware has made me rethink that in the future.
Where to find Wineries in Delaware?
While it is a surprise that there are Delaware vineyards and wineries, it is not a surprise that there are only a small handful located in the state.
- Harvest Ridge Winery – Marydel, DE
- Nassau Valley Vineyards – Lewes, DE
- Twin Branch Winery – Milton, DE
- Salted Vines Vineyard – Frankford, DE
What to expect from Wineries in Delaware
Tasting Room Hours
Most of the tasting rooms for wineries in Delaware do not require reservations for small groups. The exception is Harvest Ridge Winery. Hours and days open vary per winery. The majority of wineries are open until 5, with the last tasting starting either 30 or 60 minutes prior to close. Check with the winery for hours.
Tasting Fees
The tasting rooms charge between $15 – $25 for up to 6 tastings, and usually include a complimentary take home glass.
The Wine
Wineries in Delaware are not going to produce the best wine you’ve ever drank, however some fall into the “highly drinkable” category. Overall, the wines tend to be less full bodied than many of the California or Washington wines, especially the reds. While the whites and rosés seem to run sweet, fruity, or both.
Wineries in Delaware: Nassau Valley Vineyards
The Nassau Valley Vineyard is an award winning winery in Delaware about 15 minutes north of Rehoboth Beach. The property features on site vineyards, a large tasting room, gift shop and wine museum.
Hours of Operation
Year-round hours: Tuesday – Sunday 11am – 5pm
April – December: Monday – Sunday 11am – 5pm
The last call for tasting is at 430pm, but I would recommend getting there no later than 4pm.
Reservations are not required for groups of 5 or less, and group reservations are not accepted on weekends.
Tasting Fees
Nassau Valley Vineyard charges $15 per person which includes 6 wine tastings and a self guided tour of the wine museum.
What to expect while visiting
Overall this winery is pretty small. There is one person in the gift shop taking care of the tasting fees and only one person managing the tasting bar. Granted, this was in March, which is offseason, but was at 2pm on a Saturday, and was still quite busy.
After you pay for your tasting, you’ll walk out to the tasting room. It’s pretty no frills as far as tasting rooms go. There is no built-in wine bar and most of the seating is on folding chairs at folding tables or wine barrels. But that won’t stop you from having a good time.
You will get a menu of all available wines, from there you’ll select the 6 options you want to try and your wine-tender will pour each in succession and provide a little bit of information on each wine. Our wine-tender was Wes, who really made our time enjoyable and provided lots of great tips for where to eat and other places to visit while in town.
As far as the wine goes, none of them were out of this world, but there were definitely some that we enjoyed. The top wines that we tasted were the Naked Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and the Indian River Red. The rosé and fruit wines were too sweet for our tastes.
If the tasting room is busy, expect to be there for around 45 minutes.
The wine museum
After your tasting I highly recommend walking through the wine museum. The Delaware winery has a surprisingly in-depth history of wine and the wine making process. This self-guided tour will only take you about 10 minutes, so it’s worth the additional time.
Review of wineries in Delaware
Visiting one of the Delaware wineries is a fun afternoon activity, especially when you don’t have great beach weather. If you’re in the Rehoboth area, check out Nassau Valley Vineyard for their wine, friendly staff and wine museum.
For additional Delaware posts, read:
