CURWENSVILLE – Starr Hill Vineyard & Winery of Curwensville has been named among the top producing wineries in Pennsylvania.
With more than 200 wineries covering all regions of the state, residents and visitors to Pennsylvania are often within an hour’s drive of at least one winery.
Winemakers are continuing a centuries-old tradition that began in 1683 when William Penn planted the first vineyard in Philadelphia in what is now Fairmount Park.
Pennsylvania produces more than 1.6 million gallons of wine annually, and is also home to more than a dozen wine trails, according to the Pennsylvania Wine Association.
A wine production list is issued annually by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. In 2016 Starr Hill produced 20,075 gallons of wine and was ranked 23rd in the PLCB report.
The news came as a complete surprise to the Starr family. “We didn’t even know we were on the list,” said Kenn Starr of Starr Hill Vineyard & Winery.
The Starr’s, along with their staff, were at a wine show in Manheim when they found out. Their friends began coming up and congratulating them on being named a top producer.
Starr says the winery’s top wines are Bailey Road Red and Liquid Fun. He went on to say that a big part of their success is their great customers who love their wine.
Starr Hill was the first winery in the United States to open up shop inside Wal-Mart. Starr pointed out that their wine sales are 100 percent retail, unlike other wineries.
Starr said the winery has made charitable giving a priority, and that has been equally important to its success. It’s donated to Pink Zone, Penn State DuBois programs and other local causes.
The winery has been seeking ideas for new wines from its customers via Facebook. The Starr’s are looking forward to continuing to serve their customers and growing their business.
“We want to continue to increase our [wine production] ranking in the years to come,” Starr said.
