Currently there are 3 wineries within an hour of Confluence. They all offer tours.
Christian Clay Winery Chalk Hill, PA
Winery owner Sharon Klay and her husband John first developed an interest in winemaking while living in New York City in the 1970s. This interest led them to research and select the nearly 100 varieties of grapes that would be suitable for cool climate growing conditions.
When the Klays relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, they searched for three years to find a suitable vineyard site. In 1986, the couple purchased a 215-acre farm in Chalk Hill, Pennsylvania. John developed a successful practice as a cardiothoracic surgeon, while Sharon decided to take the original 1,000 vines on the property to 14,000 vines. In 1997, Fayette County’s first commercial winery opened, named after the Klays’ son Christian. Sharon planned to offer her customers the complete wine experience and soon developed an array of enticing special events for the public, such as murder mysteries and a “Wine & Dine in the Woods” series.
Fayette Springs Farm was a suitable place for the Klays’ venture as the farm had a long history of entertaining and welcoming guests. At the turn of the century, the farm was owned by U.S. Senator William E. Crow who opened his mountain estate to many visitors including President Harding and Black Jack Pershing.
Today, the winery offers guests entertaining special events, informative and educational tours, ideal venues for private events, wine tasting, and shopping in six locations. An active partner in the community, the winery also hosts annual benefits for Fayette Friends of Animals and other non-profit organizations.
Glades Pike Winery Somerset, PA
Glades Pike Winery started out as a family business, and both the business and our definition of family have expanded since that time. At the root of our family tree are Steve and Karen – the couple who joined a winemaking club for fun and ended up with a new business on their hands. Branching out, you’ll find our tight knit staff who welcome customers into our “home” with open arms and, of course, bottles. Those customers are part of the family, too. Many become regulars, not only as customers, but as our goodwill ambassadors – spreading the word and bringing their friends into our happy little home.
Deep Creek Cellars Friendsville, MD
A small winery in the mountains of western Maryland emphasizing wines made from grapes that reflect their soil and site, mostly dry in style and meant to pair with good food. The winery is located near major mid-Atlantic tourism destinations: Maryland’s Deep Creek Lake and the scenic Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania. In our own vineyards, we use sustainable farming practices for “natural wine-making” — relying on wild yeast fermentation and no filtering. Many of our bottlings contain no sulfites. We make similarly low-tech wines from grapes grown in other Maryland climate zones: classic red and white Pinot and Cabernet Franc from a limestone ridge-top near Cumberland, unique native American Norton from quartz-rich soils in Carroll County, and spectacular dry Riesling from clay-over-limestone in Howard County. A little-known facts is that we are emerging as one of the few Mid-Atlantic Pinot Noir specialists.
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