Two Pa. wineries stand out among the group of winners in Farm Show competition

Gold and Best of Show Dry Grape, Double Gold and Best of Show Sparkling, Gold and Best of Show Dessert, Gold and Best Vinifera, Gold and Best American, Silver and Best Fruit, Double Golds, Gold Medals, Awards Listed by Medal, Adams County Winery, Allegheny Cellars Winery, Armstrong Valley Vineyard and Winery, Cellar ’54, Creekside Cellars Winery, Deerfoot Vineyards and Winery, Happy Valley Vineyard and Winery, Hungry Run Wine Cellars, J & P Winery, La Vigneta Winery, Mazzotta Winery, Penn Shore Winery, Seven Mountain Wine Cellars, Shade Mountain Winery & Vineyards, Starr Hill Vineyard and Winery, The Vineyard at Hershey, The Winery at the Long Shot Farm, University Wine Company, Yori Wine Cellars & Brewing Co.

The chocolate cake contest was held Jan. 10 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

Dan Brown spent the weekend celebrating and also pouring some of his Deerfoot wines for visitors to the Farm Show.

The chocolate cake contest was held Jan. 10 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

A previous winner at the event, Brown’s winery was one of the two top winners in the Farm Show competition.

Deerfoot Vineyards and Winery, located in Shoemakersville, Berks County, won six awards, including a double gold and Best of Show in the sparkling category, a gold and Best Vinifera for its 2023 Six Point, a double gold for its 2024 Comfy Couch, and another gold and two silver medals.

Brown was already over at the Farm Show on Saturday, one of 12 wineries beginning the first of four days of pouring in the Main Hall. It’s the first time that Deerfoot, which planted its first grapevines in 2010 and launched the winery five years later, has been part of the annual Pa. Wine Association tasting area.

The chocolate cake contest was held Jan. 10 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

Six Point is Deerfoot’s Cabernet Franc.

“Typically, I do a slight blend, but for 2023 it was a 100% varietal,” he said. “The Six Point name is what I’ve used as my flagship red blend since we started. My first commercial medal was a bronze in 2016 for that wine, and I enter it in competitions every year, so that one is a little special for me.

The chocolate cake contest was held Jan. 10 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

“Comfy Couch is actually our oldest estate wine. It’s a Cayuga white I’ve been making since our first harvest in 2012. I recently improved some of my processes and equipment, and I think that helped.”

The chocolate cake contest was held Jan. 10 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

As for the sparkling, it’s made from Cayuga Grapes, but Brown said he used a different yeast and slightly different process that he learned in Germany to select for a more premium wine, which went into the sparkling.

Deerfoot is offering samples of that at the Farm Show this week.

The farm location, at 1492 Ridge Road, is typically closed in the winter months, except for two Berks County Wine Trail events: one on the weekend of Jan 17/18 and again the two weekends around Valentine’s Day.

Normal hours resume March 1.

Its Lancaster tasting room, located at 348 N. Queen St., has normal hours through the winter.

The other big winner was Seven Mountain Wine Cellars, which won its ninth Governor’s Cup with its 2024 Traminette. Located in Spring Mills, right off Route 322, the Centre County producer also won a gold for its Black Tie, another sparkling.

Harrisburg-area producers that brought home awards included Adams County Winery (4), Armstrong Valley Vineyards & Winery (6), J&P Winery (5), The Vineyard at Hershey (3), and The Winery at the Long Shot Farm (6).

Cows being washed during the opening Day of the 2026 Pa. State Farm Show Jan. 10 2026 Sean Simmers [email protected].

The full list of winners, announced on Saturday, is included below:

Opening Day of the 2026 Pa. State Farm ShowJan. 10 2026 Sean Simmers [email protected].

Gold and Best of Show Dry Grape

Seven Mountain Wine Cellars 2024 Traminette

A young boy snuggling with a goat during the opening Day of the 2026 Pa. State Farm ShowJan. 10 2026 Sean Simmers [email protected].

Double Gold and Best of Show Sparkling

Deerfoot Vineyards and Winery 2024 Blanc De Blancs

Gold and Best of Show Dessert

The Vineyard at Hershey 2023 Daybreak

A cow getting washed during the opening Day of the 2026 Pa. State Farm ShowJan. 10 2026 Sean Simmers [email protected].

Gold and Best Vinifera

Deerfoot Vineyards and Winery 2023 Six Point

Gold and Best American

Sheep judging during the opening Day of the 2026 Pa. State Farm ShowJan. 10 2026 Sean Simmers [email protected].

J & P Winery 2023 Steuben

Silver and Best Fruit

Mazzotta Winery 2024 Peach Wine

Double Golds

The Winery at the Long Shot Farm 2022 Traminette

Deerfoot Vineyards and Winery 2024 Comfy Couch

Gold Medals

Sheep judging during the opening Day of the 2026 Pa. State Farm ShowJan. 10 2026 Sean Simmers [email protected].

Adams County Winery 2024 Vintage Roots

Don Nelson judges poultry during the opening Day of the 2026 Pa. State Farm ShowJan. 10 2026 Sean Simmers [email protected].

Allegheny Cellars Winery 2024 Perfectly Peach

Allegheny Cellars Winery 2024 Bigfoot Shadows

The milkshake line during the opening Day of the 2026 Pa. State Farm ShowJan. 10 2026 Sean Simmers [email protected].

Deerfoot Vineyards and Winery 2024 Country Red

Seven Mountain Wine Cellars 2024 Black Tie

The Vineyard at Hershey 2023 Dry Riesling

Yori Wine Cellars & Brewing Co. 2021 Sparkling Rose

Yori Wine Cellars & Brewing Co. 2023 Riesling

Awards Listed by Medal

Adams County Winery

2024 Vintage Roots - Gold
2024 Stray Cat Strut - Silver
2024 Rebel Red - Silver
2024 Tears of Gettysburg - Bronze

Allegheny Cellars Winery

2024 Perfectly Peach - Gold
2024 Bigfoot Shadows - Gold
2024 Riesling - Silver
2024 Depot Red - Silver
2024 Fawnd Memories - Bronze

Armstrong Valley Vineyard and Winery

2022 Chambourcin - Silver
2024 Sauvignon Blanc - Silver
2021 Armstrong Red - Bronze
2024 Dry Rose - Bronze
NV Pennsecco - Bronze
2024 Vidal Blanc - Bronze

Cellar ’54

2023 Cabernet Franc - Silver
2022 Riesling - Bronze

Creekside Cellars Winery

2024 Sunset Red - Silver
2024 Pinot Grigio - Silver
2024 Seyval Blanc - Silver
2024 Riesling - Silver
2024 Blended Family - Silver
2024 Pineapple Jalepeno - Silver

Deerfoot Vineyards and Winery

2023 Six Point - Gold and best Vinifera
2024 Blanc De Blancs - Double Gold and Best of Show Sparkling
2024 Comfy Couch - Double Gold
2024 Country Red - Gold
2024 Traminette - Silver
2024 Chambourcin - Silver

Opening Day of the 2026 Pa. State Farm ShowJan. 10 2026 Sean Simmers [email protected].

Happy Valley Vineyard and Winery

2024 Vidal Blanc - Bronze
2021 Noiret - Bronze

A judge looks over the entries in the Apple Pie contest during the opening Day of the 2026 Pa. State Farm ShowJan. 10 2026 Sean Simmers [email protected].

Hungry Run Wine Cellars

2022 Pinot Noir Bronze

J & P Winery

The YEE Haw guy sells Farm Show related merchandise during the opening Day of the 2026 Pa. State Farm ShowJan. 10 2026 Sean Simmers [email protected].

2023 Steuben - Gold and Best American
2023 Tipsy Cat - Silver
2025 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine - Bronze
2023 Chocolate Cherry - Bronze
2023 Niagara - Bronze

La Vigneta Winery

Cows being washed during the opening Day of the 2026 Pa. State Farm ShowJan. 10 2026 Sean Simmers [email protected].

2025 Peachberry - Silver
2024 Rosso Delizioso - Silver
2024 Bianco Delizioso - Silver
2024 Artisan Blush - Silver
2024 Apple Pie Amore - Bronze

Amina K. plays in the snow machine at the Christmas Tree exhibit during the opening Day of the 2026 Pa. State Farm ShowJan. 10 2026 Sean Simmers [email protected].