Fresh Face: Deerfoot Vineyards and Winery

The French have a word, terroir, which is used to describe the combination of factors that give wine grapes their distinctive character. The soil, climate, sunlight, and other geographical features of how and where grapes are grown give the wine unique characteristics that set it apart. For Dan Brown, owner and winemaker at Deerfoot Winery, his agricultural knowledge paired with the rich soil of his PA farm have set the stage for a line of exceptional wines grown nearby in Berks County.

Deerfoot wines are rooted in a long legacy of family, farming, and innovation. From berry to bottle, Dan’s connection to the farm that has been in his family for three generations comes through and sets Deerfoot wines apart. Since 2015, Deerfoot Winery has been delighting Berks County with small batch wines from locally sourced fruit. “It’s all about the balance, the aroma, flavor profile, the tannins, and the time of aging. You want the wine to be complicated but also easy to understand. I love the chemistry,” says Dan.

With the opening of Deerfoot Tasting Room in the heart of the 300 Block of North Queen Street, Dan and his wife Jaime are excited to bring Deerfoot’s wide variety of red and white wines as well as fruit wine, fortified wine, and mead to Lancaster City.

The tasting room is a relaxed, approachable space to experience great wine. You can come in with friends for a tasting flight, to try something unique, or to ask questions and find a new favorite. Local artists are celebrated on the walls and wine labels, underscoring the sense of community and local gathering that the tasting room invites for couples, friends, or coworkers who come in for a tasting or to grab a bottle to enjoy at a local BYOB restaurant.

After spending 15 years learning about wine, Dan loves sharing what he knows and making the experience of sipping a nice glass of wine approachable and fun for others. “It’s so gratifying to put your heart into something and see someone else enjoy it,” he says.

To find more information, visit their website at wine.deerfootfarm.com or follow them on Instagram: @deerfoot.downtown.