OUR HISTORY
The Beginning of Spyglass Ridge Winery
What began as a hobby has taken on a life of its own, as both proprietors Tom and Tammy Webb can attest to.
Tom Webb, Jr. had a love of winemaking that stemmed from his high school days. But it wasn't until college that he learned the actual process of making wine from fresh fruit, from his landlord who just happened to have a small scale personal winery in the basement of his home. He deepened his knowledge even more while working at a vineyard & winery in the Lehigh Valley area. Tom's wine making skills were an asset to the owner, who was more versed on the vineyard side of things. It was a natural pairing of expertise.
In 1995, Tammy's grandparents were looking to sell their farm that had been in the family for generations and they wanted it to remain that way. The couple soon realized that the ground was perfect for grape growing. After much discussion, Tom and Tammy purchased the farm. It was time to put Tom's expertise and love of winemaking to the ultimate test. They started by hand-planting 20,000 grape vines, and selling the grapes to other winemakers. As equipment was slowly purchased, Tom and Tammy began to produce small batches of wines for themselves and close friends. But a bigger idea was brewing.
The farm had a single home and a barn that dated from 1814 situated on it. The barn had plenty of usable space and, with a lot of hard work and vision, could be converted into a unique winery. And so the work began. The main floor of the barn soon became a tasting room, large enough to hold events and functions. The 2-level loft offered additional room while the bottom floor of the barn housed the cellar and production areas. After a long renovation process, the barn was finally complete. Creating the interior filled with stylish fixtures, lighting and tile work, the whole family got in on the fun. The work was completed in record time and the results were stunning. At last, Spyglass Ridge Winery was born.
Over the years Tom and Tammy's labor of love has grown. Winemaker Dana Walter joined the team in 2006 and has been expanding our menu ever since. Adding a second tasting room to the winery as a convenient and cozy spot for patrons when private parties are held in the main tasting room was another big step. Live music has always been a passion of the Webb's , and supporting local live music has been a priority from day one. The Spyglass Backyard Concert Series has grown over the years from small shows on a hand-made plywood stage, to National acts performing on the venues permanent outdoor stage.
Last, but not least, the Webb's have worked together to bring you Spyglass on the Ridge, combining the tasting room and restaurant for the full Spyglass experience.
Appellations & Terroir
Our vineyard’s microclimate forms the cornerstone of winemaker Dana Walter's philosophy. The rolling hills of the central Susquehanna Valley provide a number of ideal growing conditions which help mold our wines and make them unique from any other wines in the world. Our family owned vineyard is a 8 acres planting of Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc and Vignoles. Any other fruit that we use is sourced from our local growers, like our good friends at Dries Orchards who supplies our Concord, Stuben, Niagara and Apple.