About Us
About Our Vineyard & Winery
Briar Valley Vineyard & Winery is located in historic Bedford, Pennsylvania at the foot of the Allegheny Mountains. We are unique, in that we are the first winery in Bedford and the surrounding counties to produce all vinifera wines styled after classic European wines. We are dedicated to remaining a small boutique winery concentrating on premium quality and craftsmanship.
At an elevation of 1,200 feet, our vineyard is located on a southeastern slope and possesses the terroir that is highly favorable to the growth of premium vinifera grapes. Thus far the vineyard is comprised of Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Cabernet Franc and Lemberger.
We invite you to visit our winery to experience the pleasure of tasting our wines. Briar Valley produces wines that can be enjoyed by both casual and devoted wine enthusiasts alike.
About the Owners-Tod & Jean Manspeaker
Having grown up in rural areas of south central PA, agricultural based business is a natural fit for both Tod and Jean. Tod was reared on a quarter horse farm in Bedford County, while Jean grew up in the midst of a dairy farm operation in Somerset County. As a child, Jean's grandfather raised concord grapes to sell locally and her father was a home winemaker.
The winery is a very special ahh moment for us. Do you remember a special ahhh moment that changed your life? For us, it happened on a much needed get away. We were escaping into the romance of wine, vineyards and a small village in a remote area that enveloped us in its charm and slower pace. We were sitting on an outdoor deck shaded by a beautiful pergola covered with blooming wisteria. The deck sat above the vineyard and all was quiet and serene. We were enjoying a crisp, Sauvignon Blanc with some crusty French bread and goat cheese. As we enjoyed the day we were lulled into reminiscing over special times in our lives and relized how those special ahhh moments were often related to wineries and vineyards. I could close my eyes and see my grandfather tending his vines and singing a little ditty while he worked. We began to talk in terms of how perhaps someday we could have a vineyard & winery. As we dreamed, we found ourselves planning how, when and where. Our vision was to plant our vineyard with wonderful vinifera grapes, start our boutique winery on a shoestring and try not to lose sight of our dreams and our mission. With us, it is all about the wine. We want the wines to be true to our dedication to bringing out the best the grape has to offer and to recreate that ahhh moment when we sit down at the end of the day. Wine, like life, is meant to be savored. We invite you to come sip our wines and create your own unique ahhh moment.
