Northeastern Pennsylvania is where Calkins Creek Vineyard is situated.  Calkins, a picturesque area of family farms, is now also home to a first-rate vineyard.  Clear streams bubble over rocks as it passes through the land which Michael and Vonnie Stone purchased from Vonnie's family in the 1990's.  This land, originally purchased from William Penn, Pennsylvania's first governor, was once known as the Maple Grove Farm.  The Noble family has worked it for six generations.  

In 1968, Vonnie met Mike in Alaska where she was raised.  He had been there for two years already as a bush pilot.  They lived and raised their family there until moving to southern California in 1985.  As an American Airline captain, Mike flew to Europe and South America for 15 years and became interested in their wine styles and wine culture.  An opportunity arose to purchase the family farm which had been in Vonnie’s family for six generations and Mike saw a way to wed his ideas and passion for wine with the preservation of beautiful farmland.  Mike entered a farm program in 1999; knowing he did not want to operate a dairy farm, Mike justified owning and operating an agri-business by growing and selling grapes. 

Calkins Creek Vineyard was born in 2000 when Mike planted three acres of both American and French grape vines.  It took a couple of years for the vines to take hold and produce enough grapes to ferment into wine. 

Inspired by stone arch bridges and the cathedrals in Europe, Mike engineered the underground wine cellar using the Roman arch concept.  He dug the bank open and constructed the cellar out of cement blocks.  Burying it 13 feet underground, typical of the New England root cellars, gives its roof great strength and helps to maintain the constant temperature of 50 degrees F year round.  The wine room can store up to 10,000 gallons of wine or approximately 50,000 bottles.  American and French wine is stored in oak barrels and is then bottled with help from Master Bottler, Grant Sheard.

Wine at Calkins Creek Vineyard was once manufactured in the hangar which is home to Mike’s 1946 Piper J3 Cub.  Now part of the hangar is being converted into the wine production and tasting room.  Many exciting things are happening at Calkins Creek Vineyard.  Stop by for a visit and taste new and exciting wine.  The area is beautiful with many horse and dairy farms here at the northern tip of the Pocono Mountains.  Come meet us!  We’ll show you around – for free!