Vineyard & Winery
WINEMAKER & WINERY MANAGER
VIRGINIA MITCHELL
Virginia Mitchell is the Winemaker and & Winery Manager at Galer Estate Vineyard & Winery. She leads the winemaking team and is involved in all winemaking decisions. She was hired as Galer Estate’s Winemaker in May 2014, and became Winery Manager in 2016.
Virginia grew up in Central Pennsylvania, and graduated from Penn State University, University Park, with a degree in Food Science. While at Penn State, Virginia held a 6 month internship at Mazza Vineyards, in Erie, Pennsylvania, and she later worked with Denise Gardner, renowned Penn State Extension Enologist. Working with Denise, Virginia realized that she wanted to stay in Pennsylvania and be a part of the next generation of Pennsylvania/East Coast winemaking.
After graduation in 2013, Virginia went to South Australia and worked a harvest at Two Hands Wines in the Barossa Valley. From 5/2013-5/2014 Virginia was the Assistant Winemaker at Mazza Vineyards, and she was hired at Galer Estate in as Winemaker in May 2014.
Virginia focuses on cold fermentations and makes fruit forward, aromatic wines that express the true flavors of the grape. She is very much a New World winemaker in her techniques and practices, but is also influenced by the styles of winemaking in the Old World.