Tony and Pete Pizzadili planted their first grape vines on their property just outside of Dover in 1993, marking the beginning of Pizzadili Vineyard &Winery. The hard work and toil of these two brothers has brought this land from going to seed, as it had been, to the pristine vale it is today.

The grounds of the winery are all manicured, making this a beautiful place for special events. They host many weddings here each year, and of course there's always enough wine for the celebration!

"You're in a winery, so you want to feel like you're in a winery," said Wendy, daughter of Pete. That is why they have set up the premises in the way you see above, with such rooms as "the cave". Cemented walls, oak tables, wine barrels and bottles everywhere, it's all a way of sending their visitors back in time to the early days of wine enjoyment. While the Pizzadili family has proven their attention to detail concerning their property, let's not forget the wines themselves.

Almost all of their wines are made without sulfates, considering Pete is allergic to them. This sets the Pizzadili apart for the numerous other people out there who are also allergic, since almost every other wine company uses sulfates. They'll seek out Tony & Pete in order to find a wine they can enjoy. The downside to this is a shortened shelf-life for the wines, but who buys wines to put on a shelf anyway? Wines are for drinking! Anyone buying wine for decoration might as well let it turn to vinegar.

Pete proclaims himself and his brother to be devoted to authenticity in wine-making. Pizzadili does not make wines to conform to any particular taste, but rather, their wines turn out the way Mother Nature puts them out. Too much science can rob the feeling from the wine, according to Pete. In the end, after all the chemistry and pH testing, the taste is what matters. That is why they leave the process to nature. After a taste-test, we found out that their wines do tend to be on the dry side, but with residual fruity tones. Nothing is lost from the grape to the wine. Also, their sweeter and fruitier wines had the consistency of real wines, and weren't syrupy like the fruit-juice labeled "wine" you find in stores. Really, I've never tasted anything like the vintages by Pizzadili, and I've tasted a lot of wine this summer (and yes, I remember most of them).

Be sure to stop by Pizzadili Vineyard & Winery when you're visiting near Dover. They only sell their wines at their location, so going there is the only way to get it. It will definitely expand your horizon of taste in a great way!

Written by Erik Yount. Photos by Errol Webber.