The Turks Head Tasting Room.

Turks Head

When Allison Owen left the corporate world to launch Turks Head Wines, the idea had been quietly aging for years.

“As cliche as it sounds, [the idea] actually started on the back of a cocktail napkin back in 2007 when my husband and I were discussing what we were going to do in retirement,” says Owen, president and founder of Turks Head Wines. What began as a vague dream of opening a wine and cheese shop eventually evolved into something far more ambitious: A winery rooted in Northern California fruit, but built around hospitality, education and community in downtown West Chester, Pa.

Allison Owen, founder, Turks Head Wines

Courtesy Allison Owen

Unlike many wineries that begin with land, Turks Head Wines began with a different idea: Creating a place where people could connect over wine without boarding a plane to California Instead, she brought California to them.

“It’s no secret that wine is the world’s most communal beverage. It’s been bringing people together for conversation and connection for thousands of years,” Owen says. “I wanted to give people a place to do that… a place that’s approachable and guests can choose their own adventure. There are a lot of people that are interested in wine but aren’t ready to board a plane to fly to the west coast; I wanted to bring that experience closer to home.”

The result is a tasting room and wine lounge designed to meet guests wherever they are, whether that means stopping in for a glass, booking a private tasting, attending a sensory class or diving into Wine 101.

The educational component is central to the brand’s identity. Owen, a sommelier and wine educator, says she was drawn less to the big-name wineries she first visited in Napa and Sonoma and more to the smaller producers where the tasting experience felt intimate, personal and rooted in storytelling. “I became obsessed with asking questions,” she says. “I then become connected to them and their wines.”

However, the story of Turks Head Wines is also the story of California terroir; albeit more unusual than a traditional vineyard/tasting room model. Rather than building around a single estate, Turks Head sources fruit from 14 vineyards across Northern California, including sites in Napa Valley, Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Mountain, Moon Mountain, Suisun Valley and Lake County. The goal is not just variety for variety’s sake. By working across multiple American Viticultural Areas and vineyard sites, the winery can build a small-lot portfolio that highlights how climate, elevation and terroir shape what ends up in the glass.

“I have set foot on every vineyard we source from. I have shaken the hands of the owners,” Owen says. “My team has heard the stories firsthand and are now able to share them with our guests bringing a sense of place, not just a glass of wine.”

That approach also gives Turks Head a teaching tool. “In 2023 we produced four different Sauvignon Blancs from four different vineyards across three AVAs,” Owen says. “While they are all the same varietal, they all have completely different tasting profiles which is exciting to walk guests through.”

It’s a model that allows Turks Head to move beyond pouring wine and into interpretation, using side-by-side comparisons and guided tastings to show guests why a single grape can taste dramatically different depending on where it was grown. To protect quality, the winery works only with vineyard partners; its team has walked firsthand, and every wine is made in small case production from hand-harvested fruit.

Winemaker Blair Guthrie, Turks Head Wines

Rob Watermeyer

Helping translate those vineyard sites into bottles is winemaker Blair Guthrie, who joined Turks Head in 2026. Originally from New Zealand, Guthrie built his career in California after working under winemaker Paul Hobbs, and is known for a restrained, terroir-driven approach to site expression. His résumé—including work across Napa and Sonoma as well as at Montecillo Vineyard on Moon Mountain—aligns neatly with Turks Head’s emphasis on craftsmanship, vineyard specificity and wines that feel connected to place rather than formula.

But just as important as the wines themselves is where they are being poured. Owen intentionally rooted Turks Head in West Chester, drawing on the town’s history and small-business culture to create a brand locals could rally around while also giving out-of-town visitors another reason to make the trip.

“West Chester is a really special town,” she says. “I wanted to create a place where people could gather, connect with each other and create memories over a great glass of wine.”

That approach has helped Turks Head become something more expansive than a traditional tasting room. In addition to a wine-focused culinary program, the winery offers private tasting experiences, wine dinners, customizable club memberships and the CRU Club, a private social club designed for wine lovers. However, Owen is quick to distinguish the concept from a restaurant that happens to have a strong beverage program.

“What we have built is more than just a tasting room in the traditional sense,” she says. “We’re a winery with excellent food, not a restaurant with excellent wine. The wine is always the star.”