How University Wine Company evolved from a family’s dream to a State College hot spot

Wednesday afternoons are busy at University Wine Company. Mahjong players sit at carefully arranged tables, their wine glasses adjacent. It’s a great setting to play a game and relax, overlooking the rolling countryside beyond the trellised grapevines.

But this year is less than idyllic. The weather hasn’t cooperated with a warm, blooming spring. Regardless, Jeff Proch is at ease talking about his damaged vines. The bright green early growth is now crisp and brown, frostbitten. He shrugs, “You can’t control Mother Nature,” said the laconic 43-year-old winemaker. “Last year, there was no frost, the year before, three times, and this year three times again — so far.”

But Proch (the Ukrainian name is pronounced so that it rhymes with “Scotch”) can rebound and knows what to focus on to keep 20 stainless-steel tanks in the lower level of the winery building filled and happily converting fruit sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

University Wine Company is perched on a rise along the slope of Tussey Mountain with two acres of vines stretching between the road and the winery building. If you are driving down state Route 45 from Boalsburg, you make a left on Misty Hill before the village of Shingletown to get to the property.

“The location is not the best site from a grower’s perspective, but from a business perspective it’s ideal,” Proch said. The site is accessible, and the visibility helps to lure in passers-by. The vista from the tables scattered along the edge of the patio offers an unparalleled sunset view and partial view of the stadium and its many cranes.

Jeff Proch is the son of Jinx and Natalie Proch, State College area residents who know their way around a vineyard. Jinx worked as the general manager for Betty and Joe Carroll at Mount Nittany Winery from 2003 to 2011, his post-retirement job after 30 years at Corning. Jeff spent time in the vineyard and recognized potential.

Jeff and his sister Alison attended Lemont Elementary, Park Forest Middle School and State College Area High School. He attended Bucknell University and majored in Business Management, following in his dad’s footsteps, who had also attended Bucknell as a mechanical engineering student. Both Jinx and Natalie grew up in Western PA and met at a wedding.

When he graduated from Bucknell in 2004, Jeff headed into New York City, eager for a taste of city living. He worked for a financial services software company, designing applications for investment banks. The firm’s customers included Merrill Lynch, Citigroup and Lehman Brothers. He was happy living in Jersey City, commuting into Manhattan daily for five years. And then he wasn’t. He moved back to Central PA in 2009.

“The job was one fire drill after another and very high stress,” said Jeff. “I wasn’t where I wanted to be, and it wasn’t what I wanted to do. I’m a country boy at heart.” He came back with some new business ideas.

Jinx was working at Mount Nittany Winery at the time, and Jeff worked with him there and hatched a plan for a new product. In 2011, with Joe and Betty Carroll’s go-ahead blessing, Jeff formed his own winery, University Wine Company, and licensed his parents’ garage and basement in Port Matilda.

The signature product, U-Freeze Wine Slush, was a hit at outdoor wine festivals and other events, served from a slushie machine. The product was listed by the PLCB and available across the state. The market was ready for this type of gateway wine, and a loyal following ensued. The juice was sourced from grape growers in Pennsylvania and New York.

In 2013, University Wine Company stepped up and began producing bottled wine, opening a branch outlet at The Greek restaurant in State College. But the family was dreaming of their own property and started visiting wineries for ideas. In 2017, they purchased 12 acres at 540 Misty Hill Drive, and in 2018, they began planting the 2-acre vineyard. While cultivation continued, they broke ground for the winery in 2019.

Starting with six varieties, the family planted the site and built trellises to support the vines. “Of the six, one variety, Marquette, did very well, and one variety, Traminette, did decently well. Four varieties died,” according to Jeff. “You can grow grapes anywhere; you just need to find the right varieties for your site.” The varieties that thrived were from Minnesota and were accustomed to cold weather. They have since added two other Minnesota varieties, Brianna and Itasca.

The project was rolling along, and the winery looked forward to opening in 2020 — when COVID hit.

“We opened in October and were allowed to operate because it was considered an ‘essential’ business. Our staff was mostly family, and we had outdoor seating,” remembered Jeff. “On opening day, we all wore masks, and the customers were seated at tables outside.”

The family’s dream has been realized, and production has grown steadily over the past six years. Jeff, the business-boosting proprietor, has recently added a line of canned beverages. Home Team Raspberry Hard Seltzer and Home Team hard cider are convenient items to pick up for tailgates and picnics.

Today, UWC buys 80% of its juice and grapes, and supplements that with what is grown on the estate, depending on the variety. White wines are made from already-pressed juice, while red wines are made from grapes shipped in from Washington State. They primarily source from Pennsylvania growers — Shade Mountain, Armstrong Valley and Mazza Vineyards — though there is no longer a mandate requiring PA grapes for PA wines. Jeff is rightfully proud of their first Marquette Estate Red, 2025, which benefited from a hot, dry season and is made entirely from grapes grown in their own vineyard.

Jeff maintains active Facebook and Instagram accounts that list each week’s activities. Mahjong players come every Wednesday afternoon, and on Wednesday evening, there is a Trivia Night. On Thursdays, there is live music and Flo Bros pizza, and on Fridays, live music and various food trucks. Cousins Maine Lobster food truck is there on some Sundays through the end of the summer, bringing fresh lobster rolls and other lobster-centric dishes to Central PA to enjoy with a cold glass of Slab Cabin white or Chardonnay. Check their Facebook page for current info.

The winery is a very popular private event space for Paint ‘n Sip sessions, bridal showers, and, recently, the Spotlight PA open house. An upstairs gallery features a different artist each month; during May, Diane Maurer’s “Landscapes and Seascapes in Paper Collage.”

Jeff is always on site, and Jinx and Natalie are present quite a bit, though the pull of Alison’s children near Reading often has them on the road. Jinx uses his mechanical engineering skills to keep all the equipment and terrain in top shape, and Natalie’s gregarious spirit keeps everyone who bellies up to the bar engaged.

Enjoy a glass of wine with a view this summer — and check on those resilient grapevines. It’s way cheaper than a trip to France.