Wine lovers unite at 8th Annual Wine on the Mountain festival this weekend at Penn’s Peak

The eight wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail take a road trip north to the Pocono Mountains this weekend for the eighth installment of its popular Wine on the Mountain wine festival.

The event takes place on Saturday, July 30 and Sunday, July 31 from noon to 5 p.m. both days at Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe.

Wine on the Mountain features wine samplings and sales from all eight of the Lehigh Valley’s wineries, local artisans displaying their arts and crafts, and light fare available for purchase from Roadies Restaurant. There is also live musical entertainment both days with Bob Gonzalves performing on the guitar on Saturday and Chuck Donches on the piano on Sunday.

Vendors will feature everything from gourmet foods and dipping oils, to hand-made jewelry and scented candles. They include:
•    Watermark Glass Designs
•    Randi’s Gourmet Foods
•    Country Glo Candles
•    Princess and the Pony
•    J.D. Gourmet
•    Top Shelf
•    Larona Jewelry and Gifts

Penn’s Peak offers breathtaking, panoramic views of Beltzville Lake and the surrounding Appalachian mountainside from its large open-air deck.

Tickets are required for this event and are $14 in advance or $16 at the door the weekend of the event. They are on sale now at all eight Lehigh Valley Wine Trail wineries (see list below), as well as online: http://www.localwineevents.com/events/detail/378296.  Admission includes a commemorative tasting glass. Attendees must be 21 years of age or older. Wine on the Mountain is a rain or shine event.

The Lehigh Valley Wine Trail is a non-profit organization of wineries whose mission is to promote agri-tourism and to create a premiere wine destination and grape growing region while promoting Pennsylvania wines from the region. All of the member wineries have won numerous awards at state, national and international levels.

The eight wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail are:
o    Amoré Vineyards & Winery, Nazareth
o    Big Creek Vineyard and Winery, Kresgeville
o    Blue Mountain Vineyards, New Tripoli
o    Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville
o    Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor
o    Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery, Andreas
o    Pinnacle Ridge, Kutztown
o    Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville

For driving directions to Penn’s Peak, visit their web site - www.pennspeak.com.

For more information on the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail, visit the organization’s newly redesigned web site www.LehighValleyWineTrail.com, and connect with them on Twitter and their Facebook fan page.

Vyncrest Winery to go green!

The statement below was issued by Vynecrest Winery in Breinigsville recently:

Vynecrest Winery has received a grant from the USDA and a loan from the PA Dept of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to assist in the conversion of the winery to a geothermal cooling and heating system. 

This includes the wine cellar, wine storage, offices, tasting room, and Vyneskeller Wine Bar. 

By replacing the existing oil and standard air conditioning systems, Vynecrest will use less energy and reduce its carbon footprint by 36 tons per year. 

8th Annual “Wine on the Mountain” event returns to Penn’s Peak on July 30 & 31

Tickets are now on sale at all eight Lehigh Valley Wine Trail wineries and online!

The eighth edition of the Wine on the Mountain wine festival takes place at Penn’s Peak on Saturday, July 30 and Sunday, July 31, from noon – 5 p.m. both days. It includes wine samplings from eight Lehigh Valley wineries, local artisans displaying their arts and crafts, light fare available for purchase, and live musical entertainment.

(*PLEASE NOTE: These dates are different from the dates originally announced for this event due to an error. This year’s Wine on the Mountain event is the last weekend of July.)

Tickets are required for this event and are now on sale at all eight Lehigh Valley Wine Trail wineries (see list below). They are $14 in advance or $16 at the door the weekend of the event. Admission includes a commemorative tasting glass. Attendees must be 21 years of age or older.

For the first time, advance tickets can be purchased online through the web site Local Wine Events - http://www.localwineevents.com/events/detail/378296.  

The eight wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail:

• Amoré Vineyards & Winery, Nazareth 
• Big Creek Vineyard and Winery, Kresgeville 
• Blue Mountain Vineyards, New Tripoli 
• Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville 
• Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor 
• Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery, Andreas 
• Pinnacle Ridge, Kutztown 
• Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville

Visit the wine trail online at www.lehighvalleywinetrail.com.

July events at Clover Hill Winery

Summer is in full swing and hopefully you are enjoying this gorgeous season with friends and family while sharing good wine and food! Our favorite summer sipping wines are the 2010 N~Chard, Clover Hill Rosé and Turtle Rock Red. They are perfect for the warm summer days with their fresh, light and clean flavors. Click here for great summertime wine and food recipes and start sipping!

The summer schedule at the winery is full of tours, music and tapas on the patio and even yoga in the vineyard! The vineyard in Robesonia is now open seven days a week: Monday-Saturday, 11 am - 5:30 pm and Sunday from noon to 5 pm. Both the Winery in Breinigsville and the Vineyard in Robesonia have beautiful patios where you can enjoy a glass of wine and local cheeses any day of the week! We look forward to your next visit.

Special thanks to the readers of Lehigh Valley Magazine, Clover Hill Winery was once again voted “Best of the Valley 2011 – Best Winery." We are honored!

Owner's Selection

Clover Hill Rosé is a soft, mild taste with floral and fruity flavors. The sweetness is rich and mouth coating. Enjoy a 10% discount on Clover Hill Rosé the entire month of July! Receive a 20% discount on the Owner's Selection when included with case purchases.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday is Senior Day at The Winery in Breinigsville and the Vineyard in Robesonia
Don't forget every Tuesday is Senior Day at the Winery in Breinigsville and the vineyard in Robesonia. Seniors save an additional 10% on wine purchases. Must have a valid ID. Vintage is always cool!

Public Tour  - Breinigsville
Tickets Required; $12 per person, free for under 21

• Saturday, July 16 at noon & 2 pm
• Monday, July 18 at 2 pm
• Saturday, August 13 at noon & 2 pm
• Monday, August 22 at 2 pm

Join Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery for an afternoon of wine tasting, vineyard and winery touring. Enjoy a 1 and a 1/2 hour journey as we explore how we make wine from the grape to the glass. Reservations are required; minors are free. Handicap accessible. For tickets and reservations, please call 610-395-2468.

Wine and Food Tasting
Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market
Saturday, July 9; 11am - 4 pm

Visit the wine shop at the Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market for a special wine and food pairing treat. Stop in any time between 11am and 4pm to sample wine and food pairings from various market vendors.

Music & Tapas on the Patio
Breinigsville
Saturday, July 9; 1 - 4:30 pm

Sit back and relax with good wine, food and music. There is no charge to enjoy the music on the patio, but please no outside alcohol and no pets. Tapas style small plates are available for $6 per plate. Reservations for tapas are suggested; please call 610-395-2468. Lehigh Valley performer Craig Thatcher will be performing live.

Tapas Menu:
~ Skewered Chicken Meatballs over cucumber, carrot and chili slaw
~ Grilled Vegetable Napoleon prepared with zucchini, tomato, eggplant, beets, red pepper in a jalapeño basil pesto
~ Slow Roasted beef rolled with cucumber, marinated green onion and garlic served over cucumber, carrot and chili slaw
$6 per plate

Yoga in the Vineyard
Breinigsville
Sunday, July 10; 10 am

Join yoga instructor Jacque Porterfield (from Lehigh Valley Yoga ~ www.lvyoga.com) for a free intro to Ashtanga yoga class.  Beginners are welcome, but please bring a mat (if you have one) and water.  This class will be rain or shine.  Reserve your space on Clover Hill’s Facebook page.

Clover Hill Night at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center
Breinigsville
July 22; 5:30 pm the track opens; 7:30 pm the racing starts!

Clover Hill Winery is proud to be the official wine at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center. On July 22, we will be at the Cycling Center doing a mini wine tasting all evening long. We will also have a raffle to enter and prizes to win if you stop by our table! Enjoy a night at the races with a glass of wine in your hand. For more information on the Valley Preferred Cycling Center please visit www.thevelodrome.com. Whenever you are there to watch the racing you can have a glass of Clover Hill wine!

Tapas Tuesday at Bear Creek Mountain
Macungie
Sunday, July 26 ; 6-8:30 pm: reservations required

Beat the heat and stay out of the kitchen by joining Clover Hill Winery at Bear Creek Mountain Resort for an evening of tapas and wine in their Grille Restaurant. The menu will include 5 different tapas, small plates of food, paired with 5 Clover Hill wines. Clover Hill Winery owner, Kari Skrip will be on hand to explain the paired wines with each tapas offered.

The tapas menu includes:

• Sliced Serrano Ham & Fresh Fig Drizzled with Truffle Honey
• Chilled Shrimp in a Smoked Paprika Mayonnaise
• Grilled Calamari with Tomatoes, Leeks and Garlic over Black Pasta
• Veal & Sheep’s Milk Cheese Meatballs with Wild Mushrooms
• Roasted Mussels with Chorizo Oil and Fresh Corn

Reservations are required at $25 per person (inclusive of tax and tip) and limited to 50 guests, so don’t wait to reserve your night out of your kitchen. For more information or to place your reservation go to: www.Bcmountainresort.com.

Lehigh Valley Wine Trail launches a new web site!

The web portal for the Lehigh Valley’s eight wineries that make up the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail has been revamped with a fresh look and improved features.

The new web site, designed by Liz Buck of EB Designs in Reading, highlights the group’s six annual wine-themed events and its social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr and Taste of the Trail blog. There’s also an e-newsletter signup box on the homepage for the organization’s free monthly emailed information.

Each of the eight member wineries also has its own detailed information page with address, telephone number, web site link, directions, hours, and description. Retail outlet locations and tasting polices are also featured.

Other pages include:
•    Events – overviews of March Madness, Wine in Bloom, Wine on the Mountain at Penn’s Peak, Harvest Weekend, Chambourcin Weekend, and Nouveau Weekend along with dates.
•    Just Pressed – announcements regarding awards, honor and other accolades for the member wineries and the wines they produce.
•    Trail Friends – a list of local restaurants that sell Wine Trail wines, and hotels, inns and B&Bs for overnight accommodations.
•    Media – a section is for the press which includes recent press release announcements.
•    Directions – features a Google map with each winery’s location pin pointed on it. One click on a pin launches the Google Maps application with driving directions from one winery to another.

The Lehigh Valley Wine Trail is a 501c6 non-profit organization of wineries whose mission is to promote agri-tourism and to create a premiere wine destination and grape growing region while promoting Pennsylvania wines from the region. All of the member wineries have won numerous awards at state, national and international levels.

Members include:
•    Amoré Vineyards & Winery, Nazareth
•    Big Creek Vineyard and Winery, Kresgeville
•    Blue Mountain Vineyards, New Tripoli
•    Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville
•    Franklin Hills Vineyards, Bangor
•    Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery, Andreas
•    Pinnacle Ridge, Kutztown
•    Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville

The Lehigh Valley region is an official American Viticultural Area as designated by the Federal Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in April 2008. The Lehigh Valley AVA includes portions of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Schuylkill, Carbon and Monroe counties in Pennsylvania. In order to receive the designation a least 75% of the grapes used to make local wines must be grown within the region. Wineries in the region are permitted to list “Lehigh Valley” as the growing region on their labels.

Franklin Hill Winery is ready for summer!

Here's the latest e-newsletter from Franklin Hill Vineyards in Bangor.

Let the Fireworks FLY!  We're polished-up and ready-to-go! We've given our Easton Location a refreshing face-lift and it looks GREAT! Come join us to celebrate the transformation!

Franklin Hill Vineyards - Easton Location Grand Re-Opening Ribbon Cutting and Mixer
Thursday July 21 from 5 - 7 pm
3625 Nazareth Road (248), Easton, PA

-Ribbon Cutting at 5:30 pm
-Wine Tasting
-Raffle/Prizes
-Great Friends and FUN!

Look What's Going on in Bethlehem!  

Taste our refreshing wine at the various events going on in Downtown Bethlehem this July!  Be sure to stop by our Bethlehem location to pick up your favorite bottle!  

Rooftop Beach Party
July 8 from 5:30 - 8:30 pm 
Tickets on sale at our Bethlehem wine shop!

Movies by Moonlight
Thursdays only, July 7-21

SteelStacks Farmers' Market
Come see us for complimentary wine tastings.
Tuesday, July 26 from 3 - 7 pm

Bethlehem's Art Walk
Visit Franklin Hill on the Art Walk & Wine Trail
July 30 from 4 - 9 pm

Sidewalk Sale
July 28-31

On the Road Again

July is HOT and so are we!  Our Festival Crew is on fire and can be found buzzing around, having fun at the following sizzlin' wine festivals. Why not join them?

Wine on the Mountain
July 30 and 31
at Penn's Peak in Jim Thorpe, PA

Hit the road and head to Penn's Peak in nearby Jim Thorpe for this festival which includes wine samplings from each of our nine wineries in your own commemorative glass. Relax with a glass of wine on the panoramic outdoor deck with a view of Beltzville Lake and the Pocono Mountains. Or stay inside in air conditioned comfort while listening to live musical entertainment. Tickets on sale at all four Franklin Hill Vineyards locations!

Martin on Main - August 6  - Nazareth, PA
Seven Springs Wine & Food Festival -  August 27-28 - Seven Springs, PA
Gettysburg Wine & Music Festival - Sept 10-11 - Gettysburg, PA

From Our Grapes to Your Glass

Our brand-new building is complete! Like the beautiful vines out in our vineyard, our winery is also growing and moving right along. This new space will function as a tank room used to house some of our larger tanks.  We now have more room to make more of your favorite Franklin Hill vino. 

Join us at the winery for live music on July 16, from noon - 4 pm. Robert Michaels will be performing live acoustic music at the winery. We will be giving tours of the facility, including the new building, all day long. Wine, music, fun, and food, all for free, as usual. So, come on down to check out the new addition to our winery!