Friday, March 30, 2012

Save the Date for Wine in Bloom this May

March Madness has finally wrapped up along the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail. During the month of April our wineries will do their own events and promotions. So please check their respective web sites for information and sign up to receive their individual e-newsletters. Find links to each winery's web site from the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail web site here.

In the mean time, please mark your calendar for our next Wine Trail event - Wine in Bloom, May 19 & 20. In only its second year, Wine in Bloom is a fun and educational event that celebrates bud break on the vines and the start of the growing season. 


It highlights the importance that terroir (soil) plays in the development of the grapes, their flavor and the resulting taste of the wine, and stresses the importance of the A.V.A. designation (American Viticultural Area) in further legitimizing the Lehigh Valley for wine making.

The Lehigh Valley region was designated as an official American Viticultural Area 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 85% 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.

During the event, each winery will offer its own variety of activities, from vineyard tours and food and wine pairings, to live entertainment and even a scavenger hunt. Check this blog in late-April for details on what each winery will be doing that weekend.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Franklin Hill celebrates spring with a sale, wine festival and baseball

Franklin Hill Vineyards receives two more awards
Our Pomegranate Peach won a Silver Medal and Sir Walter's Red won a Gold in the San Diego International Wine Competition.

Downtown Bethlehem's Spring Sidewalk Sale 
The Historic and Southside Shopping Districts will celebrate the beginning of summer like it's Christmas in July during the annual Sidewalk Sale, April 19-22 at the Franklin Hill Vineyards Bethlehem location only.

Our specials include: "Circa" 3 piece wine tool kits in spring-time colors. Originally $18, on sale for $10. And 50% off "Metro" BYOB three-bottle wine backpacks in black and red.

For more information visit www.downtownbethlehemassociation.com.

Bear Creek Spring Wine and Food Festival
April 14-15 from 1- 5 p.m.

Come and visit us during our first festival of the season! The rustic beauty of Bear Creek Resort serves as the backdrop for enjoying regional wine samples, decadent foods, cooking seminars, spa specials, and unique art and jewelry. Our Franklin Hill festival crew is looking forward to seeing you at Bear Creek. For more information including ticket sales, visit: www.bcmountainresort.com.

Let's Play Ball!
Look out for Franklin Hill Vineyards wine being served during the 2012 Iron Pigs' season at Coca-Cola Park. Ladies, don't forget to sign up to be a "Diamond Diva!" A $30 Membership includes: Diamond Divas t-shirt, visor, wine tasting, ladies-only Fantasy Camp group night at Coca-Cola Park. For more information contact Director of Community Relations Sarah Marten at 610-841-1213 or smarten@ironpigsbaseball.com.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Easter food and wine pairing recommendations

Easter is a special occasion that brings families together for a day of egg hunting in the backyard, visits with an oversized bunny, and baskets filled with candy and treats. But the highlight of the day is the celebratory meal.

The eight family-owned and operated wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail understand how important that meal is and offer the following food and wine pairing suggestions for this year’s dinner.

Amoré Vineyards & Winery, Nazareth
Pair Rose Amore with ham, pork and sauerkraut. After dinner, relax with a glass of Rapport or Vidal Blanc dessert wines.

Big Creek Vineyard and Winery, Kresgeville
Their Vin di Pasqualina (named after the owner’s Great Aunt Pasqualina Lapetina) is a favorite all-around wine for traditional Easter dinners. Both sweet and dry wine fans will enjoy the glass-filling aroma of this semi-dry rose. Vin is a blend of three grapes, but the bouquet and character come from Niagara, an aromatic white grape that can stand a little chill and still deliver a ton of flavor. It does very well as an aperitif or with ham, turkey, or even baked ziti.

Blue Mountain Vineyards, New Tripoli
The medium-bodied flavor of their newly released 2008 Pinot Noir will compliment a glazed Easter ham. Their Riesling, non-oaked Chardonnay and White Merlot will also compliment the smoky flavor of ham.

Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville
The winery suggests Turtle Rock Red, made from 100% Chambourcin grapes (the official wine grape of the Lehigh Valley) with a slight bit of natural sweetness, best served with a slight chill. This wine is a great accompaniment to Easter ham, and garlic or smoked kielbasa.

Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor
This year, the winery will be celebrating Easter with three senses and three flavors in its newest wine “3.” It pairs well with everything from salad and roast beef, to chocolate desserts and Easter candy. Break tradition and drink red wines with ham and pork!

Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery, Andreas
Their Rieslings will add the distinguishing touch to an Easter celebration. The half-dry Riesling matches well with quiche, salads or ham. The dry Stone Cellar Riesling drinks easily with seafood, turkey and poultry.

Pinnacle Ridge, Kutztown
The winery suggests their Brut Rose or Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine for Easter. What a better way to celebrate a holiday than with sparkling wine!

Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville
Their semi-sweet Riesling with a floral nose, grapefruit/melon mid-palate, and clean, tart finish pairs well with ham, lamb, turkey and all the Easter trimmings. Riesling is the April Wine of the Month with a discount of 10 percent per bottle.

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 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 85% 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.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Before hitting the trail, check out our web site

If you haven't checked out the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail web site lately, you might not know about all of the information you can find on it about our wineries, special events and more. Here are some highlights:
  • On the web site's home page you can sign up to receive our free monthly e-newsletter and download a PDF of our new promotional brochure to print out at home. You can also find icons linking to our social media accounts with Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Flickr.
  • Across the top of the web site find buttons for each of our eight wineries' pages where you will find their contact information, links to their own social media outlets, a list of their wine shops, hours, driving directions, tasting policy, and a brief overview.
  • On the Events tab, get the dates for this year's six wine trail weekend events and details on each one. In the weeks leading up to an event we add specifics such as discounts, food and wine pairings, live music and more that will be taking place at each winery during the event.
  • The Just Pressed page features news from our member wineries including recent awards, specials and discounts, and events.
  • Our Trail Friends page features a list of area restaurants where you can find some of our wines for sale, and local hotels, inns and B&Bs that are our partners. We will soon be adding a list of local farmers' markets that several of our wineries participate in.
  • The Media page is the place to find our current press releases, which are great sources of information whether you are a member of the media or not!
  • Use the Google map on the Directions page to see winery locations, and click on a pinpoint for a pop-up box which links to driving directions.
  • And finally, under the Contact Us page, feel free to drop us a line with any questions or comments you have about the wine trail.
Thanks for visiting our web site and for connecting with us on social media!

Friday, March 16, 2012

Clover Hill Winery is wrapped up in spring fever!

Talk about Spring Fever! 70 degree days in March have us very busy in the vineyard at Clover Hill. We are feverishly pruning and tying the vines and finishing the general maintenance in our six vineyards. Bud burst is just around the corner and we are eager to see the vineyards spring back to life. 

We are equally excited to see people enjoying a glass of wine on the patio. Be our guest. Pack a picnic lunch to enjoy at Clover Hill or try some of the local cheeses we have stocked for sale in the tasting room. Compliment either with a glass of Clover Hill wine.


Owner's Selection - Turtle Rock Red

Turtle Rock Red is a flagship wine for Clover Hill Winery. It is produced 100% from Chambourcin, the official wine grape of the Lehigh Valley. The deep, purple color, fresh berry flavors, a hint of sweetness and a touch of acidity are characteristics of this wine. This wine pairs nicely with grilled salmon or spicy chili.

Here is our favorite Turtle Rock Red recipe, the Wicked Turtle! Best served slightly chilled in the company of good friends.

Enjoy a 10% discount on Turtle Rock Red the entire month of March. Receive a 20% discount on the Owner's Selection when included with case purchases.

2012 Vineyard and Winery Tour Series
Tickets go on sale at the end of March. 

Spend the afternoon sipping and touring Clover Hill Vineyards and Winery. We will share with you our grape growing and wine making process from start to finish. Expect to spend 1 ½ hours at the winery for the tour.  Weather permitting we will go into the vineyard, so casual attire is recommended.  $12 per person; free for anyone under 21. Advance tickets are required. The tour is handicap accessible.

Tour Dates:
  • Saturday, June 9 at noon and 2 pm
  • Saturday, July 14 at noon and 2 pm
  • Monday, July 23 at 2 pm
  • Saturday, August 11 at noon and 2 pm
  • Monday, August 20 at 2 pm

Music and Tapas on the Patio
Chef Nathan Grube and musician Craig Thatcher will be returning to Clover Hill Vineyards and Winery.  Tapas are available for $6 per plate.  Check back soon for the tapas menu.

Music and Tapas dates:
  • Friday, May 25, 1 - 4 pm
  • Sunday, June 10, 1 - 4 pm
  • Sunday, August 12, 1 - 4 pm

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Vynecrest announces new satellite location in Kutztown

We are excited to announce the grand opening of our new satellite store in Kutztown. We will be opening our doors Friday, March 30 at noon. Located on Main St, directly across from the Kutztown Tavern, our normal hours will be Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. We will offer our full selection of wines and wine accessories, as well as a place to sit and enjoy a glass of wine. We look forward to seeing you there!


The Lehigh Valley Wine Trail's March Madness is in full swing at Vynecrest. While it is going on there will not be live music until March 31, but the Vyneskeller is still open. Have you enjoyed a visit to our Vyneskeller yet? The folks in this photo sure are having a good time there!




New Releases:
  • 2011 Vignoles
  • 2011 First Blush
March Specials:
  • Wine of the Month - Traminette*
  • 3 Pack of the Month - 3 Summertime Red for $25.00*
*at winery only, 3 pack specials cannot be combined with other discount offers

Upcoming Events:
  • March 31 - Live Music in the Vyneseller, Chuck Schubert, 1:30 - 4:30 pm
  • April 7 - Live Music in the Vyneskeller, Alison and the Rotten Apples, 1:30 - 4:30 pm
  • April 8 - Closed for Easter
  • April 14 - Live Music in the Vyneseller, Jake Kaligis, 1:30 - 4:30 pm
  • April 14 & 15 - Bear Creek Spring Wine Festival, 1 pm - 5 pm both days
  • April 21 - Live Music in the Vyneseller, Connie Edinger, 1:30 - 4:30 pm
  • April 28 - Live Music in the Vyneseller, Mike Pilgermayer, 1:30 - 4:30 pm
  • April 29 - Jazz Sunday, Live Music with Andy & Dan, 1:30 - 4:30pm

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Pinnacle Ridge Winery announces Summer Concert Series

LEHIGH VALLEY WINE TRAIL'S MARCH MADNESS

March Madness is here! Enjoy this opportunity to pair fantastic local wines with a variety of savory dishes. Pinnacle Ridge is celebrating the year of the dragon with delicious food prepared by chef Ben Underwood. Have fun and be safe. For more information on March Madness please visit www.lehighvalleywinetrail.com.  

MARCH MADNESS FOOD AND WINE PAIRINGS MENU

March 10 & 11 - Pork Satay- Skewered strips of tender pork sirloin, hickory grilled and served with sesame BBQ sauce paired with our 2009 Merlot or 2010 Quaff.

March 17 & 18 - Mushroom Rangoon- Crunchy Chinese pasta filled with roasted garlic-scallion cream cheese, Portobello mushrooms and drizzled with black bean sauce.  This lively dish will be paired with our 2009 Chambourcin.

March 24 & 25 - Moo Shoo Chicken- Stir fried chicken, cabbage, carrots and peanuts in crispy rice paper, served with Peking plum sauce. Perfect with our 2011 Dry Vidal Blanc.

2012 SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

Get ready for our 2012 Summer Concert Series. Each month we will be featuring a different blues, bluegrass,jazz or rock band to perform live in our barn. Kick back and relax this summer at Pinnacle Ridge Winery with some great tunes, food and a glass of wine.

Schedule:

  June 16: 2-5 p.m - James Supra Blues Band
  www.jamessuprabluesband.com

  July 7: 2-5 p.m - The Wallace Brothers Band
  www.thewallacebrothersband.com

  August 4: 2-5 p.m - Hannah Violet Trio
  www.hannahviolet.com

  September 8th 12-5 p.m - BLUES IN THE BARN - The Wallace Brothers Band - Mighty Manatees
  www.mightymanatees.com

  September 9: 12-5 p.m - BLUES IN THE BARN - James Supra Blues Band - Kelchner Brothers Band
  www.kelchnerbrothers.com

  October 6: 2-5 p.m. - Jack Murray and the Midnight Creeps
  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jack-Murray-the-Midnight-Creeps 

Friday, March 2, 2012

March events and specials at Blue Mountain Vineyards

March Specials at Blue Mountain Vineyards

$1 off 2008 Merlot
$1 off Sangria

March Sunday Blues Schedule

2 - 5 p.m. every Sunday
  • March 4 - The Large Flowerheads
  • March 11 - Wow Brothers
  • March 18 - Billy Patrick
  • March 25 - Jake Kaligis & Mike Rauscher's Dynamic Duo
Due to an increase in attendance for our Sunday Blues, we now ask that if you make a reservation with us that you are here by 2:15. If it is busy and you're not here by 2:15 we will be able to give your table to someone else. Please feel free to pay your $5 admission in advance to make sure your table is saved!
Thank you for understanding!

March Madness along the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail

We're gearing up for March Madness 2012! Passport holders will have the opportunity to visit each winery on the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail during the four weekends of March for food & wine pairings. Non-passport holders can try the pairings for just $5 here at Blue Mountain. We look forward to seeing everyone!

Locations:

Montgomery Mall
230 Montgomery Mall
North Wales, PA
(215) 855-9388    

Willow Grove, PA
315 York Rd
Willow Grove, PA
(Located inside GIANT)
(215) 657-2111    

Hershey, PA
277 Hershey Rd
Hershey, PA
(Located inside GIANT)
(717) 566-8301    

Reading Terminal Market
12th and Arch Streets
Philadelphia, PA
(215) 238 - 9022

Coventry Mall
Routes 100 & 724
Pottstown, PA
(610) 323-5969