Galen Glen extends winery hours and the dog starts a blog

It's spring and vines are not the only thing growing at Galen Glen Winery. We're adding staff and hours as well as watching our Facebook page come out of its dormant winter state into a full-blown spring growth.  Have you "Liked" us yet? If not you've been missing out on our updates and contests.

We are offering things like "Fan Friday" contests, information on BYO restaurants and establishments that carry our wines, giving general and fun wine facts, sharing our photographs of the vineyard and informing you first of upcoming events.

Plus, rumor has it that Clemmens the dog has started his own winery blog. Please "Like" us on Facebook and join in the conversation with other fans who are writing on our wall.

We also wanted to share some great news with you. Beginning June 12 the winery will have additional weekday hours. We are adding Wednesday and Thursday and will be open from noon to 5 pm. Please stop by to see us.

Galen Glen Winery LLC

255 Winter Mountain Dr

Andreas, Pennsylvania 18211

(570) 386-3682

Blue Mountain Vineyards featured in next Taste of the Trail video

Joe Greff, owner of Blue Mountain Vineyards in New Tripoli, is interviewed in the next Taste of the Trail video in our new series on our YouTube channel.

Find out about the types of grapes they grow and wines he and his wife Vickie make. And join them for Sunday Blues on the deck this summer!

New video in Taste of the Trail series - Galen Glen Winery

The next video in our Taste of the Trail web video series features a visit to Galen Glen Winery in Andreas and an interview with owner Sarah Troxell.

Her winery has been in her husband Galen's family for several generations. It is known for its Austrian and Germanic wines, as well as its tractor-led wagon tours of the vineyard.

Clover Hill releases its summer vineyard and winery tour schedule

So far spring has provided us with gorgeous weather, though much cooler than recent years. This weather has provided a later bud break and more even shoot growth in the vineyard. To sum up our beginning of the growing season, we would say it has been slow but steady.

By contrast, in the winery we have been moving quite quickly. Winemaker John Skrip III, just released the 2012 Pinot Grigio and the 2012 Dolcetto. Both of these wines are springtime favorites. The Pinot Grigio is a dry, unoaked, white wine that is packed with citrus fruit flavors like pink grapefruit and lemon. Our Dolcetto is an Italian grape variety that translates to mean ‘Little Sweet One’ but don’t be fooled - this is a completely dry rosé. Both of these wines lend themselves nicely to grilled white fish, steamed clams or spring salads with grilled chicken.

We look forward to your next visit to Clover Hill Vineyards and Winery. If you visit our Breinigsville or Robesonia locations, we would like to invite you to spend a little extra time and enjoy a glass of wine on the patio while you are here. Please note, we have recently updated our House Policies in order for all to have a pleasant experience while visiting our home. Please take a minute to read them in order to help you plan your next visit.

Thank you for your continued support of Clover Hill Vineyards and Winery. We couldn't be more proud to be a family-owned business growing grapes for 38 years and making wine for 28 years. Cheers!

Owner's Selection:

Save 10% on your purchase of Niagara.
Enjoy the outstanding aroma and taste of fresh grapes that just popped out of their skin into the wine glass. This sweet white wine is a nostalgic treat for anyone who ever tasted the ‘backyard grapes’. Serve the Niagara well chilled with good friends or family. Enjoy our Pretty in Peach recipe using our Niagara this summer! Now only $8.55. Receive an additional 10% discount when included in a case purchase.

Public Tours:

• Friday, June 21 at  2:30 pm
• Sunday, June 23 at 2:30 pm
• Saturday, July 13 at 1 and 2:30 pm
• Monday, July 15 at 2:30 pm
• Saturday, August 10 at 1 and 2:30 pm
• Monday, August 12 at 2:30 pm

Spend the afternoon sipping and touring Clover Hill Vineyards and Winery. We will share with you our grape growing and winemaking process from start to finish. Please expect to spend 1½ hours at the winery for the tour. Weather permitting we will go into the vineyard so casual attire is recommended. $12 per person and advance tickets are required.

Pinnacle Ridge announces dates and acts for Summer Concert Series

LEHIGH VALLEY WINE TRAIL'S WINE IN BLOOM WEEKEND  

Saturday, May 18 - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, May 19 - noon to 5 p.m.

This year we are trying something different for this Lehigh Valley Wine Trail event. Pinnacle Ridge is pairing up with Perfect Pairings which will be pairing Pinnacle Ridge wines with different items, such as jewelry by Sally Rocks, Blooming Baskets, Creative Gift Wrap, Garden Art and Wall Art. Perfect Pairings will be upstairs in our 1851 Pennsylvania Bank Barn and the tasting room will be open as well. Come check out this new, unique concept in wine pairings.

HOUSE CONCERT SERIES
 
Join us upstairs this summer in our 1851 Pennsylvania Bank Barn for some great music on Saturday afternoons. Music will go from 2 -5 p.m. on Saturday afternoons, except for the "Blues in the Barn" weekend. Chef Ben will serve up great tasting goodies for purchase and wine will be available by the glass or bottle. Put the dates on the calendar so you don't forget!

June 15 - BLUES FACTOR WITH JACOB KELCHNER
www.thebluesfactor.com

July 6 - GEORGIE BONDS
www.georgiebonds.com

July 20 - STEVE BROSKY AND JIMMY MEYER
www.stevebrosky.com

August 10 - MIGHTY MANATEES
www.themightymanatees.com

BLUES IN THE BARN

September 14
MIKE DUGAN AND THE BLUES MISSION (noon - 3 p.m.)
www.mikedugan.com

JAMES SUPRA BLUES BAND (3:30 - 6:30 p.m.)
www.jamessuprabluesband.com

September 15
KELCHNER BROTHERS BAND
www.kelchnerbrothers.com

October 5
STEVE BROSKY AND JIMMY MEYER
www.stevebrosky.com


CHAMBOURCIN POT ROAST SLIDER RECIPE BY CHEF BEN UNDERWOOD

5 lb. chuck roast                 2 stalks celery, diced
1 1/2 cups Chambourcin    2 bay leaves
2 onions, diced                  4 cloves garlic
3 carrots, sliced                 2 t. sea salt/ 2 t. pepper

Season chuck roast with salt and pepper and allow to reach room temperature. In a cast iron Dutch oven, sear chuck roast over medium heat until browned on each side. Add garlic, onion, carrots, celery and bay leaves; cook until onions begin to brown (10 minutes) then add Chambourcin. Cover and place in a 200 degree oven for approximately three hours or until the meat can be pulled apart easily with a fork. Serve on a fresh slider roll with a glass of Pinnacle Ridge Chambourcin.

Vynecrest releases 2012 Chardonnay and plants new vineyard

The buds are out and the new vines are planted. We planted more Chambourcin and Chardonnay this week, but we need to wait three years before we get any fruit from these vines.

On May 1, we released the 2012 Chardonnay - our first-ever release of a 100% Oaked Chardonnay. Fresh off a nice six-month nap in French oak, this wine comes right after you with intense aromas and notes of butterscotch and vanilla while finishing with a rich, soft creaminess. Great pairing for rich buttery foods, or even better, as an end-of-the-day thank you to yourself!

The Vyneskeller is now open seven days a week from 1 - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday it is self service -  you can buy everything you need upstairs in the tasting room (wine, cheese, crackers) and take it with you downstairs to the patio or out to the picnic tables. Saturday and Sunday is business as usual with our full staff.

May Specials 
* Wine of the Month - Chardonnay - additional 10% off
* 3-Pack of the Month - 3 DiVyne Red for $25.00
*available at winery only, 3-pack cannot be combined with other offers

May 18 and 19 - Lehigh Valley Wine Trail Wine in Bloom Weekend
We have complimentary winemaker tours both days at 1 p.m. First 25 customers each day gets a potted flower from Amore Greenhouse. We're celebrating the 5th anniversary of the region's A.V.A. designation.

May 25 and 26 (Memorial Day Weekend)
To kick off the summer season we will crank up our sangria maker and begin serving sangria in the Vyneskeller for $4 a glass, complete with straw and umbrella! We will also be introducing a new appetizer for the summer to be enjoyed with our sangria and our sweeter wines. It's a black raspberry fruit dip served with grapes and honey graham sticks. May 26 is also Jazz Sunday with live piano and guitar music for your listening pleasure.

Glass Half Empty 
by Sam Landis

I get asked all the time do I ever drink any other wine than Vynecrest and my answer is always the same... "yes, and as much as I possibly can." Now this is not a negative thing for how we make wine and what we do, but just like any other business out there the worst thing you can do is bury your head in your own day-to-day operations. The most challenging thing I have experienced in being involved in this business is being so insulated that you get comfortable in your own procedures and wines, and because it works, there is no need for change.

I recently took a trip to another Pa. winery and they were more than willing to talk about their processes and procedures on wine making (spoiler alert: Hauser Estate Winery in Getttysburg). I was given a two-hour tour into everything in their cellar concluding with a tasting of every wine in their tanks. Could you imagine Applebee's doing the same for TGI Fridays?

Hauser Estate makes great wines and do some things very similar to us and some things very different. And while the rest of the evening got a little hazy it made me appreciate what we do as an industry. I left with such a level of excitement of where we are with Pa. winemaking and where we can go as an industry that is only 45 years old. The people are what drive our industry and the mission to collectively raise the bar statewide was my major takeaway.

Pa. wines are becoming really good...trust me! And Pa.'s reputation is only going to get better as we all get better. Yes, I drink a lot of other wines and you should too; that's that point of wine, it's about exploring and finding new things. That being said, if you love one of our wines, feel free to buy all you want of it... we'll make more.

Have you ever done yoga... in a vineyard? Try it at Franklin Hill

As wine makers, we have a love for the land and soil that supports and nourishes our vines.  Wine in Bloom is a Lehigh Valley Wine Trail event that celebrates just that.

This year we're taking the celebration out to the vineyard by offering tastings next to the vines that the wines are made from. Following the tasting, our tours will continue into the winery and finish with an unexpected pairing with our award winning Sir Walters Red.  

Robert Michaels will be on the deck for your entertainment. We will have delicious dips from Robert Rothschild Farms and other light appetizers. Tours are available at noon, 2 and 4 p.m. on Saturday, and noon and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Groups of 10 or more please call ahead for reservations and more information.

Wine Tourism Day
May 11
Franklin Hill Vineyards is proud to be a part of Wine Tourism Day. On this countrywide day of celebration we will be offering tours at noon, 2 and 4 p.m. which will include tastings in the vineyard. We will have entertainment on the deck, pairings in the winery and light appetizers in the tasting room. Groups of 10 or more please call in advance for more information.

Yoga in the Vineyard
May 12
10 a.m.
Join us as we downward dog our way to tranquility and health. Kula Yoga's own Silver Kim, will guide us as we restore ours minds, bodies and souls with an hour of yoga in the vineyard. Once we're centered we'll enjoy light appetizers and wine.  It's sure to be a wonderful way to start the day. There are only 40 tickets available so call the winery and reserve your spot today!
610-588-8708
$15 per person
BYOM (bring your own mat)

Mother's Day
May 12
Come Celebrate Mom at Franklin Hill Vineyards.  Robert Michaels will be here singing your favorite tunes on the deck.  The girls in the tasting room will be whipping up some yummy frozen wine cocktails for purchase and will be offering complimentary tastings. Light appetizers will also be available. Tours will be offered at noon and 2 p.m. Groups of 10 or more please call in advance for more information.

On the Road Again

First stop... Taste of Pennsylvania Wine & Music Festival, York, Pa.
May 18 and 19
Our Crew is packing up and heading out for the first festival of the season. York's Wine Festival offers live music, great food, beer and of course, wine!

Second stop... The Great Pennsylvania FlavorFest
May 25 and 26
FlavorFest offers the tastes of over 20 PA Wineries as well as local craftsmen, musicians and tons of the terrific food.

Mother's Day, Wine in Bloom and Memorial Day events at Galen Glen this month

We toast ladies on Mother's Day Weekend with a complimentary Galen Glen tasting glass.
Saturday, May 11 - 10 am - 5 pm
Sunday, May 12 - noon - 5 pm

Pack a Picnic ...
Our outdoor seating is waiting for you. Bring someone special, enjoy a glass of wine and watch the grapes grow!

Upcoming Events:

May 18 and 19 - Wine in Bloom with the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail
Walking tour of the vineyard and cellar. One enlightening walking tour of the vineyard will be offered each day departing at noon. Please wear sturdy foot gear. No reservations required and weather permitting.


Sunday, May 19 from noon - 5 pm
Jason and Love Hot Dogs are back with gourmet sausages all "for the love of dogs."
www.lovehotdogco.com

Memorial Day Weekend - May 25, 26 and 27
Summer slushy season starts - Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26. Sample a sweet frozen wine treat. You'll be imagining pitchers of slushies at your next party.
One walking tour of the vineyard each day at noon (Sat., Sun. and Mon.). Please wear sturdy foot gear. No reservations required and weather permitting.
Monday, May 27 - Memorial Day special hours - 11 am - 4 pm

Farmers' Market season returns for Blue Mountain Vineyards

Sangria Sundays at Blue Mountain!

Join us for live music every Sunday from 2-5 p.m. Purchase a pitcher of ice and fruit for $1.50, add your favorite wine and make your own sangria!

• May 12 - Billy Patrick
• May 19 - Ziggy Isaacs
• May 26 - Jake Kaligis and Mike Rauscher's Dynamic Duo

Call or email to make your reservations. $5 admission includes a wine tasting. If reservations are made we ask that you arrive no later than 2:15 p.m. or we may release your table to a waiting party. Adults ages 21 and older only please!

May Specials:
$1 off Cabernet Franc
$1 off Bri's Blush

Festivals:
Smoke In The Valley BBQ Contest & Festival
Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11
www.glfcbbq.com

Wilkes Barre Fine Arts Fiesta
Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18
www.fineartsfiesta.org

Christmas City Wine Festival
Saturday, May 18
www.christmascitywinefestival.org

Farmer's Market season is upon us!

Going on now:

Emmaus Farmer's Market, KNBT Parking Lot
235 Main Street, Emmaus
10 AM - 2 PM

Saucon Valley Farmer's Market, Water Street Park, Hellertown
9 AM - 1 PM

Starting May 16:

Bala Cynwyd Farmer's Market
Parking Lot of the GSB Building
Belmont Avenue & St. Asaphs Road
2:30 - 6:30 PM

Starting May 25:

Rittenhouse Farmer's Market
18th and Walnut Streets, both on south sidewalk of Walnut St and west sidewalk of 18th St.
10 AM - 2 PM

Stop by our stand for complimentary tastings and pick up your favorite bottles of wine!

Wine in Bloom event celebrates 5th Anniversary of Lehigh Valley A.V.A.

The eight wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail will present their next event, Wine in Bloom, on Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Sunday, May 19 from noon – 5 p.m. It celebrates bud break on the vines and the start of the growing season, as well as the fifth anniversary of the Lehigh Valley American Viticultural Area designation.

Wine in Bloom 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 in further legitimizing the Lehigh Valley for wine making. Each winery will offer its own variety of activities such as vineyard tours, food and wine pairings, and live entertainment.

New this year, each member winery will be handing out 25 colorful, 4 inch potted petunias each day of the event to the first 25 customers. The petunias are being grown by Amore Greenhouses in Nazareth which is owned by Amore Vineyards, a Wine Trail member. (Please note: supplies are limited.)

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.

• Amore Winery in Nazareth will pair Chardonnay-infused Sangria with an array of Mexican hors d'oeuvres.

• Big Creek Winery in Kresgeville will be slicing and serving their favorite cheeses.

• Blue Mountain Winery in New Tripoli will have complimentary live entertainment by Rob on Saturday from 1-4 p.m.

• Clover Hill Vineyards in Breinigsville - take part in their scavenger hunt. If you discover correct answers to all the questions they will reward your efforts with a gift.

• Franklin Hill Vineyards in Bangor will offer tours beginning in their new vineyard. They will serve Vidal and Chambourcin wines right next to the vines from which they harvest these grapes. After visiting the vines, tours continue into the winery and finish with an unexpected pairing with the award-winning Sir Walters Red.  Robert Michaels will perform on the deck and light appetizers from the Broadway Pub will be available.  (Tours available at noon, 2 and 4 p.m. Groups of 10 or more - please call ahead for reservations and more information.)

• Galen Glen Winery in Andreas will lead a Spring Tour of the vineyard and cellar. One enlightening walking tour will be offered each day, departing at noon. Please wear sturdy foot gear. No reservations required and weather permitting. Their panoramic setting is the perfect location for quiet conversation and contemplation.

• Saturday – BYOP (bring your own picnic)
• Sunday – the Love Hot Dogs cart will visit. Owner Jason will offer for purchase his gourmet sausages, toppings and more “for the love of dogs.”

• Pinnacle Ridge Winery in Kutztown is pairing up with Perfect Pairings who will be pairing Pinnacle Ridge wines with different items such as jewelry by Sally Rocks, blooming baskets, creative gift wrap, garden art and wall art.  Perfect Pairings will be upstairs in the winery’s 1851 Pennsylvania Bank Barn and the tasting room will be open as well. Check out this new, unique concept in wine pairings.

• Vynecrest Winery in Breinigsville will have a winemaker's tour of the vineyard and winery both Saturday and Sunday, free of charge. Vynecrest will also be releasing their new Bear Naked Chardonnay (fermented in stainless steel) to be tried along side of their recently-released Oaked Chardonnay. Bear Naked Chardonnay has a label with the Kutztown University Golden Bear and $1 from the sale of every bottle will go to a scholarship fund at the University.

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. www.LehighValleyWineTrail.com

Our next Taste of the Trail video - Clover Hill

Meet the Skrip family who own Clover Hill Vineyards in Breinigsville, and visit with Kari and her mom Pat during this short video tour.