Six new wine releases at Clover Hill this summer

Our Winemaker John Skrip III has been busy and is excited to share six new Clover Hill wines with you. 2015 was a kind vintage to our red wines. We had great quality with our red grape varieties, but the trade off is we have very little yield. That means all of the 2015 vintages listed below are in limited supply. Taste them while you can! Tasting is complimentary for these wines at all Clover Hill locations.

• 2015 Dolcetto: a dry rosé that is light, fresh, and fruity with a green apple finish. This release of Dolcetto has just a slight bit of fizz. $13.99 
• 2015 Sangiovese: a medium bodied dry red wine. Sangiovese shows rich flavors of black cherry and ripe plum with toasty American (PA) oak undertones. $16.99 
• 2015 Pinot Noir: This vintage of Pinot a bit fuller bodied than previous years and it is truly a superstar! The wine is full of classic strawberry characteristics and soft oak notes. $16.99 
• 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon: This Cabernet is packed with rich oak flavors of vanilla and spice from French oak aging and ripe fruit flavors of raspberry, blackberry and cherry. $17.99 

These two wines are limited release and are available for sale at all locations while supplies last, but ONLY available for tasting at the Winery in Breinigsville on a regular basis. Due to the very limited nature of these wines, there are tasting fees.

• Sparkling Vidal Blanc: Welcome Clover Hill's newest sparkling wine. This bubbly is made from 100% Vidal Blanc with crisp flavors of lemon and grapefruit with soft, yeasty undertones. $16.99/bottle; $3 for a 1oz tasting fee 
• 2016 Vidal Ice Wine: Our Ice Wine is back! This Ice Wine was hand harvested in January 2016. The berries were dehydrated, frozen solid and rich in flavor and sweetness. The harvest was basket pressed and yielded 1,500 bottles of Vidal Ice Wine; or as we like to call it...liquid gold. The flavors are complex and rich including honeycomb, orange blossom and bright acidity. $32/bottle (187ml); $6 for a 1oz tasting fee

1st Tuesday Tours
The Winery in Breinigsville
Tuesday, August 2 at 2 p.m.
Reservations suggested; $8 per person (Tuesday special)
No charge for under 21.

Join Clover Hill Winery for a Tuesday tour. We will show you the Clover Hill way from the grape to the glass! Tours last approximately 1 ½ hours and we sample a few wines as we tour. Tour groups are limited in size so please make advanced reservations by calling 610-395-2468. Please dress casually as comfortable shoes are suggested since this is a walking tour. Handicap accessible.

Harvest Flights with Bites
The Winery in Breinigsville
August 13, 14, 15 and 16, noon - 5 p.m. all days
Tickets required - $12 per flight

Purchase your flight ticket, pick your day you plan on attending, and choose between the winemaker (dry flight option) or the vineyard worker's flight (sweet flight option). Each flight will consist of four samplings of food each paired with a different wine. Check back for the menu. Please call 610-395-2468 or visit the Winery in Breinigsville for your tickets.

Wine lovers, are you ready for Wine on the Mountain this weekend?

The Lehigh Valley Wine Trail’s annual wine festival, Wine on the Mountain, returns to Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe for its 13^th year on Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24 from noon to 5 p.m. both days.

Wine on the Mountain features wine tastings and sales by the glass, bottle, and case from eight Lehigh Valley wineries, and light fare available for purchase from Roadies Restaurant. There is also live musical entertainment with Robert Michaels performing on Saturday and Kato performing on Sunday. The well-known venue offers panoramic views of Beltzville Lake and the surrounding Appalachian mountainside from its large open-air deck.

Local artisans will be displaying their wine-related arts and crafts in booths on the balcony of Penn’s Peak. This year’s artisans include:

·       Crystal Glass Designs – hand-painted wine and beer glasses

·       Anastasia Smith Art – hand-painted wine glasses

·       Serving Stone Creations – granite serving stones

·       JD Gourmet – oil, vinegar and gourmet pasta

·       Stray Dog Candles – wine bottle candles

·       Larona Jewelry – hand-crafted jewelry

·       Infinity Baskets & Gifts – hand-painted glasses and lights from recycled bottles, gift baskets

·       Reppert’s Country Glo Candles – hand-made scented soy candles

·       Rustic Country Wood Art – bowls and wine accessories

·       Top Shelf Specialties – touchstone crystal jewelry and wine t-shirts

Advance tickets are $25 on Saturday and $20 on Sunday. Tickets at-the-door the weekend of the event are

$30 on Saturday and $25 on Sunday. Advance tickets are now on sale online only: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wine-on-the-mountain-by-the-lehigh-valley-wine-trail-tickets-25609026287 Admission includes a commemorative logoed wine glass. Designated driver tickets are $8 each and will be sold at-the-door only the weekend of the event.

Wine on the Mountain is an adults-only event and attendees must be 21 years of age or older. It is a rain-or-shine event since it is held inside Penn’s Peak in air-conditioned comfort. For driving directions to Penn’s Peak, visit their web site – www.pennspeak.com. 

The Lehigh Valley Wine Trail is a nonprofit 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.

Member wineries attending the event include:

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

For more information on the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail, visit the organization’s web site www.LehighValleyWineTrail.com.

Food Truck Friday, chocolate truffles, and more await summertime visitors at Galen Glen

Food Truck Friday
Friday, July 29 from 5 - 8 pm

You may know Peculiar Culinary chef Gene Philbin from his appearances on Restaurant Start Up on CNBC and other TV shows. Gene and his crew will roll into the winery serving up the comfort food with a twist, cooked from scratch using locally-sourced, sustainable ingredients. Check out their food truck menu: http://www.peculiarculinary.com/food-truck-menu/
The final Food Truck Friday is August 26.

USA Truffle Treat
Saturday, July 30 and Sunday, July 31

Get ready for red, white and blue at the Summer Olympics! We invite you to indulge in three decadent USA-themed chocolate truffles with a three-ounce pour of wine for $5. Our truffles are  handcrafted by Lancaster Chocolatier Steve Evans just for us. While supplies last, half-pound boxes of truffles will be available for splurging.

Flavors of Summer with Buy the Farm and The Easton Salsa Company
Saturday, August 13 and Sunday, August 14

Relish the bounty of our earth with a cheese plate made from locally-sourced cheeses, fruits, vegetables, hummus, salsa and chips from our friends at Buy the Farm and Easton Salsa Company. Purchase a snack to enjoy with your favorite glass of wine while drinking in the beauty of the growing vines.

Walking Tour of the Vineyard and Wine Cellar
Saturday, August 13 and Sunday, August 14 at 1 p.m. both days

Enjoy a walking tour of the vineyard and wine cellar with one of our guides who will highlight our family's stewardship of this land for over 200 years. Walking tours are about one hour in length, meandering through our rocky terrain. Please wear appropriate foot gear. Our tours are complimentary with no reservations required, and are weather permitting.

Galen Glen Case Club
This month is a great time to join or renew your membership in our annual case club. We have some great events planned for our active case club members and as an new or renewed active member you'll receive an invitation. Our members enjoy many benefits annually, events are only the tip of the iceberg

Vynecrest Anniversary Weekend is just a few days away!

New Releases
2015 Autumn Gold - The 2015 growing season was very good for Autumn Gold. If you're a fan of this wine you are going to love this vintage! $9.99

#37 - In celebration or our 37th harvest we have produced this wine which reverts back to our roots. Cabernet Franc has been a staple in our vineyard for over 20 years. In 2014 it took the lead and is a perfect demonstration of what a cool climate red wine should taste like. Complimented by Merlot, Chambourcin and Lemberger. $23.99

2014 Chardonnay - aged on french oak for 9 months, comes right after you with intense aromas and notes of butterscotch and vanilla. $14.99

July Specials 
* Wine of the Month - Chardonnay - 10% off
* 3 Pack of the Month - 3 First Blush for $25
(available at winery only; 3 pack cannot be combined with other offers.)

Upcoming Events

July 16 and 17 - Vynecrest Anniversary Weekend
Live Music in the picnic area - Saturday - The Rotten Apples, 1-4 pm and Sunday - Billy Bauer, 1-4 pm
Fud Truck, both days, featuring the return of the "Lemberger," and many other great food items - 11 am - 5 pm

July 31 - Barre 3 Yoga, Food Truck, Jazz Sunday and Vineyard Tour
Barre 3 Yoga in the Vineyard, contact Barre 3 to register, 610-841-8200
Jazz Sunday, Live Music in the Vyneskeller from 1 - 4 pm
Stuffed to the Grills Food Truck - 10 am - 5 pm
Vineyard and Winery Tour - 1 pm, $5 per person, reservations suggested

Glass Half Full
Maizey Landis - July 17, 2003 - March 10, 2016

John, Jan and Sam Landis took care of Maizey for 12 ½ years, but she really belonged to everyone at Vynecrest. We picked her out of a large litter on a farm in Morgantown in September 2003 and our neighbors picked out her sister Morgan (Morgan crossed the Rainbow Bridge 2 ½ months after Maizey). The two puppies spent a lot of time together growing up.

Maizey truly was a winery dog, she actually spent more time at the winery than at home. She loved hanging out and greeting people. A typical Labrador, she was gentle and wagged her tail for everyone big and small, young and old. At 4:30 on weekends, she would go down to the Vyneskeller to greet everyone and clean up all the crumbs on the floor.

During the week, she could be found sitting in the window seat in the upstairs Tasting Room. And in her puppy years, she followed John everywhere in the vineyard, loved riding in the golf cart with Sam and getting into trouble in the wine cellar.

In her memory, we have renamed the North Vineyard the Maizey Vineyard. The Lemberger grapes are in this vineyard and it’s a favorite picture spot for visitors. We know you all miss her as do we.

Open House Concert Series, Case Club Member Event, and Syrah on Sale at Pinnacle Ridge this month

Syrah on sale
Our 2013 Syrah is marked down to $13.99. Taste this zesty, peppery red - it pairs beautifully with cheese, mushrooms, and lamb.

We took home more medals!
This May marked the 77th year of the Los Angeles International Wine Competition - a world-famous event where almost 100 wine writers, viticulturists, sommeliers, and educators come together to sample and critique a wide array of wines.

The competition spans several continents, and welcomes vintages from such famous wine regions as Australia, France, Germany, and Argentina. All entries are blind-tasted, each glass marked only with a number. This is to ensure that the judges are completely objective in their assessments.

This year, Pinnacle Ridge is proud to announce that of the five wines we sent to LA, all of them returned with awards. We received two Gold Medal wins: Cuvee Chardonnay (93/100 points), and Late Harvest Vidal Blanc (90/100 points). The other three wines all garnered silver medals: the Sparkling Brut Rose and Blanc de Blanc, as well as the Chambourcin Rose.

This continues our streak of medalling every wine that we have sent out so far in 2016. First we swept the PA Farm Show, then the Finger Lakes Wine Competition, and now Los Angeles.

Case Club Event: Think Pink! "Rosés from around the world"
July 10 - 3 pm

Join winemaker Brad as he takes you on a tour of a style of winemaking known as rosé. While rosés might be similar in color, they offer a world of varieties in texture, mouthfeel, flavor profile, and body. Case Club members are welcome to bring up to 3 guests! (Please present your card at the door.) Reservations required: 610-756-4481 or pinnacle_ridge_winery@yahoo.com

Open House Concert Series

Saturday, July 9 - 2 - 5 pm
Scott Marshall and the Hillbilly Souls
Licensed2Grill food truck

"The Hillbilly Souls have been paving a reputation for themselves by delivering authentic doses of true, heartfelt, real life, get it right, feel good, foot stompin', Northern grilled and lil' Southern fried Americana spiced roots music."

Saturday July 16
2 - 5 pm: Big and Bad Rockabilly Cats
Food Truck: Bob-B-Q

With Eddie Bluestone on guitar, Dog House Dave on upright bass, and Steady Eddie on the skins, their rockabilly style will transport you right back to the era of big cars, root beer floats, and sockhops.

Saturday July 30
2 - 5 pm: Tim Harakal
Food Truck: The Taza Truck

"Tim Harakal's hands are at one with the guitar strings, they have become an extension of his heart, soul, and spirit. Playing from a cache of 40+ original tunes with a nice balance of popular current and classic covers. He was recently awarded 'Best Singer/Songwriter' and 'Best Lyricist.'"

Ladies Night, Adult Coloring, and Yoga in the Vineyard this month at Blue Mountain

Bread and Olive Oil Pairings Every Weekend in July

Savor a locally-sourced, fresh baked bread from Blue Market Bread Co. and Olive Oil Imports olive oil (variety of flavors with a different one featured every weekend) for $5. Paired with your favorite glass of wine (available for purchase) and our panoramic views, your vacation starts here.

Wine, olive oil, and bread are available for purchase to go. Blue Market Bread Co. will be here the first two weekends selling a variety of fresh, baked breads.

Yoga at the Vineyard
July 23
9-11am
$25/person

Join us at Blue Mountain Vineyards with Shanti Health and Wellness to enjoy a 60 minute gentle yoga class at our vineyard followed by a wine tasting and snacks. We'll be outside, weather permitting. All levels welcome. Fee includes yoga, wine tasting, and healthy snacks.

Coloring Between The Wines
July 15    
6-9 pm
$20/person

Wine and coloring on a Friday evening - what could be better? A coloring book party for adults only. Reduce stress with an evening of wine, coloring and friends. Each guest will receive a coloring book, 8-10 markers, and a wine tasting. Feel free to bring snacks with you. Extra coloring books and wine by the glass and bottle will be for sale. Advance ticket purchase required. No BYOB. By law only Blue Mountain Vineyard wines can be consumed on the property.

Ladies Night    
July 29
6-9 pm        
$20/person

Join us for an evening of wine, snacks, and relaxation. Grab your girlfriends, co-workers, daughters, mothers, and more and join us. Live music will entertain you while you relax, socialize, and enjoy. You are more than welcome to bring snacks with you.

Cost includes wine tasting, live music with Ryan Conroy, and snacks. Tickets must be purchased in advance. All ticket sales are final; no refunds will be issued. Once purchased, tickets will be held at the door on the night of the event. You do not need to pick up your tickets in advance.