Have your next special event or party at a Lehigh Valley winery!

The Vyneskeller at Vynecrest Winery.

Looking for a location in which to host a surprise birthday party, anniversary celebration or bridal shower? Skip the boring hotel ballroom or meeting room option and consider hosting your event at one of our wineries.

Several of our Lehigh Valley Wine Trail wineries have special event space that can be rented for your occasion. While not all of the wineries host weddings, most of them will be glad to have your party at their place and can even arrange catering services for you.

Blue Mountain Winery in New Tripoli has an enclosed deck that can be rented for bridal and baby showers. Vynecrest in Breinigsville has their Vyneskeller on the lower level of their barn that features its own bar with TV which is great for watching the big game.

Clover Hill Winery also in Breinigsville has a special event space just off their wine tasting showroom. Sorrenti Cherry Valley has a grand pavilion and other areas for hosting events. Amore Vineyard in Nazareth recently remodeled the second floor of their barn to accommodate dinners and parties.

So next time you have a special event to plan for a friend, a family member or maybe yourself, consider having at a local Lehigh Valley winery!

Save the Date! Chambourcin Weekend - 10/16 & 17

Please plan to join us for our next Lehigh Valley Wine Trail event, Chambourcin Weekend, October 16 & 17.

The Chambourcin wine grape is the OFFICIAL wine grape of the Lehigh Valley. All nine of our wineries grow it. If you've never tasted Chambourcin, it is a dry to semi-dry red wine.


The fall harvest should be over or almost over at our wineries by the time the event rolls around, so many of the vines will be bare. All of our wineries have announced their plans for Chambourcin Weekend and can be found on our web site.  Event hours are Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon – 5 p.m.

Be sure to visit all of our wineries over the event weekend. They are:

•    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
•    Sorrenti Cherry Valley Vineyards, Saylorsburg
•    Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville

Vynecrest Winery to Release Two New Vintages on October 2

On Saturday, October 2, Vynecrest Winery in Breinigsville will release two new vintages of red wine. 

Spiced Winter Red, a seasonal blend of red wines and spices, is similar to a German Glüwein and can be served hot for the winter holidays.    

Vynecrest will also be releasing their 2009 Vyneskeller Select which is a dry red blend of the best of the vineyard’s offering from the 2009 harvest and aged in American and French oak. 

These wines will be available for tasting at the winery seven days a week from 11 a.m. - 5p .m. 

For more information and upcoming events, visit www.vynecrest.com or call 610-398-7525.

Last Jazz Jam of the season is tomorrow at Pinnacle Ridge Winery

Sunday, September 26 promises to be a beautiful early fall day, so why not make plans to spend the afternoon at Pinnacle Ridge winery sipping wine, listening to great music and noshing on homemade goodies?

Pinnacle Ridge hosts Skip Moyer's Jazz Jam from 3 to 6 p.m. Listen to guitarist Andy Warren, drummer John Fundyga, Skip Moyer on bass and guest musician Tom Reese on flute. Christy will sing a few jazz tunes too. Pinnacle Ridge wine by the bottle or glass, soda, water and Mediterranean- inspired light fare will be available for purchase.

There is a $5 cover, but this event is free for children ages 18 years and younger, and is free to all Case Club members. Buy a case of wine on Sunday and stay and listen for free!

This will be the last Jazz Jam of the 2010 season. Ya gotta' check out some of the best local jazz around! Don't wait until next spring!

Pinnacle Ridge Winery

407 Old Route 22

Kutztown, PA 19530

phone 610 756 4481

www.pinridge.com

A view of downtown Easton from the new Cherry Valley Vineyards wine shop

Guest blog post from Lucia Sorrenti of Cherry Valley Vineyards in Saylorsburg. 

From an outsider's point of view, Easton is a city built entirely around a crayon factory. But while Crayola indeed adds to its ambiance, it is far from being the only attraction. As I help to incorporate my family's vineyard into the unique texture of Easton, I find myself observing, discovering, and enjoying what the city has to offer.

The majority of traffic flows in and out through the quaint Centre Square, and a number of independent and atmospheric restaurants and shops dot the sides of Northampton and Third streets. During the weekdays, the city's inhabitants always seem to be busy at work, and I find myself wondering how they keep themselves so well hidden. The small but growing number of people that find their way into the store are interesting and memorable, all seeming so connected with this city and its history.

On the weekends, Easton comes alive with its fresh and local farmer's market, and time seems to slow down for the residents as they mill through the streets, stopping for a coffee at the Quadrant, or an ice cream at the Purple Cow.

Eventually, they find themselves in the mood to pick up a bottle of wine for their weekend dinners and gatherings, and we open our doors - and our bottles - for them to experience the fresh and local wines Cherry Valley Vineyards has to offer. Our business is just like any other in the city, and it remains dependent on the people of the town to keep it alive and thriving.

As the Sorrenti family makes themselves a small home at 22 N. Third Street, we can only hope the future is just as bright as Sunshine Yellow and Burnt Sienna can paint it to be.

What's going on at Cherry Valley Vineyards this fall

Take a trip to the Poconos this fall to visit Mary and Dominic Sorrenti at Cherry Valley Vineyards in Saylorsburg. Here's what they have planned at their winery this fall:

Live Music Sundays: Come and enjoy free music at the winery each Sunday throughout the summer. From 1-5 pm in our pavilion, we will feature live acoustic, jazz, and folk musicians as well as fresh sangria and snacks. See you there!

Murder Mystery Dinner: September 18, from 6 - 10 pm. The “Sit-In” Murders is the theme of this fun and spooky event here at Cherry Valley - the Poconos most haunted winery!  The year is 1972 and the place is Fumaunch University. The students are about to launch a protest against Dean Hugh Ryders and the administration. The Dean has expelled student Byron Gedwan for calling in a bomb threat to the administation offices, but the students are sure that he has been framed.

Can Professor Dustin DeWine mediate a compromise between the students and the college? You might be an administration officer, a student, a town official, or a professor. And you ma be a victim or a suspect (should something bad happen to someone). Come on our and have some laughs while solving a tie-dyed, bell-bottomed mystery!

The event will spread all over the grounds and dinner guests will be able to participate in either an active (speaking) or passive role as they hurry to figure out the mystery. Tickets are $45 and include a full buffet prepared by Mary Sorrenti as well as soft drinks, wine and/or beer. The grooviest sixties costume wins a prize! Call us or visit the Murder Mystery Website for more details.


The Lost Ramblers: Formed back in 1978, the Ramblers are one of the best known folk/bluegrass bands in the Poconos. Known for their fun, high-energy performances and eclectic mix of polka, celtic, and jazz tunes, the band is sure to put on a great performance in our pavilion at Cherry Valley. Come down on Saturday, October 2 from 1-5 pm to listen, dance, drink sangria, and enjoy small hot plates from our kitchen. The $7 cover charge includes a glass of sangria or wine ($5 value), so this day won’t hurt your pocket.

Clover Hill Winery Photo Expedition with Dan’s Camera City

Fancy yourself an amateur photographer? Then join Dan's Camera City at Clover Hill Winery in Breinigsville for a photo shoot. Here's a description of the photography session offered by Dan's: 

From the industrial elements in the wine making areas, to the charm of the barrel room and large store display areas, Clover Hill Vineyard offers a wonderful combination of photographic opportunities. Couple these areas with the sweeping vineyard on a gentle hill and there are plenty of great photographs waiting for you to create them. We timed our trip to coincide with the beginning of the harvest, so we're likely to have plenty of large grape clusters on the vines.

Renowned photographer Lou Manna will join us to provide a lecture and hands-on guidance during the shoot. Here’s your chance to have a highly successful New York photographer guide and chide you on improving your photo skills. Lou has published books on food photography and is also well known for his street photography capturing great photos on the fly, on location.

This class is open to owners of any brand camera. A digital SLR with at least one zoom lens and a high capacity memory card are recommended. Point and shoot cameras with longer zooms, and some manual setting are acceptable. Information will be presented assuming you are comfortable with the basic operations of your camera.

Classroom Seminar at Dan’s:
Thursday, September 23, 5:00pm - 7:30pm
Photo shoot at Clover Hill Winery:
Sunday, September 26, 11:30am - 5:00pm
Cost: $99.99
http://www.danscamera.com/clover-hill-winery/
Advance registration required!

Will we see you at Harvest Weekend?

The hot, dry summer has resulted in a bumper crop of wine grapes at the region’s nine family-owned and operated wineries that make up the non-profit Lehigh Valley Wine Trail. Several of our wineries began harvesting grapes over the last two weeks which means they will be in full swing for this weekend’s annual Harvest Weekend celebration.

On Saturday, Sept. 11 and Sunday, Sept. 12, the nine wineries will welcome guests for tastings, vineyard and winery tours, and live entertainment. The wineries will also proudly promote the state’s “Pennsylvania Preferred” program by partnering with manufacturers of other Pennsylvania products to showcase their high level of quality.

HARVEST WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS

Amoré Vineyards & Winery, Nazareth - will feature an array of homegrown fruits and vegetables from Amore Farms along with fresh breads and a selection of dipping oils.

Big Creek Vineyard and Winery, Kresgeville - will feature fresh local fruit from Heckman Orchards and cheese from their friends at Leraysville Cheese.

Blue Mountain Vineyards, New Tripoli - On Saturday, participate in the harvest of their 2010 Chardonnay crop which will be used for the upcoming vintage of Champagne.  Sample products produced by Tait Farms including jams, chutneys & oils, the ingredients for which are organically grown on their farm in Centre Hill, PA. Their products will be used in various recipes and paired with their award-winning wines both days. Acoustic music on Saturday from 1 - 4 p.m.  On Sunday, listen to the acoustic duo of Rob & Marty performing for the Fall Foliage Wine Tasting ($5 admission).

Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville - will partner with BAD Farms located in Kempton, PA.  They will be sampling and selling their cheeses, dips and other products fresh from the farm.  Clover Hill will also be celebrating its 25th anniversary by offering a 25% discount off all wines. 

Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor - will be celebrating a dual harvest with the traditional grape harvest and also the apple harvest as they release their new apple wine made exclusively from local Cortland, Granny Smith, Red and Yellow Delicious apples. They will also have a variety of Klein Farm’s homemade cheeses and Robert Rothschild dips.

Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery, Andreas - is excited to feature gourmet pizzas made with local ingredients from Beatrice’s Inferno which is an authentic wood-fired mobile Neapolitan pizzeria.
Galen Glen will also be giving free tractor and wagon tours departing hourly from 1 - 4 p.m. Bring a blanket and enjoy a bottle of wine, pizza and the mountainside autumn view.

Pinnacle Ridge, Kutztown - celebrates the 2010 harvest with its annual Blues in the Barn event. Enjoy the sounds of "Mr. Z and the NightShift," "The Blues Factor," and "Bluestone." Sunday features an open mic hosted by Ed Conover of Bluestone. Pinnacle Ridge will be serving wine by the glass and Tim will be selling mouth watering roast pork and savory vegetarian portabella mushroom sandwiches, both served with classic American side dishes. Admission is free.

Sorrenti Cherry Valley Vineyards, Saylorsburg - will have local Cherry Valley organic fruits and veggies in celebration of the area becoming a National Wildlife Refuge. Tomblers Bakery in Easton will have baked goods to sample and for sale. Mary Sorrenti will host a luncheon and grape stomp (tickets sold in advance).

Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville - will pair its Estate Bottled Autumn Gold with Hereford Country Store's Pumpkin Roll, which is made from local long necked pumpkins from Nan's Produce. They will have a tour with the winemaker at 1p.m. each day and there will be music in the Vyneskeller from 1:30-4:30 p.m. by Rob & Marty on Saturday and Arianne on Sunday, free of charge.

Celebrating 25 Years at Clover Hill

Guest blog post from Kari Skrip of Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery in Breinigsville

I can’t even begin to describe this wild ride we have enjoyed over the last 25 years of business.  Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery started as a ‘fun hobby’ and today has become more than our livelihood; it has become our lifestyle. On September 11, 2010 we will celebrate 25 years as a commercial winery. For me, I will celebrate my way of life that I share with my family and friends and countless fond memories that Clover Hill has given me. 

Back in our early years when we sold grapes (prior to opening the winery; I was only 5 or 6 years old) customers would drive up to my parents' house and purchase the fruit by the pound. For 10 cents extra we would crush and press the grapes for customers by way of our little, wooden basket press. 

My brother, sister and I would spend endless hours having grape battles and seed spitting contests in the vineyard. My parents, with the help of family and friends, would work around the clock to bring in the grape harvest and spent many long nights working with the wines. Neighbors and customers were very concerned what the ‘Hippies’ were doing making wine (no one believed you can make wine in PA!). 

Of course today much has changed. Yes, you can make wine in PA (thank goodness!). Clover Hill has grown into PA’s largest producer of wines, but we rarely use that old basket press anymore. Customers have embraced local wines as a way of life and have supported our growth for 25 years. There are still many long nights of work, but we still consider it a labor of love. Some things do stay the same:  just the other day my brother and I had a grape seed spitting contest on the crush pad (I won of course!). 

We are most proud that in a global world our little corner in the Lehigh Valley is making wines that are unique and specific to our location. We take great pride that the grapes are grown and wine is made by family, sold by friends and we share the privilege of gracing your table at home. I will most definitely be drinking a glass of wine to celebrate 25 years of Clover Hill!

Here's what's happening in September at Vynecrest Winery

The latest edition of the monthly Vynecrest Winery e-newsletter just arrived in inboxes all around the region. Did you get your copy? If not, here are the highlights:

Harvest is in full swing. We have about a quarter of the grapes off the vines already. The weather has been perfect this year for grapevines and the forecast looks just as good.

September Specials:

• Wine of the Month - First Blush, 10% off**
• 3 Pack of the Month - 3 Pinot Gris for $25.00**

**at winery only, 3 pack special not to be combined with other offers


Upcoming Events

September 11 & 12 - Harvest Weekend

Vynecrest Winery is a vendor in the Macungie Farmers Market which is a Buy Fresh Buy Local Market. For Harvest Weekend, we will pair our Estate Bottled Autumn Gold with another vendor from the market, Hereford Country Store's Pumpkin Roll, which is made from local longnecked pumpkins from the other farmers at the market. We will have a tour with the Winemaker at 1 p.m. each day and there will be music in the Vyneskeller from 1:30-4:30 p.m. by Rob & Marty on Saturday and Arianne on Sunday. No charge.

September 18 - Music in the Vyneskeller, Art Tartara, 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

September 25 - Music in the Vyneskeller, Arianne Rox, 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

October 1 - Release of Spiced Winter Red


In The Vineyard

So far we have picked Cayuga, Traminette and Pinot Gris. We will picking Pinot Noir and Riesling in the next week or so. Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin, Lemberger & Vidal Blanc have a few weeks before they will be ready.

Happenings at Galen Glen Winery

Holiday weekends are a great time to visit the wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail!

Galen Glen Winery in Andreas has the following hours for this weekend:

Labor Day Holiday Hours:
Sat. Sept. 4 - 10am - 5 pm
Sun. Sept. 5 - Noon - 5 pm
Mon. Sept. 6 - 10 am - 4 pm

And here's what's coming up next weekend at Galen Glen during Harvest Weekend:

Pizza & Tours - Sat. Sept. 11 and Sun. Sept. 12

Tractor and Wagon tours depart at 1, 2, 3, & 4 p.m. (FREE)

We are so excited to offer Gourmet Neapolitan Pizzas from an authentic wood fired oven to enjoy with our wines. Beatrice's Inferno has received rave reviews in the greater Philly area and now they will be at Galen Glen! Jason and his staff will offer a variety of spectacular pizzas to purchase. www.beatricesinferno.com

Bring a blanket, grab some cold wine and relax while gazing at our panoramic view of Pennsylvania's natural beauty.

A vineyard update from Pinnacle Ridge

Did you receive the September Pinnacle Ridge e-newsletter earlier this week? If not, check out the update below from Brad and Christy on what's going on in their vineyard.And sign up to receive the next edition of their e-newsletter here.

FROM THE VINEYARD

I have spoken many times about the 2010 vintage. It has the potential to be outstanding. We had an extremely early bud break caused by very warm weather in early April. The remainder of the summer was hot and dry – exactly what we want for the vineyard. The early fall has also cooperated as Danielle and Earl swept well East of us. As time progresses the vintage is shaping up exactly as we would hope.

We started our harvest on August 23 with Cayuga and Pinot Noir for our sparkling wines Blanc de Blanc and Brut Rose. This was the earliest that we have ever started harvesting since we started in 1993.

The grapes are looking beautiful. The forecast is hot and dry. We are continuing our harvest this week with Chardonnay and Cayuga and will continue next week with Pinot Noir. The sugar levels are going to be very high this year resulting in wines with more body and warmth than normal. I anticipate the reds could be spectacular with intense color and flavor.