Get To Know The Official Wine Grape of the Lehigh Valley During Chambourcin Weekend Event

The eight locally-owned and operated wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail will introduce wine lovers to the region’s official wine grape during Chambourcin Weekend on Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20.  

The Chambourcin is the only wine grape that is grown by all eight wineries. In the greater Lehigh Valley, there are more than 40 acres of Chambourcin which ferment into approximately 150,000 bottles of wine. Chambourcin is very versatile in the wine cellar and the wineries craft it into several styles of wine including Nouveau, Rosé, Semi- Sweet, Sweet, Dry Barrel Aged, Sparkling and Port.

Each winery will feature its own activities such as wine tastings, live entertainment, tours, or food and wine pairings. (For a detailed list, see below.) Event hours at all of the wineries are Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon – 5 p.m. Chambourcin Weekend is a free event, however some wineries charge for wine tastings.

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.

For more information on the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail, visit www.LehighValleyWineTrail.com, connect with them on Twitter and their Facebook page.

CHAMBOURCIN WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS

Amoré Vineyards & Winery, Nazareth - will be serving beef barbecue prepared with Chambourcin wine.

Big Creek Vineyard and Winery, Kresgeville – will be slicing some of their family’s favorite cheeses and releasing their 2012 Regent.

Blue Mountain Vineyards, New Tripoli - will be hosting a Chili Cook Off on Saturday at noon. They will be offering their signature chili prepared with the International Award Winning 2010 Chambourcin and paired with Chambourcin.  Anyone interested in entering a chili in the Chili Cook Off should email info@bluemountainwine.com.  First, second and third place prizes will be awarded.  Customers will be the judges, so bring your appetites and plan to have lunch. They will pair Victoria’s Passion with a chocolate fondue for dessert. Also, from 1 - 4 p.m. there will be live musical entertainment. On Sunday they will offer Victoria’s Passion paired with chocolate fondue and a delicious mulled Chambourcin. 

Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville - The Chambourcin grape is the only grape all eight wineries on the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail grow, but it is produced in many different styles. So take this weekend to travel the trail and sample various styles of wine made from this grape.. Clover Hill will hold cooking demonstrations to be paired with their 2012 Chambourcin and Turtle Rock Red (also made from 100% Chambourcin grapes). Cooking demonstrations will take place at 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m. both days. Visit their website for more details on what the chef will be cooking.

Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor - uses the hearty red Chambourcin grape in several of their wines including Simply Red, Fainting Goat, Redhead, Trio and, of course, Chambourcin. They will be featuring creamy mushroom soup from the Broadway Pub, brownies made with Fainting Goat from Buttercup Bakery, dips from Robert Rothschild farms, and complimentary wine tastings. Tours of the winery will be offered at noon and 2 p.m.  (Groups of 8 or more - please contact the winery for more information.)

Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery, Andreas - is featuring Nonna Flo’s gravy over pasta with Chambourcin. In her Philadelphia neighborhood, gravy meant a homemade red marinara sauce. Nonna Flo always had wine when cooking; sometimes it even went in the recipe! They’ll be recreating her gravy (recipe available), which uses red wine as her ‘secret’ ingredient, and toasting her memory with a glass of Chambourcin.

Pinnacle Ridge, Kutztown - Pinnacle Ridge will be pairing their four interpretations of Chambourcin - 2011 Chambourcin, 2010 Chambourcin Reserve, Sweet Seduction and Chambourcin Rose - with smoked meats from the Berks County iconic butcher, Dietrich's Meats.

Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville - will be highlighting the versatility of the Jewel of the Lehigh Valley, the Chambourcin grape, by pairing the 2012 dry Chambourcin wine with sticky chicken - slowly cooked chicken basted in a flavorful sticky marinade that clings to the chicken.  The sauce, made with their Chambourcin wine, (recipe available) can be used for sticky chicken over rice or sticky chicken wings.