LEHIGH VALLEY WINE TRAIL’S ANNUAL HARVEST WEEKEND EVENT CELEBRATES VITICULTURE, WINEMAKING, & FARMING

As summer winds down, harvest season begins at the nine locally owned and operated wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail. It’s the time of year when all of spring and summer’s hard work pays off for these farmers. The grapes they have grown are removed from the vine and their juices extracted for fermenting into the 2015 vintage.

On Saturday, Sept. 12 and Sunday, Sept. 13, the wineries will celebrate the grape harvest with the Wine Trail’s annual Harvest Weekend event during which they will welcome wine lovers for a variety of different activities at each winery such as tastings, vineyard and winery tours, food and wine pairings, and live entertainment. They 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.  Visit www.HarvestWeekendLVWT.com for complete event details.

Event hours are Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon - 5 p.m.  Harvest Weekend is a free event, however each winery sets its own wine tasting fee policy. Please refer to each winery’s web site for specifics.

The Lehigh Valley Wine Trail is a non-profit organization of wineries whose mission is to promote agri-tourism and to create a premier wine destination and grape growing region while promoting Pennsylvania wines from the region. For more information, visit www.LehighValleyWineTrail.com.

HARVEST WEEKEND 2015 HIGHLIGHTS

Amoré Vineyards & Winery, Nazareth - will pair beef barbecue and Cabaret Amore.

Big Creek Vineyard and Winery, Kresgeville - will showcase lemon squares and sugar cookie fruit tarts from MMM...  Cookies. Pair their treats with Moonlight White for the drier wine enthusiast, or Dulcinea for those who prefer something a little sweeter.

Blue Mountain Vineyards, New Tripoli – will partner with Sweet Finesse who will offer samples of their unique artisan chocolate treats to pair with Victoria’s Passion wine, as well as items for purchase. They are also partnering with Trixie’s Treats, award-winning baked goods and savory treats. On Saturday, they will have complimentary live music by Adam Motto from 1-5 pm. For Sunday Blues, award-winning musician Scott Marshall will perform live from 2-5 pm ($5 admission – advance reservations required). Guests should feel free to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the breathtaking views from the outdoor deck.

Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville – sample its newly released 2014 Pinot Noir. They will have a farm stand selling vegetables from Bleiler’s Produce Patch, an organic farm, which is located only minutes from the winery in Breinigsville. This weekend is also their anniversary sale. As a thank you for 30 years of business they are offering customers a 30 percent discount on wine purchases.

Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor – on Saturday join head winemaker Bonnie Pysher for a Harvest Hike through the vineyard at 1 pm. Bonnie will talk about how they harvest from vine to wine. Then return to the winery and enjoy an outdoor tasting under their new pavilion and a complimentary tour of the facility.  In celebration of the harvest they’ll offer cranberry apple sangria and apple cider spritzers by the glass all weekend, and they’ll have local products such as Klein Farms apple butter, McCollians honey, and fall treats and baked goods from Kendra’s Bakery in Nazareth. 

Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery, Andreas – will offer a complimentary pairing of Late Harvest wine with Mycella blue cheese drizzled with apple caramel sauce. Janet Derkits, renowned cheese monger of Seasons in Bethlehem, will sell cheese plates to enjoy with a glass of wine. Walking tours of the vineyard will be offered each day at 1 and 3 pm.

Pinnacle Ridge, Kutztown - will feature Dry Riesling or Vidal Blanc with fresh, locally grown tomatoes. The tomatoes will be sliced and served with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and fresh goat cheese from Kirchenberg Farms.

Tolino Vineyards, Bangor - will welcome wine lovers for wine tastings, wagon tours of the vineyard, and live entertainment by the Boiled Owls on Saturday and Tom Vicario on Sunday. They will also offer guests local apples from Scholl Orchards paired with delicious dips, accompanied with their wine.

Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville - will partner with PA Preferred food truck Stuffed to the Grills both days from 11 am - 5 pm. They will serve up their tasty sandwiches plus their signature dish of Irish nachos - homemade potato chips covered in cheddar cheese sauce and topped with crumbled bacon and green onion, which can then be paired with Vynecrest’s Autumn Gold wine. Vynecrest will also offer free tours of the vineyard and wine cellar each day at 1 pm.