Get to know... Janet Gaston of Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery

1.Which winery do you work for and how long have you worked there?

I have been working for Clover Hill Vineyards and Winery since March of 2008.  I work at the winery in Breinigsville and manage the Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market wine shoppe.

2. What is your favorite wine that your winery makes, and why? What do you like to pair it with?

1. My current favorite at Clover Hill is the 2014 Chardonnay. It has a vibrant green apple fruitiness that is delicious, followed by a buttery oak finish. It pairs nicely with an Oriental chicken slaw, a mild curry dish, or veggie based salads with lots of avocado.
 
3.What is the most popular question you get asked by visitors about Lehigh Valley wine or wineries, and how do you answer it?
         
People often have lots of questions about the area growing season. Even locals are unsure and curious about the timeline. I tell them bud break usually occurs late-April or early-May, followed by flowering and at last fruit. By late-August or early-September our wine maker will keep a close eye on the sugar content of the many grape varietal grown. As each reaches a level he sees fit, they are hand picked. It's usually a six week effort at Clover Hill as there are four vineyards in the Lehigh Valley and two in Berks County.        

4. What do you like most about local, Lehigh Valley wine and wineries?

One of my favorite things about wineries in the Lehigh Valley is the special attention given to the Chambourcin grape. The fact that most wineries are producing a Chambourcin wine is fun. You are able to visit and try everyone’s unique style of wine making.

5. What is the one piece of advice you offer to wine lovers traveling along the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail?

Weekends are a fun time to visit wineries. Lots of people are out enjoying the trail. Keep in mind, many wineries have weekday hours as well so you can enjoy a quieter tasting experience if you prefer.

Enter the Cooking with Wine Seafood Soup Contest using Clover Hill wines at the Allentown Fair

Take a ride into the beautiful countryside of Berks County where you will find Clover Hill’s largest vineyard and a quaint tasting room. This gorgeous farm was purchased by John and Pat Skrip to expand Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery in 1991. The original farm and house date back to the late 1800's, owned by the Filbert family who operated it as a dairy farm. In the 1980’s the farm changed hands and was purchased by New York City transplants, Bill and Shirley Fritz, who had a dream of starting a vineyard in the country. Needless to say, Bill and Shirley Fritz were not cut out for country living and quickly opted to move back to the city.

In 1986, when John and Pat Skrip acquired the property, they began expanding the six acres of vines to the current size of 44 acres and built a small tasting room, which opened in October 1991, to sell Clover Hill wines. The Vineyard in Robesonia is open Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday for tastings and sales from 11 am - 5:30 pm, Sundays from noon - 5 pm, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. There is a small patio where you can enjoy wine by the glass, and we also have a selection of local cheeses available for purchase to enjoy on the property. We look forward to your escape into rural Berks County and a visit to the Vineyard in Robesonia.

July Specials

• Monday Funday – Every Monday at the Winery in Breinigsville all still wines are $4 by the glass.
• Senior Days – Every Tuesday at the Winery in Breinigsville seniors 65+ years old receive a 10% discount on their wine purchase.
• Fabulous Friday – Every Friday at the Winery in Breinigsville all sparkling wines are $5 by the glass.

Wine and Food Inspiration at the Allentown Fairgrounds Farmer's Market
Saturday, July 12 from 11 am - 4 pm

Visit the wine shop at the Allentown Fairgrounds Farmer's Market on Saturday, July 12 for a summer grilling inspired wine and food pairing. We will be featuring samples of Clover Hill’s DeChaunac paired with Summer Sausage from Peters Brothers Meats.

2014 Vineyard and Winery Tour Series
The Winery in Breinigsville
July 13 at 2 pm
July 21 at 2 pm

Join Clover Hill Winery for an inside look at our vineyards and production facility. Let us show you our winemaking process from the grape to the glass. The tour is approximately 1 ½ hours long and includes wine tastings along the way. Reservations are required and space is limited. Under 21 is free and we are handicap accessible. For reservations please call 610-395-2468. Tour tickets are $12 per person, under 21 is free.

Enter the Cooking with Wine Seafood Soup Contest at the The Great Allentown Fair
Applications must be received by August 2
Judging will take place on August 29

Do you love to cook with wine? Why not enter the Clover Hill sponsored ‘Cooking with Wine Seafood Soup Contest’ at the Great Allentown Fair? Simply create an original seafood soup, bisque, chowder or stew recipe using a Clover Hill wine as one of the ingredients. 1st prize is a $200 Clover Hill gift card and there are also prizes for 2nd – 5th place. You can see all of the contest details and an application for by clicking here.

March Passport Program and Wine & Food Inspiration this month at Clover Hill

What a long winter it has been, and if you are feeling anything like us you are looking forward to shedding your jacket and welcoming spring. At Clover Hill we are anxiously awaiting the snow to melt and the vineyard to return to life. Our first spring task will be to prune all six Clover Hill vineyards.

During the month of March we welcome friends of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail for the March Passport Program. The first four weekends in March we do a special wine and food tasting at the Winery in Breinigsville.  This year we are featuring foods from the Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers' Market. Passports for this event are sold out at our winery, however if you would like to visit just Clover Hill and partake of the wine and food pairing, you can purchase a one-time pass for $5 per person. Or you can purchase an event passport at one of the other wineries on the trail until they run out.

Here is our wine and food pairing menu for the remaining three weekends of the event:

March 8 & 9
 - Jambalaya and homemade cornbread served with Sangiovese. Blackbottom cupcakes served with Concord.

March 15 & 16 - 
Meat & cheese plate paired with Cabernet Sauvignon and Vignoles. Baklava served with Vignoles.



March 22 & 23 - 
Black and Gold Turkey Filets with Mushroom & Onion Risotto served with Vidal Blanc. Baklava served with Vignoles.

We welcome spring with a glass of Clover Hill wine in hand, with fantastic farmers market foods and surrounded by our customers and friends. From all of us at Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, we look forward to your visit.

Owner’s Selection
Save 10% on your purchase of Pinot Grigio.

We make our Pinot Grigio in the Italian style, meaning it expresses crisp fruit flavors with fresh acidity.  This wine shows delicate flavors of citrus fruits, such as pink grapefruit and lemon. Pinot Grigio is the quintessential pairing with seafood. Try with steamed clams, mussels or smoked salmon.
Now only $12.14
Receive an additional 10% discount when included in a case purchase.

Upcoming Event

Wine & Food Inspiration

Allentown Fairgrounds Farmer's Market

Saturday, March 8 from 11 am - 4 pm 


Visit the Clover Hill Wine Shop for a special St. Patrick’s Day wine and food pairing. We will be sampling corned beef and cabbage paired with Pinot Noir or Clover Hill Rosé. The corned beef is from Peter’s Brothers Meat Market and the cabbage is from Bedway’s Fresh Produce. This food inspiration will be just in time to order the corned beef brisket for St. Paddy’s Day.

Vynecrest celebrates the Big Game with a chili and wine event February 1

Vynecrest Winery will pair chili and wine on Saturday, February 1, the day before the Super Bowl. 

A popular annual event, this year they will feature Mr. Bill’s Poultry Market's chili from the Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market paired with their recent PA Farm Show award-winning wines.

Mr. Bill’s turkey chili (red sauce) is made with locally grown, antibiotic-free, skinless turkey from Koch’s Turkey farm, a Tamaqua premium turkey grower. The recipe has gone through many improvements over the years and is a great blend of tomatoes, beans, lean turkey and spices. It will be paired with the winery's gold medal Chambourcin red wine.

New to Mr. Bill’s is their white chicken chili. A blend of Bell & Evans chicken breast meat and ground chicken are the base for this chili. Mr. Bill's does not use a cream-based sauce, but instead purees the white beans and adds sautéed onions, garlic, celery and a unique spice blend as well as whole white beans. This slightly spicy chili lends nicely to a pairing with their bronze medal-winning Traminette, a white Gewurztraminer hybrid with a flowery bouquet and seductive, spicy finish.

Customers will have a chance to sample both of these chilis and wine pairings. The chilis will also be available for purchase by the bowl to eat in the Vyneskeller Wine Bar or for take out.

For more information visit www.vynecrest.com or call 610-398-7525.

Holiday hours and Men's Shopping Night from Clover Hill Winery

The holidays are near and there is no better time to open a bottle of Clover Hill wine to enjoy with family and friends. Here are our favorite December selections:

~ Need something with a hint of sweetness and bright flavors to sip on while catching up with an old friend? Try the Vidal Blanc.

~ If you are looking for a full body, rich red wine to serve with your prime rib dinner, we suggest our Cabernet Sauvignon.

~ Heat up your holiday party by warming a bottle of Clover Hill’s Holiday wine.

~ Why not try replacing dessert with a glass of our new release, Chocolate Cabernet?

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Thank you for choosing Clover Hill wines, we appreciate your business. Cheers!

Holiday Hours:
All Clover Hill locations have extended hours for December.

The Winery in Breinigsville
December 1-31
Monday - Saturday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sunday: Noon - 5 p.m.
CLOSED: - Christmas Day, New Year's Day

Allentown Fairgrounds Farmer's Market
Special Christmas week hours:
Sunday, December 23: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Monday, December 24: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Owner's Selection - Niagra
A sweet, white dessert wine that is a great sensation for the nose. Just give it a good chill and sip away. An awesome smell and taste like the fresh grapes just popped out of their skin into the wine glass.

Enjoy a 10% discount on Niagara during December. Receive an additional 10% discount on the Owner's Selection when included in a case purchase.

Clover Hill Winery at Sorrelli Jewelry for Men’s Holiday Shopping Night
220 West Main Street
Kutztown, PA 19530
Thursday, December 13 - 5 - 9 p.m.

Calling all men: If you are looking for some sparkle for that special person be sure to visit Sorrelli Jewelry. They will have plenty of staff on site to assist you in finding that perfect piece of jewelry, while Clover Hill Winery staff will assist you in finding a locally produced premium bottle of wine. Clover Hill will have a sampling of wines to help you choose the right wine to enjoy during your holiday celebrations. Cheers!