Get to know... Karen George of Galen Glen

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

I’ve worked for Galen Glen for at least 15 years.

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

That changes from year to year, season to season, day to day. My fave at the moment is Gruner Veltliner.  Or is it Gewurztraminer?  I just made one of my specialties the other night, smoked salmon pasta with GV. If I am heading out for Mexican or sushi, I choose  my best friend Gewurz.

3. What is the most popular question you get asked by visitors about Lehigh Valley wine or wineries, and how do you answer it?

How do I get your job? I am actually related to Galen, so I was coerced into working here! I have a very stressful real job, so this is my "fun" job. You meet the sweetest, sincerest, silliest people on the wine bar.

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

I think it is great that we are so lucky to have vineyards in our backyards. I am ALL about being sustainable and supporting local agriculture. It has also been great watching them grow. Look out Finger Lakes: PA is coming to get you! I have many people tell me they no longer travel to the Finger Lakes for wine. The wine here is better and they can save on drive time and drink local wine instead.

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

I always advise them to try the vineyard’s specialty, what they are best known for. I also advise trying something outside their comfort zone, outside the box. If you ONLY drink red, try a new white that you are unfamiliar with. You just might like it! If you ONLY drink sweet wines, try a bit drier wine since your palate might be maturing or changing.

Springtime full of wine events and activities at Tolino Vineyards

Friday Music Series Starts May 27
All summer join us for our Friday Music Series for a relaxing evening at the winery. Live music, wine slushies, food for purchase, family flow yoga, bonfire for s'mores, and yard games for the kids. A great way to spend a relaxing Friday night with the family.

Tolino Vineyards at the Easton Public Market opening April 15
Our spot at the Easton Public Market is nearing completion. Check out our video in anticipation of an April 15 opening.

3rd Anniversary Sale and Food Pairing
April 9 and 10 help us celebrate three great years in business! We will be offering 40% off all 2012 vintage wines, and 15% off the remaining vintages. Papa's Red will be paired with Italian Tomato Pie. Live music by Andrew Moses on Saturday.

Paint your Glass Off with Erika 

April 16 at 2 pm
$35

Ticket includes all supplies and instruction to paint your own wine glass, a glass of wine to sip on while you paint & delicious snacks. Music by Gordon Ward.

Paint and Sip with Anna K  
April 23 at 6 pm
$35

Sip wine, chat with friends and create a masterpiece! The class will be instructed Anna Kaszupski. Tickets are $35 per person and include all art supplies, snacks  and a glass of wine.

Mother's Day Weekend 
May 7 and 8

Join Tolino Vineyards on Mother's Day Weekend for two great events,  cupcakes and yoga! All weekend enjoy a gourmet cupcake pairing by Sweet Girlz Bakery and premier tasting for $8. No tickets required. Or on Sunday, start your day with yoga at 10:30 am, followed by brunch, a cupcake pairing, premier tasting and live music. Yoga is $30/ticket. Live music Saturday by Mike Pilgermayer and Sunday by Peshi.

Spring Wine Dinner by Widow's Tavern and Grille
May 14 at 6 pm
$49.95

Appetizers in the vineyard, dinner in the tank room. Our first dinner of the year will be catered by Widow's Tavern and Grille in Stockertown and will offer a spring inspired menu. Ticket price includes appetizer, dinner, and dessert with wines paired with each. Live music by Andrew Moses. Weather permitting we will stroll down to the vineyard for cocktail hour and appetizers. We will then return to the tank room to enjoy the rest of the meal and the live music.

Dinner in the Vines  
Saturday, June 11 at 5 pm
$49.95

DeFranco's Catering will provide a delicious Italian meal served family style at round tables in the vineyard. Ticket price includes one glass of wine, appetizers, dinner, dessert and live music by Peshi. Don't miss this amazing opportunity to dine among the vines, taking in the sights, sounds and smell of nature.

7th Annual Cheesecake for a Cure at Galen Glen happening in April

Galen Glen Winery Teams with Local Relay Team to Raise Money for The American Cancer Society

On Saturday, April 16, Dr. Rosalee Rehrig and her Relay for Life Team will join with the staff at Galen Glen Winery on their 7th Annual Cheesecake for a Cure fundraiser for The American Cancer Society. From noon to 4 pm, the team will sell slices of homemade cheesecake.

When asked about her team's goals Dr. Rehrig said, "This year we have set a goal of $15,000. We raise funds for the American Cancer Society because they are dedicated to funding research and finding new treatments and a cure for cancer. Last year, the success of this event blew our team away!"

Sarah Troxell, winemaker, added, "Cancer strikes without discern across all races and creeds, and everyone knows someone who has had cancer or has been impacted by it. Galen Glen is proud to partner with The American Cancer Society and support the scientists who search for a cure by donating $1 per bottle of wine sold during this event."

Dr. Rehrig added, "As a doctor, I see patients with cancer every day. I've lost a good friend to cancer and I hope for a future where I never have to say, 'you have cancer.'" When asked about her favorite cheesecake, Dr. Rehrig responded, "Banana Cream, but then who can resist the Peanut Butter Cup with a glass of Winter Mountain Red?"

Rehrig is so proud of her relay team and their dedication to raise funds to end cancer. She states their inspiration is, "our friend Sandy. She was a great friend who passed within months of learning she had a brain tumor called Glioblastoma. If there were more treatments, maybe she could have been saved."

Tasting Room Manager Kathy Matson adds, "This year, cancer has impacted almost every member of our winery family in some way, through friends and relatives. This year we are even more driven to help raise funds for The American Cancer Society to end this insidious disease."

The event is open to the public and no reservations are required.

Easter dinner food and wine pairing recommendations

The owners of the nine family-owned and operated wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail understand how important the Easter meal is for gathering with family and friends, and offers the following food and wine pairing suggestions for this year’s dinner.

Amoré Vineyards & Winery, Nazareth - Pair Amore Pink Passion with ham, pork and sauerkraut or Rose Amore with baked ham. After dinner, relax with a glass of Rapport or Vidal Blanc dessert wines.

Big Creek Vineyard and Winery, Kresgeville - Their Vin di Pasqualina is a great all-around wine for traditional Easter dinners. Both sweet and dry wine fans will enjoy the glass-filling aroma of this semi-dry rose. It is a blend of three grapes, but the bouquet and character come from Niagara, an aromatic white grape that can stand a little chill and still deliver lots of flavor. It works as an aperitif, or with ham, turkey, or baked ziti.

Blue Mountain Vineyards, New Tripoli – Their 2013 Pinot Noir (a silver medal winner in this year’s Finger Lakes International Wine Competition) is a dry red wine with fruity and subtle earthy notes will compliment a glazed Easter ham. Their dry 2013 Riesling, non-oaked 2011 Chardonnay and semi-sweet 2013 White Merlot, with their balanced fruitiness and silky acidity, will also compliment the smoky flavor of ham.

Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville - Riesling is a great option for Easter ham and the winery produces a dry Generations Riesling and a semi-sweet Riesling. Try making a Holiday Ham Glaze with 1 cup of Clover Hill Holiday wine mixed with 1 cup of brown sugar. Blend ingredients, coat ham, and baste frequently.

Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor - They suggest a blush like Kiss with ham, and a complex red like Evanswood for prime rib. For dessert, make a Jelly-Bean-tini to pair with your cake and pies. Three days before Easter pour a bottle of Vidal Blanc in a container and put 2 tbsp. of white, pink and yellow jellybeans in it. Once the wine is infused with the sweetness, pour in a half-cup of vodka and enough Passion, Desire or Bliss wines to give it color. Separate your infusion and drop a jellybean in the bottom of the glass for garnish.

Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery, Andreas – Winery Owners Galen and Sarah recommend what they are serving at their own Easter celebration: their semi-dry Riesling with honey mustard glazed ham, their Stone Cellar Chambourcin with braised lamb shanks, and their Stone Cellar Vidal Blanc Ice Wine with cheesecake.

Pinnacle Ridge, Kutztown - Their Vidal Blanc is the perfect companion for traditional Easter fare. To make more of a splash, their Brut Rose sparkling wine would be a festive choice.

Tolino Vineyards, Bangor - Celebrate with your family by sharing a bottle of 2013 Vidal Blanc.  This dry white wine has a pineapple and tropical fruit body that goes great with ham and gives the meal a refreshing taste. For red wine lovers, pair Easter ham with their 2012 Cabernet Franc. The fruity notes pair well with the sweet glaze of the ham, and the subtle spice complements the seasoning of the meat. Their dessert wine, Sweet Frances, is the perfect after-dinner treat that boasts a mango, pineapple body with high acidity.

Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville – Pair their Dry Riesling with Easter ham, lamb, or turkey. It's a dry expression of Riesling with a tropical nose and bold, crisp, acidic finish. And it’s the Wine of the Month for April with 10% off the regular price of $12.99.

Cheesecake & Wine for a Cure - Sixth Annual American Cancer Society Fundraiser at Galen Glen

On Saturday, April 18, Dr. Rosalee Rehrig and her Relay for Life Team will join with the staff at Galen Glen Winery on their sixth annual fundraiser for The American Cancer Society.

From noon to 4 pm, the team will sell slices of home-made cheesecake. The event is open to the public and no reservations are required.

Galen Glen is proud to partner with The American Cancer Society and support the scientists who search for a cure by donating $1 per bottle of wine sold during this event.

Galen Glen Winery is located in the beautiful rolling hills of Andreas Pennsylvania. The vineyard is on the family's double-century farm and full of history. Plan to spend some time enjoying the exceptional views and a glass of award-winning wine with locally-made cheeses or pack some light fare.

The staff looks forward to meeting you and helping you create unforgettable memories during the year-long 20th Anniversary celebration at Galen Glen.

Build your team with Blue Mountain's new "Wine Blending" event

Blue Mountain's "Wine Blending" event is the perfect team builder for any group that relies on teamwork and communication to be successful. The key to a great blend is balance. Each varietal working together with each other's characteristics and strengths to make an interesting yet unified wine. Most teams work in much the same way, with diverse personalities coming together in a way that will produce the most beneficial results. During our events your team will work together in a fun, relaxed environment that will promote:

- Goal setting
- Role clarification
- Problem solving with a focus on intrapersonal communication
- Environment creation (creating an atmosphere where disagreements or issues are discussed in an open, positive and diplomatic manner.)

It starts with a brief tour of Blue Mountain - from the amazing views, to the tasting room, and of course the tank room, where the magic happens. The team building starts with an understanding of what exactly goes into the process of producing our signature blend, the Blue Heron Meritage.

After tasting each component available, groups of 3-5 are created to work together through discussion, tasting, and compromise to create their own signature blend. Everyone has a different palette so finding the balance that the entire group can agree on requires great communication, teamwork, and patience. We will discuss issues that came up and how each group was able to work through them. Then on to the grand finale. We will do a blind tasting of each blend and decide as a group who created the finest. These blending events provide a fun, new way of integrating your team and giving them tools that they will be sure to bring in to the workplace.

The event features leadership development and team building expert Ken Altenbach, founder of Team Building US.

When: Tuesday April 28 - 9:30 am until approx. 2:30 pm

Where: Blue Mountain Vineyards
7627 Grape Vine Drive
New Tripoli, Pa 18066

Cost: $24.50 per person includes tour, tasting, team building seminar, and a light lunch.
 
Can you work together to create the next great Blue Mountain wine?

Join Blue Mountain's Dallas Drummond and Team Building US's Ken Altenbach as they create an event that will be talked about in your office for a long time.

This event is geared towards providing you and your employees a new, fun, and relaxed way to improve workplace interactions and develop problem solving skills.

Click here to learn more.

Save on Chambourcin and Traminette this month at Vynecrest

The Lehigh Valley Wine Trail passport program is underway. No worries if you don't have a passport - we are still open to the public for sales and complimentary tastings. If you do have a passport, come on in, head downstairs to have your passport stamped and get your food and wine pairing.

To escape the weekend crowds, don't forget we are open every day until 5 pm and open until 5:30 pm on Fridays. Fresh croissants and baguettes are available Friday through Sunday. Stop in Friday after work to pick up some fresh bread, local cheese and local wine.

March Specials 
* Wine of the Month - Chambourcin, additional 10% off
* 3 Pack of the Month - 3 Traminette for $30.00

(available at winery only; 3 pack cannot be combined with other offers)

Upcoming Events

March 29

Jazz Sunday - live Jazz music in the Vyneskeller, 1 - 4 pm

April 4

Easter Saturday - live music with pianist Steve Myers, 1 - 4 pm

April 4 - Bear Creek Mountain Resort Spring Wine Festival

Join us on Saturday, April 4 for the Spring Wine Festival. Guests will enjoy wine and food samples and live jazz music from noon - 4 pm. Each guest will receive a commemorative wine tasting glass, event program, free samples, and have access to the wine check service. Tickets are $30 at the door or $25 online.

Glass Half Empty by John Landis

March! It’s the month when spirits rise as the earth awakens from the cold and snow of winter. It’s the month when we see many old friends that hit the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail for our Passport Program. It’s the month that grass turns green, grapes get pruned, our 2014 vintage wines start to find their way into bottles, and our patio fills with wine lovers enjoying the outdoors. It’s the month of March Madness Basketball, and the eternal hope of every baseball fan that this is the year for their team, and yes maybe we can start to wear shorts and t-shirts.

Annual Candlelight Barrel Tasting event returns to Blue Mountain Vineyards

April Specials - 
2010 Cabernet Franc - $2 off and 
Bri's Blush - $1 off

4th Annual Wine Tasting & Auction

Hosted by the ARCH of Lehigh Valley
 - April 25

We're proud to once again host this amazing event at the winery. 
Tickets are $50 per person; $90 per couple. 
Please call 610-573-2500 to order tickets.

Annual Candlelight 
Barrel Tasting

Saturday May 31 from  5-9 p.m.


Join us as we sample our 2013 vintages. Enjoy our wines accompanied by hors' devours while listening to live entertainment. We will be taking orders for Futures of these wines that evening.  Reservations required.  Tickets $17.50 per person.  Call or email your reservations today.

Sunday Blues - April 27    
Jake Kalegis & Mike Rauscher

$5 per person, includes a wine tasting and admission. Adults 21 and older only, please.
Reservations preferred. If you have reservation, we would appreciate your arriving by 2:15 p..m. or call the winery. If we do not hear from you we will release your table.

Road construction near Clover Hill means slight detour to fine wine

Thank you to all our long time supporters of Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery. We are honored to have recently been awarded 2014 People’s Choice in Berks County, 2014 Who’s Who in the Lehigh Valley, and 2014 Pennsylvania Wine Competition:

Gold - Niagara
Silver - Vidal Blanc
Bronze - 2012 Generations Three and Catawba

We are honored and thrilled to see Clover Hill continue to grow as a family business and have our wines enjoyed by so many. Cheers to 28+ years of Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery.

Spring is in the air and we can’t wait to celebrate its arrival. We look forward to seeing you at one of our 4 Clover Hill locations this April.

Owner’s Selection
Save 10% on your purchase of DeChaunac!

An earthy style, semi-sweet red wine with flavors of mulberries and berries and a warm, soothing finish. Serve DeChaunac slightly chilled and pair with chili or pizza. Now only $10.34. Receive an additional 10% discount when included in a case purchase.

Easter
Spring has sprung and Easter and Passover are here. This is a vibrant time of year and we would love for you to celebrate this spring with Clover Hill wines.

If you are preparing an Easter ham, try our Holiday Ham Glaze recipe:
Use 1 cup of Clover Hill Holiday wine and combine with 1 cup brown sugar.
Baste your ham frequently with this mixture for a simple and delicious glaze.

Celebrating Mothers
May 10 and 11 from noon - 5 pm
We will celebrate all mothers the best way we know how… with a glass of bubbly in hand! Visit the winery in Breinigsville toast all mothers. We will have two new sparkling wines to sample and special wine drinks to enjoy by the glass. Plan on a Clover Hill visit and celebrate mom.

Detour Ahead
A portion of Schantz Road is closed making it a bit more challenging to find your way to the Winery in Breinigsville; however, we will remain open during the construction. If you are planning on visiting the winery in Breinigsville, please use one of the attached detours. The detour will only take you a few extra minutes and we promise the wine will be worth the drive!

Vynecrest looks forward to spring, bud break on the vines, and Wine in Bloom

The weather is finally starting to warm up. That means the dormant buds on the vine will begin to swell and eventually open, signaling the start of the 2014 growing season. Road work begins this week on the main road used to get to the winery (Schantz Road). Please see below for detour information.

April Specials 
* Wine of the Month - Dry Riesling, additional 10% off
* 3 Pack of the Month - 3 First Blush for $25.00

*available at winery only, 3 pack cannot be combined with other offers.

Upcoming Events

April and May -

Vynecrest Piano & Wine Bar in the Vyneskeller - Open every Saturday & Sunday from 1 - 5 p.m. (free admission)

Sunday, April 27 -

Jazz Sunday - live Jazz music in the Vyneskeller from 1 - 4 p.m. (free admission)

May 17 and 18 -

Wine in Bloom - a Lehigh Valley Wine Trail event. We'll be offering vineyard and wine cellar tours at  1 p.m. both days. The first 25 customers each day gets a potted flower plant courtesy of Amore Greenhouses. Vynecrest will have free samples of cheese and dips available for tasting.

June 7 -

2nd Annual Spring Fling event with Clover Hill Winery & Vynecrest Winery - Ticket holders receive samples of three cheeses and three wines at Vynecrest, and three sweets and three wines at Clover Hill. Additional details to be announced later this month. $10 per person. Tickets available at both wineries.

Local Roadwork

We wanted to give everyone a heads-up regarding a roadwork project that began on April 7. A stretch of Schantz Road will be closed until Spring 2015. This will not affect anyone visiting Vynecrest from Rt. 22/78 and Rt. 100. You will still be able to get to our winery by traveling west on Schantz Road and making a right onto Arrowhead Lane.

For those visiting from the south (Reading/Berks/Kutztown areas) you have two choices to get to us:
1. Follow detour signs, continue on Rt. 222 to the bypass and follow our winery signs in that way.
2. Continue on Schantz Rd. up to where road closure begins and take a left on Adams Road. Once on Adams Road, continue 3/4 of a mile to Arrowhead Lane, make a right onto it and proceed 1 mile. Vynecrest will be on your right.

The section of Schantz Road that will be closed is right after Arrowhead Lane and stretches to the top of the hill where it intersects with Adams Lane. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Glass Half Empty
by John Landis

SPRING!

Today I threw the last piece of ice off my driveway. I look forward to waking up listening to birds chirping, the sun shining, and putting on short-sleeve shirts and shorts.

I look forward to sitting on the patio sipping wine and watching the flowers bloom and the Lehigh Valley turn from white to green. I look forward to the spring planting of grapes and seeing bud break in the vineyard. I look forward to the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail’s Wine in Bloom Weekend when I can give tours of our vineyard.

SPRING!

It is the start of our 2014 grape growing season and brings excitement and anticipation of another great harvest.

Cheers!

New wine release, Friday Happy Hour, and extended hours in Bethlehem for Franklin Hill

SAVE THE DATE

We're having a release party! We've created a new wine and we want you to be one of the first to try it. What are we releasing? That part you'll have to wait for, but trust us - it's worth the wait. No tickets required. April 26 at the winery from 11 am - 5 pm.

WELCOME SPRING!

We couldn't be happier that the warmer weather is on it's way.  Our tables and chairs are on the deck and ready for you to come enjoy a glass of wine and the spectacular views. See you soon.

The first wine festival of the 2014 is this weekend, April 5 and 6 at Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Macungie, Pa. This weekend long festival features food, fun and, of course, wine. Don't miss out on the fun.

FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR

Friday Happy Hour is in full swing! Each week our staff outdoes themselves and creates amazing and tasty cocktails like you've never had before. Keep your eyes open for each week's menu and stop in.  Can't make it Friday night? There may be some left over to share throughout the weekend; just ask.

SHOP DOWNTOWN BETHLEHEM

Several Downtown Bethlehem businesses have announced extended hours during the week and Franklin Hill Vineyards is one of them. We will now have extended hours from 11 am - 8 pm Wednesday - Saturday for your shopping convenience. Our wine shoppe is located inside the Main Street Commons.

Pinnacle Ridge in the news and April events for Case Club members

April's Case Club Members-Only Event: Barrel Tasting

Join us on Sunday, April 13 or April 27 for a very special event. Beginning at 5 p.m. come into the tasting room and take a trip to the cellar with our owner/winemaker, Brad Knapp. This event is complimentary for Case Club Members and will be a special tasting to showcase some of the potential in our cellar. We hope to give you an idea of how our wines are progressing and share with you some information about the winemaking process and all that goes into this labor of love. Reservations are required, and space is limited. Call (610) 756-4481 for reservations and details.

The Philadelphia Inquirer comes to Pinnacle Ridge!
 
On a recent snow-covered day, we were very fortunate and pleased to welcome a group of experienced tasters, including Mr. Craig LaBan. LaBan is an esteemed food and wine critic for the Philadelphia Inquirer, and this trip was his first to the Lehigh Valley in the pursuit of tasting local wine. The trip was inspired by Mr. Clark Smith, a highly regarded winemaker, consultant and professor, whose claim that "They [wineries in the Lehigh Valley] make some of the best aromatic white wines in America" pushed LaBan to investigate further. Mr. Mark Chien, the Penn State Extension viticulture educator, joined the pair.
   
We had a wonderful time pouring for these gentleman while discussing all aspects of wine: regions, terroir, grape varieties, blends... you name it! In an article that Mr. LaBan wrote about his experience, he had very kind things to say about our wines. He described the new 2013 Dry Riesling as a "whip-crack dry Riesling" and remarked that the new 2013 Oasis was a "terrifically quenching French-style rosé.” Read the article here.

Everyday Oenophile: A Winemaker Uncorked
   
In this edition we are stepping out of the cellar and back into our past. Specifically, we will be discussing a little bit of the history of the land that makes our estate vineyard a Berks County Historic Site. The property located in Greenwich Township on old Rt. 22 is steeped in local history. We can trace back the ownership of the land to the Hensley family, who owned the property in 1758. The property, which was then called "Salvador,” would later shift hands to the Laib family in 1788 for the price of 43 pounds and 19 shillings (less than $73 today).
   
Over time, the property was portioned off and sold or donated as designated school and church lands, particularly for the Lutheran Congregation of Greenwich. Eventually, the property became Abraham Leichty's, and he sold it to the Rabenhold (or Rabenold - some members of the family dropped the 'h' from the spelling) family. At this point, the property was in substantial disrepair and required many improvements. In addition to improving many of the surrounding structures on the property, in 1851 the Rabenhold family built the barn where the winery stands today. The property remained in the Rabenhold family until World War I.
 
In 1914, Morris Schucker purchased the property from Louisa Rabenhold for $11,000. The property remained in the Schucker family until the fall of 1990, when Brad Knapp purchased it with the intent of starting a winery. The property had ample land (roughly six acres at this point) that could be used for an estate vineyard, as well as buildings that could be repurposed for winemaking and storage. Brad converted what was previously a potato cellar into a room dedicated to making sparkling wines, and he gradually expanded the tasting room by adding a second and third bar, as well as a cold room in the cellar.

Pinnacle Ridge Winery opened to the public in 1995 and has been welcoming wine drinkers ever since. The estate vineyard is three acres under vine and features Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Chambourcin and Cabernet Franc. The Kempton vineyard site is up to roughly 19 acres, with an additional three acres of vineyard located on property belonging to Dean Scott.

Ice wine debut, Earth Day event and Cheesecake & Wine Fundraiser for ACS at Galen Glen

We are excited about the arrival of spring in the vineyard! We welcome you to come and visit Galen Glen for a tasting. On Wednesday, April 2 our expanded hours will begin. We will be open Wednesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 pm., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.  We encourage you to visit and drink in the beauty of the vineyard.

Ice Wine Debut Weekend

On Saturday, March 29 from 10 am to 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 30 from noon to 5 p.m. we will be offering this season's only complimentary tasting of our 2013 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine. We will pair it with our own home-made Riesling Bread Pudding topped with with Ice Wine Cream (recipe provided).

Ice Wine is a dessert wine produced from grapes that have been frozen on the vine. Please join us this weekend and don't miss your opportunity to taste and purchase this limited-quantity wine.

Cheesecake & Wine to Fight Cancer

Plan to join us at the winery on Saturday, April 12 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. as we help Dr. Rehrig and our local Relay for Life Team. The team will be selling slices of home-made cheesecake and daffodils. Cancer strikes without discern across all races and creeds. Everyone knows someone who has or had cancer. Galen Glen is proud to partner with this team and The American Cancer Society to support the scientists who search for a cure. We will be donating $1 for every bottle of wine sold during Dr. Rehrig's event on April 12 to The American Cancer Society. We invite you to support this worthy cause by enjoying a glass of wine and some dessert while drinking in the spectacular views.

Earth Day - Sow Into Spring

On Saturdays, April 19 and 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 27 from noon to 5 p.m. we will celebrate Earth Day at the winery. Each visiting family will receive a special spring gift and recipe (while supplies last) to make a garden favorite of our winemaker, Sarah. Spring is the perfect time to enjoy some of our locally-made cheeses and a glass of wine while enjoying the multiple hues of green in the vineyard.

Discover Galen Glen Winery and experience our majestic panoramic view of Pennsylvania's natural landscape. Our location is dazzling every season, and tasting wine while gazing over our manicured vineyard will enhance your appreciation of the effort required to grow and craft award-winning wines. For more information about our hours, tours, and enjoying our property please visit: http://www.galenglen.com/winery/hours.php or call 570-386-3682.

Seven new wine releases this spring at Vynecrest

The weather is finally starting to warm up. That means the dormant buds on the vine will begin to swell and eventually open, signaling the start of the 2013 growing season. If you couldn't make it to the winery in March, we have plenty of new releases from the 2012 vintage for you to try:

• First Blush 
• Vynecrest Red 
• Vignoles 
• Riesling 
• Dry Riesling 
• Summertime Red 
• Traminette

April Specials
* Wine of the Month - Pinot Grigio, additional 10% off
* 3 Pack of the Month - 3 Vynecrest White for $30
*available at winery only; 3 pack cannot be combined with other offers.

Upcoming Events:
April and May - Vynecrest Piano and Wine Bar - open every Saturday and Sunday, 1 - 5 p.m., free admission

Sunday, April 28 - Jazz Sunday featuring Dan Harakal and Mike Spangler on the guitar and baby grand piano.

Glass Half Empty
by John Landis

Planning, pruning, planting... it must be spring! In addition to releasing a slew of new 2012 wines, our focus once again turns to getting our vineyard ready to produce another outstanding vintage. Our new planting (2010) in our southwest vineyard will produce Cabernet Franc, Lemberger and Riesling for the first time this year. Plantings of more Chardonnay and Chambourcin are also scheduled for April.

What fun to finally be outside watching Mother Nature be reborn! You can follow the progress of our 2013 vintage yourself. From May through August we will offer our Winemaker Vineyard and Wine Cellar Tour so you can watch the vines and grapes develop. The first of these tours will be at 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday of Wine in Bloom Weekend, May 18 and 19.

Speaking of outside, our patio is now open on weekends along with the Vyneskeller from 1-5 pm. And, the wine festivals begin – June 1 at Longwood Gardens and the biggie at Split Rock in the Poconos on June 22 and 23. Be sure to check our website www.vynecrest.com for wine tours dates and all special events.

Spring is here and the deck is open at Franklin Hill!

Spring is here,the deck is open, and we couldn't be happier. Here at Franklin Hill Vineyards we are excited to invite you to enjoy the beautiful views from our deck. Come have a complimentary tasting and enjoy a glass of your favorite wine.

In the Vineyard
The poles are here and soon 2,000 new vines will start their journey in our vineyard. We're excited to get started and invite you to come see the process of planting. The vineyard we planted in 2008 is getting a little help with the addition of it's own irrigation system fed by it's very own well.

Wine Tourism Day 
Saturday, May 11

We are so excited to be a part of the first Wine Tourism Day. Franklin Hill Vineyards will be one of many wineries, restaurants and hotels across the country celebrating the importance of wine tourism. Keep an eye out for the events we have planned for this special day!

Mother's Day
Sunday, May 12

Bring Mom to the winery for some relaxation and fun. We will be featuring frozen wine cocktails as well as light appetizers. Tours will also be offered at noon and 2 p.m. Stay tuned for more information.

Our friends at the Broadway Pub in downtown Bangor are carrying our wines. Our most popular Sir Walter's Red, Seyval Blanc, Trio,  Katie's Creek and more.  We even heard they've been mixing up our Fainting Goat into martinis and more! Stop in today or call for reservations. 610-452-9226

Spring arrives at Clover Hill Winery

Bud Burst in the Vineyard
Signs of life are clearly visible in the vineyards. The buds are near ready to burst, the grass is green, the blue birds have returned, and we are rejoicing with a glass of wine this spring. That is one of the most exciting things about growing grapes; every spring we are reminded that we have another chance to grow a little better grape. Keep your fingers crossed for a picture perfect grape growing year in Pennsylvania. 

Events are also overflowing with life at Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery. We hope you find a great reason to visit us whether it is for a tour, music or just a quiet afternoon with a glass of wine on the patio. Be our guest and pack a picnic lunch and enjoy a glass of wine with us any day of the week.

Thank you for choosing to drink local and supporting Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery. We are honored that Clover Hill wine graces your table this spring, Easter, or Passover.

Owner's Selection - Cayuga White
If you could bottle the taste of spring it might just taste like Cayuga White! This wine expresses fresh, fruity flavors of mango, melon and ruby grapefruit. A semi-sweet finish is best served chilled sitting outside with good company. Here are some of our favorite recipes to go with Cayuga White!

Enjoy a 10% discount on Cayuga White the entire month of April. Receive a 20% discount on the Owner's Selection when included with case purchases.

A Clover Hill Wine & Martin Guitar Tasting
Saturday, May 19 – 1 p.m. & 3:30 p.m.
Reservations required

Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery
9850 Newtown Road
Breinigsville, PA 18031

Experience the vineyard in bloom with a glass of wine and the strum of a guitar. On Saturday, May 19, Clover Hill will partner with Martin & Company to present “A Clover Hill Wine & Martin Guitar Tasting.”

Dick Boak, Martin Guitar’s expert, along with guitarist Craig Thatcher, will offer an interactive and informative afternoon of music, guitars, history, wine and fun. The day will be split into two presentations; 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. While the presentations are free, reservations are required and seating is limited.

In addition to these presentations Craig Thatcher will play the guitar on our patio beginning at noon until the first presentation begins and then again at the conclusion of the second presentation for a short time. Craig’s performance on the patio is open to all at no charge.

To reserve your seat, or for more information, call 610-395-2468 or email events@cloverhillwinery.com.

What a spring frost means for local vineyards

This article was featured in the April edition of the Pinnacle Ridge Winery e-newsletter.

Spring has sprung - early! A prolonged stretch of unusually warm weather in March has sent a message to many plants that it is time to grow. This early warm weather launches the growing season earlier than normal which means (everything else being equal) we should have an earlier harvest than normal. Years with an early harvest are generally better years as the fruit has more time to hang and get fully ripe in warmer weather. It tends to be especially helpful in getting the late red varieties fully ripe. However, there is one caveat that can not be overlooked - the danger that Mr. Jack Frost will visit while tender green shoots are exposed.

In the last 20 years of growing grapes, we have observed killing frosts as late as May 20. It is not normal to have frost that late but it does happen. The first week or two in May would generally be regarded as the last frost date. So what happens to the vines in this situation?  Like most things it is not as simple as it seems.

Typical spring frosts in our area occur on very clear, cloudless nights. The absence of clouds allows the warmer air to move up into the atmosphere while the colder (more dense) air sinks to low spots. Naturally any low spots in a vineyard are prone to freezing before higher spots. So within a vineyard site there will be  areas that are colder than others.

The other variable is the level of exposure of the new shoots on the vine. Closed buds on a vine can withstand cold weather down to zero degrees or lower. As the root systems awaken in the spring and push sap into the vine. the cold hardiness of the buds diminishes. As the bud swells and starts to open it becomes more and more susceptible to frost/freeze injury. A swollen bud can withstand temperatures down to around 25 degrees whereas new shoots with several leaves showing will suffer injury at 30 degrees.

Different varieties push their shoots at different times and not all shoots push at exactly the same time. Our earliest varieties are our Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The shoots on these varieties push weeks earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon or Chambourcin. So during a frost/freeze event the level of damage depends on location in the vineyard and on the progress of shoot development on the different varieties. Frost injury usually ends up hitting one or two varieties harder than others and mainly in lower, colder locations in the vineyard.

Once a shoot has been injured the vines will push secondary or tertiary shoots. On most varieties of vines these shoots will not carry much fruit (if any) but they do allow the vine to produce leaves which allows photosynthesis to occur and the plant to survive. So frost doesn't generally kill plants but does reduce the
yield of grapes. Our buds in the Chardonnay have started to swell and we will most likely have bud break in the first days of April. This is exactly what happened in 2010.

So keep your fingers crossed that we don't have any of those clear, cold nights for the rest of April!

Save the Date for Wine in Bloom this May

March Madness has finally wrapped up along the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail. During the month of April our wineries will do their own events and promotions. So please check their respective web sites for information and sign up to receive their individual e-newsletters. Find links to each winery's web site from the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail web site here.

In the mean time, please mark your calendar for our next Wine Trail event - Wine in Bloom, May 19 & 20. In only its second year, Wine in Bloom is a fun and educational event that celebrates bud break on the vines and the start of the growing season. 


It highlights the importance that terroir (soil) plays in the development of the grapes, their flavor and the resulting taste of the wine, and stresses the importance of the A.V.A. designation (American Viticultural Area) in further legitimizing the Lehigh Valley for wine making.

The Lehigh Valley region was designated as an official American Viticultural Area by the Federal Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in April 2008. The Lehigh Valley AVA includes portions of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Schuylkill, Carbon and Monroe counties in Pennsylvania. In order to receive the designation a least 85% of the grapes used to make local wines must be grown within the region. Wineries in the region are permitted to list “Lehigh Valley” as the growing region on their labels.

During the event, each winery will offer its own variety of activities, from vineyard tours and food and wine pairings, to live entertainment and even a scavenger hunt. Check this blog in late-April for details on what each winery will be doing that weekend.

Franklin Hill celebrates spring with a sale, wine festival and baseball

Franklin Hill Vineyards receives two more awards
Our Pomegranate Peach won a Silver Medal and Sir Walter's Red won a Gold in the San Diego International Wine Competition.

Downtown Bethlehem's Spring Sidewalk Sale 
The Historic and Southside Shopping Districts will celebrate the beginning of summer like it's Christmas in July during the annual Sidewalk Sale, April 19-22 at the Franklin Hill Vineyards Bethlehem location only.

Our specials include: "Circa" 3 piece wine tool kits in spring-time colors. Originally $18, on sale for $10. And 50% off "Metro" BYOB three-bottle wine backpacks in black and red.

For more information visit www.downtownbethlehemassociation.com.

Bear Creek Spring Wine and Food Festival
April 14-15 from 1- 5 p.m.

Come and visit us during our first festival of the season! The rustic beauty of Bear Creek Resort serves as the backdrop for enjoying regional wine samples, decadent foods, cooking seminars, spa specials, and unique art and jewelry. Our Franklin Hill festival crew is looking forward to seeing you at Bear Creek. For more information including ticket sales, visit: www.bcmountainresort.com.

Let's Play Ball!
Look out for Franklin Hill Vineyards wine being served during the 2012 Iron Pigs' season at Coca-Cola Park. Ladies, don't forget to sign up to be a "Diamond Diva!" A $30 Membership includes: Diamond Divas t-shirt, visor, wine tasting, ladies-only Fantasy Camp group night at Coca-Cola Park. For more information contact Director of Community Relations Sarah Marten at 610-841-1213 or smarten@ironpigsbaseball.com.

Vynecrest Winery now open 7 days a week

The latest e-newsletter from Vynecrest Winery in Breinigsville is out! Find out what's going on this month.

With March Madness subsiding here in the Lehigh Valley we can now look forward to beautiful April spring conditions. What better way to ring in April than snow showers. You may ask yourself what can I do to subside my spring fever? Drink wine!

Vynecrest Winery is now open 7 days a week from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and we are very excited to roll out a brand new Vyneskeller Schedule this year where we will feature live music every Saturday from 1 - 4:30 p.m. Our wine list is almost back to full strength with the addition of Lemberger and our new Sparkling Chambourcin. Hope to see you soon.

April Specials:
3 Pack of the Month - 3 semi-sweet Riesling for $30
Wine of the Month - First Blush, additional 10% off (20% off on cases)
Both wines featured all month long as great additions to Easter Meals

Winemaker Tour this Saturday
 This weekend kicks off the 2011 vineyard tour season. This year we have decided to break up the tours according to the time of year the tour is given. This Saturday, April 16, find out how the vines have weathered the winter and what we have done to prepare them for the 2011 growing season. In the months to come, look for tours about bud break, cluster thinning, veraison and harvest.

Tours are $5 per person and begin at 1 p.m. Reservations are suggested as they fill up quickly.
  
Live Music in Vyneskeller - April
1 - 4:30 p.m. - Free admission

• 16 -  Brian Xander 
•  23 - Art Acoustic Oldies
•  30 - Rob & Marty