Lehigh Valley winemakers recommend wine and food pairings for Easter dinner

The owners of the nine family-owned and operated wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail invite wine lovers to make their Easter holiday meal even more special by pairing dinner and dessert with local wine. They offer 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 - recommends their Marechal Foch with a traditional roast leg of lamb, a full-bodied red with just enough acidity and tannin to complement a succulent lamb dish.

Blue Mountain Vineyards, New Tripoli – Winemaker Joe Greff recommends their 2015 Pinot Noir to compliment a glazed Easter ham. For lamb, they recommend their 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon. If you’re serving a chocolate dessert, go with Victoria’s Passion, or Harvest Moon, a late-harvest Seyval Blanc dessert wine, with apple pie, custards, and carrot cake.

Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville - Sparkling Cayuga White - semi-sweet sparkling with soft, fruity flavors. Oak Vidal Blanc - a hearty white will that will stand up to any smoked meat. Clover Hill Rose - sweet and mild fruit flavors will be a crowd pleaser. Turtle Rock Red - serve it chilled as a perfect partner for Easter ham.

Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor - pour a glass of their Double Gold Award-winning White Jade to pair with a holiday feast. After dinner take your guests’ breath away by serving Franklin Hills’ port-style wine Breathless with a rich and delicious chocolate cake.

Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery, Andreas – Winemaker Sarah Troxell recommends setting the family table with one of their Rieslings alongside a glazed Easter ham or a roasted turkey. For a less traditional meal – like salmon, pork or vegetarian cuisine - Gruner Veltliner is the answer. For dessert, sip a glass of Vidal Blanc, which is naturally sweet and perfectly paired with cheesecake.

Pinnacle Ridge, Kutztown - recommends their Chambourcin Rose or Brut Rose to go with lighter or saltier dishes (ham or turkey). For lamb or beef, winemaker Brad Knapp recommends his 2014 Veritas. For dessert, go with 2014 Late Harvest Vidal Blanc (Gold Medal Winner in the Los Angeles Wine Competition).

Tolino Vineyards, Bangor - For Easter, the Tolino family recommends pairing its 2015 Vidal with ham. The slight sweetness and pineapple aroma complement the wine beautifully.  For dessert, pair chocolate eggs with Chambourcin. This dry, bold red will balance the sweetness of the chocolate, and will leave a slight vanilla flavor on the palate from its barrel aging.

Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville – Their April Wine of the Month is Traminette a Gewürztraminer hybrid grape grown in their vineyard for over 20 years. It exudes a flowery bouquet and has a seductive spicy finish perfect with a traditional Easter ham with pineapple. Something a little sweeter with dessert is Autumn Gold for pairing with chocolate coconut eggs.

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.

The Lehigh Valley region is an official American Viticultural Area as designated 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. www.LehighValleyWineTrail.com

Easter food & wine pairings from the wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail

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 and 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 – Winery owners Joe and Vickie Greff recommend their 2014 Pinot Noir to compliment a glazed Easter ham. For lamb, they recommend the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon. If you’re serving a chocolate dessert, go with Victoria’s Passion or Harvest Moon, a late harvest Seyval Blanc dessert wine, with apple pie, custards, and carrot cake.

Clover Hill Vineyards and Winery, Breinigsville - Riesling is a great option for Easter ham; 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 - Pair their Gold Medal award winning Hard Cider with the Easter meal. For a more traditional pairing go with Seyval Blanc, which just won at the East Meets West Wine Competition, which will compliment your ham or turkey beautifully. For dessert pair the winery’s sour yet sweet green apple wine named Envy with a slice of key lime pie, or pour a little Envy over vanilla ice cream in a blender and make adult Shamrock Shakes.

Galen Glen Vineyard and Winery, Andreas – Winemaker Sarah Troxell recommends setting the family table with one of their Rieslings alongside a glazed Easter ham or a roasted turkey. For dessert, enjoy a glass of Twilight, which is naturally sweet and perfectly paired 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 the family by sharing a bottle of Pinot Grigio. This dry white wine has citrus notes that complement the ham and gives the meal a refreshing taste. For red wine lovers, try their bold and smoky 2013 Cabernet Franc to bring out the seasoning of the meat. Sunnyside, a sweet concord, is a special treat that pairs well with semi-sweet Easter Chocolate for dessert.

Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville – Whether you go the traditional ham with pineapple route or do ribs and chicken on the grill, Autumn Gold is a sweeter wine that pairs well with either choice. It's made from Vynecrest's signature blend of estate-grown grapes, and is also the March Wine of the Month with 10 percent off the regular price of $9.99.

Summer Slushies, Wine & Food Inspiration, and Summer Flights with Bites at Clover Hill

Reminder - every Monday and Friday - all wines by the glass are $4 each!

Owner’s Selection for June

For the month of June Riesling is discounted 10% at all Clover Hill locations. Receive a 20% discount on Riesling when included in a case purchase.

This semi-sweet Riesling is bursting with aromas and flavors of peach, apricot, and minerals with refreshing acidity. This wine pairs beautifully with spicy Thai food or Mexican food with a kick! Now only $10.35.

Upcoming Events

Wine & Food Inspiration
The Wine Shop at the Boscov’s Fairgrounds Farmer's Market
June 20 - 10 am - 2 pm

Visit the Wine Shop for a special sampling of foods from Krystyna’s Polish Kitchen. We will be offering samples of jerky sticks and a soft Polish cheese both paired with DeChaunac, as well as Chrusciki (a fried dough that's similar to funnel cake) paired with Vignoles.

Summer Slushies at the Vineyard in Robesonia
The Vineyard in Robesonia
June 27 & 28 - noon - 5 pm both days

Join us at the Vineyard in Robesonia for wine slushies. We will be offering free samples of the slushies featuring our Cayuga White and also serving them by the glass.

Summer Flights with Bites
The Winery in Breinigsville
July 18, 19, 20 & 21; noon - 5pm
Tickets required - $10 per flight
Senior Special Tuesday July 21 - $8 per flight

Join us at the Winery in Breinigsville for a flight of wines paired with bites of goodness. Flights will consist of four wines paired with four bites of goodness. The best part is you can pick if you want to experience a Sweet Flight or Dry Flight. Tickets are required and are in limited supply for $10 per flight. Seniors, join us on Tuesday, July 21 for $8 per flight. For tickets, please call 610-395-2468 or visit the winery in Breinigsville.

Food and wine pairings announced for March Passport Program

The annual Lehigh Valley Wine Trail March Passport Program begins in less than a month but there's still time to purchase passports and join us. Which food and wine pairing are you most looking forward to trying? 

(Just a reminder that food and wine pairings are samples only. They are just meant to be tastings, not a meal, so please expect them to be small.) 

Amore

Week 1. Chicken Picatta Medallions served over lemon butter tri-color orzo paired with Chardonnay

Week 2. Tortellini in a sundried tomato and basil sauce paired with Cabaret Amore

Week 3. Beef Stroganoff with bowtie pasta paired with Chambourcin

Week 4. Chicken Medallions and Pasta Florentine, roasted red peppers, artichokes and mushrooms in a light white wine sauce paired with Gregg Gregio

Big Creek

Big Creek will pair "Zuppa di Lenticchie Verdi ala Milli" with their off-dry Moonlight White. There will be a special treat on the fourth weekend compliments of Lisa.

Blue Mountain

Week 1

March 1

Mushroom Gruyere crepes compliments of “French Girl Creperie,” (crepes will be available for purchase) paired with Cabernet Sauvignon.

Pumpkin spice cake, paired with warm Mountain Spice

March 2

Pizza fondue, paired with Chambourcin

Pumpkin spice cake, paired with warm Mountain Spice

Week 2

March 8 & 9

Meatballs in blue cheese Bordelaise sauce, paired with White Merlot

Chocolate fondue, paired with Cabernet Sauvignon or Victoria’s Passion

Week 3

March 15

Chicken, lime and tortilla soup, paired with Riesling

Delectable chocolates by “Sweet Finesse” (a selection of chocolate will be available for purchase)

March 16

Chicken, lime and tortilla soup paired with Riesling

Strawberry with Nutella crepes compliments of “French Girl Creperie,”(crepes will be available for purchase) paired with Victoria’s Passion

Week 4

March 22 & 23

Chicken and pears with tarragon, paired with 2011 Chardonnay

Chocolate fondue, paired with Merlot or Victoria’s Passion

Clover Hill

For the March Passport Program 2014, Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery is celebrating the foods of the Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market. This local farmers’ market has been a long time favorite of Clover Hill’s and the Skrip Family. The Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers’ Market is a food lovers dream and we couldn’t think of a better place to find menu items for the March Passport Program. Passports are required for the wine and food pairing or you can purchase a one-time pass for $5 to do the wine and food sampling at Clover Hill ONLY. We are looking forward to an Allentown Farmers’ Market inspired wine and food pairings!  For more information on the Allentown Fairgrounds Farmer’s Market, please visit www.allentownfarmersmkt.com.  

March 1 & 2

Black & Gold Turkey filets served with Edamame Salad paired with Vidal Blanc. Blackbottom cupcakes served with Concord

Market vendors include Mr. Bill’s Poultry, Gannon’s and Amish Bake Shop.

March 8 & 9

Jambalaya and homemade cornbread served with Sangiovese. Black-bottom cupcakes served with Concord.

Market vendors include Southern Delights and Amish Bake Shop.

March 15 & 16

Meats and cheeses plate paired with Cabernet Sauvignon and Vignoles. Baklava served with Vignoles.

Market vendors include Weaver’s Meats and Cheeses and Foods of the Mediterranean

March 22 & 23

Turkey London Broil served with Mushroom & Onion Risotto served with Turtle Rock Red. Baklava served with Vignoles.

Market vendors include Mr. Bill’s Poultry, Julia’s Country Kitchen & Foods of the Mediterranean

Franklin Hill

Franklin Hill Vineyards is pairing up with local restaurants.

Week 1

Vidal Blanc paired with chicken corn chowder from the Broadway Pub in Bangor.

Week 2

White Jade paired with lobster bisque from the Cherry Hill Hotel in Nazareth

Week 3 

Chambourcin will be paired with Pulled Pork from Bethlehem Brew Works.

Week 4

Fainting Goat or Redhead paired with assorted desserts from Buttercup Bakery in Nazareth

Galen Glen

Galen Glen has teamed with Bamboo Asian Cuisine of Allentown to prepare a food and wine pairing that is sure to delight any palate. This year's pairing will be Andy Liu's special homemade dumplings with pork and vegetables paired with one of Galen Glen's Riesling wines. Passport holders will have their choice of either the gold-medal winning Stone Cellar Riesling or the double gold-medal winning semi-dry Riesling.

Pinnacle Ridge

Pinnacle Ridge’s theme is "On a Stick" and they will be featuring a series of fondues and a delicious Coq au Vin.

March 1 & 2: Chicken Club Fondue made with their Dry Riesling, paired with the new 2013 Dry Riesling or the 2012 Cayuga.

March 8 & 9: Goat Cheese Fondue made with Traminette, will be paired with their 2012 Traminette or the 2012 Syrah.

March 15 & 16: Beef & Chicken Coq au Vin made with Chambourcin and served with a Garden Herb Aioli Sauce paired with their 2012 Chambourcin or the 2012 Quaff.

Marc 22 & 23: Bananas Foster Fondue paired their 2012 Sweet Seduction or the soon-to-be-released Blanc de Blanc.

Vynecrest

All-American Slider Month at Vynecrest

Week 1 & 2

Chicken, apple, and bacon sliders with Gouda cheese on slider rolls paired with Summertime red wine.

Week 3 & 4

Chipotle pulled pork sliders with provolone cheese on slider rolls paired with Traminette white wine.

Find the right wine to pair with your Easter meal

Easter is almost here and the eight family-owned and operated wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail want to help you select the right wines to pair with your family's holiday meal. Here are a few suggestions. Stop by any of our wineries in person for specific recommendations.


Amore - Pair Amore Pink Passion with ham, pork and sauerkraut. After dinner, relax with a glass of Rapport or Vidal Blanc dessert wines.

Big Creek - Their Vin di Pasqualina is a favorite all-around wine for traditional Easter dinners. Both sweet and dry wine fans will enjoy the glass-filling aroma of this semi-dry rose. Vin 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 a ton of flavor. It does very well as an aperitif or with ham, turkey, or even baked ziti.

Blue Mountain – The medium-bodied flavor of their Pinot Noir will compliment a glazed Easter ham. Their Riesling, non-oaked Chardonnay and White Merlot will also compliment the smoky flavor of ham.

Clover Hill – The winery suggests Turtle Rock Red, made from 100% Chambourcin grapes (the official wine grape of the Lehigh Valley) with a slight bit of natural sweetness, best served with a slight chill. This wine is a great accompaniment to Easter ham, and garlic or smoked kielbasa.

Franklin Hill - Kiss is a great choice to enjoy with the traditional ham dinner and will help cut the saltiness.  Seyval is another terrific option to bring out the flavor of pineapples on top.  For dessert, Sir Walter's Red and homemade peanut butter eggs are a match made in heaven.

Galen Glen – Galen and Sarah recommend what they are serving at their own Easter Celebration - Vin Gris, a dry rose, and  Galah, a lightly sweet blush. Both are delightful with all of the holiday’s festivities - brunch, glazed ham, and leftover sandwiches.

Pinnacle Ridge – They recommend their Cuvee Chardonnay sparkling wine as a means of celebrating Easter.  This crisp bubbly will be perfect with ham or turkey.

Vynecrest - Their Vynecrest White Silver Medal winner is a versatile, semi-sweet, all-occasion dinner wine. Perfect for pairing with Easter ham, lamb, turkey and all the trimmings. Don't forget Cherry DiVyne for dessert paired with those chocolate Easter bunnies!

March Passport Program food and wine pairings announced

Here is the list of food and wine pairings that passport holders will enjoy during the four weekends of our March event.

Amore

Week 1 - Beef stroganoff w/bow tie pasta paired with Chambourcin

Week 2 - Chicken Marsala medallions served over wild rice paired with Chardonnay

Week 3 – Beef burgundy w/bow tie pasta paired with Cabaret Amore

Week 4 - Chicken medallions and pasta Florentine, roasted red peppers, artichokes and mushrooms in a light garlic wine sauce paired with Cayuga

Big Creek

Big Creek will be offering Old Fashioned Tomato and Rice Soup a la Millie with an additional treat on the last weekend, compliments of Lisa.

Blue Mountain

Week 1 - Meatball Stroganoff with Chambourcin

Week 2 - Spicy Peanut Capellini (peanuts optional) with Vignoles.

Week 3 - Pasta Fagioli with Merlot

Week 4 - White Bean Chicken Chili with Riesling

Chocolate fondue will also be offered for dessert all month long.

Clover Hill

Weeks 1 and 2

Clover Hill Cabernet or Concord paired with spicy chili

and

Limited Release Chocolate Cabernet paired with Pat’s Famous Double Layer Cheesecake

Weeks 3 and 4

Oak Vidal Blanc or Cayuga White paired with Chicken Pot Pie with homemade noodles

and

Spiced Apple Wine paired with apple dumplings


Franklin Hill

Week 1
Our Simply Red will be paired with Bethlehem Brew Works' Pulled Pork.

Week 2
Broadway Pub's Creamy Mushroom soup will be paired with our Cabernet Sauvignon.

Week 3
Widows Tavern will be making their White Bean Chicken Chili to pair with our White Jade.

Week 4
Back Door Bakeshop's delicious peach bread & zucchini bread paired with your choice of our Pomegranate Peach wine or our newest release, Thin.

Galen Glen 

Galen Glen is thrilled to feature the culinary prowess of farm-to-table Chef Mark Muszynski, owner of Curious Goods at the Bake Oven Inn. Mark will prepare smoked pork belly served over a Riesling-braised red cabbage, splashed with pickled mustard seed vinaigrette and garnished with a pumpernickel crisp. The wine offering will be our dry or half-dry Riesling.

Pinnacle Ridge

1st weekend:  Apple Wood Smoked Pork with Mango BBQ Sauce paired with our 2011 Riesling.

2nd weekend:  Grilled Chicken with creamy Traminette Sauce paired with our 2011 Traminette

3rd weekend:  Beef Pot Roast - tender beef in rich brown gravy paired with our 2011 Chambourcin

4th weekend:  Chicken Cordon Bleu - cheesy chicken and ham paired with our 2012 Naked Chardonnay

Vynecrest

Vynecrest Winery’s wine pairings will feature two PA Farm Show Silver Medal Winners. Our food pairings are made by two fellow vendors at the Macungie Farm Market, a Buy Fresh, Buy Local market.

Weeks 1 and 2 - Pairing Vynecrest White, our house white wine, with Blackberry Bliss - A moist vanilla white wine cake featuring Vynecrest White Wine, filled with a fresh blackberry filling, and topped with a blackberry lemon frosting. Food by Sugar So Sweet Cupcakes.

Weeks 3 and 4 - Pairing Vynecrest Red, our house red wine, made with the Chambourcin grape, with Triple Mushroom Lasagna a rich and savory dish with gorgonzola cheese sauce. Food by Hereford Country Store.

Pinnacle Ridge preps for Nouveau Weekend

LEHIGH VALLEY WINE TRAIL'S NOUVEAU WEEKEND
             
Saturday, November 17 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday, November 18 from noon - 5 p.m.

This Lehigh Valley Wine Trail event celebrates the first vintage of the new harvest! Nouveau refers to a French wine which is created and sold the same year that the grapes are harvested. These wines are typically red, light in body, and fruity. Pinnacle Ridge will not be making a Nouveau wine this year, but we will be serving our Vidal Blanc and Merlot to be paired with another delectable creation by Chef Ben Underwood - cherry smoked pork and white bean soup.

Travel the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail the weekend before Thanksgiving for a fabulous opportunity to meet with friends and family before the holidays. This is also a great time to get a head start on your holiday gift shopping. March Madness 2013 passports will be going on sale Nouveau Weekend. These passports are great gifts for the holidays. Get them while they last because they sell out very quickly.

SUPERSTORM SANDY

It is a few weeks after Superstorm Sandy hit the region and we are glad to say we weathered the storm with little damage. We, like many others, were without power until late Friday. The tasting room was closed until Wednesday but we were able to obtain a generator to light the winery Thursday and Friday. There was a real romantic feel with the low lighting that was kind of nice. 

That being said, there is nothing like that slight pop and burst of light when the power comes back on. Hopefully everyone made it through the worst of Sandy and are getting back into that normal routine one can appreciate after such events. 

NOUVEAU WEEKEND LETS WINE LOVERS TASTE THE FIRST VINTAGES OF THE RECENT HARVEST

The eight wineries of the LehighValley Wine Trail will debut the first vintages from their most recent harvest this weekend, November 17 and 18, during Nouveau Weekend, the last Wine Trail event of the year. Wineries will also feature food and wine pairings for visitors to sample.

Nouveau Weekend is a great opportunity to purchase wine to give as holiday gifts or to complement holiday meals. Event hours at all of the wineries are Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon – 5 p.m. Nouveau Weekend is a free event, however some wineries charge for wine tastings.

Passports for the 2013 March Passport Program will go on sale this weekend. Passports are $35 each. A limited supply of passports is printed and often sells out well in advance of the month-long event, so event-goers are encouraged to purchase them early.

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, and connect with them on Twitter and their Facebook fan page.

NOUVEAU WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS

Amore - will feature their signature blend of Cabaret Amore paired with meat lasagna.

Big Creek - will introduce two new wines for Nouveau Weekend.  The first is Ebon Foch, a big hearty red, and the second is a semi-dry, aromatic white wine called Joi. Quantities will be very limited. They will pair both wines with Millie's Chili - the Santo Variation. 

Blue Mountain - Saturday: They'll feature their 2012 Nouveau paired with cranberry stuffing. They'll also sample warmed cranberry-spiced Sangria. Rob will be playing from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m.

Sunday: They'll feature the 2012 Nouveau paired with cranberry stuffing, and they'll sample warmed cranberry-spiced Sangria. Sunday Blues entertainment from 2 - 5 p.m. will be by The Wow Brothers. The $5 admission fee for live music includes a wine tasting. Outside food is welcome.

Clover Hill - Nouveau Weekend is a time to celebrate the first release from the current year’s harvest. Not only will Clover Hill be releasing a new wine, but they will be taking an intimate look at the 2012 Grape Harvest. Internationally recognized photographer Jim Gavenus has documented their 2012 Grape Harvest (www.gavenusphoto.com).

Visit the Winery in Breinigsville to sample their new release and view the 2012 Grape Harvest exhibit from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon – 5 p.m. on Sunday. Wine will be available by the glass to sip and artist prints will be available for purchase.

Franklin Hill - will debut their 2012 Seyval Blanc, just in time for the Thanksgiving dinner table. They will also be pairing Seyval with freshly baked lemon bars and pumpkin bread from Back Door Bakeshop in Bethlehem, with plenty of baked goods available for purchase.

On the outdoor deck they will be presenting (weather permitting) Robert Michaels on guitar and vocals. Enjoy a warm glass of Sir Walter's Red, served warmed with mulled spices.

Galen Glen - will pair Riesling and A-Maize-ing Corn Chowder garnished with jalapeno or turkey.

Pinnacle Ridge - will pair their new 2010 Merlot and 2011 Vidal Blanc with a soup made from white beans and cherry wood-smoked pork.

Vynecrest - Vynecrest Winery will be serving their Nouveau Beaujolais 2012, made from the Gamay grape grown in their vineyard. There will be Hereford Country Store Provencal dip with Rip Rap artisan crackers for tasting and purchase - all Buy Fresh Buy Local products. Art's Acoustics Oldies will play live in the Vyneskeller from 1:30-4:30 p.m., open to the public and free of charge.

March Madness 2011 food and wine pairings announced!

If you've already purchased your March Madness passport, then you're probably wondering what this year's food and wine pairings will be at each winery each weekend in March. Well, you're in luck. Below is the list of the tastings you can find during your journey along the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail just over a month from now. Read on...

Blue Mountain

March 5&6: Pasta Primavera paired with 2006 Chardonnay Reserve and Wine Poached Pears with our newly released 2010 White Merlot.
March 12 & 13: Chicken, Lime & Tortilla Soup paired with 2009 Vignoles and Passion Wine Cake paired with our Victoria’s Passion
March 19 & 20:  Pasta Fagioli paired with 2004 Chambourcin and Warm Winter Fruit paired with Mountain Frost
March 26 & 27: Sample the newly released spring line of Tastefully Simple products as well as the regular classics! We will offer 2 pairings to feature the new products.

Amore

March 5 & 6 - Beef, vegetable, wild rice soup paired with Cabernet
March 12 & 13 - Grilled Italian Chicken in a Vodka sauce over cavatelli pasta paired with Gregg's Gregio
March 19 & 20 - Tortellini in sun dried tomato & basil sauce paired with Chambourcin
March 26 & 27 - Chicken medallions and pasta Florentine, roasted red peppers, artichokes and mushrooms in a light garlic wine sauce paired with Chardonnay

Galen Glen

Every Weekend in March, Galen Glen is proud to feature our Aromatic White Wines paired with handmade pork dumplings from Bamboo and Liu’s House. We plan to tease your taste buds to convince you how beautifully our wines match with Asian cuisine.  www.thebamboocuisine.com www.liushouse.com

Big Creek

Will feature "From Russia with Love - Soups of the Steppes:
Week 1  - Roszolnick Soup
Week 2  - Gribovnitsa
Week 3 -  Mushroom solyanka
Week  4 - Chicken Lapsha

Vynecrest 

Vynecrest will again be presenting Lisa Morton (Hereford Country Store) food creations. Weeks 1 & 3 we will be pairing Vynecrest White, our popular semi-sweet all-occasion wine, with your choice of either a vegetarian spinach & cheddar quiche or the Macungie Farm Market favorite, a cheese steak quiche.

Weeks 2 & 4 we will be pairing our Cherry Divyne wine with their red velvet chocolate cake roll, with some of the Cherry Divyne mixed into the creamy cherry-vanilla icing for a German-style heavenly dessert experience.

Pinnacle Ridge

Goes to the MEDITERRANEAN for the month of March. On March 5 & 6 and 19 & 20, Pinnacle Ridge will be serving: Garlic and Lemon marinated Grilled Chicken, Grape Leaves stuffed with Rice, Vegetables and Herbs and Baba Ghanouj- Roasted Eggplant mixed with Tahini, Garlic and Lemon. Scoop it all up with Pita Bread.

On March 12 & 13 and 26 & 27, Pinnacle Ridge will be serving: Mediterranean Gyro- Classic Rotisserie Meat cooked and topped with a Garlic-herb Yogurt Sauce, Arnabit- seasoned Cauliflower served with a garlic sauce and Hummus- Chick Peas blended with Tahini and herbs. Scoop it all up with Pita Bread.

Pinnacle Ridge will be pairing our Mediterranean feast with two different Rosé wines. We will introduce OASIS - our Provence inspired rose’ from the 2009 vintage. We will also pair our Chambourcin Rosé for those who desire a slightly sweet wine. If reds are your thing, try our 2009 Merlot.

Franklin Hill

Week one - Beef Stew made with Chambourcin Wine, the Wine of the Lehigh Valley paired with what else .... Chambourcin Wine and Simply Red.

Week Two - Elaine will be making her famous Baked Ziti on her Birthday Weekend. This fabulous dish will be paired with Evanswood, a Burgundy style red wine made from the DeChaunac grape.

Week Three - Chicken Corn Chowder with Bacon. We love it paired with Vidal or White Jade, a dry Vidal with a hint of oak.

Week four- Desserts, desserts, and more desserts paired with several of our award winning wines.

Sorrenti Cherry Valley

March 5 & 6 - Mary's new Creation "Chicken Florentina" over Rice Pilaf paired with our lovely Chardonnay
March 12 & 13 and 19 & 20 - Tuscan Cream sauce over Ravioli, choice of White wine
March 26 & 27 - Selection of Cheeses of the world & Crustini's, choice of wine
Each weekend we will also have music and other surprises in our Bistro.

Clover Hill

March 5 & 6, and March 12 & 13 - Chef Nathan Grube will be at Clover Hill to prepare a weekend of crepes.  Indulge in a savory veggie crepe paired with the 2008 Merlot and a sweet chocolate s ‘more crepe paired with Vignoles. 

March 19 & 20 and March 26 & 27 - Chef Nathan Grube will be preparing a veggie pizza paired with DeChaunac.  For something a bit different, he will also be preparing a Swiss inspired Raclette (a lovely cheese dish) served with homemade meats and complimented by Clover Hill’s Vidal Blanc.