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

Vino in the Valley 2017 Food and Wine Pairings

Amore Vineyards –

Week 1 – Roast pork loin with applejack pan gravy and red skinned mash potatoes – Vidal Blanc

Week 2 – Three-cheese meat lasagna – Red Rapture or Cabernet Dolce

Week 3 – Beef Burgundy and bow tie pasta – Cabaret Amore or Chambourcin

Week 4 – Chicken medallions and pasta Florentine, roasted red peppers, artichokes and mushrooms in a light garlic wine sauce – Rose Amore

Big Creek –

March 4 and 5

Homemade Tomato Bisque with Crispy Pancetta and Grilled Cheese Crouton paired with Seyval for the dry wine drinkers or its sister wine, Dulcinea, fro the sweeter tastes.

March 11 and 12

Melon and Prosciutto with Balsamic Glaze paired with our Joi’, an off dry Muscat

March 18 and 19

Crostini with Beef Tenderloin and Horseradish Cream paired with our dry red wines.

March 25 and 26

Brie in Puff Pastry with Raspberry, Pecans and Green Onions paired with our Dulcinea or Apple Raspberry wines.

Blue Mountain –

All food prepared by Nick & Nikki Sandt with The Culinary Experience.

3/4 and 3/5

French Onion Soup with Toasted Garlic Crostini paired with 2015 Sauvignon Blanc

3/11 and 3/12

Garlic Herb Cavatappi Alfredo paired with 2015 Riesling

3/18 and 3/19

Chipotle Pulled Pork Crostini with a Cole Slaw Shooter paired with 2016 White Merlot

3/25 and 3/26

Mini Fish Tacos paired with 2012 Chardonnay

We are also offering complimentary live entertainment each Saturday from 1- 5 pm.

Clover Hill –

Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery is proud to partner again this year with the K-Town Pub Taphouse & BBQ for our Vino in the Valley Food. This year passport holders will be treated to a Wings & Wine extravaganza! Each weekend will feature different wings and a vegetarian side dish perfectly paired with our wine.

March 4 and 5, 11 and 12

Chimichurri wings with a side of Vegetarian Baked Beans.  We will also be serving a new sangria.

Cayuga White will be paired with the Chimichurri wings – Chimichurri is an Argentina style sauce with parsley, cilantro and garlic

DeChaunac will be paired with homemade Vegetarian Baked Beans

March 18 and 19, 25 and 26

White BBQ wings with a side of Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad.  We will also be serving a new sangria.

Riesling will be paired with White BBQ wings – White BBQ is an Alabama style sauce made with mayonnaise, cider vinegar and sambal (and Asian chili)

Vidal Blanc will be paired with a K’Town Pub creation of Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad – corn, black beans and pasta with chili, lime and aioli

(Please note: a passport is required to take part in the wine and food pairings or you can purchase a pairing for $6 per person.)

Franklin Hill –

Franklin Hill Vineyards is partnering with their sister business Social Still in Bethlehem for an amazing food and wine pairing each weekend.

Week 1 - Short Rib Street Taco bowls, sweet onion, cilantro, pico de gallo and lime paired with our Trio.

Week 2 - Kiss will be paired with Korean Style Meatballs

Week 3 - White Jade will be paired with Mini Crab cakes finished in a celery root remoulade and peppadew sauce.

Week 4 - Venison Sloppy Joe Sliders and purple cabbage citrus slaw paired with Evanswood.

(Vegan option are also available all four weekends.)

Galen Glen –

Harvest of Land & Sea - a salad of smoked salmon with local vegetables and greens topped with dill, sour cream dressing and a rye toast point

Wine – Gruner Veltliner

Cuisine Partner - Chef Mark Muszynski, owner of farm-to-table restaurant Curious Goods at the Bake Oven Inn http://bakeoveninn.com/

Pinnacle Ridge –

Pinnacle Ridge will be teaming up with the Lehigh Valley's own Taza Egyptian Cuisine Food Truck. Each weekend they'll feature some of their delicious signature recipes, which have been garnering rave reviews since they burst onto the culinary scene.

The Menu (everything is served with homemade pita chips):

March 4-5:

Garlicky Hummus

Baba Ghanoush - Smoky baked eggplant, pureed with homemade tahini and spices

Dry Option: 2016 Gruner Veltliner

Sweet Option: 2016 Vidal Blanc

March 11-12:

Gibna Beyda - Bulgarian feta mixed with spices, tomatoes, scallions, and olive oil topped with paprika

Marinated Eggplant - Lightly fried eggplant marinated with vinegar, fresh lemon and fresh pressed garlic

Dry Option: 2016 Dry Rose'

Sweet Option: 2015 Riesling

March 18-19:

Garlicky Hummus

Baba Ghanoush - Smoky baked eggplant, pureed with homemade tahini and spices

Dry Option: 2016 Gruner Veltliner

Sweet Option: 2016 Vidal Blanc

March 25-26:

Gibna Beyda - Bulgarian feta mixed with spices, tomatoes, scallions, and olive oil topped with paprika

Marinated Eggplant - Lightly fried eggplant marinated with vinegar, fresh lemon and fresh pressed garlic

Dry Option: 2016 Dry Rose'

Sweet Option: 2015 Riesling

Tolino Vineyards –

The Easton Public Market is a great place to drink Tolino wine and sample many different types of food. For Vino in the Valley, Tolino is brining the tastes of the market to the winery in Bangor. Each weekend we will feature a different vendor from the market, with live music every Saturday.

· March 3 and 4 –Chocodiem and live music Saturday by Gordon Ward. We will pair our Cabernet Franc with Chocodiem’s dark chocolate ganache tarts filled with an array of toppings including Himalayan sea salt, coconut flakes, nuts, cocoa nibs and more.

· March 11 and 12- Taza Stop and live music by George Baier. We will pair our Vidal Blanc with Taza’s Egyptian chili loaded with fava beans, ground beef  and lots of spices. 

·  March 18 and 19 - Barred and Broody Bake Shop and live music by Curious Dog. We will pair Papa’s Red with chocolate explosion cake, which is chocolate cake with buttercream icing, chocolate ganache and chocolate sprinkles.

·  March 25 and 26- More than Q and live music by Craig Sailer. Pulled pork from More than Q paired with Chardonnay.

Vynecrest –

March 4 and 5 - Stuffed to the Grills Food Truck

Pairing Stuffed to the Grills Smoked Gouda Bites with Vynecrest’s DiVyne Red wine. Using PA Preferred September Farms Smoked Gouda wrapped in puff pastry and deep fried with a DiVyne Red drizzle.

March 11 and 12 - Cibo Italian Food Truck

Domenico will be sharing two of his favorite pizzas all weekend, made fresh on-site from his food truck Cibo. He will offer a vegetarian pizza with peppers and mushrooms as well as a cheese pizza topped with bacon. Both pizzas will be paired with Vynecrest Red, and old favorite and perfect pizza wine.

March 18 and 19 - Stuffed to the Grills Food Truck

Pairing Stuffed to the Grills Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad with Vynecrest’s semi-sweet Riesling wine. Roasted eggplant, red onion, peppers, and garlic tossed with orzo, basil, green onions, and feta cheese in a lemon olive oil dressing.

March 25 and 26 - la bottega & dei PANINI

Domenico will be unveiling his new food truck for the first time here at Vynecrest all weekend and will be featuring a wide array of sandwiches, paninis and heroes.  Specifically, for the food pairing, he will be featuring his classic Italian hero, with ham, salami, provolone, lettuce, tomato, and oil and vinegar. We will pair our Vynecrest White with this masterpiece all weekend.

Vino in the Valley 2017 passport program introduces wine lovers to local wineries during weekends in March

The annual Vino in the Valley passport program introduces wine lovers to locally produced wine by encouraging them to explore all nine wineries that belong to the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail during the four weekends in March 2017.

An event that has become an annual tradition for many, it takes features wine and food pairings for passport holders at each of the wine trail’s member wineries. Passports are stamped at each winery, and after visiting at least eight wineries and collecting their stamps, the passport is turned in and entered into a raffle.

New for 2017 passport holders will be entered to win one of 10 Lehigh Valley Getaway Packages at a local inn or bed and breakfast that includes accommodations for two, dining, and other amenities.

How the Vino in the Valley Passport Program works:

1.     Wine lovers purchase a passport for $35, either at one of the wine trail’s nine member wineries, or online. (Passport program participants must be age 21 or older.)

2.     During the four weekends of March (Saturdays and Sundays), participants visit the member wineries to enjoy a food and wine pairing (tasting-sized) and have their passport stamped in the corresponding winery box on the front.

3.     Once stamps are obtained from at least eight of the nine wineries, they fill out their contact information on the bottom front side of the passport before tearing it off and turning it in at the last winery they visit in order to be entered to win one of 10 Lehigh Valley Getaway Packages in the Grand Prize Drawing.

Passports are now on sale for $35 each at all nine member wineries (cash or check only), as well as online via EventBrite.com (credit card only) - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vino-in-the-valley-2017-along-the-lehigh-valley-wine-trail-tickets-29267831873. Online orders for holiday gift giving must be placed by Friday, December 16 to ensure enough time for delivery of the printed passports via First Class USPS. Only 1,800 passports are printed, so wine lovers are encouraged to purchase them early since they may sell out in advance of the event.

Visit the wine trail’s web site to review group guidelines, tips for traveling the trail, passport program rules, and other event details: www.VinointheValleyLVWT.com (Note: each winery sets its own house rules, policies and procedures.)

Lehigh Valley Wine Trail member wineries are:

• Amoré Vineyards & Winery, Nazareth
• Big Creek Vineyard, Kresgeville
• Blue Mountain Vineyards, New Tripoli
• Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville
• Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor
• Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery, Andreas
• Pinnacle Ridge, Kutztown
• Tolino Vineyards, Bangor
• Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville

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. For more information, visit www.LehighValleyWineTrail.com.

Wine & Cheese Pairings announced for mid-May Wine Trail event

We're already half-way through April and before you know it may will be here. So mark your calendar now and plan to join us May 21 & 22 at all 9 of our trail's member wineries for our next Wine Trail event - the Spring Wine and Cheese Pairing event.

Event hours are Saturday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon – 5 p.m. Complete an event ballot to vote for your favorite wine and cheese pairing and be entered to win one of nine $25 Wine Trail gift certificates.

(While the wine and cheese pairing samples at each winery are complimentary (limit one per person, per winery), most of our member wineries charge a fee for wine tastings. So be sure to ask what the tasting policy is when you arrive at each winery, or consult their respective winery page on this site and look for the Tasting Policy header.)

Amore - will feature a wide array of cheese and crackers, paired with several different wines.

Big Creek - will pair Nouvelle Sunset Late Harvest with Brie or Apple Raspberry with Manchego.

Blue Mountain – their 2011 Merlot will be paired with a wedge of Prima Donna cheese on a cracker, and their 2014 Sauvignon Blanc will be paired with a skewer of watermelon and Sartori basil and olive Asiago cheese. Cheeses will be available to purchase.

Clover Hill – will offer a free sampling of Riesling paired with a ghost pepper habanero jack cheese, and Catawba paired with Cotswold. Cheeses will also be available for purchase.

Franklin Hill - will welcome Aioli Food Truck for Wine and Cheese weekend. They will offer pairings of their wines with a variety of cheese spreads from Klein’s Farm. All of their wines, as well as a special Summertime Sangria, will be available for purchase by the glass to enjoy on the deck. 

Galen Glen – will have their white wine with a skewer of mild local German cheese, a strawberry and a basil leaf, and their red wine with a wedge of local smoked cheddar on a pita cracker. Cheeses will be available to purchase.

Pinnacle Ridge - will pair goat cheese and apricot jam with Blanc de Blanc and 2015 Riesling. On Saturday, May 21, they will feature a performance in the barn from The Brosky Meyer Trio from 2-5 pm. Also, the Stuffed to the Grills food truck will sell gourmet sandwiches.

Tolino - will pair various wines with an assortment of cheeses from BaD Farm in Kempton. Tolino and BaD farms are both vendors at the new Easton Public Market. BaD Farm makes their cheese from raw milk that they produce.

Vynecrest - will pair September Farms Aged Gouda with their 2014 Lemberger.