How best to experience our Vino in the Valley passport program

Guest blog post by Kari Skrip of Clover Hill Vineyards


Vino in the Valley is a fun way to usher in spring, be inspired by fine food, and celebrate the premium wines of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail.

Let me offer a few tips to help you get the most from your Vino in the Valley experience:

~ Spread out your visit to the 9 participating wineries over the month of March. Don't try to visit all the wineries in one day or one weekend.

~ Review the full listing of food and wine pairings on our web site to help you plan your visit.

~ Ask questions. The winery owners love to talk about their wines and the foods that compliment them, so use this as an opportunity to learn more about wine and food.

~ Be open minded and try new wines. Our region is home to a wide variety of wine styles and tasting is the best way to find what you like. Make sure you sample Chambourcin, the official wine grape of the Lehigh Valley, during your travels.

~ Share your experience with us as you travel the trail by tweeting us your pictures or posting them to our Facebook page.

~ Get your passports now! This event is nearly sold out and we would hate to see you miss out on the fun. Pick them up in person at one of our member wineries, or order them online here while supplies last.

I look forward to seeing you on the trail for Vino in the Valley.

A wine blogger visits the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail

Our friend and wine blogger Paul Vigna recently visited the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail which he has been writing about for years but not really visited.

On a recent Saturday in June, Paul informed us that he would be driving through our region of eastern Pennsylvania on his way to visit family in New Jersey and would have a limited amount of time for winery visits, tours and tastings.

So he chose to visit Clover Hill and Vynecrest wineries which are located just a mile apart from each other in Breinigsville. At Clover Hill he joined a group on a walking tour of the vineyard and winery followed by tastings with co-owner Kari Skrip.

Then he visited with Jan and John Landis of Vynecrest for a peek downstairs in their Vyneskeller, followed by a round of wine tastings at the upstairs tasting bar and a little soccer match watching in the background. All-in-all we think Paul enjoyed his visit and will come back as soon as possible to visit the other seven wineries on the trail.

Paul's main profession is as the sports editor for Harrisburg's Patriot-News daily newspaper. But his love is wine. So his blog, The Wine Classroom, has its home on the PennLive.com web site of his employer. Here's a link to his first blog post about his recent visit, one on Vynecrest entitled "It's the battle of the Chardonnays at Vynecrest Winery." Give it a read and tell us what you think of it.

Final thoughts on LVWT's first A.V.A Weekend Celebration

This post was written by guest blogger Kari Skrip, co-owner of Clover Hill Vineyards and Winery in Breinigsville and features her thoughts on the Wine Trails' recent A.V.A. Weekend.

The Lehigh Valley Wine Trail was thrilled to celebrate our Lehigh Valley AVA in the end of April.  At the end of the day, after I finished work, I was sipping my glass of Pinot Grigio overlooking the vineyard thinking just how luck I am.  These grapes have given me so many opportunities and things to be thankful for.  To name a few…

Over the years I have learned intimately about the land and developed a real respect for farming.  The Lehigh Valley vineyards and wineries are doing wonderful things to preserve open spaces and maintain a local farming community.  In a global food world, I am most proud to be making a local product that is unique and specific to the Lehigh Valley.  We like to think of wine as a food. 

Our vineyards have also given me the opportunity to work with my family (which most days that is a wonderful thing) and my friends who own the other Lehigh Valley Wineries.  Like all of the nine wineries on the trail, Clover Hill is family owned and operated, and it is a pleasure to work with my mom, dad and brother everyday.  I value and appreciate all of the wine trail wineries, almost as if the wine trail is an extension of family.  It is exciting to see first and second generations working in the vineyards and wineries.  It is a joy witnessing the success and growth of the Lehigh Valley wineries and the acceptance of Lehigh Valley wines in our community. 

Lastly, these vineyards have given me wine!  In my opinion, a glass of wine is the best way to end your day!

Thank you for supporting the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail and choosing to drink wines grown within our precious Lehigh Valley AVA!