2016 Vino in the Valley Grand Prize Winners announced!

Congratulations to the following 30 Grand Prize Winners of the 2016 Vino in the Valley passport drawing.

You will receive in the mail in the coming weeks a $25 gift certificate to the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail to be used toward the purchase of wine only. Gift certificates are valid for one year only.

Thank you for participating in this year's passport event!

Gloria Ambolino - Quakertown
Ann Christman - Palmerton
Deb Cinamella - Palmerton
Dave  Furman - Wayne
Diane Granitz - Allentown
Sharon Gross - Collegeville
Ken Hanna - Bethlehem
Brian Hugo - Walnutport
Kendra Kachline - Bangor
Laura Karns - Palmerton
Stacy Kovacs - Allentown
Nicole Larrison - Nazareth
Carol Sue Miller - Bath
Kristy Molitoris - Whitehall
Denise Nolt - Fleetwood
Megan Papuc - Bethlehem
Michele Pierce - Easton
Lisa Rodriguez - Whitehall
Ashley Romanishan - Danielsville
Carla Rowland - Easton
Jim Scheirer - Bethlehem
Paula Schmelz - Saylorsburg
Carl Schumacher Jr. - Easton
Cathy Smith - Allentown
Tammy Smith - Palmerton
Allison Solley - Bethlehem
Michelle Sterner - Allentown
Andrew White - Allentown
Eric Whitters - Easton
David Williamson - Nazareth

Save on Riesling during March at Clover Hill

The sun feels a bit warmer, the birds are chirping and soon enough spring will give life to our vineyards. Each year the spring brings us another opportunity to start the grape growing season. Spring also speeds up the pace as we frantically finish pruning, composting, cleaning up the tractors and get ready to give it our best for another season.

March also brings us the ever popular Lehigh Valley Wine Trail March Passport Program. Passports are still available to purchase online or you can choose to visit Clover Hill and partake in the wine and food pairing for a $6 per person fee.

Don’t forget every Tuesday is Senior Day at the Winery in Breinigsville. Bring your ID if you are 65 years of age or older and we will give you a 10% discount on your purchase. Vintage is always cool!

Owner's Selection for March

Save 10% on your purchase of Riesling!

Riesling is one of our favorite grapes to grown in the Lehigh Valley AVA. It expresses lovely flavors and aromas of peach, apricot and minerals. This Riesling is made in a semi-sweet style and it is bursting with refreshing acidity. Try serving this wine with a spicy Thai or Mexican dish or serve with Clover Hill pepperdews, a favorite recipe of ours.

Now only $10.35. Receive an additional 10% discount when included in a case purchase.

Upcoming Events

March Passport Program - March 2 and 3, 9 and 10, 16 and 17, and 23 and 24

The wine enthusiast knows that March means touring the eight wineries along the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail for wine and food pairings, wine education, and a month of fun. As you visit our eight wineries you will be offered delicious wine and food pairings to sample. Your passport will be stamped during each visit and then entered into a drawing for additional prizes once it is completed with stamps from all eight wineries. Each passport holder will also receive a picnic wine tote. You can find more event details on our website at www.cloverhillwinery.com.

Clover Hill Winery’s 2013 March Menu:

~Weeks 1 and 2
Turtle Rock Red or Concord paired with Spicy Chili
and
Limited Release Chocolate Cabernet paired with Pat’s Famous Double Layer Cheesecake

~Weeks 3 and 4
Chardonnay or Cayuga White paired with Chicken Pot Pie with Homemade Noodles
and
Vignoles paired with Apple Dumplings


Wine and Food Pairing
Allentown Fairgrounds Farmer's Market
March 16 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Join Clover Hill at the Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers Market for a free wine and food tasting. This month we will be featuring samples of a Holiday Wine Ham Glaze. This is a quick and easy glaze made using brown sugar and our Holiday wine. The ham featured is from S. Clyde Weavers. Taste, shop and enjoy. Find the event and join us on Facebook.

Vynecrest announces new wine releases

The Annual March Passport Program is here! The Lehigh Valley Wine Trail passport program began this past Saturday. No worries if you don't have a passport as there are still some available at the winery or you can order them online here. If you don't get one before they sell out, we are still open to the public for sales and complimentary tastings. If you do have a passport, come on in and head right downstairs to the Vyneskeller to have your passport stamped and get your food pairing.

It was February madness in the wine cellar as we worked tirelessly to replace the quickly disappearing 2011 vintage with the 2012 wines. Since our last newsletter we have released a few new wines from the 2012 growing season.

New Releases:

2012 Pinot Grigio - It has been out for about two weeks and we can't keep it on the shelves. If this keeps up it won't last long.

2012 Autumn Gold - New label this year for Autumn Gold. Always a favorite. A blend of Vidal Blanc and Cayuga.

2012 Blueberry - One word - awesome! It's like an Oompa Loompa in a bottle! A perfect representation of Blueberry.

2012 Chambourcin - We tinkered a little this year with our Chambourcin. We tried a different method called cold soaking. We picked the grapes, ran them through our crusher destemmer, then dumped a bunch of dry ice in the bin. We kept the grapes cold for about five days before allowing them to heat back up and start fermentation. The cold soak helped extract tannin from the grape skins adding complexity to this wine. We think you will be pleased with the results.

March Specials:
* Wine of the Month - Spiced Winter Red - additional 10% off
* 3 Pack of the Month - 3 Autumn Gold for $25.
(available at winery only; 3 pack cannot be combined with other offers.)

Upcoming Events:

March - Lehigh Valley Wine Trail March Passport Program
The winery will be open for tastings but all food pairings are exclusively for passport holders.

Vynecrest Winery 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.

Week 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.

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

Glass Half Empty
By Jan Landis

If you've been to the winery since the new year, hopefully you noticed our beautiful new addition to the Vyneskeller, our iPad baby grand piano. We wanted to experiment with different formats of music over the course of the year as well as provide a fun, lively atmosphere on both Saturdays and Sundays. This isn't an ordinary piano; it provides new technology which can be played by a person or through an iPad, allowing us to offer a wide range of music from classical to Sinatra, Billy Joel, Jimmy Buffett etc.

We think it allows our customers the opportunity to enjoy some background music while still allowing them to engage in conversation and enjoy some wine and appetizers. We will still be featuring Jazz Sunday, the last Sunday of every month (except March) from 1-4 p.m. This past Sunday we had a favorite performer of ours, Dan Harakal, on guitar and a new friend, Mike Spangler, on the piano. So I encourage you to come visit our Vyneskeller sometime soon.

With spring almost upon us, soon we will be able to throw open the windows and you can enjoy the use of the patio again. The tickling of the ivories can then be enjoyed both inside and out, with the view of the vineyard coming to life once again... ah, life is good! The next Jazz Sunday is April 28.

Gearing up for our March Passport Program

Our annual March event begins this coming weekend, March 2 and 3. Hopefully by now you've purchased your passport and made plans for which weekends of the event you plan to visit our wineries. Remember not to try and do them all in one day! Spend a weekend or two driving around and taking your time. Plan to visit each winery during the weekends of March 2 and 3, 9 and 10, 16 and 17, and 23 and 24 to receive your commemorative picnic wine tote and have your passport stamped at each winery you visit. When you show your passport at each winery you will receive a complimentary food and wine pairing (tasting sized). Review the list of pairings before you head out on this page of our web site.


In order to qualify for the passport prize raffle drawing, the fully completed and stamped passport with your name, address, and telephone number must be turned in at any winery (or a member winery's wine shoppe) or delivered to Discover Lehigh Valley by April 15, 2013 (800 Hamilton Street, Suite 200, Allentown, PA 18101). The prize drawing will be held at Discover Lehigh Valley on April 22, 2013, and winners will be notified and posted on our website. Persons not holding a passport can be eligible for the drawing by requesting a special form from any winery and having this form stamped at all eight wineries. One form per person.

The rules of the passport program include:

- Passport is required to receive all food and wine pairings.
- Passport holder is entitled to one food and wine pairing per winery, per month.
- No alcohol of any kind may be brought onto winery premises.
- Visibly intoxicated guests will not be served.
- Please respect our 6 taste limit.
- Non-passport guests are not entitled to the food and wine pairings.

Planning to travel the Wine Trail as part of as larger group during this event? Then you should be aware that this year we revised our event guidelines as they pertain to groups. No commercial vehicles of any type (buses, limos, vans, etc.) are allowed at our wineries in March. If you are traveling by car in a group of 8 or more, appointments are required at any wineries you wish to visit.

Here are a few tips for enjoying a day on the Wine Trail:

- Start at any winery, but be sure to visit all eight.
- Consider beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday.
- Generally, Sundays are less busy than Saturdays.
- If you are traveling all day, pack a snack or stop by a local restaurant.
- Detailed driving directions are available on our website, www.lehighvalleywinetrail.com.
- We strongly discourage trying to visit all eight wineries in one day. Anyone, regardless of whether they are the driver or not, can be denied wine tasting if it appears that they are impaired. Little tastes add up!
- Remember, we treat our wineries as if they are our homes, and as our guests we appreciate your patience, consideration, and respect.

Pinnacle Ridge wins seven medals at PA Farm Show

LEHIGH VALLEY WINE TRAIL'S ANNUAL MARCH PASSPORT PROGRAM RETURNS 

Passports are still available for the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail the March Passport Program. Join us for the first four weekends in March for the biggest event of the Wine Trail. Passports are $35 per person and are available at the winery (cash or check only) or online at: http://lvwtmarchpassportprogram2013.eventbrite.com.

The menu and wine pairings for Pinnacle Ridge are as follows:

• March 2 and 3: Apple Wood Smoked Pork with Mango BBQ Sauce paired with our 2011 Riesling
•  March 9 and 10: Grilled Chicken with creamy Traminette Sauce paired with our 2011 Traminette
•  March 16 and 17: Beef Pot Roast - tender beef in rich brown gravy paired with our 2011 Chambourcin
•  March 23 and 24: Chicken Cordon Bleu - cheesy chicken and ham paired with our 2012 Naked Chardonnay

The pairings of the other wine trail member wineries can be found here.

PINNACLE RIDGE EARNS SEVEN MEDALS AT THE 2013 FARM SHOW
 
The wines of Pinnacle Ridge showed well at the 2013 Pennsylvania Farm Show on January 5. Medal winners include our Chardonnay, Naked Chardonnay, Riesling, Chambourcin, Chambourcin Rose, Chambourcin Reserve, Veritas, and Merlot. All of these wines are currently available at the winery.
 
UPDATE ON SPARKLING WINES

As many of you know, we ran out of our Brut Rose and Blanc de Blanc during the rush of the winter holidays. We have been busy working on the new vintages and will soon be releasing our Blanc de Blanc.  We did not produce a Brut Rose for the upcoming year but did produce a Cuvee Chardonnay. This is a wine produced from 100% Chardonnay grapes and is a dry sparkling wine with a crisp finish and flavors of green apple. In 2014 we will return back to our Brut Rose. The Blanc de Blanc and Cuvee Chardonnay will be available sometime during February. Please contact the winery regarding their availability prior to making a trip for these wines.

Wine specials and live music at Blue Mountain Vineyards this month

March Passports:

They are still available at the winery and our location in the Lehigh Valley Mall.
$35 each. Cash or check only.
You can also purchase Passports online. Visit the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail website for more details

Sunday Blues Line Up:

2/17 Scott Marshall & The Hillbilly Souls
2/24 Jake Kaligis & Mike Rauscher's Dynamic Duo

Join us every Sunday from 2-5 p.m. $5 admission includes a wine tasting. Reservations are recommended. Outside food welcome.

Monthly Wine Specials:

$1 off Bri's Blush
$1 off Vignoles

Festival:

PA Garden Expo
February 22 - 24
PA Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg

View beautiful gardens, water features, and more while tasting our award winning wines.

Wine specials, Valentine's events and more this February at Vynecrest

We are busy in the wine cellar getting the 2012 wines ready for bottling as the 2011 vintage is starting to sell out. We bottled the 2012 Cherry DiVyne this week and it is available now. Next week we are bottling the 2012 Pinot Grigio.

Wine of the Month - Pinot Noir, additional 10% off*
3 Pack of the Month - 3 Niagara for $25.00*
*at winery only, 3 pack cannot be combined with other offers

Upcoming Events

January & February - Vynecrest Piano and Wine Bar - Open every Saturday and Sunday, 1 - 5 p.m.

February 15 - Valentine's Day Wine and Chocolate Event  from 7-9 p.m.
Tasting a flight of 5 wines and 5 chocolates with a special chocolate gift for the ladies. Live music. Make this your after-dinner dessert. $25 per couple. Reservations required. Call-610-398-7525. Please let us know when calling if this is for a table of two or four; credit card required.

February 24 (Sunday) - Jazz Sunday, Live Jazz in the Vyneskeller, 1-4 p.m.

March - Lehigh Valley Wine Trail March Madness 
There are still a limited number of passports available online for March Madness but the winery is sold out. The winery will be open for tastings but all food pairings are exclusively for March Madness ticket holders. Tickets can be purchased online here.

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

Weeks 1 & 2 - Pairing Vynecrest Red, our “house” red made with the Chambourcin grape, with Triple Mushroom Lasagna a rich and savory dish with Gorgonzola cheese sauce. Food by Hereford Country Store.

Weeks 3 & 4 - 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
blackberry lemon frosting. Food by Sugar So Sweet Cupcakes.

Glass Half Empty
"Death of a golf cart" by Malachi Duffy

There is never a dull moment at Vynecrest but some moments are a lot less dull than others. One of those moments happened this past summer.

We have a bird problem in the vineyard as we approach harvest time. As the grapes ripen, huge flocks of starlings swoop in and try to grab a free meal. If left alone, they would eat every grape off the vine. We are trying to avoid netting so we drive around on a 4-wheeler and golf cart trying to scare the birds away.

Sheri, who you usually see in the tasting room, volunteered to pull a few shifts on the golf cart. One morning, Sam and I were in the cellar moving some wine when Sheri comes running in to tell us the golf cart was on fire. Sam and I looked at each other and both thought she was over reacting to what was probably a couple of pruned vines that were caught underneath the golf cart that started to smoke. So we grabbed a fire extinguisher and went outside.

We were not expecting what we saw. We were about 400 yards from the golf cart and all we could see was a huge black plume of smoke. We ran over and tried to use the fire extinguisher. It didn't do much, so we called the fire department. Enough talking about it, you can see for yourself, check out this YouTube video.

If nothing else it was a learning experience. I learned vines don't like flames, fire extinguishers don't work on big fires, and a fire truck will fit in the vineyard. We now have a new golf cart.

P.S. We have no idea what started the fire; I am guessing sabotage from the starlings.

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.

What's happening this month at Blue Mountain Vineyards

Visit Blue Mountain Vineyards this month for wine specials, live music and a special event!

Sunday Blues from 2-5 p.m.:
$5 admission per person. Please call or email us to make your reservations.

12.16 - Scott Marshall & The Hillbilly Souls
12.23 - Valerie Borman
12.30 - Jake Kaligis & Mike Rauscher's Dynamic Duo

December Specials:

$1 off 2006 Blue Heron Meritage
$1 off 2011 Chardonnay

March Madness Passports

Stop by the winery to get yours today before they're gone! Passports are $35 each. If it's easier, you can also purchase passports online at www.lehighvalleywinetrail.com.

3rd Annual Christmas Blessings Toy Drive

Join us this Sunday, December 16 as Scott Marshall and The Hillbilly Souls host their 3rd Annual Christmas Blessings Toy Drive. All proceeds will be delivered to the Pediatric Units at Lehigh Valley Hospital. All gifts must be unwrapped and appropriate for children ages birth to 17. Gift cards and monetary donations will also be accepted. We're looking forward to what is sure to be a wonderful day of great music and holiday cheer!

All of us at Blue Mountain Vineyards would like to extend a very special thank you to each and every one of you for your patronage this past year. We wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy new year.

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.

Taste the first vintages of the recent harvest during Nouveau Weekend

The eight wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail will debut the first vintages from the most recent harvest Saturday, November 17 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Sunday, November 18 from noon – 5 p.m. during the annual Nouveau Weekend event. 

Wineries will feature food and wine pairings for visitors to sample. This is the last Wine Trail event for 2012.

March Madness 2012 passports will also go on sale this weekend at each winery. The limited-supply passports are $35 each.

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.

Plan ahead for three fall Wine Trail events

If you didn't make it to last weekend's Wine on the Mountain event at Penn's Peak in Jim Thorpe, don't worry. There are still three more opportunities this fall to participate in a Lehigh Valley Wine Trail event. Here's a quick overview. Be sure to check our web site for more event details when each event gets closer.

Harvest Weekend - The Butcher, The Baker and The Winemaker
September 8 and 9

When fall rolls around, it’s time to celebrate the kick-off of harvest season! At this event, the wineries proudly promote the state’s Pennsylvania Preferred program by partnering with manufacturers of other Pennsylvania products to showcase their high level of quality. Wine pairings, vineyard tours, food, music and other special activities are featured.

Chambourcin Weekend
October 20 and 21

Taking place after the harvest is over, this event celebrates the official wine grape of the Lehigh Valley, the Chambourcin. This versatile wine is available in Nouveau, Rose, Semi-Sweet, Sweet, Dry Barrel Aged, Sparkling, and Port.

As you explore the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail during this event, be sure to taste each winery’s Chambourcin and see how the flavors vary within the same region. Or better yet, buy a bottle of each to take home with you a conduct a formal tasting of your own.

Nouveau Weekend
November 17 and 18

This is the earliest chance to sample the first vintages of the new harvest. Nouveau wines are light, fruity and semi-dry to dry red wines. It’s also a great opportunity to purchase wines for the upcoming holiday season to give as gifts or to drink at dinner. March Madness passports also go on sale this weekend, so get them before they sell out.

2012 March Madness prize winners

We are pleased to announce the list of prize winners for this year's March Madness event. Please excuse any misspellings of names as we were trying to read handwriting on the entry slips.Your prize will be mailed to you within the next two weeks.

Congratulations to everyone who won and thanks for attending March Madness on the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail!

• Hawk Mountain Bed & Breakfast, Kempton – Jen Mitchell
• Long Swamp Bed & Breakfast, Mertztown – Jamie Koch
• Camillo’s Italian Restaurant, Kutztown – Deb Cumello
• Camillo’s Italian Restaurant, Kutztown – Kellie Clay
• Antelao Restaurant, Delaware Water Gap – Liam Russell
• MultiSport Fitness, Mount Bethel and Bethlehem   – Beverly Tannenbaum
• MultiSport Fitness, Mount Bethel and Bethlehem – Ann Centanni
• MultiSport Fitness, Mount Bethel and Bethlehem – Christina Michener
• Main Street Inn Bed & Breakfast, Kutztown – John Trevis
• Amore Greenhouse, Nazareth – Steve Seaman
• Amore Greenhouse, Nazareth – Gina Mustacchia
• Amore Greenhouse, Nazareth – Ray Vanderhoff
• Moya Restaurant, Jim Thorpe – Carol Young
• Cherry’s Sunset Diner, Kresgeville – Lauren Behie
• Cab Frye’s Restaurant, Palm – Pat Block
• Cab Frye’s Restaurant, Palm - Donna Wojciechowski
• Hops Fogelsville Hotel, Fogelsville – Becky Stone
• Hops Fogelsville Hotel, Fogelsville – Wayne Jones
• Hops Fogelsville Hotel, Fogelsville – Jennifer Fishee
• Hops Fogelsville Hotel, Fogelsville – Alicia Seaman
• Curious Goods at the Bake Oven Inn, Germansville – Tara Brunner
• Pampered Chef – Becky Wagner
• Grapes Alive Glassware – Lydia Cochran
• Premise Maid Candies, Breinigsville – Kevin Gillespie
• Mr. Bill’s Poultry Market, Allentown – Kristina Williams
• Bear Creek Mountain Resort & Conference Center, Macungie – Paulette Williams
• Holiday Inn Conference Center, Breinigsville – Keith Huff
• Holiday Inn Conference Center, Breinigsville – Aliceann Gogel
• Blue Mountain Summit Bed & Breakfast, Andreas – Diandra Berry

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.

Vynecrest announces new satellite location in Kutztown

We are excited to announce the grand opening of our new satellite store in Kutztown. We will be opening our doors Friday, March 30 at noon. Located on Main St, directly across from the Kutztown Tavern, our normal hours will be Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. We will offer our full selection of wines and wine accessories, as well as a place to sit and enjoy a glass of wine. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Lehigh Valley Wine Trail's March Madness is in full swing at Vynecrest. While it is going on there will not be live music until March 31, but the Vyneskeller is still open. Have you enjoyed a visit to our Vyneskeller yet? The folks in this photo sure are having a good time there!




New Releases:

• 2011 Vignoles
• 2011 First Blush

March Specials:

• Wine of the Month - Traminette*
• 3 Pack of the Month - 3 Summertime Red for $25.00*

*at winery only, 3 pack specials cannot be combined with other discount offers

Upcoming Events:

• March 31 - Live Music in the Vyneseller, Chuck Schubert, 1:30 - 4:30 pm
• April 7 - Live Music in the Vyneskeller, Alison and the Rotten Apples, 1:30 - 4:30 pm
• April 8 - Closed for Easter
• April 14 - Live Music in the Vyneseller, Jake Kaligis, 1:30 - 4:30 pm
• April 14 & 15 - Bear Creek Spring Wine Festival, 1 pm - 5 pm both days
• April 21 - Live Music in the Vyneseller, Connie Edinger, 1:30 - 4:30 pm
• April 28 - Live Music in the Vyneseller, Mike Pilgermayer, 1:30 - 4:30 pm
• April 29 - Jazz Sunday, Live Music with Andy & Dan, 1:30 - 4:30pm

Pinnacle Ridge Winery announces Summer Concert Series

LEHIGH VALLEY WINE TRAIL'S MARCH MADNESS

March Madness is here! Enjoy this opportunity to pair fantastic local wines with a variety of savory dishes. Pinnacle Ridge is celebrating the year of the dragon with delicious food prepared by chef Ben Underwood. Have fun and be safe. For more information on March Madness please visit www.lehighvalleywinetrail.com.  

MARCH MADNESS FOOD AND WINE PAIRINGS MENU

March 10 & 11 - Pork Satay- Skewered strips of tender pork sirloin, hickory grilled and served with sesame BBQ sauce paired with our 2009 Merlot or 2010 Quaff.

March 17 & 18 - Mushroom Rangoon- Crunchy Chinese pasta filled with roasted garlic-scallion cream cheese, Portobello mushrooms and drizzled with black bean sauce.  This lively dish will be paired with our 2009 Chambourcin.

March 24 & 25 - Moo Shoo Chicken- Stir fried chicken, cabbage, carrots and peanuts in crispy rice paper, served with Peking plum sauce. Perfect with our 2011 Dry Vidal Blanc.

2012 SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

Get ready for our 2012 Summer Concert Series. Each month we will be featuring a different blues, bluegrass,jazz or rock band to perform live in our barn. Kick back and relax this summer at Pinnacle Ridge Winery with some great tunes, food and a glass of wine.

Schedule:

  June 16: 2-5 p.m - James Supra Blues Band
  www.jamessuprabluesband.com

  July 7: 2-5 p.m - The Wallace Brothers Band
  www.thewallacebrothersband.com

  August 4: 2-5 p.m - Hannah Violet Trio
  www.hannahviolet.com

  September 8th 12-5 p.m - BLUES IN THE BARN - The Wallace Brothers Band - Mighty Manatees
  www.mightymanatees.com

  September 9: 12-5 p.m - BLUES IN THE BARN - James Supra Blues Band - Kelchner Brothers Band
  www.kelchnerbrothers.com

  October 6: 2-5 p.m. - Jack Murray and the Midnight Creeps
  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jack-Murray-the-Midnight-Creeps 

Franklin Hill announces wine awards, honors and a new electric car

 

We love being green!

Franklin Hill Vineyards is continuing our "green promise" and we have the car to prove it. Take a look at our new business car, the zero emissions Nissan Leaf - all plugged in and ready-to-go. We believe it's our business to continue taking care of the planet so we're emitting "0." Be sure to give us a honk when you see us buzzin' around town.

Awards are“pouring” in!

*Chambourcin – Double Gold – 2012 Best-Of-Appellation America
*Vidal Blanc – Gold - 2012 Best-Of-Appellation America

March Madness for Wine Lovers - at the Winery in Bangor
March 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, & 24-25

Join Franklin Hill Vineyards as we share our passion for great wine and healthy living. We will be featuring foods by b. healthy and Chocolates on Broadway. The RealRyder bikes will drop in and you can see, ryde and win classes to a healthier you. Learn about all the wellness tips that moderate wine consumption can bring you and by the end of your visit you will know what "Resveratrol” means.

• Week One: Caribbean Pumpkin Soup paired with Katie’s Creek   
• Week Two: Quinoa Salad paired with Vidal Blanc
• Week Three: Wheat Berry Salad paired with Simply Red
• Week Four: Desserts paired with our New Release 3

Return and non-passport holders can purchase our pairing for $5.
 

Parade of Shamrocks - Historic Downtown Bethlehem

March 17 - Parade kick-off at 1 p.m.

Get your kilts ready as the Celtic Cultural Alliance presents the 2nd Annual Celtic Classic Parade of Shamrocks! This St. Patrick’s Day celebration will be the kickoff event to the 25th anniversary year of the Celtic Classic. CCA is pulling out all the stops to celebrate with more floats, more bands and lots of surprises.

Franklin Hill Vineyards is joining in the fun by painting our Bethlehem window green. While you're downtown we invite you to check out our creative green window display. After the parade is over, be sure to stop by our Bethlehem location for a complimentary wine tasting.

The parade will begin at 13th Avenue and W. Broad Street. It will proceed east on Broad Street, turn right on to Main Street and proceed south on Main Street. The parade will conclude under the Hill-to-Hill Bridge. For more parade info visit www.celticfest.org.

Franklin Hill Vineyards – Winner of 2011 Award of Excellence

Congratulations to Franklin Hill Vineyards for receiving the Nazareth Chamber of Commerce 2011 Award of Excellence! The Nazareth Chamber of Commerce will honor Elaine Pivinski and Franklin Hill Vineyards at this year’s annual dinner dance and awards banquet on Saturday, March 24 at Shawnee on the Delaware.