Five new wine releases greet spring at Vynecrest

New Releases
2013 Blueberry
2013 Autumn Gold
2013 Bear Naked Chardonnay
2013 First Blush
2013 DiVyne Red

March Specials 
* Wine of the Month - Chardonnay, additional 10% off
* 3 Pack of the Month - three semi-sweet Riesling for $30

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

March - Lehigh Valley Wine Trail March Passport Program

There are a few passports available for sale at Blue Mountain Vineyards for the last two weekends of the March Passport Program. The winery will be open for tastings but all food pairings are exclusively for passport holders.

When you arrive for your food and wine pairing, head downstairs to they Vyneskeller to have your passport stamped and get your food pairing. And don't forget to collect your gift - a slate beverage coster with our winery logo on it.

Week 3 & 4 Pairing: Chipotle Pulled Pork Sliders with Provolone Cheese on slider rolls paired with Traminette White Wine.

Glass Half Empty
Cellar update, by Malachi Duffy

The 2013 wines are starting to roll out. We have bottled and released Bear Naked Chardonnay, Blueberry, Autumn Gold, First Blush & DiVyne Red. The next wines to be bottled are Vignoles and Traminette.

This past week we put together the final blends of our dry reds. Everything tastes great so far. We will need to put some finishing touches on them before they are able to be bottled and released.

Along with Chambourcin, Lemberger and Pinot Noir, we blended a new dry red. We are aging this to-be-named wine in American oak barrels. It will likely not be available until the fall at the earliest. It is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc (predominantly Merlot). We aren't going to call it Merlot because we don't want to be forced to have 75% Merlot in it every year (by law, a varietal wine must contain 75% of the variety on the label). The goal with this wine is to make the best red blend our vineyard can produce for that vintage. This is an exciting wine and I look forward to monitoring (tasting) its progression in the cellar.

Find Pinnacle Ridge wines throughout eastern Pa.

BLUES IN THE BARN

Our annual Blues in The Barn event will be held September 14 and 15. On Saturday we will have Mike Dugan and the Blues Mission and the James Supra Blues Band. On Sunday we will have The Sarah Ayers Band. And on October 12 Steve Brosky and Jimmy Meyer will be returning to the barn to close out the season.      
                
Maison Blanc's Deliciously Wicked BBQ will be joining us throughout the Blues in The Barn Weekend. Enjoy the smells and tastes of the pit smoker as they serve pulled pork sandwiches with special sauces and smoked sausage sandwiches with roasted peppers and onions plus all the fixings to complete a deliciously wicked pig roast.
     
FIND PINNACLE RIDGE WINES THROUGHOUT EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA

Did you know Pinnacle Ridge Wines are served at the following locations:

• The Accomac Inn in York
• Bowers Hotel in Bowers
• Bricco in Harrisburg
• Building 24 in Reading
• Camillo's Italian Restaurant in Kutztown
• Carr's Restaurant in Lancaster
• Devon Seafood Grill in Philadelphia
• Emeril's Restaurants (Sands Casino) in Bethlehem
• Glasbern Inn in Fogelsville
• Greenfield Inn in Lancaster
• Hotel Fauchere in Milford
• John J. Jeffries Restaurant in Lancaster
• Judy's on Cherry in Reading
• Lancaster Dispensing Company in Lancaster
• London Grill in Philadelphia
• Spectator's Bar and Grill in Kutztown
• West Reading Tavern in Reading

Our wines are now available at Pinot Boutique in Old City Philadelphia. Visit their website http://www.pinotboutique.com to learn more.

And of course all of our wines are available for sampling at the winery. The 2012 vintage Quaff, Concord, Cayuga and Sweet Seduction are now available. We will be releasing the 2012 Pinot Noir, 2012 Cabernet Franc and 2012 Syrah later in the year, so our selection of dry reds will be a bit broader for the 2013 holiday season.

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.

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.

New summer wine releases from Pinnacle Ridge

NEW RELEASES
This summer we have released new 2011 vintages of your Pinnacle Ridge summertime favorites. Swing by the winery and cool off with a taste of our Traminette, Vidal Blanc, Chambourcin Rose, and Niagara. All of these refreshing wines pair nicely with a light summer meal on these hot days. Our 2011 Oasis will be coming out shortly as is the 2010 Chambourcin. Be sure to stop in for a sample of the 2010 Syrah which will be released July 14.

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
             
Our first Summer Concert Series event this year was a total hit! A special thank you goes out to the James Supra Blues Band for putting on a terrific show. We couldn't have asked for a better crowd or nicer weather.

If you couldn't make it to our first live music event be sure to stop by on Saturday, July 7 to see The Wallace Brother's Band for another fantastic performance. This fun trio plays music in the styles of folk country, bluegrass, jazz, and rock. The Wallace Brothers Band has worked with artists such as Ricky Skaggs, Frog Holler, Bobby Bare. Jr, Lucky Tubb, Robert Hunter of The Grateful Dead, Dean and Claude from Ween, and The Lemonheads. Find out more about The Wallace Brothers Band at www.thewallacebrothersband.com.

Wine and food will be available for purchase. We will have the pleasure once again of Chef Ben Underwood preparing delicious dishes.

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

September 8: 12-5 pm - BLUES IN THE BARN - The Wallace Brothers Band - Mighty Manatees
www.themightymanatees.com

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

October 6: 2-5 pm - Jack Murray and the Midnight Creeps
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jack-Murray-the-Midnigh-Creep

KUTZTOWN FOLK FESTIVAL

From now until July 8, The Kutztown Folk Festival is being held at the Kutztown Fairgrounds. This is a fun summer activity for the whole family. Check out the festival for authentic crafts and demonstrations, taste traditional PA Dutch foods, and drink Pinnacle Ridge wine. 

We have a stand open for wine tasting and will be selling wine by the bottle. Be sure to pick up your bottle of Fest Wein while its still in stock. We now have the Niagara and Concord available with our new commemorative Fest Wein label. The Winery will also be open during our regular hours for tastings. 

Live music, new releases and wine specials from Blue Mountain Vineyards

New releases

2011 Vidal Blanc
There are hints of green apple on the nose before giving way to a rich burst of pineapple.

2011 Chardonnay
This unoaked fruit forward wine exhibits flavor of pear, citrus and green apple, leaving a lasting palette impression.

April specials

$1 off 2004 Chambourcin
$1 off Mountain Spice

Sunday Blues schedule

04/15 ~ Scott Marshall & The Hillbilly Souls
04/22 ~ Wow Brothers (Come wish Davey a Happy Birthday!)
04/29 ~ Jake Kaligis & Mike Rauscher's Dynamic Duo

Please call or email for reservations. $5 admission includes a wine tasting. If reservations are made, we ask that you arrive no later than 2:15 p.m.    

Festival season is here!

April 14 & 15 ~ Bear Creek Food & Wine Festival (Macungie)
April 21 ~ Flavor Festival (Phoenixville)
April 27 ~ ARCH Annual Wine Tasting & Auction (at the Winery)
May 5 ~ Wings & Wine Fest (Tunkhannock)

Pinnacle Ridge's holiday news and announcements

NEW RELEASES 

We've been getting lots of questions about these two wines and we have finally released our 2009 Chambourcin Reserve and our 2010 Cabernet Franc.  To keep up with everything going on at Pinnacle Ridge please visit our Facebook page.

GREAT REVIEW FOR OUR 2010 PINOT NOIR 

See this link for a review of our 2010 Pinot Noir by Vino Vic. He really liked it. 

PINNACLE RIDGE'S ANNUAL CASE CLUB CHRISTMAS CASUAL - TWO WEEKENDS IN DECEMBER
                          
December 3 & 4 and December 10 & 11
Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday: Noon - 5 p.m.

‘Tis the season! Pinnacle Ridge owner and winemaker Brad Knapp, his wife Christy and the Pinnacle Ridge staff invite all to sample wine and shop for the holidays. We’ll be serving an array of savory and sweet delicacies and making wine pairing recommendations for your holiday meals. This event is free for Case Club members or $5 per person if you’re not a case club member. Buy a case of wine on the day of the event and the food is free.

WINE FOR THE HOLIDAYS

The winter holidays are a time of year when folks get a little more creative with their wine choices. At Pinnacle Ridge we have several wines that you might want to consider for your holiday celebrations. Our Brut Rosé or Blanc de Blanc sparkling wines are a great choice to have with appetizers before a special
meal. If you are having a casual gathering with munchies, these wines will add a special elegance to the occasion.

But don’t wait to long to pick up your bubbly as we may sell out near the end of December. Another specialty wine to consider for that special meal is our 2010 Late Harvest Vidal Blanc. This is a classic dessert wine that pairs beautifully with fruit desserts, crème brulee, or cheesecake. Your guests will be impressed.

Clover Hill Winery's holiday message

 The latest Clover Hill Winery e-newsletter is out, and they have some new releases to talk about, as well as a reminder to give the gift of wine this holiday season.

Cheers to the Holidays!  It is a joyous time of year and nothing can warm your soul like sharing a glass of wine with friends and family.  From all of us at Clover Hill - we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season and we thank you for celebrating with Clover Hill wines!

Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery has extended holiday hours at the Winery in Breinigsville and the Vineyard in Robesonia.  We also have two farmers' market locations: The Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers' Market and The Boscov's Farmers' Market.  What could be better than doing your food shopping and being able to sample and pick out your wines all under one roof!  In addition, a selection of Clover Hill wines are available in the Pennsylvania Wine and Spirit Stores and you can always visit www.cloverhillwinery.com.

We have a couple new limited release wines that we are very excited about. Our first release from this year's vintage is the 2010 Generations Riesling. This dry Riesling is bursting with flavors like peach, apricot, honey and cold tea.  The finish is clean and zesty with lingering citrus flavors.

Also newly released is the 2009 Generations Sparkling Pinot Noir. Made in the traditional Methode Champenoise fashion, this sparkling wine is produced from 100% Pinot Noir grapes from our Broxspen Vineyard (Lenhartsville, PA). This dry sparkling wine showcases strawberry flavors mingling with a classic yeasty finish.  Bring on the Bubbles!

Owner's Selection
Enjoy a 10% discount on Holiday, the entire month of December! A sweet rosé that is jazzed up with cinnamon, cloves, and citrus. Try it warm in the winter to celebrate the holidays. Mix equal parts Holiday wine and brown sugar for an excellent ham glaze. Receive a 20% discount on the Owner's Selection when included with case purchases.