The nine wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail
will debut their first wines from the 2014 vintage next weekend, November 15
and 16, during Nouveau Weekend, the last Wine Trail event of the year.
Wineries will also feature food and wine pairings
for visitors to sample. Nouveau wines are bottled very young, without barrel aging, and are light, fruity and semi-dry to
dry red wines.
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 2015 Vino in the Valley Program
(formerly known as the March Passport Program) go on sale that weekend at the
member wineries as well as online. Passports are $35 each. A limited supply of
passports is printed, 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.
NOUVEAU
WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS
Amore – will pair meatballs in
marinara sauce with a new release of Red Rapture.
Big Creek - will release its traditional
Nouveau Marquette and slice some of their favorite Nouveau-worthy cheeses.
Blue Mountain - will feature a
traditional French dish called Pot au Feu, or "pot on the
fire," a hearty stew-like French peasant dish of beef and vegetables
paired with their 2014 Nouveau wine.
Clover Hill - Be the first to taste their
newest, limited edition, release - Strawberry Niagara. This wine is a blend of
fresh, grapey flavors and bright strawberries.
Franklin Hill - will release their 2014
Seyval Blanc, which is crisp and citrusy with hints of honey. They’ll offer
complimentary tastings in their wine cellar and baked goods from Buttercup
Bakery.
Galen Glen – will pair an exotic Moroccan
Turkey Soup with an aromatic, award-winning wine. We will have the recipe
available for everyone looking to use those Thanksgiving leftovers in a fun and
unique way.
Pinnacle Ridge - will feature an
Eggplant Bruschetta "Caviar" paired alongside their limited-release
"NuVo."
Tolino - will offer a complimentary food
and wine pairing of their Chardonnay with smoked salmon chowder. The winery
will also offer warm, spicy mulled wine for purchase by the glass, as well as
live music from 1-4 pm both days.
Vynecrest – Vynecrest Winery
will feature the release of its 2014 Nouveau Beaujolais, the first
wine from the 2014 harvest, made from the traditional Gamay Beaujolais grape,
100% Lehigh Valley grown and produced. The winery will pair it with Festive Dip
from Sugar 'n Spice featured on a toasted baguette along with sharp cheddar cheese
from September Farms. The Festive Dip Mix is a gourmet dip with
pieces of vegetables.
