Vynecrest returns to Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem for holiday season

The 2015 Harvest is over (except for our Late Harvest Vidal) and it feels good to take a breath before the busy holiday season begins. Just a reminder that our gift area has locally made products that make wonderful gifts for teachers, hostesses, family and friends. Soy candles, crackers, chocolate, dips, cheese. Remember we have make your own baskets ($5 for basket and wrapping) where you add whatever wine, candles, cheese, crackers, dips, wine gifts you want and we'll make it up for you.

Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem starts this Saturday, November 20 and runs through Dec 21.

▪ Thursday, Dec 3-17, 11am - 6pm
▪ Friday, Nov 20 - Dec 18, 11am - 8pm
▪ Saturday, Nov 21 - Dec 19, 11am - 8pm
▪ Sunday, Nov 22 - Dec 20, 11am - 6pm

November Specials:

* Wine of the Month - Spiced Winter Red 10% off
* 3 Pack of the Month - DiVyne Red, 3 for $25

(Wine of the month and 3 pack available at winery only. Three pack can't be combined with other discounts.)

Nov. 21 & 22 - Lehigh Valley Wine Trail Nouveau Weekend

The nine wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail debut the first wines from the new vintage 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 exhibit lots of fruitiness. They are light, fruity and semi-dry to dry red wines.

Vynecrest Winery will feature the release of our 2015 Nouveau Beaujolais, the first wine from the 2015 harvest, made from the traditional Gamay Beaujolais grape, 100% Lehigh Valley Grown and Produced. Event hours at all of the wineries are Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon – 5 p.m.

Nov. 29 - Jazz Sunday, Live Jazz music in the Vyneskeller from 1 - 4 pm. Free.


Glass Half Empty by John Landis

November is the month when grape vines slowly shut down for the winter and Jan, Sam, Malachi and I all breathe a sigh of relief as harvest is over with no major disruptions like hurricanes, flocks of grape-eating birds, or early frost to impact the quality of our grape harvest.

A quality grape harvest requires a yearlong effort starting with pruning in late winter and early spring and continuous vineyard maintenance after bud break in early May. This year’s crop was exceptional. The growing season was warmer than the last two years and the fall was dry with cool nights and warm days.

We are excited about our 2015 vintage and you will be able to taste the first 2015 wine when we release our Nouveau Beaujolais on Tuesday, November 17. This month, we also will be introducing a new Vynecrest wine, our 2014 estate -bottled Seyval Blanc. We first planted Seyval Blanc in 1974 and typically we blend this French hybrid grape, but the 2014 Seyval was exceptional so we decide to make a varietal once again. November is the month to stock up for the holidays, so come on out and taste the wines.

Pinnacle Ridge offers wine pairing recommendations for Thanksgiving

We are excited to release these new vintages on November 14:

2014 Pinot Noir
2014 Cabernet Franc

Sadly, these vintages have sold out:

2014 Riesling
2013 Pinot Noir
2013 Cabernet Franc

Nouveau Weekend
November 21, 10 am - 5 pm
November 22, noon - 5 pm

Or as we say at Pinnacle Ridge, NuVo! This is a free Lehigh Valley Wine Trail event, in which each vineyard will be debuting a Nouveau (young) wine. Ours is made from 2015 Chambourcin - and as quantities are limited, it'll only be available for a few weeks.

All weekend long, our chef Dominick will be serving a hearty fennel/cranberry sausage stuffing, to pair with the Nouveau wine. (Or for a semi-sweet option, our red blend Quaff is also available.) We hope this selection will inspire everyone with thoughts of Thanksgiving dinner.

The Nouveau tradition originates in the Beaujolais region of France, where vintners are known to debut a young wine, aged only a few months, on the third Thursday of November. This is to celebrate the end of harvest - as well as provide a foretaste of the vintages soon to come.

Thanksgiving Recommendations

It's that time of year again when families gather around the table and give thanks for good food (and good drinks!).

If you are looking for a wine to pair with your Thanksgiving meal, we would recommend our 2013 Chardonnay.

If your palate leans more toward reds, however, you may find our 2013 Chambourcin or 2014 Pinot Noir livening up your feast.

Come and pick up your wines early. The weekend before Thanksgiving, we will be quite busy hosting our NuVo weekend, so it may be worth your while to stop in before then. (We are closed on Thanksgiving day, November 26.)

NOUVEAU WEEKEND LETS WINE LOVERS TASTE THE FIRST WINES FROM THE 2015 VINTAGE

The nine wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail will debut their first wines from the 2015 vintage and other new wine releases during Nouveau Weekend on November 21 and 22. It is the final Wine Trail event of the year.

Wineries will also feature food and wine pairings for visitors to sample. Nouveau wines are bottled very young, with limited barrel aging, and are light, fruity and semi-dry to dry red wines. The event is based on a tradition started in France and continued each year in which nouveau wines are released the third Thursday of November.

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 2016 Vino in the Valley event go on sale that weekend at the member wineries as well as online via EventBrite.com. Passports are $35 each. Only 1,800 passports are printed, so wine lovers are encouraged to purchase them early since they often sell out in advance of the March event. More information on this event can be found online: http://lehighvalleywinetrail.com/vino-in-the-valley-passport-program/

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 serve chicken medallions with a variety of dipping sauces, paired with their new release of Chambourcin Reserve.

Big Creek will release a Nouvelle Frontenac Gris paired with mini cupcakes made with a wine-based icing courtesy of MMM Cookies.

Blue Mountain Vineyards is releasing their 2015 Nouveau Beaujolais, which is produced from Gamay grapes grown in their vineyards. They will pair it with a vegetarian lentil stew. In addition, they will offer complimentary live entertainment on Saturday. On Sunday, Adam Motto performs live music from 2-5 p.m. Reservations for Sunday are required; admission is $5 (includes wine tasting). Tickets can be purchased via the website.

Clover Hill Winery is ready to celebrate the first release from their 2015 grape harvest; a new, limited release Chocolate Cherry Chambourcin. This wine will make you feel like you are drinking a cherry cordial.

Franklin Hill will celebrate Nouveau Weekend with the release of their 2015 Seyval Blanc. They’ll offer samples of 2015 Seyval Blanc paired with a delicious butternut squash soup made by Chef Phil from Social Still in Southside Bethlehem. In addition they’ll be celebrating the release of their newest wine, Potion X, a pumpkin spice wine, and the release of their Hard Cider, which is now available in cans. They’ll have fresh apple cider from Kachline’s Farm and fall-inspired baked goods from Buttercup Bakery for purchase as well.

Galen Glen will offer a complimentary pairing of their Thankful White Lasagna paired with one of their aromatic white wines.

Pinnacle Ridge produces a small amount of their NuVo wine made from 100% 2015 Chambourcin.  Their NuVo is typically only available for several weeks due to the small quantities. For Nouveau Weekend they will pair a fennel cranberry sausage stuffing with NuVo or Quaff (for a sweeter option).

Tolino will release their 2014 Chambourcin and pair it with vegetarian chili. Enjoy live music in the tank room by Erin McClelland on Saturday and Tom Vicario on Sunday. Learn about the wine making process during their tank room tours at 2 and 4 p.m. They will also give away a copy of I’ll Drink to That, Beaujolais and the French Peasant Who Made It the World's Most Popular Wine by Rudolph Chelminski. All customers who make a purchase are eligible for the drawing.

Vynecrest will serve their new release of Nouveau Beaujolais made from the Gamay Beaujolais grape. Nouveau Beaujolais is a young, fruity unoaked red wine, the first of harvest season 2015. It will be paired with Sugar ‘n Spice French onion dip on a baguette. They will also feature the following samples from Sugar ‘n Spice:
Vegetable Dips – festive, pesto, bacon horseradish, jalapeno
Fruit Dips – caramel, pumpkin, vanilla

Wine Tourism Day is this Saturday Nov. 7

Celebrate wine, specifically Lehigh Valley wine, this Saturday, November 7 for Wine Tourism Day.

According to LocalWineEvents.com "Wine Tourism Day is designed to celebrate the many wineries and other businesses offering wine-related events throughout North America and beyond, promote the concept of traveling to wine regions on vacation, and highlight the economic impact of wine tourism. We believe that if the wine tourism industry as a whole is successful, we can all succeed as individuals."

Here is what three of our wineries have planned for the day:

Galen Glen 
Saturday, November 7, 10am to 5pm
Sunday, November 8, Noon to 5pm

Twilight Weekend: First sight or first bite, you will fall in love with our Twilight pairing.  Twilight, a dessert wine, that was hand-harvested on January 1, 2015 as New Year celebrations were concluding, is brimming with honeyed sweetness and a beguiling fragrance.

This weekend only, and while supplies last, we'll pair a 6-ounce glass of Twilight with a Japanese coconut-mango mini-cheesecake for $9. Let this pairing captivate you while you drink in vineyard views from our enclosed, heated pavilion.

Clover Hill
National Wine Tourism Day
The Winery in Breinigsville, Pa.
November 7; 2-4pm

Let us give you a wonderful reason to celebrate National Wine Tourism Day at Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery. Join us for live music by Ed Randazzo and Bret Alexander from 2-4 pm. We will have wine by the glass specials and cheese plates available for purchase.

Tolino Vineyards
November 7  1 - 4 pm Live Music by Erin Kelly
November 7  6 - 9 pm
Paint and Sip – Saturday, November 7th,- 6 – 9 PM
Sip wine and channel your inner Van Gogh! The class will be instructed Anna Kaszupski (www.artbyannak.com). Everyone will paint a winter scene Tickets are $35 per person and include all art supplies, snacks (fruit, cheese, hummus) and a glass of wine. Purchase tickets here: http://www.tolinovineyards.com/specevent.html

Holiday events kick off next weekend at Galen Glen Winery

Complimentary Chocolate & Wine Pairing this weekend

Please join us as we pair Galen's favorite fruit and Sarah's favorite chocolate treat. This pairing is sure to make your palate dance with joy.

Should you desire the experience again at home, we have the wine and chocolates available for purchase.
 
Saturday, November 22 - 10 am - 5 pm
Sunday, November 23 - noon to 5 pm

Black Friday Sale
November 28 - 10 am - 5 pm

Once a year, we put the winery on sale. 15% off case sales only. Custom label orders and shipped orders are not included. All wine must be purchased at the winery day of sale.
ONE DAY ONLY. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Toys for Tots Drive

Help us bring holiday joy to the children of Schuylkill County and help the US Marines Toys for Tots campaign.  The box will be at the winery from now until December 16. You may also make a monetary donation. We have a thank you gift for every household who brings a gift, November 28 through December 14.

Santa Visits
Sunday, November 30
Noon - 5 pm

Bring the family and have your photo taken with Santa. He's ready to hear your Christmas wish.  Bring your camera and our friendly staff will assist you in capturing a holiday memory.

Winemaker's Dinner
Thursday, December 18 at 7 pm
The Broadway Grille & Pub

The next winemaker's dinner is transporting us from the beautiful mountains of Pennsylvania to the markets of Morocco. Zoraida and Sarah have again combined an exotic menu of food and wine that will make your taste buds say "thank you" by the end of the evening. Make this meal a holiday gift to yourself and family.

Give the Gift of Wine with custom labeled wine 
Weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, business accomplishments, holiday gifts, or any commemorative event, Galen Glen can provide a custom labeled wine to make your event memorable.

Taste and buy wine at the Vynecrest booth at Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem starting this weekend

The 2014 harvest is over and it feels good to take a breath before the busy holiday season begins.

Vino in the Valley 2015 passports are now on sale for $35 each. Christkindlmarkt starts Nov. 20 and runs through Dec 21. It is open Thursdays 11 am - 6 pm, Fridays and Saturdays 11 am - 8 pm, and Sundays 11 am - 6 pm (closed Thanksgiving Day).

Our winery's gift area has locally made products that make wonderful gifts for teachers, hostesses, family and friends. Soy candles, crackers, dips, cheese. Remember we have make your own baskets ($5 for basket and wrapping) where you add whatever wine, candles, cheese, crackers, dips, wine gifts you want and we'll make it up for you.

November Specials 
* Wine of the Month - Spiced Winter Red 10% off
* 3 Pack of the Month - Pinot Grigio, 3 for $35

Wine of the month and 3 pack available at winery only; 3 pack can't be combined with other discounts.

Thank you to everyone who purchased our wine of the month during October. One dollar of every bottle purchased during October went towards a donation to the PA Breast Cancer Coalition. We sold over 500 bottles. Thank you.

New Vynecrest Website

Check out our new website, www.vynecrest.com. We have updated our website with additional information on our wines, more pictures of the vineyard & winery and have made it easier to order wine online.

To help kick things off we are going to pick randomly select one person who ordered during the month of November to win a Vynecrest gift basket.

Upcoming Events

Nov. 20 - Christkindlmarkt Bethlehem at SteelStacks opens for the holiday season. Visit our booth for wine tastings and sales.

Nov. 30 - Jazz Sunday, Live Jazz music in the Vyneskeller from 1 - 4 pm

Glass Half Empty by John Landis

Harvest! When I mention harvest to people, everyone has their own perception of what that is.

For us harvest is the culmination of eight months of vineyard effort to produce grapes of high quality. For us harvest is the camaraderie of working together to hand pick, crush and press the grapes.
For us harvest is being outside enjoying the cool clear days with spectacular fall colors of gold, orange, brown and red.
For us harvest is relief that no major disaster like hurricanes or tornadoes damaged our vineyard.
For us the 2014 harvest has been exceptional.
Finally, for us harvest is the anticipation and excitement of tasting the wines that will be produced. Harvest - what a wonderful time of year!

Taste first wines from the recent harvest at Nouveau Weekend

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.

Annual Toys for Tots holiday collection returns at Galen Glen

Give the Gift of Wine this Season 
Celebrate your special occasion with Custom Labeled Wine!

Weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, business accomplishments, holiday gifts, commemorative events... Galen Glen can provide a custom labeled wine to make your event memorable. Note: Currently, we custom label 750mL bottles only. See specifics and availability here.

Complimentary Truffle and Wine Tasting
November 22 and 23

Add cheer to your holidays with this pairing of Sarah's favorite double-dark chocolate truffle with wine made from Galen's favorite fruit, raspberry.

Black Friday Sale
November 28 - Special Hours 10 am - 5 pm
             
Once a year, we put the winery on sale. Enjoy 15% off all case purchases on-site only. Custom label orders and shipped orders are not included.
ONE DAY ONLY. IN STORE ONLY. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Santa Arrives
November 30

Santa will be in the tasting room taking your children's letters and wish lists. Bring the family and your camera, and pose for a photo.

Santa will arrive at the winery on Sunday, November 20 at noon and will be available for photos with your family. Bring a new, unwrapped toy or a monetary donation for Toys for Tots and Santa will add your name to the "nice" list and thank you with a special treat for your holiday tree. With your camera, the friendly staff at Galen Glen will be happy to assist your family in capturing a lasting memory. The Toys For Tots collection box will be at the winery every day from Black Friday through mid-December.

Special Holiday Hours:
Beginning Sunday, November 23, we will offer additional holiday hours through New Year's Eve:
Sunday - Friday - Noon to 5pm
Saturday - 10am to 5pm

• Black Friday - November 28 - 10 am - 5 pm
• December 24 - 10 am - 3 pm
• December 31 - 10 am - 3 pm
• Closed Thanksgiving Day
• Closed Christmas Day
• Closed New Years Day

Buck a Bottle Shipping promotion going on now at Clover Hill

On Friday, October 17 we picked the last Clover Hill grape for this year. Who would have ever thought after this past winter that we could have managed an outstanding grape harvest? In case you forgot, the winter was so bitterly cold and snowed nearly every other day. To be honest, we weren’t even sure we would have grapevines after all the snow melted, let alone grapes. In addition, spring got off to a slow, cool start and we had bud break almost two weeks later than normal.

However, from bud break on, the grape growing conditions were ideal. The summer was full of sun-soaked, warm days without ever having big heat spikes. Humidity was relatively low by Pa. standards and rain seemed to happen at ideal times during the growing season. The end result was grapes rich in flavor and complexity with perfect sugar and acid levels. Now we have to practice patience as we wait for our winemaker, John Skrip III, to work his magic with the 2014 wines.

November Owner’s Selection - Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich and flavorful wine that shows oak flavors of vanilla and spice and fruit flavors of raspberry and cherry. This wine is completely dry with medium tannins and pairs nicely with grilled steaks or winter stews. (Find recipes here). Now only $15.75.


Buck A Bottle Shipping Special
November 6-9
shop.cloverhillwinery.com

Stock up on Clover Hill wines and have them shipped right to your door. Purchase six or more bottles online and you pay only $1 per bottle shipping (minimum order is six bottles to receive the discount). Purchase 12 or more bottles and you will also receive a 10% case discount along with $1 per bottle shipping charge.

Wine & Food Inspiration
November 8 from 11 am - 4 pm
Allentown Fairgrounds Farmer's Market

Visit the Clover Hill Wine Shop for a special wine and food pairing featuring Vidal Blanc paired with Mr. Bill’s Chicken Croquettes.

Shop Small Saturday 
All Clover Hill Locations
November 29

Thank you for choosing to Shop Small at Clover Hill Vineyards and Winery. Every time you purchase wine from us, you help to keep our family owned and operated business thriving. As a thank you for Shopping Small we would like to offer the below specials on November 29 at any Clover Hill location. Eat, drink and shop local!

10% off 6+ bottles of wine
20% off 12+ bottles of wine
10% off all wine gifts

Holiday happenings and new wine releases at Blue Mountain Vineyards

Notes From the Wine Cellar

We have some exciting news! Red Horizon will be back in stock. Mountain Frost and Victoria's Passion are already back and selling fast. Shiraz, Vignoles, Vidal Blanc, and a new Pinot Noir will debut in 2015. We are currently getting low on our Mountain Spice and Bri's Blush, so stock up now.

New Releases: 2013 Riesling, 2010 Chardonnay Reserve, Sangria, Mountain Frost, and Victoria's Passion

Annual German Night
November 15 from 6-9pm

Join us as we celebrate the Lehigh Valley's German heritage. Enjoy authentic food, music, dancing and, of course, wine. Tickets are $21.50 in advance and $25 at the door. Includes food and souvenir wine glass. Reservations are encouraged. Call 610-298-3068 for more questions and reservations or order online.

Menu: Bratwursts, sauerkraut, spaetzle, German meatballs, hot German potato salad, Rotkohl (red cabbage), strudel, German apple cake, mulled wine, and more.

Annual Christmas Open House

Blue Mountain Winery wants to put you in the holiday spirit, so we are hosting an Open House on Saturday, December 6 from 5 - 9 pm. Come out and see the decorations, lights, gift ideas, wine and hors d'oeuvres, with music by Adam Motto and much more. Admission is a canned good or cash donation to support our local food banks.

Christmas is less than 60 Days Away! Have you started your shopping yet? Need a gift idea?

We have several unique gifts for that special someone who has everything or a wine lover on your list. Cork cages, wine racks, themed bottle holders, wine themed kitchen accessories, decanters, cheese serving sets, wine glasses, ornaments, t-shirts for men and women, candles, and more.

Blue Mountain Vineyards can also create custom wine gift baskets for friends and family with dozens of wine accessories from which to choose. Plus you can order customized wine bottles and host family or corporate parties in our tasting room or glass enclosed deck. Call the winery at 610-298-3068 or email us at info@bluemountainwine.com to ask about private parties and custom labels.

Franklin Hill launches Holiday Happy Hour Cocktail Contest

HOLIDAY HAPPY HOUR COCKTAIL CONTEST

For the month of November we will be accepting your holiday cocktail recipes for a chance to host your own Holiday Happy Hour at one of our locations. That's right; we're turning Happy Hour over to you!

How to enter:
• Stop in any of our four locations and pick up an index card (or use your own).
• On one side write down your creative holiday-themed cocktail recipe using at least one of our wines.
• On the other side provide us your name and contact information (phone number and email address).
• Then cross your fingers and hope we pick your recipe!

What's in it for you?
• You'll be behind the counter creating your own cocktail for Happy Hour.
• Invite your friends and you'll all receive a 10% discount on purchases made during happy hour.
• FREE FHV t-shirt to wear while on duty.
• Bragging rights for being a FHV team member for a day.

On December 1 we will pick one winner per store. On Friday, December 12 you will be our featured bartender and hostess or host at the store location at which you submitted your entry.

Harvest Dinner
November 13 at 6 p.m.

Franklin Hill Vineyards is proud to partner with the Widow's Tavern in Stockertown for this delicious event. Tables are limited and reservations are required. $50 per person plus tax and gratuity. Please call 610-365-8890 to reserve your table. (Dinner will be served at the Widow's Tavern.) Read the menu online here.

Holiday Cocktail Trail
November 22 from 1- 5 p.m.

Kick off your holiday shopping with a fun filled afternoon in beautiful Downtown Bethlehem. While at participating businesses you'll enjoy samples of holiday cocktails and mocktails. Don't forget to swing by Franklin Hill Vineyards for a taste of our Cocktail Creation using FHV wine. Passports go on sale November 11. Get more details here.

Wine Sale
2012 Chardonnay on sale for $9.98 a bottle at all FHV locations, while supplies last.

Pinnacle Ridge to begin selling its wines at several Wine & Spirits shops in November

Notes from the Cellar
A few of our wines are currently out of stock. We are currently out of Dry Riesling and Traminette, both of which will be back in the line-up soon, before the end of the year, we hope. We are also currently out of our selection of sparkling wines - the Brut and Blanc de Blanc are no longer available - but we are happy to announce the release of our new vintage in January 2015. And Veritas is  returning in summer 2015.


Red Wines 101: An Evening of Red Wine Bliss for Case Club Members

In honor of the harvest season and in anticipation of some cooler weather, we are hosting a signature Case Club Members Event all about red wines. Join us in our newly renovated Wine Loft for an evening of wine tasting and discussion. Owner and Winemaker Brad Knapp will lead a tasting and discussion of red wines from both Pinnacle Ridge and other prominent wine producing regions to discuss similarities and differences in grape selection, terroir and climate. Whether you are a red wine lover who enjoys the "steak and stogies" reds and possess strong opinions about French and American oak, or you are a wine newbie, this event will be both fun and educational. The event is complimentary for Case Club Members but reservations are required. Please call us at (610) 756-4481 for reservations and details.

Attendance at Monthly Case Club Membership events is worth five bonus points on your Club Card to help you get to that 30% discount early and often. You are welcome to bring guests to Membership Events, just make sure to let us know when making your reservations. Each Case you purchase = 15 points. Receive an extra five Case Club points for weekday case purchases. Earn 45 points and receive 30% off your next case. Receive 10% off entree purchases at Ginny's Bistro in Easton with your Club Card.

Customer Appreciation Weekend

This year, Pinnacle Ridge Winery will be hosting Customer Appreciation Weekends beginning Saturday, December 6 through Sunday, December 14 and we will be offering double points to Case Club Members on case purchases of:

• 2012 Chardonnay                  
• 2010 Chambourcin Reserve
• 2013 Cayuga    
• 2012 Syrah
• 2012 Concord 

During this period, we will also be offering double points to all new Case Club Members! So, come out and get some holiday shopping done early. Stock up with local, award-winning wines for the holiday season to enjoy with friends and family.

On the weekends of Saturday/Sunday, December 6 and 7 and 13 and 14, we will also have some small food pairing items available to enjoy with some of our award-winning wines. We look forward to seeing you all very soon and, in the meantime.

Find Pinnacle Ridge wines at select PA Wine and Spirits Locations

We are proud to announce that, beginning in November, a selection of our wines will be available at 10 area Wine and Spirits locations throughout the region. As part of the PA Preferred Program and, in partnership with the PLCB, we have added our 2013 Dry Vidal Blanc, 2013 Traminette, 2013 Cayuga & 2013 Quaff to the line-up at the following locations:

Columbus Commons North Shopping Center
1940 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA  19148
Phone: (215) 271-1908            

Lionville Shopping Ctr.
162 Eagleview Blvd.
Exton, PA  19341
Phone: (610) 450-6600        

Crest Plaza Shopping Ctr
1516 N Cedar Crest Blvd
Allentown, PA  18104
Phone: (610) 530-2123          

The Promenade Shops At Saucon Valley
3060 Center Valley Parkway
Center Valley, PA  18034
Phone: (610) 871-4304        

Mickley Avenue
Whitehall, PA  18052
Phone: (610) 437-2697            

Northampton Crossings    
3718 Easton-Nazareth Hwy
Easton, PA  18045                                              
Phone: (610) 258-8597          

Exeter                                        
4721 Perkiomen Ave.              
Reading, PA 19606                                                
Phone: (610) 370-5910              

1772 Tilden Ridge Drive
Hamburg, PA  19526
Phone: (610) 562-6586          

Village Square Plaza
45 Constitution Blvd
Kutztown, PA  19530
Phone: (610) 894-4810        

Berkshire Mall West
1101 Woodland Rd
Wyomissing, PA  19610
Phone: (610) 378-4559

Saying thanks while getting ready to shop!

At Thanksgiving we are reminded of how appreciative all of our eight member winery owners are for our loyal customers who not only purchase our wines but also advocate for our wineries and for buying local. It is thanks to your continued support that our wine trial continues to be successful. Thank you for coming back time after time and helping us spread the word!

Many of our wineries have begun extended holiday hours at their wine tasting rooms and wine shoppe locations. Be sure to call ahead or visit their web sites before heading out.

Here are a few highlights of what some of the wineries have planned for this coming weekend:

Galen Glen - Black Friday Sale
November 29 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Once a year, we put the winery on sale. 15% off case sales only. Custom label orders and shipped orders are not included. All wine must be purchased at the winery day of sale.
ONE DAY ONLY. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Blue Mountain - Black Friday specials
at the winery and all locations

$2 off  all rhinestone shirts
$2 off all rhinestone aprons
$1 off all T-shirts

Clover Hill - Shop Small Saturday

Saturday, November 30

All Clover Hill locations and at www.cloverhillwinery.com

Eat, Drink and Buy Local! Clover Hill Vineyards and Winery would like to thank you for choosing to "Shop Small’ and supporting our family owned and operated winery. Please enjoy 10% off any 6 or more bottles and 20% off 12 or more bottles on Shop Small Saturday only. Go ahead, stock up for the holiday and thank you for Shopping Small. 

Blue Mountain Christmas Open House
December 7
5 - 9 pm

Please join us for some Christmas Cheer! This event is our way of saying thank you to our customers. Enjoy our delicious wines accompanied by hors d'oeuvres while listening to live entertainment in our beautiful glass-enclosed deck kept warm and cozy by our fireplaces.

Galen Glen - Santa Visits

Saturday, December 7

We will again be collecting for Toys-for-Tots, so please bring an unwrapped toy or a monetary donation to help those less fortunate.  Bring your camera for a photo with Santa too.

Nouveau Weekend, and a policy change, at Pinnacle Ridge

As another harvest season at Pinnacle Ridge nears its end, we would like to invite you to share in the fruits of our labor with our annual end of harvest celebration. The Lehigh Valley Wine Trail's Nouveau Weekend is this Saturday and Sunday, November 16 & 17. 

This free event is based on the French tradition of the release of Beaujolais Nouveau - a young, fruity red wine that is free from tannins and made in just weeks. By law, Beaujolais Nouveau must not be released until the midnight hour of the third Thursday in November. Flocks of people line up for this event, eagerly awaiting the  release of the new vintage and it is shared with friends and family, in pubs and homes the world throughout as the first inclination of what the season has in store for us.        
                                                                                                                     
In keeping with that tradition, we will be taking part in an event that weekend to celebrate the end of our harvest season. We will be featuring a seasonal butternut squash soup to warm the soul on a crisp fall day to be paired with our own "nouveau" wine, made from Chambourcin, as well as to take a sneak peek at some wines that are works in progress. Take in all the sights, sounds and smells of the winemaking season and enjoy the autumnal scenery in the vineyard. Ask about seasonal pairings and wine specials, too. We will be featuring special half-case discounts for case club members and a special discount for all new case club members. We will also be featuring some artisan photography by Cindy Cowan, a local wine enthusiast and Pinnacle Ridge supporter. She has some beautiful work that will be on display during the weekend.                                                                        

Policy change regarding groups and commercial vehicles        
Our commitment is to quality wines, being a part of our local community, and providing excellent customer service. We value the time spent with our customers and the conversations about food and wine, all while getting to know the people that we share our wines with. Out of respect for our neighbors and in order to keep your visit to the Pennsylvania wine country a tranquil and enjoyable one, we will no longer be accepting commercial vehicles (buses or limos), or large groups (groups of 8 or more) on Saturdays.

We have a very small tasting room and an even smaller parking area and we can no longer accommodate such groups. We are very happy that ventures to wine country have become so popular over these last few years and that so many people have chosen to spend their afternoons with us, but we do not wish to turn people away or sacrifice our customer service due to overcrowding. Please respect our reasons for this as we are a small, family-owned and operated farm and, after 6 pm each day Pinnacle Ridge returns to being our home. We welcome you to visit us during the week when we are less crowded to enjoy some of our wines on a peaceful afternoon.

NOTE: Groups of 8 or more are still welcome at Pinnacle Ridge during the week and on Sundays, with a reservation made AT LEAST ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE.        

Thank you all for your support and understanding. We look forward to seeing you all very soon and best wishes from all of us here on the start of your holiday season!

Blue Mountain Vineyards to host Christmas Open House event

Christmas Open House
December 7
5 - 9 pm

Please join us for some Christmas Cheer! This event is our way of saying thank you to our customers. Enjoy our delicious wines accompanied by hors d'oeuvres while listening to live entertainment in our beautiful glass-enclosed deck kept warm and cozy by our fireplaces.

Hosting a Christmas Party?
Why not have it at Blue Mountain? Call or email for details.
info@bluemountainwine.com
610 298-3068

Custom labeled wine - a great gift for any occasion
We can scan your logo or artwork and create the perfect label for your company or personal gift giving.
Full and half bottles
Affordable pricing
10% case discount
Free set up on all holiday orders from now until Christmas.

Join us for live entertainment
2 - 5 p.m. every Sunday

Nov 17        Billy Patrick
Nov 24       Jake Kalegis & Mike Rausher's Dynamic Duo

Lehigh Valley Wine Trail event - Nouveau Weekend
November 16 -17

We will release our 2013 Noveau Beaujolais paired with turkey shepherd's pie and cran-citrus chutney.

Clover Hill recommends wines to pair with Thanksgiving dinner

We completed our 36th grape harvest at Clover Hill Vineyards and Winery in mid-October and what a dramatic vintage it was! Overall, we are quite pleased with the harvest; in particular the late ripening varieties such as Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chambourcin. Your first opportunity to taste any of this year’s wines will be spring 2014. In the meantime, winemaker John Skrip III is busy working in the winery transforming grapes into wine.

Now, let’s talk turkey. Choosing the right wine to serve for Thanksgiving should be an easy task. Let’s start with what NOT to serve. We suggest staying away from the full body, big oak wines and also the very sweet and grapey wines. Too much oak or too much grape flavor will overpower the food. In order to enhance the food flavors, opt for a lighter, more delicate white or red wine. 

Some of our favorite Clover Hill wine suggestions would include:

• Riesling ~ we make two styles of Riesling: a dry and a semi-sweet white. Both wines are rich in peach, apricot and honey characteristics and make a perfect Turkey pairing.
• 2009 Sangiovese ~ this is a lighter body, dry red wine with soft hints of oak. Light enough to pair with turkey, but has enough body to go well with all the side dishes.
• Turtle Rock Red ~ 100% Chambourcin, stainless steel fermented and just a hint of sweetness. The perfect red wine for turkey.
• Vignoles ~ exudes sweet, luscious and rich flavors of honey and orange blossoms. This is our favorite choice to serve with pumpkin pie after dinner.

We would like to wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with good food, good company and great wine. Thank you for choosing to drink local and for serving a Clover Hill wine this Thanksgiving.

Owner's Selection

Save 10% on your purchase of Spiced Apple during the month of November. Spiced with just the right blend of cinnamon and cloves - reminiscent of mom's apple pie. Excellent for braising pork or poultry. Can be served warm as a mulled wine; or serve cold as is or with soda and a squeeze of lime. Now only $9.45.

Find Spiced Apple Recipes Here. 

Allentown Fairgrounds Farmer's Market

Saturday November 9 from 11 am - 4 pm

Visit the Clover Hill Wine Shop at the  Allentown Fairgrounds Farmer's Market for a special wine and food pairing featuring General Tso's Chicken Meatballs from Culinary Experts paired with the Clover Hill Riesling.

Buck A Bottle Shipping Special

shop.cloverhillwinery.com

November 14-17

Let us help you share Clover Hill wines this Thanksgiving with friends and family across the USA. We will ship your favorite Clover Hill wines for just A BUCK A BOTTLE shipping. Purchase 12 or more bottles and you will also receive a 10% discount on your wine. Use the coupon code $1SHIP at checkout. 

Generations Wine Tasting

November 28-December 1

All Clover Hill locations

Visit any Clover Hill location to sample our limited release Generations wines. Sampling will include:

• 2012 Generations Riesling – a dry Riesling
• 2012 Generations N-Chard – a dry, unoaked Chardonnay
• 2012 Generations Three – a dry, red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot

Shop Small Saturday

Saturday, November 30

All Clover Hill locations and at www.cloverhillwinery.com

Eat, Drink and Buy Local! Clover Hill Vineyards and Winery would like to thank you for choosing to "Shop Small’ and supporting our family owned and operated winery. Please enjoy 10% off any 6 or more bottles and 20% off 12 or more bottles on Shop Small Saturday only. Go ahead, stock up for the holiday and thank you for Shopping Small. 

Receive an additional 10% discount when included in a case purchase! 

Nouveau Weekend = the start of the holiday season at Vynecrest Winery

The 2013 harvest is pretty much over (except for our Late Harvest Vidal) and it feels good to take a breath before the busy holiday season begins. Passports for the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail's March Passport Program go on sale November 16 (during Nouveau Weekend) for $35 each.

Christkindlmarkt starts Nov. 21 and runs through Dec 22 and is open Thursday 11 am - 6 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am - 8 pm, and Sunday 11 am - 6 pm (closed Thanksgiving Day).

Our winery's gift area has locally made products that make wonderful gifts for teachers, hostesses, family and friends. Soy candles, crackers, dips, cheese. Remember we have make-your-own baskets ($5 for basket and wrapping) where you add whatever wine, candles, cheese, crackers, dips, wine gifts you want and we'll make it up for you.

November specials
* Wine of the Month - Summertime Red, additional 10% off
* 3 Pack of the Month - Vynecrest Red, 3 for $27

(Wine of the month and 3 pack available at winery only; 3 pack can't be combined with other discounts.)

Upcoming events

• Nov. 16 & 17 - Lehigh Valley Wine Trail Nouveau Weekend - For Nouveau Weekend, we will be releasing a new vintage of our estate-grown Gamay Beaujolais, the traditional grape of Nouveau wine. Young and fruity with a promise of even greater expectations to come, this wine is meant to be enjoyed now, during the holiday season. And, to help make entertaining this holiday season easier, we at Vynecrest will feature during Nouveau Weekend vegetable and fruit dip appetizers made by our local partner, Sugar ‘n Spice from Coplay. Ann Moeller will be serving samples of her products such as festive vegetable, cucumber onion and dill, tomato ranch and jalapeno to pair with our Gamay Beaujolais wine. We will also have pumpkin dip and strawberry fruit dip available for sampling.

• Nov. 21 - Christkindlmarkt opens.
• Nov. 24 - Jazz Sunday - Live Jazz music in the Vyneskeller, 1 - 4 pm

Glass Half Empty
2013 Harvest Recap
by Malachi Duffy

Where do I go with all of this wine? That question is a good description of how the 2013 harvest went for Vynecrest this year. The vintage did not start off that way. We had a later-than-usual bud break, unpredictable weather during fruit set, and a rainy summer. Things were not looking good until late August. Then, the rain stopped, the humidity dropped, and the weather took a complete 180. The weather starting in late August could not have been much better to turn a sub-par vintage into one for the record books.

Not only did the weather cooperate, but the birds did as well. If you have read this newsletter for awhile you are aware of the battle we go through every year with birds. In August we got ready for the war to begin. We loaded up on ammo and had a patrol schedule set up morning and night. We decided to be preemptive and start the patrol even though we didn't see any birds yet. We figured if we scared them away as they came in we could keep them away. But they never really showed up. We had a couple flocks of starlings here and there but they didn't do much damage. We have a couple of rows of early ripening grapes we have never been able to harvest because the birds ate every berry on every plant before we could get to them. This year we pulled 130 lugs out of those rows. That is 230 gallons of wine we were never able to harvest before. Not a bad start to the 2013 Harvest.

As we continued bringing grapes in, the yields were higher than expected on every variety. Sometimes a little higher, sometimes a lot higher. There is always a balance of quantity vs. quality. That is why on many of our varieties we cut off as much as half of the fruit off the vine in order to fully ripen the remaining fruit. Even with the high yields, the quality of the fruit we brought in was amazing. The grapes were ripe, clean, and the sugars and acids were right where we wanted them.

That leads me back to the problem of where do I go with all of this wine? With every variety coming in with higher than expected yields, our tanks filled up quickly. We are re-purposing our white wine fermentation tanks as wine storage tanks until we can make some more room, or buy more tanks. Not a bad problem to have, it just makes life in the cellar a little more interesting for the next couple of months.

Save the date for our last wine trail event of 2013 - Nouveau Weekend

The eight wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail will debut the first wines from the new vintage during Nouveau Weekend, the last Wine Trail event of the year. Wineries will feature food and wine pairings for visitors to sample.

Nouveau wines are bottled very young without barrel aging, and exhibit lots of fruitiness. They 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. We will post to our web site details on what each winery has planned soon, so stay tuned.

(Nouveau Weekend is a free event, however some wineries charge for wine tastings.) 

Also, if you are someone who likes to plan ahead, mark your calendars and plan to join us for our six annual events next year. The dates are:

• March Madness - the first four weekends in March (note: does not include the fifth weekend on the month)
• Wine in Bloom – 5/17 & 18
• Wine on the Mountain at Penn's Peak in Jim Thorpe, Pa. – 7/26 & 27
• Harvest Weekend – 9/13 & 14
• Chambourcin Weekend – 10/18 & 19
• Nouveau Weekend – 11/15 & 16

Galen Glen Winery gears up for the holidays with special events and extended hours

Winter Wine Release
Saturday and Sunday, November 2 and 3

The holidays are fast approaching and these are the times that we celebrate with our families and friends. Winter makes us want to come in from the cold, seeking warmth for our bodies and souls. During this weekend, our staff will warm you with a tasting of our mulled wine. It's the perfect time to start thinking about your holiday gift giving needs. We offer custom labeling and beautiful gift baskets that make great gifts for family, friends, neighbors, clients, and staff. Let us help you select the perfect gifts and take the stress out of holiday gift giving.

Love Hot Dog Company & The Lemonade Brothers
Sunday, November 10 from noon - 5 p.m.

Enjoy the gourmet sausage and dog stylings of Jason and the crew of Love Hot Dog Company and The Lemonade Brothers when they make their monthly pilgrimage to the mountains. If you haven't been to the winery when Love Hot Dog Company has been there, you don't know what you are missing. Jason serves everything from 100% beef dogs, to wild-game sausages and his own special toppings. Rumor has it the bacon jam may soon be bottled and available for sale. Arrive early in the day for the best selection. We will have some indoor seating for your dining pleasure.

Bird-to-the-last-drop
Saturday, November 16 and 23 from 10 a.m. to 5 pm..
Sunday, November 17 and 24 from noon to 5 p.m.

Are you looking for the best wines to serve with your holiday meal? How about a bonus recipe for those leftovers? Accomplish it all in one place when we offer a complimentary food and wine pairing of bird-to-the-last-drop (recipe will be available) and the perfect wines to pair with your Thanksgiving or other holiday meals.

Upcoming events:

Black Friday Sale:
On Friday, November 29 we will open at 10 a.m. for our once-a-year sale.  All case purchases made that day on-site at the winery will be 15% off. This is a one-day, in-store only sale, no exceptions.  
(Custom labels and shipped orders are not included.)

Saturday, December 7 - Santa Visits Galen Glen
We will again be collecting for Toys-for-Tots, so please bring an unwrapped toy or a monetary donation to help those less fortunate.  Bring your camera for a photo with Santa too.

All upcoming events can be found on our website at www.galenglen.com.

HOLIDAY HOURS:
Beginning Wednesday, November 20 we will be open seven days a week (exception: closed Thursday, November 28 for Thanksgiving).

Our extended holiday hours will be:
Sunday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
We will close at 3 p.m. on December 24 to celebrate Christmas with our families. We will be closed on Christmas Day.

POLICY CHANGE:
Beginning November 1 all wine that is sold to be consumed on our premises will be by-the-glass only. This will not affect wine tastings at the wine bar. We welcome you to visit, enjoy a tasting, take in our breathtaking views, and savor some snacks and a glass of wine at a table on our outdoor patio or inside the tasting room.  

If you are planning to come for a tasting or to any of the listed events with a group of six or more, we require reservations. These may be made by calling the winery at (570) 386-3682 during our normal business hours. Please note our weekend reservation openings fill fast, so please plan early.