A harvest season update from Franklin Hill Vineyards

From our grapes to your glass - Harvest is in the air!  

2011 is turning out to be another wonderful vintage for Franklin Hill Vineyards. We're getting ready to head out to the vineyard to start picking those lush wonderful grapes whose juice will be soon filling your glass.  

Vines are looking great as usual. The birds would agree as we are seeing some signs of them feeding on the grapes. At this point we would like to see the weather dry out since grapes love dry weather in the weeks prior to harvest. The dry weather allows the sun to bring the grapes to the perfect ripeness.

Depending on the variety, we pick at at certain "brix." Measuring levels of "brix" allows us to determine the grapes' sugar levels.  We aim for our grapes to measure anywhere between 20 and 23 brix. Grape picking should begin by next week.

Meanwhile, our wonderful winery staff is busy bottling Cabernet Franc and Katie's Creek...and...for all of our dessert wine lovers, our Breathless has made its highly-anticipated return. We can tell you that the wait was well worth it.  This bottling is not only superb, there is no doubt that one sip will simply take your Breath away.  Come in to any of our locations for your own bottle.  

Get ready for some more wonderful wine coming your way from our 2011 Harvest.

Celtic Classic - Sept. 23, 24, & 25 in Historic Downtown Bethlehem

Don your kilts and ghillie brogues and be sure to visit Franklin Hill's Bethlehem Location for a complimentary wine tasting during Bethlehem's 24th Annual Celtic Classic Festival.  

Franklin Hill Vineyards - Bethlehem
Main St. Commons, 
567 Main St.
Bethlehem, PA 18018
(610)-332-9463

Yoga+Wine Fall Festival - Sunday, September 25 at the Winery    

Back by popular demand! Dalien from KULA HEART YOGA will return and take us on a journey into our hearts as we celebrate the Harvest with music, sound, yoga! Followed by wine and cheese at Franklin Hill Vineyards! This event will fill fast, please call to register and reserve your space. 610-746-5852 (kula) 
Visit  www.kulaheartyoga.com to find out more!          

Pennsylvania Wine Stories: There's a Story Behind Every Cork

Send in your story about visiting Franklin Hill Vineyards to win a Pennsylvania Wine Weekend Getaway or prize package. A story from each of Pennsylvania's seven wine regions will be selected as the finalists, and the grand-prize winner will be selected online via voting.

For every story submitted, $1 will be donated to the National Center for Family Literacy and a cork will be added to a sculpture created by a Pennsylvania based artist.

Pennsylvania Wine Stories: "There’s a Story Behind Every Cork"

Our friends at the Pennsylvania Winery Association have launched a new promotion and they need your help to make it successful. And all you have to do to help is tell a story.

Each of Pennsylvania’s 140 wineries has its own story, and for the people who enjoy drinking it, so does each bottle of Pennsylvania wine. As we like to say, “there’s a story behind every cork,” and we want to hear yours. Visit Pennsylvaniawine.com to share your Pennsylvania wine story and read some of the many tales submitted by other wine lovers. Stories can also be submitted on the Pennsylvania Wine Trails Facebook page and at participating wineries.

For every story submitted, the Pennsylvania Winery Association will add a cork to a collection – which will be turned into a cork sculpture at the end of the season – and donate one dollar per cork to the National Center for Family Literacy, a charity that works to inspire families in their pursuit of education and learning.

Stories can be submitted now through October. When the submission period ends, one story from each of Pennsylvania’s seven wine regions will be chosen as a finalist and a public vote on the PWA website will determine the winning tale. Each finalist will receive a prize package of various wine accessories, dinner for two at a local restaurant and a VIP tour of a Pennsylvania winery. The author of the winning story will receive a “Pennsylvania Wine Weekend Getaway,” which includes a one‐night stay in the Pennsylvania wine region of his or her choice, chauffeured transportation to and from the hotel and multiple wineries, dinner for two at a local restaurant and a VIP winery tour.

Tell us your story using the entry form here. Your entry can be two sentences or two paragraphs. It can be funny, sentimental, reflective or romantic. It can involve you and a friend, you and a loved one, or just you!
 
Everyone has a Pennsylvania wine story to tell. The only question is: What’s yours?

And of course, we'd love you to tell a story that involves one of our eight Lehigh Valley Wineries (hint, hint)...