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)...

Thanksgiving wine offerings from Clover Hill Vineyards

The Skrip family, owners of Clover Hill Vineyards in Breinigsville, recently shared their wine pairings for Thanksgiving Day in their November e-newsletter. What local wines will be on your holiday table?

The air has turned cold, the leaves have fallen, and our grapevines are beginning their deep sleep through the winter months, but the same is not true for the winery side. John, our winemaker, is busy in the winery working on the beautiful 2010 wines. The rest of the Clover Hill family is preparing for the holidays. Below are the Skrip Family wine suggestions in preperation for Thanksgiving.

Pat Skrip will be drinking Sparkling Pinot Noir this Thanksgiving. Why, because it is now back in stock. Also because Pat drinks bubbles with just about everything. She loves to celebrate life with a glass of sparkling wine.

John Skrip Jr. will be sipping Turtle Rock Red with his turkey. You can’t select a better wine to pair with your turkey, cranberry relish and stuffing. Serve your Turtle Rock slightly chilled and it is certain to please everyone in the crowd.

John Skrip III has a sweet tooth and no doubt he will be heading to the pumpkin pie served with a glass of Vignoles. This luscious dessert wine is a match made in heaven with pumpkin pie, apple pie and other delicious desserts.

Kari Skrip will have her glass filled with the Generations Riesling which is also recently released. This dry, zesty Riesling is powerful enough in flavor to stand up to all the different foods served.

All of us at Clover Hill wish you a joyous Thanksgiving. We are honored to have a Clover Hill wine grace your table full of friends, family and love.

Owner's Selection for November:
Enjoy a 10% discount on Cabernet Sauvignon.
Big, flavorful and ready to knock your socks off! Rich oak flavors of vanilla and spice mingle with ripe fruit flavors of raspberry, blackberry, and cherry. Pairs well with grilled steak topped with sauted mushrooms. Receive a 20% discount on the Owner's Selection when included with case purchases.

Nouveau Weekend highlights

Here is what each of our nine wineries has planned fror Nouveau Weekend, November 20 & 21:

Amoré Vineyards & Winery, Nazareth - will serve assorted hors d’oeuvres along with tank samples of 2010 Cayuga and Chambourcin.  As an added treat they will feature their latest release – Rapport – their own unique version of port wine.

Big Creek Vineyard and Winery, Kresgeville - will feature Mini Maize Muffins with their Nouveau Red. This year their Nouveau style wine will be made with Marquette, a fairly new grape variety with great potential in their vineyard.

Blue Mountain Vineyards, New Tripoli - Sample their 2010 Nouveau paired with glazed ham. Watch professional blacksmith Luke, a Farrier by trade, demonstrate his hobby of ornamental metalworking with live demonstrations at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. He will be joined by other artisans displaying and selling their work. Live entertainment on Sunday by Leechboy from 2 – 5 p.m. Admission is $5 per person.
Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville - will be releasing two new Generations wines: 2010 Generations Riesling and a 2009 Generations Sparkling Pinot Noir.

Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor - will be pairing for the best part of Thanksgiving dinner......dessert! They'll be releasing their Nouvelle Seyval Blanc and pairing it with pumpkin bread, apple crisp and chocolate.

Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery, Andreas - will feature Silver Medal Riesling tasted with their family’s Thanksgiving favorite, Pennsylvania German potato stuffing and gravy. Locally grown golden yellow potatoes are their secret ingredient.

Pinnacle Ridge, Kutztown - will be featuring neighbor Dietrich's Meats' Bratwurst (veal, pork and parsley), Knockwurst (Garlic Wurst) and German Weiners (all beef and seasonings.) Homemade Cabbage and Noodles (vegetarian) will be the perfect side. Sample these German classics with their Traminette or Vidal Blanc. For red lovers, they’ll be pouring their 2007 Veritas.

Sorrenti Cherry Valley Vineyards, Saylorsburg - will be pairing a Nouveau Blush with a commemorative label and Mary’s new creation, Chicken Florentina.

Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville - will be pairing their 2010 Vintage Nouveau Beaujolais made from the Gamay grape with pulled roast turkey barbeque sliders. In the Vyneskeller wine bar, Arianne Rox will be playing on Saturday and Rob & Marty on Sunday, 1 - 4:30 p.m. Free admission.

Clover Hill nears end of Harvest Season

The October e-newsletter from Clover Hill Winery in Breinigsville is hot off the presses. If you didn't receive it in your inbox, check it out online here. Otherwise read below for highlights:

Winemaker John Skrip is smiling again. Do you know why? The end of grape harvest is near and he is happy for several reasons. First, the 2010 harvest has been nothing short of stellar. The fruit is the finest we have ever harvested.

Second, nearly all of the grapes have been picked. Only a few varieties remain in the vineyard, but they will be picked any day now. That means the pressure of what the weather is going to do eases up a bit! Third (and most importantly), he is thrilled because as soon as harvest is complete, he will have a couple days off! Hang in there John, the end is in sight!

I know you have been hearing how excited we are for this vintage. Now you are just going to have to wait a little while for the wines, but we promise the 2010 wines will be worth the wait!

We do have two new releases that we are excited to share with you. If you get a chance to taste these wines – share with us your comments on Facebook. We would love to hear your wine reviews!

2009 Chambourcin – bright, almost purplish color which is classic for Chambourcin. Very fruit forward showcasing berry, cherry and cotton candy aromas. Slightly lighter bodied than previous vintages, but ripe cherry and toast flavors are prevalent. This wine will pair nicely with roasted squash, mushroom soups and is hearty enough to try with venison.

Strawberry Pear – a limited release fruit wine – get it while you can! This fun-filled dessert style wines is made from local Bartlett pears and accented with a touch of strawberries. Based on last year this wine is sure to sell out quickly.

Join us for two great events happening in October. The Berks County Wine & Cheese weekend will take place at our Robesonia location on October 9 & 10, 2010. Tickets are required to participate. Also, the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail will be celebrating Chambourcin Weekend at our Breinigsville location.

Blue Mountain Vineyards announces fall events

Blue Mountain Winery in New Tripoli is gearing up for two big fall events and you're invited to attend! Here are the details:

Annual HalloWine Tasting
Saturday, October 30 from 5 to 9 p.m.
Live music by Red Light Runners (the music of Led Zepplin, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Janis Joplin and more). Prizes for costumes (costumes optional). Chili, nachos, cheeses and fresh baked bread available for purchase or bring your own snacks.
Admission is $7.50 and includes souvenir glass
Reservations preferred - call 610-298-3068

Annual German Night
Saturday November 20 from 5 - 9 p.m.
Join us in the celebration of German heritage. Includes authentic German food, music, dancing and a souvenir glass. Featuring homemade kielbasa by Castle Grill.
Admission is $19.50 per person.
Call for reservations - 610-298-3068


Blue Mountain Vineyards
7627 Grape Vine Drive
New Tripoli, PA 18066
Phone:     (610) 298-3068

Vynecrest Winery to Release Two New Vintages on October 2

On Saturday, October 2, Vynecrest Winery in Breinigsville will release two new vintages of red wine. 

Spiced Winter Red, a seasonal blend of red wines and spices, is similar to a German Glüwein and can be served hot for the winter holidays.    

Vynecrest will also be releasing their 2009 Vyneskeller Select which is a dry red blend of the best of the vineyard’s offering from the 2009 harvest and aged in American and French oak. 

These wines will be available for tasting at the winery seven days a week from 11 a.m. - 5p .m. 

For more information and upcoming events, visit www.vynecrest.com or call 610-398-7525.

Last Jazz Jam of the season is tomorrow at Pinnacle Ridge Winery

Sunday, September 26 promises to be a beautiful early fall day, so why not make plans to spend the afternoon at Pinnacle Ridge winery sipping wine, listening to great music and noshing on homemade goodies?

Pinnacle Ridge hosts Skip Moyer's Jazz Jam from 3 to 6 p.m. Listen to guitarist Andy Warren, drummer John Fundyga, Skip Moyer on bass and guest musician Tom Reese on flute. Christy will sing a few jazz tunes too. Pinnacle Ridge wine by the bottle or glass, soda, water and Mediterranean- inspired light fare will be available for purchase.

There is a $5 cover, but this event is free for children ages 18 years and younger, and is free to all Case Club members. Buy a case of wine on Sunday and stay and listen for free!

This will be the last Jazz Jam of the 2010 season. Ya gotta' check out some of the best local jazz around! Don't wait until next spring!

Pinnacle Ridge Winery

407 Old Route 22

Kutztown, PA 19530

phone 610 756 4481

www.pinridge.com

Clover Hill Winery Photo Expedition with Dan’s Camera City

Fancy yourself an amateur photographer? Then join Dan's Camera City at Clover Hill Winery in Breinigsville for a photo shoot. Here's a description of the photography session offered by Dan's: 

From the industrial elements in the wine making areas, to the charm of the barrel room and large store display areas, Clover Hill Vineyard offers a wonderful combination of photographic opportunities. Couple these areas with the sweeping vineyard on a gentle hill and there are plenty of great photographs waiting for you to create them. We timed our trip to coincide with the beginning of the harvest, so we're likely to have plenty of large grape clusters on the vines.

Renowned photographer Lou Manna will join us to provide a lecture and hands-on guidance during the shoot. Here’s your chance to have a highly successful New York photographer guide and chide you on improving your photo skills. Lou has published books on food photography and is also well known for his street photography capturing great photos on the fly, on location.

This class is open to owners of any brand camera. A digital SLR with at least one zoom lens and a high capacity memory card are recommended. Point and shoot cameras with longer zooms, and some manual setting are acceptable. Information will be presented assuming you are comfortable with the basic operations of your camera.

Classroom Seminar at Dan’s:
Thursday, September 23, 5:00pm - 7:30pm
Photo shoot at Clover Hill Winery:
Sunday, September 26, 11:30am - 5:00pm
Cost: $99.99
http://www.danscamera.com/clover-hill-winery/
Advance registration required!

Will we see you at Harvest Weekend?

The hot, dry summer has resulted in a bumper crop of wine grapes at the region’s nine family-owned and operated wineries that make up the non-profit Lehigh Valley Wine Trail. Several of our wineries began harvesting grapes over the last two weeks which means they will be in full swing for this weekend’s annual Harvest Weekend celebration.

On Saturday, Sept. 11 and Sunday, Sept. 12, the nine wineries will welcome guests for tastings, vineyard and winery tours, and live entertainment. The wineries will also proudly promote the state’s “Pennsylvania Preferred” program by partnering with manufacturers of other Pennsylvania products to showcase their high level of quality.

HARVEST WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS

Amoré Vineyards & Winery, Nazareth - will feature an array of homegrown fruits and vegetables from Amore Farms along with fresh breads and a selection of dipping oils.

Big Creek Vineyard and Winery, Kresgeville - will feature fresh local fruit from Heckman Orchards and cheese from their friends at Leraysville Cheese.

Blue Mountain Vineyards, New Tripoli - On Saturday, participate in the harvest of their 2010 Chardonnay crop which will be used for the upcoming vintage of Champagne.  Sample products produced by Tait Farms including jams, chutneys & oils, the ingredients for which are organically grown on their farm in Centre Hill, PA. Their products will be used in various recipes and paired with their award-winning wines both days. Acoustic music on Saturday from 1 - 4 p.m.  On Sunday, listen to the acoustic duo of Rob & Marty performing for the Fall Foliage Wine Tasting ($5 admission).

Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville - will partner with BAD Farms located in Kempton, PA.  They will be sampling and selling their cheeses, dips and other products fresh from the farm.  Clover Hill will also be celebrating its 25th anniversary by offering a 25% discount off all wines. 

Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor - will be celebrating a dual harvest with the traditional grape harvest and also the apple harvest as they release their new apple wine made exclusively from local Cortland, Granny Smith, Red and Yellow Delicious apples. They will also have a variety of Klein Farm’s homemade cheeses and Robert Rothschild dips.

Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery, Andreas - is excited to feature gourmet pizzas made with local ingredients from Beatrice’s Inferno which is an authentic wood-fired mobile Neapolitan pizzeria.
Galen Glen will also be giving free tractor and wagon tours departing hourly from 1 - 4 p.m. Bring a blanket and enjoy a bottle of wine, pizza and the mountainside autumn view.

Pinnacle Ridge, Kutztown - celebrates the 2010 harvest with its annual Blues in the Barn event. Enjoy the sounds of "Mr. Z and the NightShift," "The Blues Factor," and "Bluestone." Sunday features an open mic hosted by Ed Conover of Bluestone. Pinnacle Ridge will be serving wine by the glass and Tim will be selling mouth watering roast pork and savory vegetarian portabella mushroom sandwiches, both served with classic American side dishes. Admission is free.

Sorrenti Cherry Valley Vineyards, Saylorsburg - will have local Cherry Valley organic fruits and veggies in celebration of the area becoming a National Wildlife Refuge. Tomblers Bakery in Easton will have baked goods to sample and for sale. Mary Sorrenti will host a luncheon and grape stomp (tickets sold in advance).

Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville - will pair its Estate Bottled Autumn Gold with Hereford Country Store's Pumpkin Roll, which is made from local long necked pumpkins from Nan's Produce. They will have a tour with the winemaker at 1p.m. each day and there will be music in the Vyneskeller from 1:30-4:30 p.m. by Rob & Marty on Saturday and Arianne on Sunday, free of charge.

Here's what's happening in September at Vynecrest Winery

The latest edition of the monthly Vynecrest Winery e-newsletter just arrived in inboxes all around the region. Did you get your copy? If not, here are the highlights:

Harvest is in full swing. We have about a quarter of the grapes off the vines already. The weather has been perfect this year for grapevines and the forecast looks just as good.

September Specials:

• Wine of the Month - First Blush, 10% off**
• 3 Pack of the Month - 3 Pinot Gris for $25.00**

**at winery only, 3 pack special not to be combined with other offers


Upcoming Events

September 11 & 12 - Harvest Weekend

Vynecrest Winery is a vendor in the Macungie Farmers Market which is a Buy Fresh Buy Local Market. For Harvest Weekend, we will pair our Estate Bottled Autumn Gold with another vendor from the market, Hereford Country Store's Pumpkin Roll, which is made from local longnecked pumpkins from the other farmers at the market. We will have a tour with the Winemaker at 1 p.m. each day and there will be music in the Vyneskeller from 1:30-4:30 p.m. by Rob & Marty on Saturday and Arianne on Sunday. No charge.

September 18 - Music in the Vyneskeller, Art Tartara, 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

September 25 - Music in the Vyneskeller, Arianne Rox, 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

October 1 - Release of Spiced Winter Red


In The Vineyard

So far we have picked Cayuga, Traminette and Pinot Gris. We will picking Pinot Noir and Riesling in the next week or so. Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin, Lemberger & Vidal Blanc have a few weeks before they will be ready.

Update on last Saturday's Great PA Wine Toast

By now you no doubt know that last Saturday wineries across the state attempted to break a Guinness Book World Record for the largest toast. This was a promotion by the PA Wine Association created to help support and publicize the state's wine industry.

Thousands of us gathered at wineries, and even the Seven Springs Wine Festival, to toast at 4:15 p.m. to the winning toast as written by a local woman from Bangor and read by race car legend Mario Andretti.

Alas, we did not break the toasting record, but we think that everyone will agree that we had a great time trying!

A few of our wineries have started sharing their photos with us of the toast which we are posting to our Facebook fan page and our Flickr account. We've also posted the video of Mario's toast to our YouTube Channel. So even if you didn't join us that day, now you can get a feeling for what it was like.

Maybe we should try again next year?...