REGION’S LESSER-KNOWN CHAMBOURCIN WINE GRAPE IS THE STAR OF THIS MONTH’S LEHIGH VALLEY WINE TRAIL EVENT

Wine drinkers know Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Grigio, but Chambourcin? The Lehigh Valley’s official wine grape may be lesser known amongst the more popular varieties, but it grows so well in the climate and soil of this region that it has become the only wine grape grown by all nine wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail.

Local wine lovers can become familiar with it during the Chambourcin Weekend event on Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18. Each winery will feature its own activities such as wine tastings, live entertainment, vineyard tours, or food and wine pairings (see detailed list below). Event hours at all of the wineries are Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon – 5 p.m. (Chambourcin Weekend is a free event, however some wineries charge for wine tastings, tours and/or entertainment.)

In the greater Lehigh Valley, there are more than 40 acres of Chambourcin that ferments into approximately 150,000 bottles of wine. Chambourcin is very versatile and the wineries craft it into several styles of wine including nouveau, rosé, semi- sweet, sweet, dry barrel aged, sparkling and port.

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.

CHAMBOURCIN WEEKEND WINERY HIGHLIGHTS

Amore - will feature four styles of Chambourcin paired with rigatoni in red sauce.

Big Creek - will have its Regent (a European offspring of Chambourcin) ready to pair with treats from MMM Cookies.

Blue Mountain - On Saturday at noon there will be a chili contest where customers can sample chilis and judge which one is the best. They are also welcome to enter their chili into the contest. There will also be live music with Adam Motto from 1-4 pm (no reservations required).
On Sunday from noon – 5 pm is the Northampton County Open Gate Farm Tour, which will feature crafts available for children, and guided tours with the winemaker every half hour on the hour. From 2-5 pm is Sunday Blues with live music featuring the Octavia Blues Band. Advance reservations are required. $5 per person, includes wine tasting.

Clover Hill - will offer samples of two different Chambourcin wines - Turtle Rock Red and 2013 Chambourcin. In addition they will have samples and sales of freshly pressed Chambourcin grape juice (while supplies last).

Franklin Hill - will have a mulled wine bar with three varieties of mulled wine to sample and to purchase by the mug. Chef Phil from Social Still will be making his award-winning chili, which will also be available for purchase. They’ll have McCollians local honey for sale and Kendra’s Buttercup Bakery will be onsite with sweet treats as well as several other local vendors. Tours of our facility will be given at noon and 2 pm. Tastings of all of their wines, including the new Potion X Pumpkin Spice wine, will be available all day inside or outside under the new pavilion.

Galen Glen - will offer a complimentary pairing of their 2015 Chili Competition Winner, Brian Eager's Beef & Brisket Chili (recipe available) with a taste of Chambourcin or Cellar Red. Foodies who think they have what it takes to be the next celebrated chili champion can request an application to enter the third annual Chambourcin chili cook-off on January 16, 2016.

Pinnacle Ridge - will feature Windy Acres BBQ sauce made with the winery’s Chambourcin Wine drizzled over pulled pork and baked beans, paired with a choice of either the medal-winning Chambourcin Reserve or the Chambourcin Rose.

Tolino - will offer 2012 Chambourcin paired with vanilla bean bread pudding by Trixie’s Treats, whose food truck will be on site from noon – 4 pm for additional food purchases. Enjoy live music by Blue Hearts Revelry from 1-4 pm and wagon tours of the vineyard at 2 pm and 4 pm. On Sunday, Tolino will offer 2012 Chambourcin paired with Italian ring bologna and cheese from Communale’s Italian Market in Mt. Bethel.  Erin McClelland will perform live music from 1-4 pm and wagon tours will be at 2 pm and 4 pm.

Vynecrest - will partner with Vince’s Cheesesteaks, a Lehigh Valley tradition. They will pair their 2013 Estate-Bottled Chambourcin wine with a taste of “Mini Vinnies” steak sandwich. The meat in the steak sandwiches will be marinated in Chambourcin before they are grilled. The Vince’s Cheesesteak food truck will be at Vynecrest all day Saturday and Sunday with its full menu of chicken and beef cheesesteaks and other items for purchase.

Taste the Grape, Taste the Wine this weekend at Galen Glen

It's harvest time. Have you ever thought about the grapes that make your favorite wines? Join us this weekend for a unique opportunity to taste a grape varietal being harvested this week along with the last vintage of the wine made from that grape.

Weekends during the harvest season, Galen Glen Winery is offering a unique tasting experience for their visitors.  On Saturdays and Sundays in late-September and early-October, the winery is inviting customers to "Taste the Grape, Taste the Wine" by sharing the fruits of their harvest with winery visitors.

Tasting Room Manager Kathy Matson notes, "often when drinking wine one does not think about the actual grape varietal that makes the wine. Not only are we giving our visitors the opportunity to think about the grapes, but we are offering the grape as part of the tasting."

Each weekend during harvest, the winery will offer a sample grape of the varietals being harvested that week along with a complimentary taste of the wine that is produced from that varietal.  

Tour Time

Join us Saturday and Sunday at 3 pm for a guided walking tour of the vineyard. Walking tours are about one hour and one mile in length. You will meander through the vines, to our crush pad and wine cellar and then return to the tasting room. Tours are complimentary and reservations are not required.  We do suggest sturdy footwear.  Tours are given weather permitting. Tours are complimentary, and no reservations are required.

Future tour dates -  October 3 & 4 and 10 & 11

Galen Glen Winery
255 Winter Mountain Drive, Andreas, PA 18211

Are you following on Facebook? Enter our "Fan Friday" contest by Saturday, September 26 to win a new Evolution of Wine T-shirt.  Winner and some big news to be announced on Sunday, September 27.

Vynecrest winemaker's thoughts on all that goes into making a great red wine

August is a great time of year to come out, taste some wine, and enjoy the view of the vineyard. The grapes are just about ready to go through veraison, where they stop growing and start ripening. The red grapes will turn from green to red and the sugar levels start to rise. This change in color is also a signal for the birds the grapes are about ready to eat.

Just a reminder, the Vyneskeller is open seven days a week. So after you are done tasting you can grab a glass of wine and relax downstairs.

August Specials:
* Wine of the Month - Vynecrest Red - additional 10% off
* 3 Pack of the Month - 3 Bear Naked Chardonnay for $35

*available at the winery only

Aug 30 - Vineyard & Winery Tour, and Jazz Sunday

Vineyard and winery tour begins at noon. $5 per person. Tour should wrap up just in time to enjoy some live Jazz music in the Vyneskeller from 1 - 4 pm.

Glass Half Empty
by Malachi Duffy (left, pictured with Sam Landis)

When I have a glass of Lemberger I think about what went into making the wine that is in that bottle. Arguments over what to plant 4, 5, 6 years or more earlier. Remembering in 2008 we seriously considered ripping all of it out and not making it any more (thank goodness we didn’t follow through with that idea!). Wondering if the vines were going to make it through the sub-zero temps of the winter. Watching bud break and deciding how many clusters to keep. The awesome crew of guys in the vineyard who handle pruning, hedging, picking and everything in between. Prior to harvest, putting together the order for what yeast to use, enzyme and tannin additions, whether to cold soak or not. Tasting Lemberger on the vine when it gets close to harvest time. Arguing (again) over when to pick each lot of Lemberger. Finally picking and fermenting it.

Sam Landis and I having sand wedge contests over who can chip a golf ball into the fermenting red wine (the loser had to punch the caps). Sam punching the caps. Pressing the almost-dry wine and tasting the wine that runs out of the press as it is being crushed. Letting the wine sit for a few months before we put it on oak. Inevitably thinking that I have completely screwed up this vintage and I should have stuck with what I did last year. The following day retasting and not being so scared.

Oak additions to the wine a couple of months later: Some went to oak barrels, some went to Flex Tanks with oak staves and some with oak chips. At the end of the day (sometimes in the middle of the day) pulling samples and making sure everything is “progressing as it should.” That wonderful day when we have to come up with the final blend for Lemberger. Hopefully bottling before the current year runs out so we don’t have empty shelves. Grabbing a bottle as I head out the door to enjoy during dinner with the family.

It’s awesome to have a story about the drink you have in front of you. I am lucky enough to be involved in the process of producing that bottle. But hopefully you also have a story about Vynecrest wine. Maybe you had a great time in the Vyneskeller with friends and family, or you had Vynecrest wine at someone’s wedding. That’s the great thing about local wine, you don’t just go pick it up at the store, there is an experience associated with it. The wines are great by themselves (hopefully) but you can’t buy the moments off the shelf. The moments are what make that wine taste even better.

So, cheers to all the moments!

Taste of the Trail video series - Wine Trail overview

We're delighted to share with you the final video in our new Taste of the Trail web video series. It's an overview of the entire Lehigh Valley Wine Trail, in less than 6 minutes.

Please give it a watch on our YouTube channel and share the link with your friends on Facebook.

Our eight wineries appreciate your continued patronage and support. Buy Local!

Blue Mountain Vineyards featured in next Taste of the Trail video

Joe Greff, owner of Blue Mountain Vineyards in New Tripoli, is interviewed in the next Taste of the Trail video in our new series on our YouTube channel.

Find out about the types of grapes they grow and wines he and his wife Vickie make. And join them for Sunday Blues on the deck this summer!

New video in Taste of the Trail series - Galen Glen Winery

The next video in our Taste of the Trail web video series features a visit to Galen Glen Winery in Andreas and an interview with owner Sarah Troxell.

Her winery has been in her husband Galen's family for several generations. It is known for its Austrian and Germanic wines, as well as its tractor-led wagon tours of the vineyard.

Our next Taste of the Trail video - Clover Hill

Meet the Skrip family who own Clover Hill Vineyards in Breinigsville, and visit with Kari and her mom Pat during this short video tour.

Taste of the Trail video - Amore Vineyards & Winery

Our latest Taste of the Trail video is now on our YouTube channel and web site. Visit Amore Vineyards and Winery in Nazareth and meet owner Gregg Amore.

Watch our next Taste of the Trail video - Big Creek Vineyards

We are excited to share with you the next video in our new web series, Taste of the Trail.

It's a visit to Big Creek Vineyards in Kresgeville. Meet owner Dominic Strohlein and take a peek at the winery in this 2+ minute long tour.

Next Taste of the Trail video - Franklin Hill Vineyards

We're excited to share the second video in our new Taste of the Trail web video series with you. This one is a tour of Franklin Hill Vineyards in Bangor and features an interview with owner Elaine Pivinski.

It's just over two minutes long, so check it out now and then pay a visit in person this spring.

A new Taste of the Trail ... videos!

Since last summer we have been working with a local video production company to create a new web-based video series that we are also calling Taste of the Trail.

The videos will debuted over the next few weeks and will also be found on our web site, as well as our YouTube channel. Each video will tour a different one of the eight family-owned and operated wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail. There will also be a ninth video on the wine trail itself.

The first video features a tour of Pinnacle Ridge in Kutztown. It's just over two-minutes long, so we hope you will watch it and then come visit in person!

Try a Wine-a-Rita this weekend at Galen Glen

This weekend, cool off with a Wine-a-Rita at Galen Glen Winery in Andreas during Summer Slushy Weekend, Saturday, June 2 from 10 am - 5 pm and Sunday, June 3 from noon - 5 pm.

Sample an icy cold Wine-a-Rita and go on a complimentary guided walking tour of the vineyard each day at noon (weather permitting). Please wear sturdy, close-toed shoes.  

Want to see what we're up to - silly, serious or somewhere in between? Follow us on Facebook!

Upcoming events: 

June 16 & 17 - Father's Day Weekend

Bring Dad for a Tractor & Wagon Tour. Tours depart at 1, 2, 3 & 4 pm, weather permitting.

See all our event details here.

Wine slushies, awards and special events at Galen Glen Winery

Sale!
Winter Mountain Red -375mL bottles
Two 375mL - $8.50
One 375mL - $5
We are discontinuing our half bottles. Sale applies only to bottles labeled with Galen Glen Winter Mountain Red Label. No custom label orders accepted. While supplies last! 

Forecast this Weekend at Galen Glen: Slushies & Sunshine
Sat., Aug 20 - 10 am - 5 pm
Sun., Aug 21 - Noon - 5 pm

We're making our favorite wine slushies. One taste and you'll know why they are so popular! Purchase a slushy for $3 to sip on our vineyard patio and watch the grapes ripen.

Awards!
GOLD 2010 Claret (our naughty blend of Pinot Noir & Chambourcin)
SILVER 2010 Zweigelt
at the Indy International Wine Comp

New on the Wine List!
2010 Zweigelt
2010 Claret
2010 Gewurztraminer

Upcoming Events:   

September 3, 4 & 5 at the winery
Labor Day Weekend - Walking tour of the vineyard September 3, 4 & 5 at noon. One tour per day. Please wear sturdy foot gear. No reservations required and weather permitting. Monday, Sept. 5 Labor Day hours - 10 am - 4 pm.

September 4 at Hegins Park
3rd Annual Schuylkill County Wine Festival - 1 - 6 pm. Featuring local wines, a delicious variety of local food and entertainment.

September 10 & 11 at Winery
Harvest Weekend - Tractor & Wagon Tours departing at 1, 2, 3 & 4 p.m.

Clover Hill Winery's August Events

We are anxiously coming down the home stretch in the vineyard for the 2011 growing season. So far we have had a very warm, dry growing season which is ideal for wine grapes. However these conditions are not ideal for the young vines we planted this spring.

As a result, we have been hand irrigating our new vines. Right now we are beginning to see verasion – this is the critical point in which the grapes begin to change colors, soften and take their final steps to ripening. The final verdict isn’t in on the 2011 vintage, but we are certainly on a good path. Follow us on Facebook if you would like to stay up-to-date on the 2011 vintage. 

We invite you to enjoy this beautiful time of year and celebrate our vineyards by having a glass of wine on the patio in Breinigsville or Robesonia. These locations are open 7 days a week. The Allentown Fairgrounds Farmers’ Market and the Boscov’s Farmers are also great locations to pick up local foods and your Clover Hill wine! We look forward to your next visit!

Owner's Selection
Clover Hill Cayuga White has soft, mellow aromas and flavors that will leave your mouth coated with tastes of ripe melon, mango, and ruby grapefruit. Enjoy a 10% discount on Clover Hill Cayuga White the entire month of August! Receive a 20% discount on the Owner's Selection when included with case purchases.

Tuesday is Senior Day
The Winery in Breinigsville and the Vineyard in Robesonia.
Don't forget - every Tuesday is Senior Day at the Winery in Breinigsville and the vineyard in Robesonia. Seniors save an additional 10% on wine purchases. Must have a valid ID. Vintage is always cool!

Yoga in the Vineyard
Breinigsville, PA
Sunday, August 21; 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. - $5 per person
Join yoga instructor Jacque Porterfield (from Lehigh Valley Yoga~ www.lvyoga.com) for an intro to Ashtanga yoga class. Beginners are welcome, but please bring your own mat (if you have one) and water. This class will be rain or shine. Reserve your space on Clover Hill's Facebook page.

Public Tour
Breinigsville, PA
Monday, August 22 at 2 p.m.; tickets required - $12 per person, free for under 21
Join Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery for an afternoon of wine tasting, vineyard and winery touring. Enjoy a 1 1/2 hour journey as we explore how we make wine from the grape to the glass. Reservations are required; minors are free. Handicap accessible. For tickets and reservations, please call 610-395-2468.

Specials and upcoming June events at Clover Hill Vineyards

Owner's Selection for June
Pinot Grigio is the quintessential summer sipper. This crisp, dry white wine is packed with citrus flavors like pink grapefruit and lemon.  Best served chilled with shellfish and fresh garden salads.  One of our favorite pairing is Pinot Grigio with littlenecks steamed on the grill and served with a lemon, garlic, butter sauce.

Enjoy a 10% discount on Pinot Grigio the entire month of June! Receive a 20% discount on the Owner's Selection when included with case purchases.


UPCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday is Senior Day at The Winery in Breinigsville
Don't forget - every Tuesday is Senior Day at the Winery in Breinigsville. Seniors save an additional 10% on wine purchases. Must have a valid ID. Vintage is always cool!

Public Tour in Breinigsville - Tickets required - $12 per person; free for under 21

• Saturday, July 16, 2011 at 12pm & 2pm
• Monday, July 18, 2011 at 2pm
• Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 12pm & 2pm
• Monday, August 22, 2011 at 2pm

Join Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery for an afternoon of wine tasting, vineyard and winery touring. Enjoy a 1 & 1/2 hour journey as we explore how we make wine from the grape to the glass. Reservations are required; minors are free. Handicap accessible. For tickets and reservations, please call 610-395-2468. 

Music & Tapas - Breinigsville
June 18 from noon-5 pm
Join us for a relaxing afternoon on the patio with good wine, food and music. Chef Nathan Grube will be on the grill offering tapas style plates for $6 per plate. Sip your wine while listening to the smooth sounds of Margaret and Randy Ritter live on the patio. Reservations are suggested for tapas. There is no charge for the music. Please, no outside alcohol and no pets. For reservations call 610.395.2468.

Saturday 6 Pack Sale - June 18 at ALL CLOVER HILL LOCATIONS
Stock up for summer with our 6 Pack Sale Saturday, June 18 only. Visit any Clover Hill location and receive a 10% discount on 6 bottles or more and a 20% discount on 12 bottles or more! You will also receive a free six bottle carrying tote. Stock up for summer!

Clover Hill Night at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center, Breinigsville 
June 24 - 5:30 pm the track opens; 7:30 pm the racing starts!

Clover Hill Winery is proud to be the official wine at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center. On June 24, we will be at the Cycling Center doing a mini wine tasting all evening long. We will also have a raffle to enter and prizes to win if you stop by our table! Enjoy a night at the races with a glass of wine in your hand. For more information on the Valley Preferred Cycling Center please visit www.thevelodrome.com. Whenever you are there to watch the racing you can have a glass of Clover Hill wine!

Wine in Bloom is THIS WEEKEND!

The eight wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail will present a new event called Wine in Bloom this weekend Saturday, May 21 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Sunday, May 22 from noon – 5 p.m. It will be a fun and educational event that celebrates bud break on the vines and the growing season. 

Wine in Bloom also highlights the importance that terroir (soil) plays in the development of the grapes, their flavor and the resulting taste of the wine, and stresses the importance of the A.V.A. designation (American Viticultural Area) in further legitimizing the Lehigh Valley for wine making. Each winery will offer its own variety of activities, from vineyard tours and food and wine pairings, to live entertainment and even a scavenger hunt.

•    Amore Winery in Nazareth will celebrate Wine in Bloom with a Strawberry Festival featuring strawberry wine paired with a variety of mild cheese, mixed white chocolate treats, and assorted strawberry deserts.

•    Big Creek Winery in Kresgeville will be pairing their dry white Seyval with corn chowder a' la Seyve Villard.

•    Blue Mountain Winery in New Tripoli is sampling a selection of our wines paired with gourmet cheeses to compliment them. Visitors can also show off their singing talents at the first ever Rob-aoke, live karaoke with Rob on Saturday from 1-4 p.m. playing guitar and backing up any willing participants that have a favorite song they’d like to showcase. Sunday is Sangria Sunday from 2-5 p.m., with live entertainment by Leechboy. Admission is $5.

•    Clover Hill Vineyards in Breinigsville will be hosting their annual scavenger hunt.  Check in any time during the day in the tasting room they we will set visitors up with the scavenger hunt details. Whoever finishes the hunt with the correct answers gets a prize. 

•    Franklin Hill Vineyards in Bangor will offer tastings and tours of their facility, as well as music on the deck. Cheese plates from Klein's Farm will be available for purchase, and guests are welcome to walk around the vineyards and see how the vines have developed for the new vintage. There will also be specials.

•    Galen Glen Winery in Andreas will be sampling the new Berry Pom-A- Rita Wine Slushy. All natural with the tart, sweet flavor of pomegranate and blueberry blended with wine and ice. See the vineyard in bloom on tractor & wagon tours of the vineyard and wine cellar. Free tours depart at 1, 2, 3 & 4 p.m.

•    Pinnacle Ridge Winery celebrates with free tours of their estate vineyard. Tours will depart on the hour from 1 - 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Along with their regular wine tastings, they’ll also be pairing asparagus baked in phyllo dough and the 2010 Riesling using asparagus freshly harvested from the Pinnacle Ridge family garden. Sunday kicks off the summer 2011 season Sunday Jazz with Skip Moyer from 3 to 6 p.m. $5 cover charge.

•    Vynecrest Winery in Breinigsville will continue their 2011 Winemaker Tour series on Saturday at 1 p.m. for $5 per person. This tour is titled "Bud Break." Reservations are suggested. In addition, they will feature Art's Acoustic Oldies in the Vyneskeller from 1-4:30 p.m. - no cover charge.

Vynecrest introduces vineyard tour program "Follow the Grape"

Ever wanted to learn how a vineyard grows and what it takes to successfully grow grapes and turn them into award-winning wines?

Vynecrest Winery is introducing a tour program to "FOLLOW THE GRAPE." The tour highlights the different stages in the grape development throughout the season. Come out and watch the vines as they move towards harvest:

•    Saturday, April 16 - Vine Pruning
•    Saturday, May 21 - Bud Burst
•    Saturday,  June 25  - Cluster Thinning
•    Saturday,  August 6 - Verasion Ripening Time
•    Saturday, September 10 - Harvest

All tours begin in the vineyard at 1 p.m., go through the Wine Cellar and end up in the Tasting Room. The cost of each tour is $5 per person and reservations are suggested.

Vynecrest is open 7 days a week, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Call 610-398-7525 for more information.

Lehigh Valley Wine Trail 2011 Calendar of Events

We've set the date for our 2011 special events and wanted to share all of them with you so that you can mark your calendars and plan to join us. All events are free of charge and take place at all nine of our wineries unless otherwise noted below.

March Madness - weekends in March. Also known as Passport Weekends.
March 5 & 6, 12 & 13, 19 & 20, and 26 & 27. A passport is required to experience this event. You can purchase them for $30 prior to 12/31/10 or for $35 starting 1/1/11. A limited supply of passports is available at our nine wineries.


Wine in Bloom - this new event will feature some of the educational components from this year's AVA Weekend, but will also celebrate spring, the warm weather and the bud break taking place around that time of year.
May 21 & 22

Wine on the Mountain at Penn's Peak in Jim Thorpe, Pa. All nine of our wineries in one place!
July 23 & 24
This is a ticketed event.

Harvest Weekend - enjoy the fall harvest season and warm weather at our wineries.
September 10 & 11

Chambourcin Weekend - celebrating the official wine grape of the Lehigh Valley.
October 15 & 16

Nouveau Weekend - your first chance to taste the newest vintage from the recent fall harvest.
November 19 & 20

While visiting our wineries this holiday season, be sure to ask for your free 2011 Events Calendar magnet. Then hang it on your refrigerator and reference it throughout the year.

What's going on at Cherry Valley Vineyards this fall

Take a trip to the Poconos this fall to visit Mary and Dominic Sorrenti at Cherry Valley Vineyards in Saylorsburg. Here's what they have planned at their winery this fall:

Live Music Sundays: Come and enjoy free music at the winery each Sunday throughout the summer. From 1-5 pm in our pavilion, we will feature live acoustic, jazz, and folk musicians as well as fresh sangria and snacks. See you there!

Murder Mystery Dinner: September 18, from 6 - 10 pm. The “Sit-In” Murders is the theme of this fun and spooky event here at Cherry Valley - the Poconos most haunted winery!  The year is 1972 and the place is Fumaunch University. The students are about to launch a protest against Dean Hugh Ryders and the administration. The Dean has expelled student Byron Gedwan for calling in a bomb threat to the administation offices, but the students are sure that he has been framed.

Can Professor Dustin DeWine mediate a compromise between the students and the college? You might be an administration officer, a student, a town official, or a professor. And you ma be a victim or a suspect (should something bad happen to someone). Come on our and have some laughs while solving a tie-dyed, bell-bottomed mystery!

The event will spread all over the grounds and dinner guests will be able to participate in either an active (speaking) or passive role as they hurry to figure out the mystery. Tickets are $45 and include a full buffet prepared by Mary Sorrenti as well as soft drinks, wine and/or beer. The grooviest sixties costume wins a prize! Call us or visit the Murder Mystery Website for more details.


The Lost Ramblers: Formed back in 1978, the Ramblers are one of the best known folk/bluegrass bands in the Poconos. Known for their fun, high-energy performances and eclectic mix of polka, celtic, and jazz tunes, the band is sure to put on a great performance in our pavilion at Cherry Valley. Come down on Saturday, October 2 from 1-5 pm to listen, dance, drink sangria, and enjoy small hot plates from our kitchen. The $7 cover charge includes a glass of sangria or wine ($5 value), so this day won’t hurt your pocket.

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.