Lehigh Valley Wine Trail to be featured on "Arts in the Valley" TV program

Earlier today, Elaine Pivinski (left, above) from Franklin Hill Winery in Bangor and Vickie Greff (center, above) from Blue Mountain Winery in New Tripoli taped an upcoming segment of the local TV program "Arts in the Valley."

Produced by Bethlehem non-profit organization ArtsQuest, the show airs on channel 49 on RCN, Service Electric and Blue Ridge cable companies.

The winery owners were asked to speak to host Jon Lunger (right, above) about the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail and its upcoming event, Wine on the Mountain, July 24 & 25 at Penn's Peak in Jim Thorpe. They brought with them several bottles of wine for Jon to sample which he was ecstatic about.

The segment is expected to air on the program in late-June. Stay tuned to this blog, our Facebook fan page and Twitter account for the formal announcement of the air date.

Join Vynecrest for its first Chardonnay Weekend event

Vynecrest Winery in Breinigsville recently released their first vintage of oaked Chardonnay. They've also just released a very limited amount of unoaked or "naked" Chardonnay.

To celebrate, they've created Chardonnay Weekend on Saturday, June 5 & Sunday, June 6 from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. There will be tastings of both Chardonnays along with a food pairing of Lemon-Chardonnay Goat Cheese from StoneCroft Farms in Macungie. Both the oaked and naked Chardonnays will be available for purchase all weekend. Wine lovers can vote on which one they like best and be entered into to a raffle to win a free night's stay at the Hyatt Place Bethlehem.

StoneCroft Farms is a local producer of goat cheese and a fellow member of the Buy Fresh Buy Local initiative. Their cheese is sold locally in only a few choice restaurants and markets. So be sure to drop in to Vynecrest for samples and the opportunity to buy some Lemon-Chardonnay, Dill and Garlic-Chive StoneCroft Farms cheese and the two Vynecrest Chardonnay wines.

There will also be live music in the Vyneskeller Wine Bar from 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. both days. On Saturday is Arianne Rox and on Sunday is Art Tartara.

Chardonnay Weekend is free to attend and open to the public. For directions and more information, visit www.vynecrest.com or call 610-398-7525.

Clover Hill's Wine & Tappas with Music on the Patio

On Sunday, May 30 and Saturday, June 5 from 2 - 4:30 p.m., join Clover Hill Winery in Breinigsville for "Wine & Tappas with Music on the Patio." These free concerts feature the sounds of Margaret and Randy Ritter live on the patio.

Seasonal tapas plates will be available for purchase as will wine by the glass or by the bottle to enjoy on the property.

Tapas Menu - May 30:
- Asian Spring Rolls with Sweet Chili Sauce
- Warm Seasonal Vegetable Burrito with Green Chili Salsa
Tappas Menu - June 5:
- Grilled Trio of Kabobs made with local meats and seasonal vegetables.

If you are interested in tapas please send us a reservation email since supplies are limited  - info@cloverhillwinery.com. Become their fan on Facebook.

Stay connected with us, and our member wineries, on Facebook!

By now you probably know that we, the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail, have a fan page on Facebook where you can connect with us on a regular basis.We just surpassed 1,000 fans and couldn't be more pleased!

But did you also know that some of our member wineries also have fan pages or groups on Facebook? Here is where you can find them:

• Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery
• Pinnacle Ridge 
• Franklin Hill Vineyards
• Vynecrest
• Galen Glen Winery
• Blue Mountain Winery  

And don't forget to check us out on Twitter too!

BYOB in the Lehigh Valley

This post was written by guest blogger Sarah Troxell, co-owner of Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery in Andreas.

Every other month, I gather up the girls and head out for a night of gabbing, gossiping and good old fashioned giggling. Typically, we schedule our evening out early in the week, when restaurants are less busy and more inviting for small groups.

While we’ve tried various dining establishments with everything from belly dancing to hibachi, it’s the BYOBs that keep luring us back. Not only does BYOB make for a less expensive check, but it also allows everyone to bring a bottle of their newest find.

My gal pals come from all over the Lehigh Valley and often tote along bottles from their neighborhood winery. I like to bring our Vin Gris, it’s a crispy rosé blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Chambourcin and a splash in everyone’s glass starts the fun!

Here’s where we might be spotted next:

• The Mediterranean Café – Best gyros and arnabit (unusual fried cauliflower)
• Liu’s House – I now have Pad Thai cravings
• Paese Mio – Fried flounder that tasted like I was in NJ
• Cactus Blue – Rowdy spicy fun with a great waiter
• Antelao’s – Delaware Water Gap, far but worth the trip

We’re always looking to expand our list. We have one new must try, Bamboo, which is the latest establishment from Liu of Liu’s House. I look forward to hearing about your favorite recommendations for restaurants and Lehigh Valley wine selections. So gather up your group and get to it!