Easter dinner food and wine pairing recommendations

The owners of the nine family-owned and operated wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail understand how important the Easter meal is for gathering with family and friends, and offers the following food and wine pairing suggestions for this year’s dinner.

Amoré Vineyards & Winery, Nazareth - Pair Amore Pink Passion with ham, pork and sauerkraut or Rose Amore with baked ham. After dinner, relax with a glass of Rapport or Vidal Blanc dessert wines.

Big Creek Vineyard and Winery, Kresgeville - Their Vin di Pasqualina is a great all-around wine for traditional Easter dinners. Both sweet and dry wine fans will enjoy the glass-filling aroma of this semi-dry rose. It is a blend of three grapes, but the bouquet and character come from Niagara, an aromatic white grape that can stand a little chill and still deliver lots of flavor. It works as an aperitif, or with ham, turkey, or baked ziti.

Blue Mountain Vineyards, New Tripoli – Their 2013 Pinot Noir (a silver medal winner in this year’s Finger Lakes International Wine Competition) is a dry red wine with fruity and subtle earthy notes will compliment a glazed Easter ham. Their dry 2013 Riesling, non-oaked 2011 Chardonnay and semi-sweet 2013 White Merlot, with their balanced fruitiness and silky acidity, will also compliment the smoky flavor of ham.

Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville - Riesling is a great option for Easter ham and the winery produces a dry Generations Riesling and a semi-sweet Riesling. Try making a Holiday Ham Glaze with 1 cup of Clover Hill Holiday wine mixed with 1 cup of brown sugar. Blend ingredients, coat ham, and baste frequently.

Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor - They suggest a blush like Kiss with ham, and a complex red like Evanswood for prime rib. For dessert, make a Jelly-Bean-tini to pair with your cake and pies. Three days before Easter pour a bottle of Vidal Blanc in a container and put 2 tbsp. of white, pink and yellow jellybeans in it. Once the wine is infused with the sweetness, pour in a half-cup of vodka and enough Passion, Desire or Bliss wines to give it color. Separate your infusion and drop a jellybean in the bottom of the glass for garnish.

Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery, Andreas – Winery Owners Galen and Sarah recommend what they are serving at their own Easter celebration: their semi-dry Riesling with honey mustard glazed ham, their Stone Cellar Chambourcin with braised lamb shanks, and their Stone Cellar Vidal Blanc Ice Wine with cheesecake.

Pinnacle Ridge, Kutztown - Their Vidal Blanc is the perfect companion for traditional Easter fare. To make more of a splash, their Brut Rose sparkling wine would be a festive choice.

Tolino Vineyards, Bangor - Celebrate with your family by sharing a bottle of 2013 Vidal Blanc.  This dry white wine has a pineapple and tropical fruit body that goes great with ham and gives the meal a refreshing taste. For red wine lovers, pair Easter ham with their 2012 Cabernet Franc. The fruity notes pair well with the sweet glaze of the ham, and the subtle spice complements the seasoning of the meat. Their dessert wine, Sweet Frances, is the perfect after-dinner treat that boasts a mango, pineapple body with high acidity.

Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville – Pair their Dry Riesling with Easter ham, lamb, or turkey. It's a dry expression of Riesling with a tropical nose and bold, crisp, acidic finish. And it’s the Wine of the Month for April with 10% off the regular price of $12.99.

Cheesecake & Wine for a Cure - Sixth Annual American Cancer Society Fundraiser at Galen Glen

On Saturday, April 18, Dr. Rosalee Rehrig and her Relay for Life Team will join with the staff at Galen Glen Winery on their sixth annual fundraiser for The American Cancer Society.

From noon to 4 pm, the team will sell slices of home-made cheesecake. The event is open to the public and no reservations are required.

Galen Glen is proud to partner with The American Cancer Society and support the scientists who search for a cure by donating $1 per bottle of wine sold during this event.

Galen Glen Winery is located in the beautiful rolling hills of Andreas Pennsylvania. The vineyard is on the family's double-century farm and full of history. Plan to spend some time enjoying the exceptional views and a glass of award-winning wine with locally-made cheeses or pack some light fare.

The staff looks forward to meeting you and helping you create unforgettable memories during the year-long 20th Anniversary celebration at Galen Glen.

A springtime full of special events at Tolino Vineyards

Easter Bunny visits in a helicopter
April 4
 
From noon - 6 p.m. there will be crafts for the kids and a jelly bean and wine pairing for the adults with the purchase of a premier tasting. The bunny will arrive via helicopter around 3 pm and will stay for photos. Flying the helicopter is weather dependent, but the bunny and the wine and jelly bean pairing will still go on.

Second Anniversary Sale
April 11 and 12, noon - 6pm

Celebrate two fantastic years in business with us! All bottles will be 10% off  and cases will be 15% off. We will also offer a seasonal food pairing with the purchase of a premier tasting.



Love the Earth Weekend
April 18 and 19, noon - 6 pm

In honor of Earth Day we will offer pruning demonstrations on Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm and 4 pm in the vineyard in lieu of  our regular tours. A seasonal food pairing will be offered with the purchase of a premier tasting.

Saturday Music Series
May 2 through the fall

Join us for free music Saturdays. Listen to local artists from 1-3 pm while sipping wine and enjoying the view. Artists include Blue Hearts Revelry, Tom Vicario, Matt Wheeler, Mike Pilgemayer, Erin McClelland, Chris Cummings Trio, The Brummy Brothers, The Jayplayers and more. Sangria will be available, and often so will a food truck.

Flicksville Fermentation Company Release Party
May 23 and 24

Sample wines from our newly released second label named after our historic hometown. Try The 050, a sweet white, or Sunnyside, a sweet red. A food pairing will be available both days, and live music on Saturday.

May 9 and 10 ~ Mother's Day Weekend

Treat the Moms in your life to an afternoon filled with wine tastings, sangria, a tour of the vineyard, live music by Peshi and more. A cupcake pairing from Sweet Girlz Bakery in Easton will be available for $8 that includes tasting six wines, one cupcake, and an etched Tolino Vineyards wine glass to take home.

May 30 ~ First Yoga in the Vineyard with OM-azing Yoga  

From 11 am to noon join Jackie for 60 minutes of Yoga Flow (BYOM), followed by wine tasting. $30 per person. Check our website soon for more details and to make a reservation.

May 30 ~ Dinner in the Vines

We are partnering with DeFranco and Daughters Catering to bring you a family-style Italian meal in the vineyard. Bring your friends and family and dine like you are in Tuscany. $49.95 per person includes two glasses of wine, appetizers, dinner and dessert. Purchase tickets over the phone, in person, or online.

June 13 ~ Painting in the Tank Room

Sip wine and channel your inner Van Gogh. Tickets are $35 per person and include all art supplies, light snacks, and a glass of wine. Purchase tickets over the phone, in person, or online.

Build your team with Blue Mountain's new "Wine Blending" event

Blue Mountain's "Wine Blending" event is the perfect team builder for any group that relies on teamwork and communication to be successful. The key to a great blend is balance. Each varietal working together with each other's characteristics and strengths to make an interesting yet unified wine. Most teams work in much the same way, with diverse personalities coming together in a way that will produce the most beneficial results. During our events your team will work together in a fun, relaxed environment that will promote:

- Goal setting
- Role clarification
- Problem solving with a focus on intrapersonal communication
- Environment creation (creating an atmosphere where disagreements or issues are discussed in an open, positive and diplomatic manner.)

It starts with a brief tour of Blue Mountain - from the amazing views, to the tasting room, and of course the tank room, where the magic happens. The team building starts with an understanding of what exactly goes into the process of producing our signature blend, the Blue Heron Meritage.

After tasting each component available, groups of 3-5 are created to work together through discussion, tasting, and compromise to create their own signature blend. Everyone has a different palette so finding the balance that the entire group can agree on requires great communication, teamwork, and patience. We will discuss issues that came up and how each group was able to work through them. Then on to the grand finale. We will do a blind tasting of each blend and decide as a group who created the finest. These blending events provide a fun, new way of integrating your team and giving them tools that they will be sure to bring in to the workplace.

The event features leadership development and team building expert Ken Altenbach, founder of Team Building US.

When: Tuesday April 28 - 9:30 am until approx. 2:30 pm

Where: Blue Mountain Vineyards
7627 Grape Vine Drive
New Tripoli, Pa 18066

Cost: $24.50 per person includes tour, tasting, team building seminar, and a light lunch.
 
Can you work together to create the next great Blue Mountain wine?

Join Blue Mountain's Dallas Drummond and Team Building US's Ken Altenbach as they create an event that will be talked about in your office for a long time.

This event is geared towards providing you and your employees a new, fun, and relaxed way to improve workplace interactions and develop problem solving skills.

Click here to learn more.

Save on Chambourcin and Traminette this month at Vynecrest

The Lehigh Valley Wine Trail passport program is underway. No worries if you don't have a passport - we are still open to the public for sales and complimentary tastings. If you do have a passport, come on in, head downstairs to have your passport stamped and get your food and wine pairing.

To escape the weekend crowds, don't forget we are open every day until 5 pm and open until 5:30 pm on Fridays. Fresh croissants and baguettes are available Friday through Sunday. Stop in Friday after work to pick up some fresh bread, local cheese and local wine.

March Specials 
* Wine of the Month - Chambourcin, additional 10% off
* 3 Pack of the Month - 3 Traminette for $30.00

(available at winery only; 3 pack cannot be combined with other offers)

Upcoming Events

March 29

Jazz Sunday - live Jazz music in the Vyneskeller, 1 - 4 pm

April 4

Easter Saturday - live music with pianist Steve Myers, 1 - 4 pm

April 4 - Bear Creek Mountain Resort Spring Wine Festival

Join us on Saturday, April 4 for the Spring Wine Festival. Guests will enjoy wine and food samples and live jazz music from noon - 4 pm. Each guest will receive a commemorative wine tasting glass, event program, free samples, and have access to the wine check service. Tickets are $30 at the door or $25 online.

Glass Half Empty by John Landis

March! It’s the month when spirits rise as the earth awakens from the cold and snow of winter. It’s the month when we see many old friends that hit the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail for our Passport Program. It’s the month that grass turns green, grapes get pruned, our 2014 vintage wines start to find their way into bottles, and our patio fills with wine lovers enjoying the outdoors. It’s the month of March Madness Basketball, and the eternal hope of every baseball fan that this is the year for their team, and yes maybe we can start to wear shorts and t-shirts.