Time to roll

So why are you here? Hopefully to join me on my journey toward learning more about everything related to wine, from preparing the soil to growing the grapes to bottling and storage, and all that surrounds this equal mix of science and passion. I'd like to do that not only with my opinions and links to stories I see, but through interviews with those across the country who are involved in some form or fashion with wine. This area of Southcentral and Southeastern Pennsylvania is still in its infancy as a wine region, compared to Europe or Australia or the West Coast. Or even New York. But that makes it perfect as a case study, these more than 30 wineries that are within driving distance, from west of Gettysburg to west of Philly, north to Hershey and south across the Mason-Dixon Line into Maryland. I call it loosely as the 30 along 30; these are pioneers living in a broad area on either side of the Susquehanna River that is known for its fruit and corn and much less for wine. But it's early yet.

One winemaker in the region sees a thread pulled through all of these wineries: "I think Eric Miller at Chaddsford calls this area the Atlantic Uplands, or some such term." he wrote. "We are all more similar than different. Folks from I-76 south to Baltimore. And there are enough of us that will eventually reach a critical mass that determines a wine region with serious wines."