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Basignani Winery in Sparks, Md., is the one of the first regional wineries we felt comfortable enough to call it home. We've enjoyed their line of wines through the years and attended a number of events there, including three harvest days.
Sent an e-mail to owner Lynne Basignani on Wednesday about what's new at their winery, and received this note back today that I want to post.
We just bottled our new 2008 sweet wines, and in addition to our Riesling and Vidal, we have new sweet wines, a blush called "Monkton Moon Delight," with a beautiful painting on the label and a sweet red wine called "Marisa Dolce." We think that's pretty exciting, especially since we've been out of our sweet wines for 4 months! Also, we're having our "Swing into Spring" event, which is the official release of the new sweet wines on May 2-3rd.
The cost is $8 and includes a glass, wine tasting, hayrides (weather permitting) and desserts to go with our sweet wines. we also have a new brick oven, so you never know when you might come on a weekend and find pizza for sale. (People can always call to see if we are making pizza or not. Bert is quite the "pizzaiolo."
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The Wine Grapevine, April 16-19
Love this rematch that Chaddsford Winery is planning, although you've have to drive a bit to attend it. What they are calling the Virginia “Wine War” will take place again Sunday at Iron Bridge Wine Company in Warrenton, Va., on Sunday, what the participants are calling “the first North invades the South Winemaker Dinner.”
It will pit "Pennsylvania’s Best Winemaker” Eric Miller against some of Virginia’s finest in a rematch of last year's event, where the Southerners came out on top by a small margin. I asked Lee Miller for a short explanation of what this is all about. "Just a fun theme created by the restaurant/wine shop that is doing this," she wrote, " They are in VA and thought it would be fun to do a "north vs. south" event using us (PA) for the North and VA wines for the south. Just another way to get attention and have a fun wine night . . . and for us, a way to bring attention to east coast/local wines."
The cost to attend is $100/person, but that includes seven courses (including special dishes from Virginia and Pennsylvania) and 15 wines. You can reserve a spot by calling 540.349.9339.
More information on the event and the Iron Bridge Wine Company can be found at this link.
As for what's going on elsewhere around the region this week and next, take a look:
PENNSYLVANIA WINERIES
Adams County Winery, Orrtanna: Home wine-making class ($$), Sunday, May 10; concert series will begin July 4, link to winery
Allegro Vineyards, Brogue: Fridays’ Weekly Winedown ($$), 4 to 7 p.m.; Sweet & Spicy Saturdays ($$), 2 to 5 p.m.; Sip & Savor Sundays ($$), 2 to 5 p.m., all require reservations at 741.3072, all events at the Wine Gallery in Olde Tollgate Village; Women’s Wine & Unwind ($$), Saturday, May 9, 2 to 5 p.m., call 717.741.3072 to reserve a seat or a table by May 6, space is limited, link to winery
Blair Vineyards, Mertztown: Taste of Spring Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, a Berks County Wine Trail event, link to winery
Blue Mountain Vineyards & Cellars, New Tripoli: Sunday Blues Wine Tastings, music every Sunday ($$), 2 to 5 p.m.; 13th annual Candlelight Barrel Tasting, 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, 1 to 6 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. on Sunday; serving at Bear Creek Wine Festival, Sunday, May 3, 1 to 5 p.m., link to winery
Boyd’s Cardinal Hollow Winery, North Wales: North Wales Day, Saturday, May 16, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nina singing live, May 16, 5 to 8 p.m., link to winery
Chaddsford Winery, Chaddsford: Reserve tastings ($$) 1, 2:30 and 4 p.m. every Saturday; Wine 101 ($$), Thursday, 7 to 9 p.m. with Eric Miller, the first of a series of classes that run through May; next class is tonight (Thursday, April 23), The Terroir Factor ($$), with wine educator Frank Patterson, 7 to 9 p.m.; following one is BBQ & Burgers ($$), with wine educator Mike Thesis, Thursday, April 30, 7 to 9 p.m.; technical tour program, free, on Fridays at 3 p.m. and Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., reservations accepted; Spring Wine Tasting, Saturday, 7 to 9 p.m., free, but reservations required at 610.388..6221; “Wine Civil War” at Iron Bridge Wine Company in Warrington, Va., ($$), more info at this link; Brandywine River Blues Festival ($$), May 23-25, link to winery
Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville: Beginner tasting class ($$), Saturday, 3 p.m.; A Taste of Spring, a Berks County Wine Trail event, Saturday and Sunday; vineyard and winery tour ($$), Saturday, May 30; Day in the Vineyard ($$), at Clover Hill Winery, Saturday and Sunday, June 5-6, along with Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery and Pinnacle Ridge Winery, link to winery
Country Creek Winery, Salford Township: Live music with the Britton Brothers, Saturday, May 2, 6 to 9 p.m., no cover charge, 133 Cressman Road, Telford; Wine Tasting & Watercolors ($$), Tuesday, May 5, 7 :30 to 9:30 p.m., Arts-N-Sparks, Harleysville, link to winery
Crossing Vineyards & Winery, Washington Crossing: Wine 101 classes ($$) at the institute, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Monday, the next one will be Red Wine on April 27; Wine Tasting for Singles ($$), Friday, May 8, 7 p.m.; Wine Tasting for Dummies ($$), Sunday, May 17, 2 p.m., at the institute; Spring Winemaker’s Dinner ($$), Saturday, 7:30 p.m., five-course meal and wine pairing, information and reservations by calling 215.493.6500, ext.19; How Sweet It Is: Pairing Wine and Chocolate ($$), Sunday, 2 p.m.; Bucks County Wine Trail spring festival, May 2-3, link to winery
Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor: Free winery tour, Wednesdays at noon, link to winery
Galen Glen Vineyard and Winery, Andreas: Mother’s Day party, Sunday, May 10; spring tour of the vineyards and wineries, May 16-17, tours begin at 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m.; summer sipper, June 6-7, link to winery
Hauser Estate Winery, Biglerville: Candlelight Friday, last Friday of every month, 5 to 8 p.m., wine tasting, music and warm food, Reese Project Trio will perform on April 24; Ken Garrett book signing, Saturday, May 2; Italian Night ($$), Saturday, May 9, 5 to 8 p.m.; Mother’s Day at Hauser Estate ($$), limited seatings at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., food by Accomac Catering, link to winery
Kreutz Creek Vineyards, West Grove: Music at West Chester tasting room, 44 E. Gay St., Fridays and Saturdays, 6 to 9 p.m.; vineyard planning, volunteers welcome, Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with lunch and then wine afterward; serving at Longwood Garden Wine and Jazz Fest, Saturday, May 2 (see more below); bottling work day on Memorial Day, May 25, both days will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and include Carol’s famous Vineyard Burgers -- reservations for both are requested at 610.869.4412; grand reopening on Saturday, May 30, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., music and snacks from 2 to 5 p.m. along with giveaways and wine sales, link to winery
Long Trout Winery, Auburn: Taste of Spring Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, a Berks County Wine Trail event,; Hippie Day, Saturday, May 23; Hippie Hurler Disc Golf Tournament, Sunday, May 24, link to winery
Manatawny Creek Winery, Douglasville: Hours have changed to Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 6 p.m.; A Taste of Spring, Berks County Wine Trail event, Saturday and Sunday pairing with John J Jeffries Restaurant in Lancaster for an all-vegetarian dinner on Sunday, one of the monthly food pairings with regional wineries and brewries, call the restaurant to make reservations, link to winery
Marburg Estate, Spring Grove: Tasting room reopening 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 6, link to winery
Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery, Wrightsville: Music Fridays (6 to 9 p.m.), Saturdays (2 to 5 p.m.) and occasionally on Sundays (2 to 5 p.m.); Mother’s Day champagne brunch ($$), Sunday, May 10, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., call 717.252.9463 for reservations; jazz festival ($$), Saturday and Sunday, May 23-24, 2 to 10 p.m., link to winery
Naylor Wine Cellars, Stewartstown: Mason Dixon Trail event, April 25-26 and May 3-4; Margaritaville 2009 fund-raiser for Mason Dixon Public Library ($$), 5 to 11 p.m.; Grape Blossom Festival ($$), Sunday, June 7, noon to 6 p.m., link to winery
Nissley Vineyards & Wine Estate, Bainbridge: Will be pouring at one of the houses of a Time for Wine, a tour and taste of historic Marietta houses, Sunday, 4:40 to 7:30 p.m., enjoy wine or iced tea, delicious hors d'oeuvres, cheeses and appetizers in three of Marietta's lovely old homes. Your tour and taste will end with decadent deserts and coffee at the historic Union Meeting House, for reservations and tickets, please call Vivian Carroll at 717.426.1270, note the tour is limited to the first 100 reservations, to benefit the Marietta Restoration Associate's restoration of the Vesta Furnace Building, link to winery
Paradocx Vineyard, Landenberg: 2nd annual "Bud Break Bash," a celebration of the beginning of the grape growing season, Saturday, May 9, noon to 8 p.m. Only cost is $5 for the wine tastings. Will also include music from The Acoustic Groove Project, wine tastings, cheese samples, hayrides, winery tours, and tours of the vineyard (the bonfire will be held from 6 to 7 p.m.; Mother’s Day Afternoon at the Vineyard, Sunday, May 10, will include Paradocx wine, cheese tastings, and a spread of scones & croissants, as well as famous apple cider doughnuts from nearby Northbrook Marketplace (in West Chester). Each adult guest will receive a complimentary Paradocx engraved Riedel wine glass, and a certificate for a complimentary glass of wine at either Bistro on the Brandywine (Chaddsford, Pa.) or Blue Crab Grill (Newark, Del.) to enjoy during their Mother’s Day lunch or dinner. Lunch and dinner reservations should be made directly with the restaurants. You can book at noon, 1:30 or 3 p.m. by calling 610.255.5684, link to winery
Pinnacle Ridge Winery, Kutztown: Taste of Spring, Berks County Wine Trail event, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Day in the Vineyard ($$), at Clover Hill Winery, Saturday and Sunday, June 6-7, along with Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery, link to winery
Reid’s Ochards & Winery, Ortanna: New winery; call 717.677.7047 for more information.Rushland Ridge, Rushland: Reopened, link to winery
Sand Castle Winery, Erwinna: Mother’s Day Brunch ($$), Sunday, May 10, 1 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Principles of Food and Wine ($$), a lecture and wine tasting, Wednesday, May 13, 6 to 8 p.m. Interested parties should make a reservation with Sheri Simond via email at Philadelphia@eurocircle.com, link to winery
Tamanend Winery, Lancaster: Open Thursdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m., classically styled premium wines in their bottled wine group, and premium sweeter styled wines in their Bag in Box group of wines, link to winery
Va La Vineyards, Avondale: Open Thursdays and Fridays, noon to 5:30 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 6 p.m.; 2006 Patina being released in April, link to winery
Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville: May Day Saturday, May 2; Pinot Weekend, May 16-17; Day in the Vineyard ($$), at Clover Hill Winery, Saturday and Sunday, June 5-6, along with Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery, link to winery
Waltz Vineyards, Manheim: New winery, open Thursdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m., and by appointment; Cherry Tree Merlot has been released, two-bottle purchase limit, link to winery
Wycombe Vineyard & Winery, Furlong: Reopened for 2009 season; noon to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays, link to winery
MARYLAND WINERIES
Basignani Winery, Sparks: Swing Into Spring ($$), Saturday and Sunday, May 2-3, noon to 5 p.m., link to winery
Black Ankle Winery, Mt. Airy: Winner of Maryland Governor’s Cup in 2008; Friday Night Flights, 5 to 7 p.m., beginning tomorrow (April 17); back on summer hours: Wednesdays to Fridays, noon to 5 p.m., Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m., Sundays, noon to 5 p.m., link to winery
Boordy Vineyards, Hydes: Reds, Whites and Bluegrass ($$), wine and music, Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m.; Queen for a Day, Mother’s Day picnic ($$), May 9-10, winery link
Frederick Cellars, Frederick: Happy Hour, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. every weekday, glasses are half-price; Music in the Cellar, every Friday and Saturday in April, 7 p.m.; looking for volunteers for Wine in the Woods in May, signup is first come, first serve, link to winery
Serpent Ridge, Westminster: New winery, tasting room now open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Maggie's Restaurant in Westminster will be hosting a wine dinner on Tuesday, May 5, highlighting Serpent Ridge wine. Call Maggie's (410.876.6868) for more information or to make reservations.
Sugarloaf Mountain, Dickerson: Friday Flights ($$) is every Friday from 2 to 4 p.m., which consist of 3 half glasses of SMV wine, each paired with an appropriate cheese, fruit or chocolate, reservations at 301.605.0130; Mothers Day Weekend, May 9-10, noon to 6 p.m., mothers will receive complimentary tastings of selected SMV wine and enjoy classic rock by Denny Grizzle, link to winery
Woodhall Wine Cellars, Parkton: Patricia Della Casual Fine Dining on location, will be serving dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and lunch, call 410.357.5078 for reservations, link to winery
Other MARYLAND winery events can be found at this link, VIRGINIA events at this link and New York events at this link
WINE TRAIL EVENTS AND FESTIVALS
A Taste of Spring, annual celebration of Berks County Wine Trail, which will be celebrating its fifth anniversary, April 25-26, with wine and food pairings, wineries include Bashore & Stoudt, Blair, Calvaresi, Clover Hill, Kog Hill, Long Trout, Manatawny Creek and Pinnacle Ridge, link to trail Web site
Mason Dixon Wine Trail Spring Event, April 25-26 and May 2-3, Travel the trail between the 8 wineries on the Mason Dixon Wine Trail and collect a different herb to plant in your garden and a recipe card using the eight different herbs. The event is open to new and existing wine trail members free of charge. Wineries include Adams County, Allegro, Naylor and Seven Valleys in Pennsylvania, and Basignani, Boordy, Fiore, and Woodhall in Maryland, link to trail Web site
Pittsburgh Wine Festival ($$$$), Heinz Field, Thursday, April 30, benefits Univ. of Pittsburgh Medical Center, info at this link or 412.281.2681
Wine Festival in Hershey ($$$), Friday, May 1, Giant Center, benefits Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital, info at this link or 717.534.3911
Philadelphia Wine Festival 2009 ($$$$), Saturday, May 2, Marriott Philadelphia Downtown, 1201 Market St., info at this link or 215.279.8313
Third annual Longwood Gardens Wine and Jazz Fest ($$), Saturday, May 2, wine and jazz, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and jazz concert featuring pianist McCoy Tyner, 7:30 p.m., For ticket prices, etc., please go to this link
Bear Creek Wine Festival, Bear Creek Mountain Recort, Lake Macungie, Pa., Sunday, May 3, 1 to 5 p.m., info at this link
Margaritaville 2009 ($$), to benefit Mason-Dixon Public Library, Naylor Wine Cellars, Stewartstown, Saturday, May 9, 5 to 1 p.m., rain or shine, must be 21 or over to enter, For tickets contact Mason-Dixon Public Library, 250 Bailey Drive, Stewartstown, PA 17363, 717.993.2404Wine in the Woods Wine Festival ($$), Columbia, Md., Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, noon to 6 p.m. each day, link to festival Web site
Bucks County Wine Tour ($$), Sunday May 30, 8 participating wine venues with food partners:
Buckingham Valley Vineyards - None Such Fard
Chaddsford Wine Shop - Earl's Prime Restaurant
Crossing Vineyards - Jamie Hollander Catering
New Hope Winery - Bobby Simone's Restaurant
Rose Bank Winery - Market by Shadybrook at Delaware Valley College
Rushland Ridge Winery - Luigi's Italian Ristorante
Sand Castle Winery - DISH Catering
Wycombe Vineyards - Andre's Cheese Shop
An after event reception will be held at the Tuscany at the Towpath in New Hope at 18 W. Mechanic Street from 5 - 6:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce, Doylestwon Bookstore or at any participating wineries the day of the event. Link to trail Web site
CLASSES
Wine School of Philadelphia: Wine 201 ($$), Wednesday, May 6, 6 to 8 p.m.; Sommelier Smackdown ($$), Wednesday, May 6, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.; for information on these and others, contact Keith at 215.965.1514 x55 or go to the Web site
Bin 604, 604 S. Exter St., Baltimore: Wine 101: The Basics of Wine Tasting ($$), class on April 25 (also May 9 and May 23), at 2 and 3:30 p.m., classes limited to 12 people, they look at the typical characteristics of popular grape varietals and explain the terminology and techniques of wine tasting and learn how to recognize the subtle and subjective flavors of wine; Alain Blanchon portfolio tasting ($$), Thursday night, April 30; Spanish wine and cheese tasting with Whole Foods Market ($$), Wednesday night, May 6; Call 410.576.0444 for information and reservations, link here to Web site
RESTAURANTS
John J. Jeffries, 300 Lancaster Ave., Lancaster: Happy Hour Revival, Friday, 4 to 6 p.m., Wine by the Glass: $5, Organic Cosmos: $4, Local Drafts: $3, Straub Light Bottles: $2; appearance of Octavia on May 1 will kick off Happy Hour on the Terrace promotion; wine and food dinner with Manatawny Creek Winery ($$) on Sunday, call the restaurant for reservations at 717.431.3307; SSBN fund-raiser with blues, brews and BBQ ($$), Sunday, May 3, noon to 4 p.m., link to restaurant
$$ – Fee
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Jeffries, Manatawny Creek menus announced
Wrote a few days ago about the vegetarian food-and-wine-pairing scheduled to take place this Sunday at John J. Jeffries Restaurant, located in the Lancaster Arts Hotel. It's about as good a deal as there is out there for a food-and-wine pairing; the cost is $52 per person, including tax and gratuity.
The restaurant for the first time will be serving the wines of Manatawny Creek, a 90-acre family winery located in Douglassville, Pa. Here's the menu for the evening.
Food -- Wine
Chilled Watercress Soup -- Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Wine
Quinoa Poke Salad -- Vidal
Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Portabella with Grilled Asparagus -- Cabernet Franc
Rhubarb Crisp with Cinnamon Ice Cream -- Port
The meal will begin at 6 p.m. For reservations, call 717.431.3307.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Terrapin, Kreutz Creek both plan vineyard days
Saw where a couple of regional wineries will hold vineyard days in the next couple of weeks. Terrapin Station Winery near Elkton, Md., in Cecil County, will be planting vines on Sunday, May 3. As they noted in their e-letter, the holes are already dug, so they just need to get the vines in the ground plus add stakes and shelters. If you have a desire to "get down and dirty" in the vineyard, send a note to volunteer@terrapinstationwinery.com to let them know if you can come help.
Meanwhile, more than a week earlier, Jim and Carole Kirkpatrick will welcome volunteers to assist in their vineyard day this Saturday, April 25, at Kreutz Creek Winery in West Grove, Pa. They will be planting several rows of Vidal Blanc and Petit Verdot. They're expecting the vines to arrive April 23, so those will have to go in the ground Saturday rain or shine. Fortunately, for them and anyone expecting to drop in to help, the long-range forecast calls for perfect weather to do anything, including planting vines, with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid to high 70s.
Carole said by phone the other day that they've been holding their vineyard days and other related "workdays" since they began; indeed, she said that's how the first vineyard got planted. It's a 9 to 5 day, with a break for lunch as Carol cooks up her famous vineyard burgers. Once they get everything planted later on in the afternoon, everyone can sit and relax and enjoy some wine.
These vines will replace, among other things, the winery's former award-winning Gewurztraminer. "Just every year we lost more and more and more of it, where I think we ended up with [only] eight or 12 cases the last time we made it," Carole said. "So we pulled it out. We’re over it." Take awhile to get over the disappointment, she was asked? "You know, it wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't something that Jim really excelled in making. But there's nothing you can do. You can't keep wasting money trying to spray them and take care of them for a couple of cases."
They've had as many as 35 for vineyard day and the other events they've held on various weekends and holidays, although some openings remain for this weekend's planting. Anyone who attends should dress for the weather and dress to get dirty; there's no hiding from either. Carole said they are planning a bottling day on Memorial Day with the same schedule and enticements (burgers and wine). They are also scheduling "workdays" in June and July, and of course everyone's invited in the fall to assist with harvest.
Carole said she jokes with visitors to the tasting room about the opportunities. "There are wineries in California where people pay to come and work for the weekend. So I always tease people: [You know], other people pay to do this," she said, starting to laugh. "We're letting you do this."
Monday, April 20, 2009
On reviews and Parker and valuable insight
Always hate an interview sitting for more than a couple of days, but this one with Pennsylvania wine grape educator Mark Chien is already beginning to age. We probably talked a week and a half ago. I read his most recent e-letter, which was part rant and part advice:
"Robert M Parker Jr and Us - I often use the phrase "wine growing" which is growing grapes specifically for wine. It can apply to any wine from sweet Concord to the driest red vinifera. The goal is to grow a high quality grape that will make the best wine of its type. It is easy to get isolated and locked into a particular set of ideas or practices in the vineyard. Ultimately, the wine is meant for someone to drink. Whether it is a quaffing wine or a cult wine, it is probably a good idea to be aware and informed of those who will pass judgment on your end product, certainly a wine consumer but possibly a wine critic. Like it or not, wine criticism, like wine competitions, is part of the landscape of the commercial wine business. It's useful, sometimes even instructive, to know what the pooh-bahs are thinking and saying about wine. I encourage all wine growers to taste benchmarks of the wines they make with no exceptions. The range is from 2 Buck Chuck to $50 reds. Someone out there is judging what you do relative to the competition and it only makes good business sense to know where you stand relative to others in the same type and class. Robert M Parker Jr is the most influential wine critic in the world. I rarely agree with what he says and cannot bear his bombastic, overbearing and confrontational style of prose, but like it or not, his opinion matters to all of us in the wine biz, even the smallest winery in the woods. Not that every customer reads Parker but the range of his experience and knowledge can help us to become better wine growers. His recently released 7th edition of the Wine Buyers Guide is good for a door stop but doubles as a very informative guide into the qualitative variables that produce the best wines in the best wine regions. I skip the individual winery notes and go right into the regional guides that describe some production practices that might offer a few tidbits of useful information to a dedicated wine grower in Pennsylvania. It is well worth reading for that information."
The few e-letters from Chien that I’ve had the chance to read have been a blend of information and opinion. He said the latter can often be a problem because people will read it and think it’s the official stance of his department or the state or Penn State, when it’s simply the perspective coming from someone who’s passionate about wine and wine-making and likes to share those opinions. It would be a shame if that part of Chien's contribution to these e-letters ever disappeared.
Talking more specifically about Parker and his guide, Chien told me that the information one can glean if they read around the personal commentary can be quite valuable.
“For anyone who’s really trying to make good wine,” he said, “the thing about Parker is that over the years . . . he has absorbed a tremendous amount about how the best winemakers are making wine, and if you read his words carefully you can learn an awful lot about it.
“I’m not saying that he’s a viticulturist or an enologist by any stretch, but . . . in a way his view is very useful because he’s not formally trained as many people in this industry are not, and he takes that information and he tries to connect dots based on his experience. . . . as much as maybe like myself doesn’t like Parker or even agree with him . . . you have to understand him because so much of the wine-consuming world considers him so important. From that standpoint, whether you like him or not, he’s an important part of your business if you’re trying to service that end of the wine spectrum.”
We talked about how so few people are reviewing wines in this region at the present; Chien was talking specifically about Pennsylvania but you could say the same about Maryland wines as well. He noted that in general the country’s primary wine reviewers wouldn’t even know where to go to taste wines in Pennsylvania. “If they just took a dart board of the wine map of Pennsylvania and threw darts at it and went around and tasted those wines, chances are they’d come away with a very bad experience,” Chien said. “But, you know, the same thing would happen if they did that for Burgundy. So they know who to cherry-pick in Burgundy and Australia and California, but they don’t know who to cherry-pick in our area, and unless they’re willing to make the effort to try and find out, chances are they are going to get a lot of 70 and 80 wines instead of high 80s and low 90s wines, which is what all of us want them to find.
"It’s a learning experience for al of us. We have to take the time to educate them and at the same time while we’re sort of educating ourselves and making better wines.”
Sugarloaf architecture to appear in display
Looping in these notes from Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyards, located on the border of Montgomery and Frederick counties.
The SMV Winery architecture will be featured in the exhibition “Pitch Perfect: Design Excellence in the Region” to be held at the Virginia Center for Architecture in Richmond, Va. The exhibition is sponsored by the VA Society of the American Institute of Architects and will feature winners of the regional 2008 Awards for Excellence in Architecture. Between 2007 and 2008, five separate awards from AIA’s area chapters have been bestowed on SMV’s winery and its architects, Cunningham and Quill PLLC. The awards include two 2008 Awards of Excellence. The exhibit opens April 30, 2009 and will be on display through the summer. For information about the Virginia Center for Architecture, visit www.virginiaarchitecture.org.
Our popular Pinot Grigio has been released and is available now at our tasting room. A favorite of our customers, the '08 Pinot Grigio has a bouquet of melon and apple with hints of tropical fruit. The flavor is of citrus and honey and the finish is crisp with hints of lemon and blossom. The Pinot Grigio pairs well with summer salads, roasted chicken and light cheeses or can be enjoyed on its own. It is $18/bottle.
SMV has completed its '09 spring bottling. Over 4,000 cases of SMV wine were bottled at the winery this spring. During the third week of April, Circe, Comus Reserve, Cabernet Franc Reserve and Cabernet Sauvignon were bottled. Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard expects to release the wines later this summer. Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Stomp were bottled in mid-March; as noted above, the Pinot Grigio is now available and the Chardonnay and Stomp will be released in May.
(Editor's note: You'll find this invitation on a number of Web site of Maryland wineries as festival season approaches) Join the SMV Festival Team! We welcome you to become part of the Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard Festival Team, a smart, attractive and fun group to work with! Our volunteers receive free admission and tastings of wine, a free wine glass and a complimentary bottle of SMV wine. Training is provided. For more information, contact lisa@smvwinery.com.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Blair, Berks wineries cooking up big weekend
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Blair Vineyards in Mertztown, Pa., yesterday distributed a shout-out to those on its e-letter list about next week's second annual Berks Country Wine Trail's Taste of Spring. All eight members of the trail will pair up with culinary arts students from Reading Area Community College to produce tasty treats using local ingredients. You can find those pairings on the wine trail's Web site. Blair Vineyards will be featuring its Enlightenment with mushroom caviar and its 2007 Pinot Gris with spring vegetable dip. The event is free and, as is similar with all the wineries on the trail, there are no tasting fees. You just need to be 21 to attend. For more info, contact the winery at 610.682.0075 or Missy Blair at missy@blairvineyards.com.
Blair Vineyards in Mertztown, Pa., yesterday distributed a shout-out to those on its e-letter list about next week's second annual Berks Country Wine Trail's Taste of Spring. All eight members of the trail will pair up with culinary arts students from Reading Area Community College to produce tasty treats using local ingredients. You can find those pairings on the wine trail's Web site. Blair Vineyards will be featuring its Enlightenment with mushroom caviar and its 2007 Pinot Gris with spring vegetable dip. The event is free and, as is similar with all the wineries on the trail, there are no tasting fees. You just need to be 21 to attend. For more info, contact the winery at 610.682.0075 or Missy Blair at missy@blairvineyards.com.
Lot of rattlin' going on at Maryland winery
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Inside and outside the tasting room at Serpent Ridge, including a shot of Karen and Greg on day one of their new winery.
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It's rare that I actually get to visit a winery on "Opening Day," but had a chance yesteday to take the gorgeous drive through the farmland of southern Pennsylvania and northern Maryland and head to Serpent Ridge Vineyards, located south of Westminster not far from Route 97.
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Considering that owners Karen and Greg Lambrecht leaned on word of mouth, they had a good crowd milling around in the comfy tasting room and outside under the umbrellas at the picnic tables during the hour or more that we stayed and tasted.
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You can't ask for a prettier setting, with the tasting room sitting at the back end of a wooded lot, the 2 acres of grapes stretching up the hill to the top of the incline. All of Greg's white grapes are outsourced, with his vineyard yielding red grapes only.
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You never quite know what to expect with a new winery, but these wines all exhibited character and care. Could have taken any of them home, but wound up having a Grenache Rose and a bottle of Albarino popped into one of the reusable bags that they were sending home with customers who made any purchases. Sharp. Considering that a couple of weeks ago I lost a bottle that slipped through a tear in a plastic bag and splintered all over the garage surface, I was delighted to walk out with two bottles that would make it safely into our wine refrigerator.
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Tastings are $5 apiece for the five wines: the Rose ($14); Albarino ($22), a crisp, delightful white that I make time for amid a "red heavy diet" of wine; Seyval Blanc ($16); Basilisk ($26), a 60 percent Cab Franc-40 percent Cabernet Sauvignon that showed beautifully; and a Vintner's Cabernet ($34), essentially reversing the blend on the Basilisk. Greg said he gives both some extra brawn with a small percentage of Norton grapes. Greg, if I heard that wrong, drop me a line and I'll get it fixed pronto.
Tastings are $5 apiece for the five wines: the Rose ($14); Albarino ($22), a crisp, delightful white that I make time for amid a "red heavy diet" of wine; Seyval Blanc ($16); Basilisk ($26), a 60 percent Cab Franc-40 percent Cabernet Sauvignon that showed beautifully; and a Vintner's Cabernet ($34), essentially reversing the blend on the Basilisk. Greg said he gives both some extra brawn with a small percentage of Norton grapes. Greg, if I heard that wrong, drop me a line and I'll get it fixed pronto.
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All in all, it was a delightful afternoon amid what seemed to be a mix of strangers and many friends who came to see the tasting room and offer their congrats . . . and taste the goods. Greg said he still has work to do on a third building that will give some elbow room to the operation, but that work surely won't get done on weekends based on what we saw yesterday. Visiting hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
NY pitches Beverage Trail by Hall of Fame
Couple of notes off the New York Wine & Grape Foundation's e-letter. Have to spend some time reporting whether any other state does one with more frequency or more infromation. The author is executive director Jim Trezise.
WINE BOOK has a new meaning with the simultaneous release of a book and a wine, in this case commemorating the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s journey up the river that now bears his name. The Hudson River Valley Reader, edited by Edward Goodman and published by Cider Mill Press, is the perfect read with a glass of Hudson River Valley Red 2008, produced by the award-winning Hudson-Chatham Winery. This is the first time a wine has been licensed from a book, which combines the river’s history with excerpts from regional authors like Washington Irving and John Burroughs. The medium-bodied dry red wine is made from DeChaunac, Seyval Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grown in the Hudson River Region. The book cover and wine label both feature the famous “Hudson River Scene” painting by John Bunyon Bristol, courtesy of the Hudson River Museum. Hudson-Chatham Winery, located in Ghent, is Columbia County’s first winery, nestled between the Catskill and Berkshire mountains. Owners Carlo and Dominique DeVito produce several different wines as well as natural maple syrups under their Sugarmaker’s Reserve label. Commemorative bood-and-wine sets are available for $30 from the winery (518-392-2598, email info@hudsonchathamwinery.com.)
COOPERSTOWN BEVERAGE TRAIL is open for business, with a winery, a cidery and two breweries within 20 minutes of the Baseball Hall of Fame. An offshoot of wine trails created by legislation from Assembly Agriculture Committee Chair Bill Magee, the Cooperstown Beverage Trail has just released its new magazine (titled “Quench”) and rack card complementing a nice web site (www.cooperstownbeveragetrail.com). The trail includes Bear Pond Winery, Fly Creek Cider Mill, Cooperstown Brewing Company, and Brewery Ommegang. Recently, “Mallow Wine” from Fly Creek Cider Mill got a lot of publicity on Utica TV and many NBC affiliate stations including the Morning Show in New York City. On its opening day for 2009 celebrating the mill’s 153rd season, they harvested the soft white crop from mallow trees, transferred part of it into fermenters for mallow ice wine and the rest into small oak barrels for toasted mallow wine. The TV program provided live proof that marshmallows do grow on trees, but can only be harvested on April 1.
DIRECT WINE SALES to consumers grew 7% to over $3 billion in 2008, according to a survey just released by VinterActive (www.vinteractive.com), reflecting a mixture of positive and negative trends and a clear message that adapting to a changing market will be the key to survival. The survey involved more than 275 wineries from 36 states, and also showed some interesting variation in regional strengths and weaknesses. Within the overall 7% increase were 1% declines in both tasting room and winery event sales, 2% growth in phone orders, and major growth in other categories: direct mail 24%, online 26%, and wine club 28%. In other words, last year there was a noticeable shift from the face-to-face transactions at wineries to remote sales through the internet and other means. While this may very well have been attributable to record gas prices and the dismal economic outlook as the year went on, it’s also likely to become a long-term trend. The good news about tasting rooms last year is that while visitor counts declined, increased sales per visitor softened the negative impact. Of the wineries surveyed, average direct sales varied greatly from $99,000 for the smallest producers to over $7 million for the largest, with the relative importance of direct sales clearly linked to size: without them, smaller producers would not survive. While the economy was the major negative factor affecting tasting room sales, complex government regulations are by far still the major impediment to increased interstate shipment. (In other words, the strong growth is occurring despite burdensome government regulations, and could be increased by simplification—bringing the government more excise and sales taxes. You’d think that would be an incentive during this era of budget woes.) Over the years, an increasing number of wineries have come to use the internet for sales, with 92% having a web site, 70% a secure online store, 72% email marketing, 53% online wine club enrollment, and 14% with a computer kiosk in their tasting room. Direct sales to consumers represent only 10% of total U.S. wine sales (as opposed to those through the three-tier system), but is the most widely used sales method at wineries—with 99% selling directly, the average winery selling $1 million directly (55% of total case volume), and 59% expecting direct sales to be the fastest growth area this year. And despite lingering concerns about the economy, most wineries project continuing growth of 5% or more in direct sales.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Sand Castle blasts out some news
Couple of e-notes from Sand Castle Winery in Erwinna, Pa., a member of the Bucks County Wine Trail.
* It was selected by NBC in New York to represent Bucks County and Pennsylvania "as a producer of the fine wines and entertainment" for a show that aired April 11 in the Philly area and will air elsewhere across the country in the weeks to come.
* Its schedule includes appearances at a women's show in Harrisburg on May 1-3. See if I can't get more on that before the date. That schedule also includes pouring at the Longwood Gardens Wine and Jazz Fest on Saturday, May 2. The winery is asking for reservations by May 4 for its Mother's Day brunch at the winery on May 10, including an omelette station, home fries, orange juice, pastries and a glass of wine. Finally, it is planning to conduct a lecture on the principles of food and wine, along with a tasting, on Wednesday, May 13. The cost is $35/person and will run from 6 to 8 p.m. Anyone interested should make a reservation with Sheri Simond via email at Philadelphia@eurocircle.com.
Serpent Ridge ready to cut the ribbon
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News. News. News. Let's see. Haven't been able to catch up with Greg and Karen Lambrecht, who's Serpent Ridge Vineyards will open tomorow in Westminster, Md. It's the first one to open in that community and the newest to open in Carroll County. They are planning to be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days this weekend, and for the near future anyway. They're starting out with five wines, close to the average for any new winery that I've seen debut in this region. Those will range from a Vintner's Cabernet (blend of Cab Sauv and Cab Franc) to a what's become an accepted to an American Cabernet blend aged with American and French oak alternatives to a Rose to two whites, a Seyval Blanc and an Albariño.
I don't often just lift from another Web site's story, but the Association of Maryland Wineries that Dr. Kevin Atticks directs posted a feature on the couple recently in its e-letter. Let me run that to give you an introduction to the couple and the winery, and then try to get down there this weekend and gather some more details.
Famed Australian Max Schubert once said “The greatest wines have implanted in them the ideas of the winemaker as to what they should be. His character is part of the wine.” True to form, Greg Lambrecht produces structured yet innovative wines. Greg is the winemaker at Serpent Ridge Winery, which he owns with his wife Karen.
Over the past 22 years, Greg’s Coast Guard career kept him travelling. He spent some time in the Russian River Valley of California, and that is where his love for wine and the art of wine making blossomed. “The unbelievable vistas coupled with the wonderfully new experiences on my palate had me hooked.” Greg devoted as much time as he could to experience those wineries and to tasting wines.
It wasn’t until the mid 1990s that Greg and Karen began their small-scale winemaking. This lead to a love affair with the vines, the grapes, and the wines they produced. In their new passion, they found the perfect location on a beautiful 5+ acres, and named it Serpent Ridge due to the abundance of the reptiles found on the hill.
Greg compares the climate and its challenges similar to grape growing areas like Bordeaux, Northern Italy and Eastern Europe.
“Because we are blessed with this climate we can successfully produce many vinifera and hybrid varieties,” says Greg Lambrecht. “I use the word blessed because I do not consider our climate a negative but rather one of the influences that work to define the wonderful character of our wines.”
He is a firm believer that Maryland’s grapes offer wonderful varietal characteristics and earthy undertones. These are quite different from the more popular “big” reds from the West Coast, but Lambrecht poses the question “the characteristics of Maryland wines are derived from the regional differences offered by our climate. This 'regionality' is embraced in other parts of the world–why not here?”
Serpent Ridge consists currently of two acres of grapes, and this leads to a hands-on approach to wine making. Each vintage is made in small lots, and aged in stainless steel or new age oak. The bottles are sealed with a Zork, a relatively new and quite innovative approach to bottle closures. In regards to the debate of art versus science when wine making, Greg says this “At Serpent Ridge we allow the art of winemaking to be nudged by science if it decides to wander too far from our vision.”
Serpent Ridge officially opens in April. Look out for Serpent Ridge Albariño and two Cabernet blends, both influenced by Greg’s favorite varietals. Serpent Ridge will also be making a Pinot Grigio, Seyval-Blanc, and Ophion, a semi-sweet blush.
News. News. News. Let's see. Haven't been able to catch up with Greg and Karen Lambrecht, who's Serpent Ridge Vineyards will open tomorow in Westminster, Md. It's the first one to open in that community and the newest to open in Carroll County. They are planning to be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days this weekend, and for the near future anyway. They're starting out with five wines, close to the average for any new winery that I've seen debut in this region. Those will range from a Vintner's Cabernet (blend of Cab Sauv and Cab Franc) to a what's become an accepted to an American Cabernet blend aged with American and French oak alternatives to a Rose to two whites, a Seyval Blanc and an Albariño.
I don't often just lift from another Web site's story, but the Association of Maryland Wineries that Dr. Kevin Atticks directs posted a feature on the couple recently in its e-letter. Let me run that to give you an introduction to the couple and the winery, and then try to get down there this weekend and gather some more details.
Famed Australian Max Schubert once said “The greatest wines have implanted in them the ideas of the winemaker as to what they should be. His character is part of the wine.” True to form, Greg Lambrecht produces structured yet innovative wines. Greg is the winemaker at Serpent Ridge Winery, which he owns with his wife Karen.
Over the past 22 years, Greg’s Coast Guard career kept him travelling. He spent some time in the Russian River Valley of California, and that is where his love for wine and the art of wine making blossomed. “The unbelievable vistas coupled with the wonderfully new experiences on my palate had me hooked.” Greg devoted as much time as he could to experience those wineries and to tasting wines.
It wasn’t until the mid 1990s that Greg and Karen began their small-scale winemaking. This lead to a love affair with the vines, the grapes, and the wines they produced. In their new passion, they found the perfect location on a beautiful 5+ acres, and named it Serpent Ridge due to the abundance of the reptiles found on the hill.
Greg compares the climate and its challenges similar to grape growing areas like Bordeaux, Northern Italy and Eastern Europe.
“Because we are blessed with this climate we can successfully produce many vinifera and hybrid varieties,” says Greg Lambrecht. “I use the word blessed because I do not consider our climate a negative but rather one of the influences that work to define the wonderful character of our wines.”
He is a firm believer that Maryland’s grapes offer wonderful varietal characteristics and earthy undertones. These are quite different from the more popular “big” reds from the West Coast, but Lambrecht poses the question “the characteristics of Maryland wines are derived from the regional differences offered by our climate. This 'regionality' is embraced in other parts of the world–why not here?”
Serpent Ridge consists currently of two acres of grapes, and this leads to a hands-on approach to wine making. Each vintage is made in small lots, and aged in stainless steel or new age oak. The bottles are sealed with a Zork, a relatively new and quite innovative approach to bottle closures. In regards to the debate of art versus science when wine making, Greg says this “At Serpent Ridge we allow the art of winemaking to be nudged by science if it decides to wander too far from our vision.”
Serpent Ridge officially opens in April. Look out for Serpent Ridge Albariño and two Cabernet blends, both influenced by Greg’s favorite varietals. Serpent Ridge will also be making a Pinot Grigio, Seyval-Blanc, and Ophion, a semi-sweet blush.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The Event Grapevine: April 16-19
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One of the more noteworthy events planned this weekend is Vynecrest Vineyard and Winery’s 20th anniversary weekend, set for Saturday (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Sunday (1 a.m. to 5 p.m.). The winery, located in Breinigsville, Pa., is a member of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail.
Live music (jazz vocalist Kristin Grassi and jazz guitarist Andy Warren) will take place in the Vyneskeller both days, along with wine specials and the celebratory cutting of a birthday cake both days at 3. There will be a 20 percent discount and a free Vynecrest short for all cases purchased this weekend.
Vynecrest's vineyard is the oldest in Lehigh County, its roots dating back to 1974. The winery opened 15 years later. It's owned by John and Jan Landis. Their youngest son, Sam, began lending a hand with the operation in 2002. He's now president of the Pennsylvania Wine Association.
Jan said during a phone conversation last week that they hadn't even thought about opening a winery when that vineyard was first planted.
"The whole idea stemmed from my editing a book on living off the land," she said. "We were thinking of just having a vineyard, really, and having our own wine. John loved planting, so we kept planting." She stopped and laughed. "You can only drink so much. And we gave it away. I think a lot of us back then didn't really consider doing it full time. And then if somebody would have said our son would come in with us. That was another thing."
Their elder son Ben, by the way, is a women's soccer coach at Bucknell.
Jan said they have 15 acres planted; at least two more will go in this spring, including grapes that have been very successful (Chambourcin) and quite unsuccessful (Chardonnay) there. "Early on we had Chardonnay planted, and it would come within two or three weeks of harvest every year and we'd lose the whole crop, with humidity, or some problem," she said. "So we ripped it out, and John said ABC, anything but Chardonnay." But recent improvements in the durability and resistence of the grape have them trying once again, putting in a half-acre.
As for what’s going on elsewhere, both this weekend and beyond, take a look:
PENNSYLVANIA WINERIES
Adams County Winery, Orrtanna: Home wine-making class ($$), Sunday, May 10; concert series will begin July 4, link to winery
Allegro Vineyards, Brogue: Fridays’ Weekly Winedown ($$), 4 to 7 p.m.; Sweet & Spicy Saturdays ($$), 2 to 5 p.m.; Sip & Savor Sundays ($$), 2 to 5 p.m., all require reservations at 741.3072, all events at the Wine Gallery in Olde Tollgate Village; Women’s Wine & Unwind ($$), Saturday, May 9, 2 to 5 p.m., call 717.741.3072 to reserve a seat or a table by May 6, space is limited, link to winery
Blair Vineyards, Mertztown: Taste of Spring Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26, a Berks County Wine Trail event, link to winery
Blue Mountain Vineyards & Cellars, New Tripoli: Sunday Blues Wine Tastings, music every Sunday ($$), 2 to 5 p.m.; 13th annual Candlelight Barrel Tasting, 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, 1 to 6 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, link to winery
Boyd’s Cardinal Hollow Winery, North Wales: North Wales Day, Saturday, May 16, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nina singing live, May 16, 5 to 8 p.m., link to winery
Chaddsford Winery, Chaddsford: Reserve tastings ($$) 1, 2:30 and 4 p.m. every Saturday; Wine 101 ($$), Thursday, 7 to 9 p.m. with Eric Miller, the first of a series of classes that run through May; next class is tonight (Thursday, April 16), Decadent Chocolates and Dessert Wines($$), 7 to 9 p.m.; following one is Art of Blind Tasting: An Interactive Tasting ($$), with special guest Laurie Forster, Sunday, April 19, 2 to 4 p.m.; technical tour program, free, on Fridays at 3 p.m. and Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., reservations accepted, link to winery
Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville: Beginner tasting class ($$), Saturday, April 25, 3 p.m.; A Taste of Spring, a Berks County Wine Trail event, April 25-26; vineyard and winery tour ($$), Saturday, May 30; Day in the Vineyard ($$), at Clover Hill Winery, Saturday and Sunday, June 5-6, along with Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery and Pinnacle Ridge Winery, link to winery
Country Creek Winery, Salford Township: Music, Christine and Company, Saturday, 6 to 9 p.m., no cover charge, 133 Cressman Road, Telford, link to winery
Crossing Vineyards & Winery, Washington Crossing: Wine 101 classes ($$) at the institute, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Monday, the next one will be White Wine on April 20; Pairing Wine and Cheese ($$), tonight (Thursday, April 16), 7:30 p.m.; Wine Tasting for Singles ($$), Friday, April 17, 7 p.m.; Wine Tasting for Dummies ($$), Sunday, April 19, 2 p.m., at the institute; Spring Winemaker’s Dinner ($$), Saturday, April 25, 7:30 p.m., five-course meal and wine pairing, information and reservations by calling 215.493.6500, ext.19; How Sweet It Is: Pairing Wine and Chocolate ($$), Sunday, April 26, 2 p.m., link to winery
Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor: Free winery tour, Wednesdays at noon; St Paddy’s Day in April, Saturday, link to winery
Galen Glen Vineyard and Winery, Andreas: Mother’s Day party, Sunday, May 10; spring tour of the vineyards and wineries, May 16-17, tours begin at 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m.; summer sipper, June 6-7, link to winery
Hauser Estate Winery, Biglerville: Candlelight Friday, last Friday of every month, 5 to 8 p.m., wine tasting, music and warm food, Reese Project Trio will perform on April 24; Ken Garrett book signing, Saturday, May 2; Italian Night ($$), Saturday, May 9, 5 to 8 p.m.; Mother’s Day at Hauser Estate ($$), limited seatings at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., food by Accomac Catering, link to winery
Kreutz Creek Vineyards, West Grove: Music at West Chester tasting room, 44 E. Gay St., Fridays and Saturdays, 6 to 9 p.m.; vineyard planning, volunteers welcome, Saturday, April 25; serving at Longwood Garden Wine and Jazz Fest, Saturday, May 2 (see more below); bottling work day on Memorial Day, May 25, both days will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and include Carol’s famous Vineyard Burgers -- reservations for both are requested at 610.869.4412; grand reopening on Saturday, May 30, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., music and snacks from 2 to 5 p.m. along with giveaways and wine sales, link to winery
Long Trout Winery, Auburn: Taste of Spring Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26, a Berks County Wine Trail event,; Hippie Day, Saturday, May 23; Hippie Hurler Disc Golf Tournament, Sunday, May 24, link to winery
Manatawny Creek Winery, Douglasville: Hours have changed to Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 6 p.m.; A Taste of Spring, Berks County Wine Trail event, Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26; pairing with John J Jeffries Restaurant in Lancaster for an all-vegetarian dinner on Sunday, April 26, one of the monthly food pairings with regional wineries and brewries, call the restaurant to make reservations, link to winery
Marburg Estate, Spring Grove: Tasting room reopening 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 6, link to winery
Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery, Wrightsville: Music Fridays (6 to 9 p.m.), Saturdays (2 to 5 p.m.) and occasionally on Sundays (2 to 5 p.m.); Mother’s Day champagne brunch ($$), Sunday, May 10, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., call 717.252.9463 for reservations; jazz festival ($$), Saturday and Sunday, May 23-24, 2 to 10 p.m., link to winery
Naylor Wine Cellars, Stewartstown: Forget The Taxes and Red Wine Dinner ($$), Saturday, 3 to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 2 to 5 p.m.; Mason Dixon Trail event, April 25-26 and May 3-4; Margaritaville 2009 fund-raiser for Mason Dixon Public Library ($$), 5 to 11 p.m.; Grape Blossom Festival ($$), Sunday, June 7, noon to 6 p.m., link to winery
Nissley Vineyards & Wine Estate, Bainbridge: Will be pouring at one of the houses of a Time for Wine, a tour and taste of historic Marietta houses, Sunday, April 26, 4:40 to 7:30 p.m., enjoy wine or iced tea, delicious hors d'oeuvres, cheeses and appetizers in three of Marietta's lovely old homes. Your tour and taste will end with decadent deserts and coffee at the historic Union Meeting House, for reservations and tickets, please call Vivian Carroll at 717.426.1270, note the tour is limited to the first 100 reservations, to benefit the Marietta Restoration Associate's restoration of the Vesta Furnace Building, http://www.nissleywine.com/
Paradocx Vineyard, Landenberg: 2nd annual "Bud Break Bash," a celebration of the beginning of the grape growing season, Saturday, May 9, noon to 8 p.m. Only cost is $5 for the wine tastings. Will also include music from The Acoustic Groove Project, wine tastings, cheese samples, hayrides, winery tours, and tours of the vineyard (the bonfire will be held from 6 to 7 p.m.; Mother’s Day Afternoon at the Vineyard, Sunday, May 10, link to winery
Pinnacle Ridge Winery, Kutztown: Taste of Spring, Berks County Wine Trail event, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, Day in the Vineyard ($$), at Clover Hill Winery, Saturday and Sunday, June 6-7, along with Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery, link to winery
Reid’s Ochards & Winery, Ortanna: New winery; call 717.677.7047 for more information.
Rushland Ridge, Rushland: Reopened, link to winery
Sand Castle Winery, Erwinna: Mother’s Day Brunch ($$), Sunday, May 10, 1 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Principles of Food and Wine ($$), a lecture and wine tasting, Wednesday, May 13, 6 to 8 p.m. Interested parties should make a reservation with Sheri Simond via email at
Philadelphia@eurocircle.com, link to winery
Tamanend Winery, Lancaster: Open Thursdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m., classically styled premium wines in their bottled wine group, and premium sweeter styled wines in their Bag in Box group of wines, link to winery
Va La Vineyards, Avondale: Open Thursdays and Fridays, noon to 5:30 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 6 p.m.; 2006 Patina being released in April; art of David Oleski through April 19, link to winery
Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville: 20th anniversary weekend, Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; May Day Saturday, May 2; Pinot Weekend, May 16-17; Day in the Vineyard ($$), at Clover Hill Winery, Saturday and Sunday, June 5-6, along with Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery, link to winery
Waltz Vineyards, Manheim: New winery, open Thursdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m., and by appointment; Cherry Tree Merlot has been released, two-bottle purchase limit, link to winery
Wycombe Vineyard & Winery, Furlong: Reopened for 2009 season; noon to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays, link to winery
MARYLAND WINERIES
Basignani Winery, Sparks: Pizza and herbs ($$), Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., link to winery
Black Ankle Winery, Mt. Airy: Winner of Maryland Governor’s Cup in 2008; explanation of wine and cheese with Cherry Glen Farms ($$), Sunday, sessions at noon and 2 p.m.; Friday Night Flights, 5 to 7 p.m., beginning tomorrow (April 17); back on summer hours: Wednesdays to Fridays, noon to 5 p.m., Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m., Sundays, noon to 5 p.m., link to winery
Boordy Vineyards, Hydes: Reds, Whites and Bluegrass ($$), wine and music, Sunday, April 19 and April 26, 1 to 5 p.m.; Queen for a Day, Mother’s Day picnic ($$), May 9-10, winery link
Frederick Cellars, Frederick: Happy Hour, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. every weekday, glasses are half-price; Music in the Cellar, every Friday and Saturday in April, 7 p.m.; looking for volunteers for Wine in the Woods in May, signup is first come, first serve, link to winery
Serpent Ridge, Westminster: New winery, tasting room opening Saturday, will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Maggie's Restaurant in Westminster will be hosting a wine dinner on May 5 highlighting Serpent Ridge wine. Call Maggie's (410.876.6868) for more information or to make reservations.
Sugarloaf Mountain, Dickerson: Friday Flights ($$) is every Friday from 2 to 4 p.m., which consist of 3 half glasses of SMV wine, each paired with an appropriate cheese, fruit or chocolate, reservations at 301.605.0130; “April in Paris,” Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., taste Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard's Bordeaux style red wines as well as its Chardonnays and the newly released 2008 Pinot Grigio along with light French fare, music and ambiance. Discounts on several bottles and on Sugarloaf Mountain cases. Take a tour of the winery, link to winery; Countryside Artisans Tour, Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., tour studios and meet artists who create fine handblown glass, prints, paintings, jewelry, furniture, sculpture, ironware and at SMV, sample our handcrafted wine. For information, an electronic brochure and a map, visit http://www.countrysideartisans.com/.
Woodhall Wine Cellars, Parkton: Patricia Della Casual Fine Dining on location, will be serving dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and lunch, call 410.357.5078 for reservations, link to winery
Other MARYLAND winery events can be found at this link, VIRGINIA events at this link and New York events at this link
WINE TRAIL EVENTS AND FESTIVALS
A Taste of Spring, annual celebration of Berks County Wine Trail, which will be celebrating its fifth anniversary, April 25-26, with wine and food pairings, wineries include Bashore & Stoudt, Blair, Calvaresi, Clover Hill, Kog Hill, Long Trout, Manatawny Creek and Pinnacle Ridge, link to trail Web site
Mason Dixon Wine Trail Spring Event, April 25-26 and May 2-3, Travel the trail between the 8 wineries on the Mason Dixon Wine Trail and collect a different herb to plant in your garden and a recipe card using the eight different herbs. The event is open to new and existing wine trail members free of charge. Wineries include Adams County, Allegro, Naylor and Seven Valleys in Pennsylvania, and Basignani, Boordy, Fiore, and Woodhall in Maryland, link to trail Web site
Pittsburgh Wine Festival ($$$$), Heinz Field, Thursday, April 30, benefits Univ. of Pittsburgh Medical Center, info at this link or 412.281.2681
Wine Festival in Hershey ($$$), Friday, May 1, Giant Center, benefits Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital, info at this link or 717.534.3911
Philadelphia Wine Festival 2009 ($$$$), Saturday, May 2, Marriott Philadelphia Downtown, 1201 Market St., info at this link or 215.279.8313
Third annual Longwood Gardens Wine and Jazz Fest ($$), Saturday, May 2, wine and jazz, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and jazz concert featuring pianist McCoy Tyner, 7:30 p.m., For ticket prices, etc., please see http://www.longwoodgardens.org/WineandJazz2009.html
Margaritaville 2009 ($$), to benefit Mason-Dixon Public Library, Naylor Wine Cellars, Stewartstown, Saturday, May 9, 5 to 1 p.m., rain or shine, must be 21 or over to enter, For tickets contact Mason-Dixon Public Library, 250 Bailey Drive, Stewartstown, PA 17363, 717.993.2404
Wine in the Woods Wine Festival ($$), Columbia, Md., Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, noon to 6 p.m. each day, link to festival Web site
Bucks County Wine Tour ($$), Sunday May 30, 8 participating wine venues with food partners:
Buckingham Valley Vineyards - None Such Fard
Chaddsford Wine Shop - Earl's Prime Restaurant
Crossing Vineyards - Jamie Hollander Catering
New Hope Winery - Bobby Simone's Restaurant
Rose Bank Winery - Market by Shadybrook at Delaware Valley College
Rushland Ridge Winery - Luigi's Italian Ristorante
Sand Castle Winery - DISH Catering
Wycombe Vineyards - Andre's Cheese Shop
An after event reception will be held at the Tuscany at the Towpath in New Hope at 18 W. Mechanic Street from 5 - 6:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce, Doylestwon Bookstore or at any participating wineries the day of the event. Link to trail Web site
CLASSES
Wine School of Philadelphia: Wine 101: Intro to Wine ($$), tonight (Thursday, April 16), 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., 2006 Fairmount Ave., Philly; Core Wine Certification ($$), classes for spring semester will begin April 23; Premium Green: Environmentally Soud Extravangance ($$), Wednesday, April 22, 7:30 p.m.; Wine 201 ($$), Wednesday, May 6, 6 to 8 p.m.; Sommelier Smackdown ($$), Wednesday, May 6, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.; for information on these and others, contact Keith at 215.965.1514 x55 or go to the Web site
Bin 604, 604 S. Exter St., Baltimore: Wine 101: The Basics of Wine Tasting ($$), class on April 25 (also May 9 and May 23), at 2 and 3:30 p.m., classes limited to 12 people, they look at the typical characteristics of popular grape varietals and explain the terminology and techniques of wine tasting and learn how to recognize the subtle and subjective flavors of wine; Green Wine Tasting ($$), Sunday, 3 to 6 p.m.; Alain Blanchon portfolio tasting ($$), Thursday night, April 30; Spanish wine and cheese tasting with Whole Foods Market ($$), Wednesday night, May 6; Call 410.576.0444 for information and reservations, link here to Web site
One of the more noteworthy events planned this weekend is Vynecrest Vineyard and Winery’s 20th anniversary weekend, set for Saturday (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Sunday (1 a.m. to 5 p.m.). The winery, located in Breinigsville, Pa., is a member of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail.
Live music (jazz vocalist Kristin Grassi and jazz guitarist Andy Warren) will take place in the Vyneskeller both days, along with wine specials and the celebratory cutting of a birthday cake both days at 3. There will be a 20 percent discount and a free Vynecrest short for all cases purchased this weekend.
Vynecrest's vineyard is the oldest in Lehigh County, its roots dating back to 1974. The winery opened 15 years later. It's owned by John and Jan Landis. Their youngest son, Sam, began lending a hand with the operation in 2002. He's now president of the Pennsylvania Wine Association.
Jan said during a phone conversation last week that they hadn't even thought about opening a winery when that vineyard was first planted.
"The whole idea stemmed from my editing a book on living off the land," she said. "We were thinking of just having a vineyard, really, and having our own wine. John loved planting, so we kept planting." She stopped and laughed. "You can only drink so much. And we gave it away. I think a lot of us back then didn't really consider doing it full time. And then if somebody would have said our son would come in with us. That was another thing."
Their elder son Ben, by the way, is a women's soccer coach at Bucknell.
Jan said they have 15 acres planted; at least two more will go in this spring, including grapes that have been very successful (Chambourcin) and quite unsuccessful (Chardonnay) there. "Early on we had Chardonnay planted, and it would come within two or three weeks of harvest every year and we'd lose the whole crop, with humidity, or some problem," she said. "So we ripped it out, and John said ABC, anything but Chardonnay." But recent improvements in the durability and resistence of the grape have them trying once again, putting in a half-acre.
As for what’s going on elsewhere, both this weekend and beyond, take a look:
PENNSYLVANIA WINERIES
Adams County Winery, Orrtanna: Home wine-making class ($$), Sunday, May 10; concert series will begin July 4, link to winery
Allegro Vineyards, Brogue: Fridays’ Weekly Winedown ($$), 4 to 7 p.m.; Sweet & Spicy Saturdays ($$), 2 to 5 p.m.; Sip & Savor Sundays ($$), 2 to 5 p.m., all require reservations at 741.3072, all events at the Wine Gallery in Olde Tollgate Village; Women’s Wine & Unwind ($$), Saturday, May 9, 2 to 5 p.m., call 717.741.3072 to reserve a seat or a table by May 6, space is limited, link to winery
Blair Vineyards, Mertztown: Taste of Spring Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26, a Berks County Wine Trail event, link to winery
Blue Mountain Vineyards & Cellars, New Tripoli: Sunday Blues Wine Tastings, music every Sunday ($$), 2 to 5 p.m.; 13th annual Candlelight Barrel Tasting, 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, 1 to 6 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, link to winery
Boyd’s Cardinal Hollow Winery, North Wales: North Wales Day, Saturday, May 16, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nina singing live, May 16, 5 to 8 p.m., link to winery
Chaddsford Winery, Chaddsford: Reserve tastings ($$) 1, 2:30 and 4 p.m. every Saturday; Wine 101 ($$), Thursday, 7 to 9 p.m. with Eric Miller, the first of a series of classes that run through May; next class is tonight (Thursday, April 16), Decadent Chocolates and Dessert Wines($$), 7 to 9 p.m.; following one is Art of Blind Tasting: An Interactive Tasting ($$), with special guest Laurie Forster, Sunday, April 19, 2 to 4 p.m.; technical tour program, free, on Fridays at 3 p.m. and Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., reservations accepted, link to winery
Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville: Beginner tasting class ($$), Saturday, April 25, 3 p.m.; A Taste of Spring, a Berks County Wine Trail event, April 25-26; vineyard and winery tour ($$), Saturday, May 30; Day in the Vineyard ($$), at Clover Hill Winery, Saturday and Sunday, June 5-6, along with Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery and Pinnacle Ridge Winery, link to winery
Country Creek Winery, Salford Township: Music, Christine and Company, Saturday, 6 to 9 p.m., no cover charge, 133 Cressman Road, Telford, link to winery
Crossing Vineyards & Winery, Washington Crossing: Wine 101 classes ($$) at the institute, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Monday, the next one will be White Wine on April 20; Pairing Wine and Cheese ($$), tonight (Thursday, April 16), 7:30 p.m.; Wine Tasting for Singles ($$), Friday, April 17, 7 p.m.; Wine Tasting for Dummies ($$), Sunday, April 19, 2 p.m., at the institute; Spring Winemaker’s Dinner ($$), Saturday, April 25, 7:30 p.m., five-course meal and wine pairing, information and reservations by calling 215.493.6500, ext.19; How Sweet It Is: Pairing Wine and Chocolate ($$), Sunday, April 26, 2 p.m., link to winery
Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor: Free winery tour, Wednesdays at noon; St Paddy’s Day in April, Saturday, link to winery
Galen Glen Vineyard and Winery, Andreas: Mother’s Day party, Sunday, May 10; spring tour of the vineyards and wineries, May 16-17, tours begin at 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m.; summer sipper, June 6-7, link to winery
Hauser Estate Winery, Biglerville: Candlelight Friday, last Friday of every month, 5 to 8 p.m., wine tasting, music and warm food, Reese Project Trio will perform on April 24; Ken Garrett book signing, Saturday, May 2; Italian Night ($$), Saturday, May 9, 5 to 8 p.m.; Mother’s Day at Hauser Estate ($$), limited seatings at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., food by Accomac Catering, link to winery
Kreutz Creek Vineyards, West Grove: Music at West Chester tasting room, 44 E. Gay St., Fridays and Saturdays, 6 to 9 p.m.; vineyard planning, volunteers welcome, Saturday, April 25; serving at Longwood Garden Wine and Jazz Fest, Saturday, May 2 (see more below); bottling work day on Memorial Day, May 25, both days will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and include Carol’s famous Vineyard Burgers -- reservations for both are requested at 610.869.4412; grand reopening on Saturday, May 30, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., music and snacks from 2 to 5 p.m. along with giveaways and wine sales, link to winery
Long Trout Winery, Auburn: Taste of Spring Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26, a Berks County Wine Trail event,; Hippie Day, Saturday, May 23; Hippie Hurler Disc Golf Tournament, Sunday, May 24, link to winery
Manatawny Creek Winery, Douglasville: Hours have changed to Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 6 p.m.; A Taste of Spring, Berks County Wine Trail event, Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26; pairing with John J Jeffries Restaurant in Lancaster for an all-vegetarian dinner on Sunday, April 26, one of the monthly food pairings with regional wineries and brewries, call the restaurant to make reservations, link to winery
Marburg Estate, Spring Grove: Tasting room reopening 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 6, link to winery
Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery, Wrightsville: Music Fridays (6 to 9 p.m.), Saturdays (2 to 5 p.m.) and occasionally on Sundays (2 to 5 p.m.); Mother’s Day champagne brunch ($$), Sunday, May 10, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., call 717.252.9463 for reservations; jazz festival ($$), Saturday and Sunday, May 23-24, 2 to 10 p.m., link to winery
Naylor Wine Cellars, Stewartstown: Forget The Taxes and Red Wine Dinner ($$), Saturday, 3 to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 2 to 5 p.m.; Mason Dixon Trail event, April 25-26 and May 3-4; Margaritaville 2009 fund-raiser for Mason Dixon Public Library ($$), 5 to 11 p.m.; Grape Blossom Festival ($$), Sunday, June 7, noon to 6 p.m., link to winery
Nissley Vineyards & Wine Estate, Bainbridge: Will be pouring at one of the houses of a Time for Wine, a tour and taste of historic Marietta houses, Sunday, April 26, 4:40 to 7:30 p.m., enjoy wine or iced tea, delicious hors d'oeuvres, cheeses and appetizers in three of Marietta's lovely old homes. Your tour and taste will end with decadent deserts and coffee at the historic Union Meeting House, for reservations and tickets, please call Vivian Carroll at 717.426.1270, note the tour is limited to the first 100 reservations, to benefit the Marietta Restoration Associate's restoration of the Vesta Furnace Building, http://www.nissleywine.com/
Paradocx Vineyard, Landenberg: 2nd annual "Bud Break Bash," a celebration of the beginning of the grape growing season, Saturday, May 9, noon to 8 p.m. Only cost is $5 for the wine tastings. Will also include music from The Acoustic Groove Project, wine tastings, cheese samples, hayrides, winery tours, and tours of the vineyard (the bonfire will be held from 6 to 7 p.m.; Mother’s Day Afternoon at the Vineyard, Sunday, May 10, link to winery
Pinnacle Ridge Winery, Kutztown: Taste of Spring, Berks County Wine Trail event, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, Day in the Vineyard ($$), at Clover Hill Winery, Saturday and Sunday, June 6-7, along with Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery, link to winery
Reid’s Ochards & Winery, Ortanna: New winery; call 717.677.7047 for more information.
Rushland Ridge, Rushland: Reopened, link to winery
Sand Castle Winery, Erwinna: Mother’s Day Brunch ($$), Sunday, May 10, 1 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Principles of Food and Wine ($$), a lecture and wine tasting, Wednesday, May 13, 6 to 8 p.m. Interested parties should make a reservation with Sheri Simond via email at
Philadelphia@eurocircle.com, link to winery
Tamanend Winery, Lancaster: Open Thursdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m., classically styled premium wines in their bottled wine group, and premium sweeter styled wines in their Bag in Box group of wines, link to winery
Va La Vineyards, Avondale: Open Thursdays and Fridays, noon to 5:30 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 6 p.m.; 2006 Patina being released in April; art of David Oleski through April 19, link to winery
Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville: 20th anniversary weekend, Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; May Day Saturday, May 2; Pinot Weekend, May 16-17; Day in the Vineyard ($$), at Clover Hill Winery, Saturday and Sunday, June 5-6, along with Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery, link to winery
Waltz Vineyards, Manheim: New winery, open Thursdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m., and by appointment; Cherry Tree Merlot has been released, two-bottle purchase limit, link to winery
Wycombe Vineyard & Winery, Furlong: Reopened for 2009 season; noon to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays, link to winery
MARYLAND WINERIES
Basignani Winery, Sparks: Pizza and herbs ($$), Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., link to winery
Black Ankle Winery, Mt. Airy: Winner of Maryland Governor’s Cup in 2008; explanation of wine and cheese with Cherry Glen Farms ($$), Sunday, sessions at noon and 2 p.m.; Friday Night Flights, 5 to 7 p.m., beginning tomorrow (April 17); back on summer hours: Wednesdays to Fridays, noon to 5 p.m., Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m., Sundays, noon to 5 p.m., link to winery
Boordy Vineyards, Hydes: Reds, Whites and Bluegrass ($$), wine and music, Sunday, April 19 and April 26, 1 to 5 p.m.; Queen for a Day, Mother’s Day picnic ($$), May 9-10, winery link
Frederick Cellars, Frederick: Happy Hour, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. every weekday, glasses are half-price; Music in the Cellar, every Friday and Saturday in April, 7 p.m.; looking for volunteers for Wine in the Woods in May, signup is first come, first serve, link to winery
Serpent Ridge, Westminster: New winery, tasting room opening Saturday, will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Maggie's Restaurant in Westminster will be hosting a wine dinner on May 5 highlighting Serpent Ridge wine. Call Maggie's (410.876.6868) for more information or to make reservations.
Sugarloaf Mountain, Dickerson: Friday Flights ($$) is every Friday from 2 to 4 p.m., which consist of 3 half glasses of SMV wine, each paired with an appropriate cheese, fruit or chocolate, reservations at 301.605.0130; “April in Paris,” Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., taste Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard's Bordeaux style red wines as well as its Chardonnays and the newly released 2008 Pinot Grigio along with light French fare, music and ambiance. Discounts on several bottles and on Sugarloaf Mountain cases. Take a tour of the winery, link to winery; Countryside Artisans Tour, Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., tour studios and meet artists who create fine handblown glass, prints, paintings, jewelry, furniture, sculpture, ironware and at SMV, sample our handcrafted wine. For information, an electronic brochure and a map, visit http://www.countrysideartisans.com/.
Woodhall Wine Cellars, Parkton: Patricia Della Casual Fine Dining on location, will be serving dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and lunch, call 410.357.5078 for reservations, link to winery
Other MARYLAND winery events can be found at this link, VIRGINIA events at this link and New York events at this link
WINE TRAIL EVENTS AND FESTIVALS
A Taste of Spring, annual celebration of Berks County Wine Trail, which will be celebrating its fifth anniversary, April 25-26, with wine and food pairings, wineries include Bashore & Stoudt, Blair, Calvaresi, Clover Hill, Kog Hill, Long Trout, Manatawny Creek and Pinnacle Ridge, link to trail Web site
Mason Dixon Wine Trail Spring Event, April 25-26 and May 2-3, Travel the trail between the 8 wineries on the Mason Dixon Wine Trail and collect a different herb to plant in your garden and a recipe card using the eight different herbs. The event is open to new and existing wine trail members free of charge. Wineries include Adams County, Allegro, Naylor and Seven Valleys in Pennsylvania, and Basignani, Boordy, Fiore, and Woodhall in Maryland, link to trail Web site
Pittsburgh Wine Festival ($$$$), Heinz Field, Thursday, April 30, benefits Univ. of Pittsburgh Medical Center, info at this link or 412.281.2681
Wine Festival in Hershey ($$$), Friday, May 1, Giant Center, benefits Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital, info at this link or 717.534.3911
Philadelphia Wine Festival 2009 ($$$$), Saturday, May 2, Marriott Philadelphia Downtown, 1201 Market St., info at this link or 215.279.8313
Third annual Longwood Gardens Wine and Jazz Fest ($$), Saturday, May 2, wine and jazz, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and jazz concert featuring pianist McCoy Tyner, 7:30 p.m., For ticket prices, etc., please see http://www.longwoodgardens.org/WineandJazz2009.html
Margaritaville 2009 ($$), to benefit Mason-Dixon Public Library, Naylor Wine Cellars, Stewartstown, Saturday, May 9, 5 to 1 p.m., rain or shine, must be 21 or over to enter, For tickets contact Mason-Dixon Public Library, 250 Bailey Drive, Stewartstown, PA 17363, 717.993.2404
Wine in the Woods Wine Festival ($$), Columbia, Md., Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, noon to 6 p.m. each day, link to festival Web site
Bucks County Wine Tour ($$), Sunday May 30, 8 participating wine venues with food partners:
Buckingham Valley Vineyards - None Such Fard
Chaddsford Wine Shop - Earl's Prime Restaurant
Crossing Vineyards - Jamie Hollander Catering
New Hope Winery - Bobby Simone's Restaurant
Rose Bank Winery - Market by Shadybrook at Delaware Valley College
Rushland Ridge Winery - Luigi's Italian Ristorante
Sand Castle Winery - DISH Catering
Wycombe Vineyards - Andre's Cheese Shop
An after event reception will be held at the Tuscany at the Towpath in New Hope at 18 W. Mechanic Street from 5 - 6:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce, Doylestwon Bookstore or at any participating wineries the day of the event. Link to trail Web site
CLASSES
Wine School of Philadelphia: Wine 101: Intro to Wine ($$), tonight (Thursday, April 16), 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., 2006 Fairmount Ave., Philly; Core Wine Certification ($$), classes for spring semester will begin April 23; Premium Green: Environmentally Soud Extravangance ($$), Wednesday, April 22, 7:30 p.m.; Wine 201 ($$), Wednesday, May 6, 6 to 8 p.m.; Sommelier Smackdown ($$), Wednesday, May 6, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.; for information on these and others, contact Keith at 215.965.1514 x55 or go to the Web site
Bin 604, 604 S. Exter St., Baltimore: Wine 101: The Basics of Wine Tasting ($$), class on April 25 (also May 9 and May 23), at 2 and 3:30 p.m., classes limited to 12 people, they look at the typical characteristics of popular grape varietals and explain the terminology and techniques of wine tasting and learn how to recognize the subtle and subjective flavors of wine; Green Wine Tasting ($$), Sunday, 3 to 6 p.m.; Alain Blanchon portfolio tasting ($$), Thursday night, April 30; Spanish wine and cheese tasting with Whole Foods Market ($$), Wednesday night, May 6; Call 410.576.0444 for information and reservations, link here to Web site
RESTAURANTS
John J. Jeffries, 300 Lancaster Ave., Lancaster: Happy Hour Revival, Friday, 4 to 6 p.m., Wine by the Glass: $5, Organic Cosmos: $4, Local Drafts: $3, Straub Light Bottles: $2; appearance of Octavia on May 1 will kick off Happy Hour on the Terrace promotion; wine and food dinner with Manatawny Creek Winery ($$) on Sunday, April 26, call the restaurant for reservations at 717.431.3307; SSBN fund-raiser with blues, brews and BBQ ($$), Sunday, May 3, noon to 4 p.m., link to restaurant
$$ – Fee
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Wine biz Tweeter these days on social media
Karen Cline does yeomen’s work as coordinator of publicity and marketing for the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail. She’s a go-to resource for me, someone I can hit with an e-mail or phone call on any given day and get what I need – story ideas, trail info, contact information for a winemaker or proprietor or someone associated with wine -- to continue churning out the blog posts on a daily basis. Any trail or winery would be lucky to have her.
So while I was pleased to hear that the trail sent her to Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio, a few weeks ago to participate in the third annual License to Steal Marketing Conference, as someone who works for a newspaper I wasn’t thrilled to hear that we and our media brethren are being slowly phased out. Not maliciously, mind you, but because so many other forms of marketing, much of it now through social networking, are becoming increasingly successful at a cost far less than running an ad in any of the major media.
“A lot of wineries are slashing their advertising budgets and using more social media to get to customers,” she said. “One person said they slashed their ad budget for print media and traditional radio, and things like that, to 25 percent of what it normally would be.” Gulp.
Cline was one of around 90 people who attended the three-day conference, sponsored and coordinated by statewide wine offices of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Essentially it was a chance to share experiences and swap notes, then bring the ideas back to their respective wineries or wine trails to see what might work for them.
“Some wineries realize the value of bloggers, some of them have contacts like yourself,” she said. Others are doing [the blogging] on their own.”
One irony was that Cline wasn’t sure when we talked exactly who was making contact through myspace and Facebook and Twitter or producing their own blog because the event’s coordinators gave out a list of attendees that only included physical addresses. Not a phone number or Web site or anything else. But that problem was soon to be rectified, and Cline was waiting for that other data to be e-mailed so she could make a better assessment of who was dabbling in what social media.
Appropriately, a local newspaper carried a story on the event. Lifestyle editor Carl Feather wrote that Bill Geist, a marketing consultant from Wisconsin, was the guest speaker. Editors and representatives from major wine media, including the Wine Enthusiast, Vineyard and Winery Management and Wines and Vines, presented a session and were available for story pitches from the attendees. Tim Morarity, editor of Wine Enthusiast, was one of the evening’s keynote speaker.
Several observations based on a year doing this blog and out of my conversation with Cline:
* Check out this home page for the Norton grape, part of an extremely successful marketing campaign being done in Missouri. “Norton is a variety of grape, and they’ve actually personalized Norton himself into a person and they have very cute promotional ads and stuff, and he has a Facebook page," Cline said. "And the woman who does the marketing and advertising for Norton, she’s on Twitter, so I'm following her around now.”
* There are marketing directors out there working wonders by utilizing the media without incurring a cost. Certainly, the Brandywine and Lehigh Valley trails have generated much publicity for some of their events. To a lesser extent, from what I’ve seen, the Bucks County and Berks County trails have gotten stories written in the mainstream press. Alison Smith with the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau seemed to create a ton of coverage for the recent Tour de Tanks, including TV drive-bys, that helped to drive record crowds into all the wineries during the March event. A few at this point -- Chaddsford, Crossing Vineyard and Hauser Estate -- are leaning on agencies to provide press releases for upcoming events, but those remain in the minority.
* Wine trails are becoming more and more useful in order to drive traffic. And you’ll see those continue to develop in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The half-dozen wineries in Maryland’s Frederick County have developed a trail, for instance, and another seems to be taking shape in and around Lancaster, Pa. The Mason-Dixon Wine Trail actually includes four wineries from Pennsylvania and four from Maryland, and after several years of falling by the wayside has re-energized its efforts to develop new initiatives.
* Finally, my observations is that some proprietors seem put off by even a phone call; indeed one question that some of the old-line winery owners seem to ask is how they’re going to find the time to upgrade their marketing and promotional arms with all the work required to run the winery. It’s a good question, but taking five or 10 minutes to talk to someone (whether it’s me or one of many other bloggers now writing on wines in this area) would seem to be a good way to get the word out with an absolutely minimum amount of investment. As someone told me a while back (and if you don't mind me getting just a bit self-serving), “It only takes a little while to talk to you. You’re doing all the work and taking the pictures and writing them up. They don’t do anything. They should be very grateful.”
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