Off and running in 2010 . . . chilling at Woodhall

Sorry about the delay in posting. Blame it on the holiday, on work, on getting out of the routine. So, with the Farm Show under way it's time to roll this out daily again, with plans to add social media to the mix as this year ages.

Would prefer to start where this all started, down at Woodhall Wine Cellars in Parkton, Md., on Sunday, where several dozen visitors gathering to watch the Ravens in the tasting room. Others paraded through on the second part of a weekend library tasting, a rare commodity in this region. An annual event at Woodhall, the winery has blocked off a couple hours on a Saturday and Sunday in December and allowed case club members to saunter down the path to the winery and storage building, essentially down into the cellar. This year it was the second weekend in January, where they served a few wines with virtually no inventory (including a 1994 Vidal) and another dozen where the winery had perhaps a case or several left.

They went as far back as a 1991 Cabernet Sauvignon, a 1993 Meritage and that Vidal that I mentioned. You probably don't want to keep your whites more than several years, but there are always exceptions. One was a 2001 Chardonnay they produced for Corks Restaurant in Baltimore. It still tasted good several years ago when I had bought a half case, and little had changed in the last couple of bottles remaining that were pulled out on Sunday. Same with the Vidal, which still held up its end even thought it's 16 years old. Took home two of the last five bottles left in storage, and we'll wait for a suitable occasion this year to open them.

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Winemaker Chris Kent and former co-owner Al Kopp served as the guides at the tasting. Kopp noted that they would always put a case aside of every wine they would produce. But these tastings over the last few years have pretty much wiped out the cellar, so there's a good chance several years could pass before the next one. Not sure why some of the older wineries do not hold a similar tasting; but it's a question I want to ask as I catch up to the proprietors of wineries in Pennsylvania and Maryland that are 15 years or older.

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Most of the bottles at Woodhall sold in the mid-teens up to 20 dollars; several of the Copernica Reserve Cabs (2002, 2005) were selling for $30. The most expensive was a Jubilee Reserve Merlot from 2007, acknowledged as a best vintage of the decade. That was going for $35.

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This event done, the winery prepares for its annual wine and soup pairing starting next weekend and continuing into February. This has become a staple event there, as has the Valentine's chocolates and barrel tasting that will commence Feb. 13 and likely continue into March.

While new Maryland winery opens this weekend, two others to try a dual barrel tasting promotion

Maryland wine honcho Kevin Atticks (OK, he's officially the executive director of the Maryland Wine Association) noted by phone today that the state's newest winery will open this weekend. Harford Vineyard in Forest Hill will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, and the same times during the next three weekends in December.

Expect to be able to taste and purchase five wines (all white at this point), including blush, Sweet Harmony (a semisweet white blend), Pinot Grigio, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc. Assuming the process here will be similar to other wineries opening up, such as Logan's View in Loganville, Pa., with the whites available to tasting and purchase the first six to 10 months and then reds also for sale thereafter.

The Web site notes that grapes were first planted on the 20-acre farm in 2003, with the wine facility opening two years later and now the winery opening for business.

Meanwhile, there are usually several highlights on the monthly newsletter coming out of Woodhall Wine Cellars in Parkton, Md., and this year is no exception.

Already posted info on the library wine dinner on Thursday, Dec. 10, at the winery. In addition, the winery will be teaming in a unique event with nearby Galloping Goose Vineyards in Hampstead on Dec. 5-6. Called a Point-to-Point Barrel Tasting, visitors can start at either winery between noon and 5 p.m. and taste at least two yet-to-be-bottled wines. Then they'll get a full glass of wine and complimentary hors d'oeuvre, then bring their glass along with them to the other winery for a similar offering. The cost, including the souvenir glass, is $15 per person.

One other bit of knowledge that everyone wants to know two days before Thanksgiving is what kind of wine to serve with dinner. Woodhall's strongest suggestion out of its line: it light reds such as Sangiovese Rose and Pinot Noir.

Among the wine-food dinners on regional calendar, Woodhall has its set for Dec. 10

I assume the many wine dinners held around the region are profitable, or they wouldn't be quite so plentiful. Just about every winery in the region that I cover in Pennsylvania and Maryland holds a wine and food pairing at some point during the year. Some hold more than a few.

One I spotted in my trawl through the various Web sites is set for Thursday, Dec. 10, at Woodhall Wine Cellars in Parkton, Md., minutes off I-83 at 17912 York Road in Baltimore County, just north of the Gunpowder River. It's a seven-course meal that will run from 5 to 9 p.m. and include wines from Woodhall's library. The cost is $65 per person, and does NOT include tax and gratuities. There's also a restaurant on the premises called Patricia Della, which is open Thursday through Sunday from 5 to 9 p.m. Reservations are required.

Here's the menu:

1st course: rosette of salmon with verte sauce
2nd course: crab bisque
3rd course: seared duck breast over couscous with rose of merlot reduction
4th course: warm carpachio
5th course: double lamb chop with persillade crust
6th course: 3 cheese tray
7th course: pumpkin bread pudding with cinnamon ice cream

For more information, call 410.357.5078. Woodhall is one of the older wineries in the state with a knowledgeable staff, headed up by owners Al Copp and Chris Lang and tasting room manager Debbie Morris. Chris Kent is the winemaking consultant.

Every weekend Woodhall features two separate and different special tasting experiences:

1. Vintners Reserve Wine Tasting: Kent has selected seven of the winery's finest wines (all black labels) for an exclusive comparative tasting experience. Three of these wines will be tasted against barrel samples of the same wine. Participants will be able to learn the difference between various wine varieties and different vintages, as well as have an opportunity to sample the "Best of Woodhall." The tasting will be conducted by one of the staff well versed and involved in the winemaking process. Tasting fee: $15

2. Comparative Barrel Tasting Tour: Participants have an opportunity to compare five current vintage wines to the 2008 barreled wine of the same variety under the guidance of a staff member knowledgeable and involved in the winemaking process. Tasting fee: $15

Debbie Morris: Woodhall's superb 'cruise director'

I've mentioned before the name of Debbie Morris, who is about as jack-of-all-trades as one can get at Woodhall Wine Cellars in Parkton, Md., and is one of the nicest people we've had the pleasure of meeting at any of the wineries we've stopped by. The subject of a note in the Woodhall newsletter for October-November, the piece notes that Morris has been part of the Woodhall team for more than eight years and schedules all the winery' special events: private parties, tastings and weddings. Indeed, the blurb adds, "There's practically no part of the Woodhall operation that Debbie hasn't participated in." And, I'll add, done it with a fabulous demeanor.

The newsletter notes that harvest time also is busy at a place such as Woodhall, which is importing all of its grapes these days. The newsletter notes that grapes for its 2009 Barbera will come from Jennie Schmidt's Golden Run Vineyard in Sudlersville, Md. That vineyards provided the grapes for Woodhall's 2008 Barbera, which took a gold medal at this year's Governor's Cup.

They'll also be proceddig Merlot grapes from Wick Dudley on the Eastern Shore and Chardonnay grapes from Galloping Goose Vineyards in Hampstead. Wrapping up the section under HARVEST, the newsletter notes: "Winemaking is indeed a magical trip and you, our loyal friends and patrons, are invited along for the ride."

Sunday loop through Maryland hits Mount Felix and Woodhall wineries

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From Mount Felix: What's left of the delicious plate of figs and cheese and a shot of the tasting room.

Spent part of Sunday afternoon visiting Mary and Peter Ianniello at their new Mount Felix Winery in Havre de Grace. Haze cheated us out of the sharp view of the distant Chesapeake Bay, which sits beyond the property, including the vineyard, and makes for a scenic backdrop off the large patio that sits off the house and a stroll from the tasting room.

Originally from northern New York, the couple and their three children have called the 9,000-square-foot Mount Felix Manor -- which dates back to the 1830s -- home since the early part of this decade. They have Chambourcin and Foch vines in the ground; they hope to plant more over the next couple of years, including Traminette. Getting signs out on I-95 at their exit (89, Md. Route 155) has to help their exposure; so will getting a sign put along Rt. 155 at the end of their driveway. It's an easy one to miss the first time through, as we found out yesterday. The winery is less than a mile from the exit, located on the right side of the road.

It's probably one of the smaller operations you'll come across in terms of parking and the size of the tasting room, which you can see in the picture above. But it's cozy inside, with plenty of small personal touches on the wall and counters. Mount Felix is producing a line of nine wines, from dry white (Matilda's Devotion) to dry red (Adlum's First) to semi-sweet and sweet red and white. Our hosts went the extra mile, taking figs off a tree they planted when they moved in and cutting those up on a plate with some chunks of sharp cheese. Loved it. That fig tree is so big it looks like it's been there for 20 years, and the fruit is fantastic. We stayed until a wave of visitors arrived, packing the tasting room. All of the wine's names, by the way, relate to the historical significance of the area where the winery sits.

So we took the couple of bottles we purchased and headed north and west back to York Road, where Woodhall Wine Cellars sits. That's the winery that has helped cultivate our passion for regional wines; there are no friendlier folks in the business than the gang at Woodhall, where they have been turning out bottles of wine since the mid-1980s. That would make it one of the oldest wineries in the state. A five-minute drive off I-83, it's in a far more rustic setting than what you'll find at today's newer wineries. But there's room to stretch out and taste wines in the main tasting room and out on a covered back porch, where we got comfy yesterday. You should have no trouble finiding something you like there; I didn't specifically count the wines available for tasting that were listed on their chalkboard, but it's gotta be at least 25, including some delicious reserve wines.

This is a winery that until recently had a vineyard on the hill next store; safe to say at this point it's dormant. Winemaker Chris Kent said Sunday they'll likely replant at some point in 2010 or 2011. But they've done fine sourcing in the grapes and producing the extensive line of wines; we walked away with a couple cases that we ordered back in the winter during barrel tasting. Well, that's not the only thing we stopped for. A glass of wine out on the back porch hit the spot. Others were streaming in and out to pick up wine they had ordered; in the middle of it all was a party of about a dozen working through some Woodhall wines with a few plates of appetizers. Unfortunately, we couldn't manage an invitation.

Woodhall named winery of Poe celebration

The headline news this month out of Woodhall Wine Cellars in Parkton, Md., is that it has been designated as the official winery of Edgar Allan Poe’s Bicentennial Celebration in Baltimore. Poe features wine in two of his tales, The Cask of Amontillado and Bon-Bon. In “The Cask,” Montressor uses Amontillado, a high quality style of Sherry to entice Fortunator to his just desserts and in “Bob-Bon,” Pierre Bon-Bon, consumes nearly six bottle of wine during his conversations with the devil.

On March 28, at Westminster Hall in Baltimore, the burial grounds of E.A.Poe, Woodhall poured wine for a Poe celebration entitled “The Cask of Amontillado Wine Tasting.” At that celebration, Woodhall gave commentary on the wines of Poe and poured samples of Woodhall’s equivalents to those wines, even to blending for folks on the spot a Medoc-style wine (predominantly Merlot blended with a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon). The event was a real success.

For more on Poe’s bicentennial, visit www.poebicentennial.com.

Beginning this weekend, Woodhall will feature two separate and different special tasting experiences:

1. Vintners Reserve Wine Tasting: Winemaker Chris Kent has selected seven of our finest wines (all black labels) for an exclusive comparative tasting experience. Three of these wines will be tasted against barrel samples of the same wine. Participants will be able learn the difference between various wine varieties and different vintages, as well as have an opportunity to sample the “Best of Woodhall.” The tasting will be conducted by one of the staff well versed and involved in the winemaking process. Tasting Fee: $15
2. Comparative Barrel Tasting Tour: Participants have an opportunity to compare five current vintage wines to the 2008 barreled wine of the same variety under the guidance of a staff member knowledgeable and involved in the winemaking process. Tasting Fee: $10

Woodhall is offering an extra 5 percent case price discount to participants who purchase wine at these tastings.

Finally, among the variety of events that Woodhall holds is its annual International Sausages Sampling from noon to 3 p.m. on April 18-19. The cost is $15 /person. A potpourri of sausages from around the world and chewy bread from Stone Mill bakery will be served up in the tasting room. Always a popular event, Patricia Della searches out the most elegant of sausages for your enjoyment. If interested, RSVP Debbie by e-mail(thewoodhallgang@comcast.net), (woodhallwinecellars@comcast.net) or phone (410.971.5187).

Naylor offer futures opportunity at '10 wines

Couple of notes out of the Naylor Wine Cellars in Stewartstown, from owner Dick Naylor. He wrote in the latest newsletter that "2008 was the best year since 2001. Early spring, perfect fruit set with ample spring rains got the vineyard off to a good start. A fairly dry September with warm days and cool nights contributed to a large crop with great quality. Again, more than ever before we performed major crop thinning. Particularly on Chardonnay, Chambourcin, Vignoles and Shiraz. This effort allowed the quality of the grapes remaining to sruge to levels we have had before, which is producing many spectacular wines.

"More home winemakers than ever came to the vineyard for juice, grapes and winemaking supplies, and the amount of customers who came to "pick their own' for pie making and jelly was larger than ever. Give us a call in August and we can let you know the availability of the grapes and juice."

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I've gone to barrel tastings at Woodhall Wine Cellars in Parkton, Md., and put money down on wine I like that I'll pick up later in the spring or summer once it has been bottled. Naylor is taking oney for wine that won't be bottles until next March. He wrote: "On March 1, 2010, we will be releasing a Shirz and a Chardonnay Reserve which we are taking orders to now. Future wines are sold by subscriptions. Customers can taste the Chardonnary Reserve and the Shiraz which will sell for $18.95 when released, but the advanced price will be discounted by 25 percent ($14.71 per bottle) to Futures' buyers. At the time of your order, a 25 percent deposit is required, 50 percent will be due at bottling (about Nov. 1, 2009), and the remaining 25 percent due when the wine is ready for release (around March 1, 2010). There is a three bottle minimum and we are excited to offer you a tasting of these wines at the wineryin Stewartstown."

Invitation welcomes folks to old trail

I was surprised to see this note in the latest Woodhall Wine Cellars e-letter about the Mason-Dixon Wine Trail. A trail that includes four wineries in Pennsylvania and four in Maryland, the activities sort of died on the vine the past couple of years. And it didn't seem there would be much chance of reviving it. Now comes this invitiation to pay $1 for a passport and visit each of the wineries. Carl Helrich, of Allegro Vineyards in southcentral Pennsylvania, wrote me this morning saying that the wineries are trying to revive the trail. "We had a meeting a couple weeks ago in which everyone attended and we talked about events," he wrote in an e-mail. "The website will probably show updates soon, I would think."

Helrich said that Rose Fiore of Fiore Winery in Pylesville, Md., and and Lynne Basignani of Basignani Winery in Sparks, Md., are in charge of the effort.

Anyway, from Deb Morris at Woodhall:

"One of the great joys of wine is the number of different flavors and styles that one can experience at a winetasting. Multiply that by eight and you now understand why exploring the Mason-Dixon Wine Trail is so much fun. Four Maryland wineries (Woodhall Wine Cellars, Basignani Winery, Boordy Vineyards and Fiore Winery) and four Pennsylvania wineries (Adams County Winery, Allegro Vineyards, Naylor Wine Cellars and Seven Valleys Vineyard and Winery) comprise the Trail. Start at any one of the wineries by buying a Passport for $1, and when you have visited all eight you will receive a wine trail gift and a membership card which entitles you to a ten percent discount from the wineries of the Trail for a two year period. Along the way, buy four bottles of wine at any member winery and receive a winery tasting glass free.

"The Wine Trail sponsors special weekends throughout the year for passport holders and members. During the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May, all member wineries will be serving a food featuring a different herb and passport holders and members of the Trail will receive a plant of the same herb.

"Why not start your Trail exploration this weekend at Woodhall."

Woodhall gets its barrel tasting weekends rolling

Wanted to give a public shout-out to the folks at Woodhall Wine Cellars in Parkton, Md., where we stopped Saturday on the first day of their barrel tasting. That's free for case club members, who also get a chance to walk back out of the cellar and enjoy a glass of wine with five chocolates from Kirchmayr Chocolates in Timonium, Md. The cost for noncase-club members is $15 per person.

Winemaker Chris Kent reported a couple of weeks ago that his yield from suppliers in 2008 was less than in previous years. That reduced the number of wines to sample by a few, to 12. But that didn't impinge on the quality, in our view. The Gunpowder Falls red and white both show a lot of promise, as did the Golden Run Reserve Vidal Blanc. And the two 2007s, the Copernica Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Parkton Prestige, will be wines worth cellaring for a few years, if you'd like. This is the sixth Copernica Reserve in the history of the winery, produced out of special vintages, and that vintage is as special as they get. In fact, wherever you go this spring and summer, grab those 2007s that you see are left over. It was a great year throughout the region that produced outstanding red and white wines. Indeed, we took with us a mixed case of 2007s that Woodhall still had in its inventory. As for the barrel tasting, we ordered two more cases and put 50 percent down; the rest is paid after the wine is bottled
and available for pickup. What we ordered likely will be ready to be taken by summer.

Woodhall's barrel tasting, by the way, will continue on weekends well into March.

There was one big group in the tasting room as we arrived, obviously what had spilled out of a stretch limo that was parked in the lot. Calls to a few wineries today revealed that business was bustling yesterday and today, especially at those places that were offering wine and chocolate as part of a Valentine's Weekend celebration. A perfect example was a response I received by e-mail from Brad Knapp of Pinnacle Ridge Winery in Kutztown, Pa.: "We just had our Berks County Wine Trail wine and chocolate event yesterday and it was huge. We probably had over 500 folks through the winery. It was nuts and more to come today."

Maryland wineries await fate of proposed law

The Web site for the Maryland Wine Association identifies the wineries, lists events, contains feature stories on the state’s winery proprietors and winemakers, and has one other important component. It updates readers on any upcoming legislation that will affect the industry in Maryland, and does it with a clarity and perspective that is important for issues that often can be complex.

One of those issues will be debated beginning Feb. 18, when the Maryland Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee will hear what’s being referred to as the shipping bill.

According to the Web site, this legislation submitted in the 2009 session is based on the model wine shipping language adopted by the National Conference of State Legislatures' Task Force, which is supported by the Wine Institute, WineAmerica and citizen groups Free The Grapes and Marylanders for Better Beer and Wine Laws.

It would create a direct shipper's license which a winery or retailer can obtain for $100. This license allows the licensee (winery or retailer) to ship up to two cases of wine per month to a Maryland consumer. The licensee must label the box with the phrase “CONTAINS ALCOHOL; SIGNATURE OF PERSON AT LEAST AGE 21 YEARS OLD REQUIRED FOR DELIVERY” and pay sales and excise tax to the state annually.

This is a bill that the association supports but isn’t sponsoring, apparently an important distinction that gives it a chance to pass. Instead, it is being sponsored by a consumer group. The primary opponent to bills like these is called the Maryland State License Beverage Association, which is headquartered in Westminster and, among other roles, initiates and supports laws that preserve and protect the rights of responsible alcohol beverage retailers to operate legitimate and lawful businesses. As one person connected with a Maryland wineries said earlier today, “if it were a winery bill it would be defeated by the MSLBA. They’re extremely strong. We’ve had one significant victory over them and that’s the distribution bill of three years ago. If we put our stamp on it, MSLBA is sure to kill it. So from a strategic point of view we are not taking a formal position.”

Al Copp and several partners founded Woodhall Wine Cellars in Parkton, Md., in 1983 and has been active in supporting this measure and others that have come through the state legislature over the past several decades. This one, he said, will benefit his winery and others by allowing them to ship directly to consumer rather than through a system where the wine would have to be picked up by the customers at a retail outlet. “To [the MSLBA], this [bill] cuts out the middle man, and actually, it does.”

While Kevin Atticks, the executive director for the winery association, wasn’t available for comment, his views and those of wineries around the state were spelled out clearly on the Web site. In says, in part, the “the ability to ship wine to a consumer is one of many methods provided by law in other states to encourage the growth and prosperity of small wineries by giving them an affordable way to reach new markets The Maryland wineries support our state adopting those methods, including the authority proposed by the model shipping bill.
In 2004, the Governor’s Wine & Grape Advisory Committee studied the growth of wine industries in neighboring states, and issued its report, “Maryland Wine: The Next Vintage.” The report contained 52 recommendations for creating a favorable winery business environment in Maryland. The shipping legislation implements recommendation #23 of that report, which reads:

“RECOMMENDATION 23: Enable wineries to ship wine directly to consumers within the State and remove the obstacles to Maryland becoming a reciprocal state, which would allow Maryland wineries to ship to out-of-state customers.’”

In case you were curious, Pennsylvania wineries currently are permitted to ship to customers who reside within the state. Many of the same stipulations, including a signature by someone at least 21 years of age when the package is received, match what’s proposed in this bill. Wineries also have to use a specific carrier, such as UPS, rather than the Postal Service. This remains intact thanks to an injunction filed several years ago by the state’s wineries preventing the Liquor Control Board from forcing them to deliver through the state store system.

So who's gonna wait on Woodhall's Morris?

Wanted to give a shout out to Debbie Morris, the "wine goddess" at Woodhall Wine Cellars in Parkton, Md. It has been our experience that at almost every winery that are regulars who work behind the tasting bar and whose personality give the place a "Cheers like" setting. You know, they know everybody by their first name. Offer a warm greeting. Add some laughs. And know a thing or two or three about their wines.

That has been Debbie's role for longer than the four years or so we've been driving down I-83 to the winery. But she has been temporarily shelved because of knee-replacement surgery. Having now seen the announcement in the February e-letter, I feel like we can share it with the rest of the regional wine community.

THE BIGGEST Woodhall news this month is that Debbie Morris, stalwart provider of Woodhall wine to retail stores and restaurants and she who remembers everyone’s name in the Tasting Room, now has new knees – two of them. She entered GBMC [Greater Baltimore Medical Center] on January 13 and expects to come home on the 28th. As part of physical therapy in the hospital, the nurses observed the way she handled herself in a kitchen. We wonder whether they tested her behind a wine bar? Seriously, she is diligent in her therapy, uncomplaining of her pain and will be back among us sooner rather than later.

We add our best wishes and hope to see her back where she belongs by spring.

While we're talking about Woodhall, let me add this entry on the barrel tasting, which will begin Valentine's Day weekend.

Winemaker Chris Kent can’t wait to show you the wines from the 2008 vintage. They are stunning.

Beginning February 14 and extending through Sunday, March 29, we will be conducting public barrel tastings of the wines of 2008 and some reds from 2007 between the hours of 2 pm and 4 pm each Saturday and Sunday. All wines tasted will be available by the case (which may be mixed with two different varieties) at a discounted price on a futures basis. After the barrel tasting, we retire to the Tasting Room where you can put your order together while you enjoy the best of Kirchmayr chocolates and a glass of Woodhall red wine. The event costs $15, which is rebated with the purchase of your first case of wine. All you need to do is assemble your group, pick the Saturday or Sunday of your visit and call 410 357 8644 or email us (woodhallwinecellars.com) to let us know the size of your group and the date of your visit. Remember that the first couple of weekends are heavily attended, so if you have a large group or intend to bring food, we can serve you better if you select one of the later weekends.

The Event Grapevine: Jan. 30-Feb. 1

Look down through the calendar of events and you'll see just about every winery incorporates chocolates into a February event. Why not, with Valentine's Day coming along right in the middle of the month. Some wineries hold them as individual events, and a few wine trails such as Berk County's make it an all-encompassing event. Some charge, almost all pair them up for you with their wines.

And a few wineries, such as Chaddsford, elevate their promotion to a unique level. Lee Miller, one of the proprietors and someone I always can depend on to talk about he various aspects of the business, said they have developed their wine and chocolate pairing into a precursor to their reserve tasting program that begins in March. So beginning this Sunday and continuing every weekend through February, the winery welcomes those who want to learn more about chocolates and wine. Sessions each of those day take place at 1, 2:30 and 4 p.m. The cost is $25; reservations are requested at 610.388.6221.

Miller said this isn't an event where you just stop by, pick off a few chocolates, and satisfy your appetite. This program, she said, “we do as very serious. We work with a local chocolate maker whose name is Chris Curtin, at Eclat Chocolate [in West Chester]. Very distinguished. They are in Wine Spectator this month . . . they've been in all the big magazines. They're a really high end, $2 per truffle chocolate maker. [Chris] he does it all himself, literally, sells it, he's the guy in the store in the back. It's a great place.

“We had our tasting, in fact, Monday night. We get 20 of his chocolates and 20 of our wines and all of our wine educators, there were like 10 of us, and we taste them and pick out the best combinations. And then we give people a plate that has six different chocolates, these are really intense chocolates, you can't eat any more than that, and a tasting mat with six different wines, and then we kind of guide them through, 'take a little taste of this, take a little taste of this,' we make them do some wine and food pairing. It's a lot of fun.”

Each session lasts about an hour, Miller said, noting by then people are ready to head to the tasting bar. “But we do them as sit down, kind of serious tasting,” she said, “and just try and give them a different experience.”

Here's what's going on this weekend and beyond:

PENNSYLVANIA WINERIES

Adams County Winery, Orrtanna: Wine appreciation class ($$), Saturday, Feb. 7, 6 to 8:30 p.m.; home wine-making ($$), Sunday, Feb. 22, 1 to 3 p.m., link to winery

Blue Mountain Vineyards & Cellars, New Tripoli: Sunday Blues Wine Tastings, music every Sunday ($$), 2 to 5 p.m., through April, except for Feb. 1, link to winery

Chaddsford Winery, Chaddsford: Wine and Chocolate Reserve Tastings ($$), every weekend in February; Barrels on the Brandywine ($$), every weekend in March at any of the members of the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail; reserve tastings ($$) begin in March, 1, 2:30 and 4 p.m. every Saturday, link to winery

Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville: Wine and Chocolate Weekend, Feb. 14-15, a Berks County Wine Trail event; beginner tasting class ($$), Saturday, Feb. 21, 3 p.m., annual wine rack sale ($$), all Clover Hill location, Feb. 19 through March 8; March Madness ($$), passport required, a Lehigh Valley Wine Trail event, link to winery

Country Creek Winery, Telford: Wine and Chocolate Tasting, Friday, Feb. 6, 6 p.m., Harleysville Books, 672 Main St., reservations requested, link to winery

Crossing Vineyards & Winery, Washington Crossing: Wine & Wellness, East, Drink and Be Healthy ($$), Wednesday, Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m.; Wine Tasting for Dummies ($$), Sunday, Feb. 8, 2 p.m.; Champagne for Lovers ($$), Thursday, Feb. 12, 7:30 p.m.; Wine & Chocolate for Lovers ($$), Sunday, Feb. 15, 2 p.m., link to winery

Galen Glen Winery, Andreas: St. Valentine’s Day Weekend, Saturday, Feb. 14, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 15, noon to 5 p.m.; President Day Weekend, Feb. 21-22, pizza and wine pairing, link to winery

Hauser Estate Winery, Biglerville: New winery open, Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; Candle Light Friday/Happy Hour, the last Friday of every month, 5 to 8 p.m., Voxology will perform Friday; satellite shop opened at 17 Lincoln Square, Gettysburg; Valentine’s Day at Hauser Estate, Saturday, Feb. 14, 5 to 8 p.m., warm food and live music, 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.; Valentine’s Day Celebration, Feb. 14-15; Barrels on the Brandywine ($$), every weekend in March at any of the members of the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail, link to winery

Manatawny Creek Winery, Douglasville: Chocolate & Wine Weekend, weekend of Feb. 14-15, a Berks County Wine Trail event; Cab Franc and Harvest Red on sale through the end of January; hours have changed to Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 6 p.m., link to winery

Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery, Wrightsville: Music every Saturday (2 to 5 p.m.) and Sunday (2 to 5 p.m.); will close Fridays at 5 p.m. at least through February; vineyard hike and mulled wine ($$), Saturday, Feb. 21, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., link to winery

Naylor Wine Cellars, Stewartstown: Lovers Weekend Dinner White Wine Tasting ($$), Saturday, Feb. 14, 3 to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 15, 2 to 5 p.m., link to winery

Paradocx Vineyard, Landenberg: Valentine’s Day at the Vineyard, Saturday, Feb. 14; Barrels on the Brandywine ($$), every weekend in March at any of the members of the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail, link to winery

Penns Woods Winery, Eddystone: Barrels on the Brandywine ($$), every weekend in March at any of the members of the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail, link to winery

Pinnacle Ridge Winery, Kutztown: Chocolate & Wine Weekend, weekend of Feb. 14-15, a Berks County Wine Trail event; March Madness ($$), passport required, a Lehigh Valley Wine Trail event, link to winery

Rose Bank Winery, Newtown: Winter Wine Concert Series, Sundays through March 8, 1 to 4 p.m., at Shady Brook Farm, link to winery

Rushland Ridge, Rushland: Closed January and February; will reopen March 5, link to winery

Tamanend Winery, Lancaster: New winery open, Thursdays, Fridays and 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

Twin Brook Winery, Gap: Valentine’s Concert in the Vineyard ($$), Saturday Feb. 14; Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Weekend, Saturday, Feb. 14, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 15, noon to 5 p.m.; Barrels on the Brandywine ($$), every weekend in March at any of the members of the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail, link to winery

Va La Vineyards, Avondale: New holiday hours starting Dec. 1, weekdays, 12:01 to 5:27 p.m., Saturday and Sundays, 12:02 to 5:48 p.m., http://www.valavineyards.com/

Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville: 8th annual Super Bowl Saturday party,
Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; January white sale; Valentine’s Day weekend event, Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., link to winery


MARYLAND WINERIES

Black Ankle Winery, Mt. Airy: Open for business, winner of Maryland Governor’s Cup in 2008; winter hours start Dec. 1, Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., other times by appointment, link to winery

Boordy Vineyards, Hydes: Chili Winter Days ($$), Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m.; Fond of You Fondue ($$), Saturdays in February, 1 to 5 p.m., winery link

Frederick Cellars, Frederick: Valentine’s Day dinner ($$), reservations required, Saturday, Feb. 14, link to winery

Fridays Creek Winery, Owings: Winemaker’s Dinner ($$), Saturday, Feb. 14, reservations only, link to winery

Linganore Winecellars at Berrywine Plantations, Mt. Airy: Wine and desserts pairing ($$), through the month; Jazzin’ in January ($$), Saturday, noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.; Cask to Kisses, wine and chocolates pairing, every day in February, http://www.linganorewines.com

Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, Dickerson: Barrel tasting ($$), case club members are free, Saturday, 1 p.m., food available, reservations required as 301.605.0130; White Wine Sensory Training Seminar ($$), Saturday, Feb. 7, 1 p.m., reservations required at 301.605.0130, link to winery

Woodhall Wine Cellars, Parkton: Soups of the World ($$), ends this weekend,
all are served with bread from Stone Mill Bakery and Woodhall wine pairing recommendations, reservations are requested at 410.357.8644, 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

$$ – Admission charge

Circle the calendar for annual Woodhall tastings

One of the things that officially says it’s the new year is the letter from Deb Morris down at Woodhall Wine Cellars in Maryland announcing the annual Barrel Tasting, Futures Sale and Chocolate Sampling with Red Wine. It’s one of our favorite wine events, combining a tasting of everything winemaker Chris Kent has aging in the barrel from the most recent vintage along with a chance to then go back up the hill and pair several of the wines with pieces of Kirchmayr chocolates. Why, that tastes even better than a Phillies title.

This year, the event will start Feb. 14 and take place each weekend day between 12 and 4 p.m. until March 29. It’s free for case club members (anyone on the winery’s books that have bought a case) and $15 per person for everybody else. All they ask is to let them know you are coming; either call (410.357.8644) or e-mail (woodhallwinecellars@Comcast.net) to let them know the size of your group and the date of your visit. Those first few weeks do tend to be busier, so anyone looking for a less crowded setting might want to wait until March. You can also have dinner there, courtesy of Patricia Della Fine Dining, a casual and rustic eatery located on the winery grounds and serves lunch from noon to 3 p.m., dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. each weekend.

I called Kent the other day and asked for his impression on this vintage, a great deal of which they bring in from other suppliers around the state. For the most part, he said, he was satisfied.

“There was really only one thing I thought underperformed, and that was Sangiovese, and that’s nothing new,” he said. “Sangiovese is a difficult grape for this part of the country. The things that I think did well or that I’m excited about. We have a strong Cabernet Franc from two vineyards, we have Barbera again from a different vineyard than we have been using the last three years. This vineyard is one on the Eastern Shore. It was the first year for their Barbera harvest rand it was astoundingly good. Just bringing it down and looking at the numbers of the fruits when it came in, it was as good as any red vinifera that I have seen out of any of the Maryland sources that we have had since I’ve been doing this. I don’t think the wine will disappoint.

“In the whites the Vidal Blanc showed very well and we made Traminette, and that showed very well. We also have some pretty good Seyval. So there were lots to things to look forward to, but one of the things about the overall harvest is that it wasn’t very big. We came in probably 50 percent under our projected totals for production for the year. . . . There seems to be a pattern that develops when you come out of a drought year and in this case we’re talking about 2007. I’ve heard this from one of my industry colleagues who made an assessment on this and I think there’s some truth to it. In June of 2007 there was a streak of weather that was extremely hot. That seems to have had an effect on the vineyards of the area couple with the long dry period that, when you have that kind of condition going into the next vintage year, it seems like the vines are not too inclined to want to load up on fruit. We’ve seen this before. Yields tend to come down after the drought. [Plus] some of the suppliers that we have just had issues in their vineyards that had nothing to do with the weather. So, summing it up, there were some very good wines made, there just weren’t a lot of it.”

If you go, ask about the successful $100 case sale that the winery ran through most of the second half of 2007. Technically it ended in December, but ask nicely and you should be able to get yourself a deal, particularly if you are a member of the case club. Kent said the whole reason for the special was a desire to thin out the warehouse a bit. “We made an awful lot of wine in 2005 and 2006,” he said, “and we needed to move some of that stuff that was from’06 out. And it helped.”

Brandywine trail posts info on wine camp

Have some interviews to get posted the next couple days. One is with winemaker Chris Kent of Woodhall Wine Cellars of Parkton, Md., who talks highly about their 2008 vintage. And the other is with Jan Waltz of Waltz Vineyards in Manheim, Pa., who expects to open his tasting room for business (by appointment only for a bit) sometime over the next couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, let me mention the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail and its plans for this summer, including its second wine camp in mid-June (click on the ad above to see the details or go to the Web site). You can also find two other events scheduled for summer on the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau: a culinary camp in mid-July and Harley-Davidson camp i mid-August.

Event Grapevine: Jan. 16-18

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Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard in Dickerson, Md., will be combining a grand opening of the tasting room and a celebration of the presidential inauguration event. The party will run from Saturday through next Tuesday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and will include wine tastings and tours of the winery, sales on selected wines, hot soup, cheese platters, hors d'oeuvres, bottle engraving and entertainment. To top it off, you can view the inauguration of President Barack Obama on the big screen on Tuesday.

Winery partner Jim McKenna pulled along the side of the road yesterday to tell me by phone how excited he and the rest of the Sugarloaf family are to officially open the tasting room, which opened for business in October. "The tasting room has turned out to be even more pleasant and terrific than I could have imagined in my wildest dreams," he said. "There's something very lovely and warm about it. Peoiple who come in just love it. And I do, too. We have XM Radio and generally I either have classical music on or the [Frank] Sinatra station [that's on XM]."

McKenna said work would commence today on putting up a big tent over the patio in addition to the 40 or 50 people that the tasting room will be able to accommodate. And there's more room in the winery itself and elsewhere on the property to handle what's expected to be a busy, busy few days.

Otherwise, here’s what’s happening this weekend and beyond.

PENNSYLVANIA WINERIES

Adams County Winery, Orrtanna: Wine appreciation class ($$), Saturday, Jan. 24, 6 to 8:30 p.m.; home wine-making ($$), Sunday, Feb. 22, 1 to 3 p.m., link to winery

Blue Mountain Vineyards & Cellars, New Tripoli: Music every Saturday ($$), 6 to 9 p.m., link to winery

Chaddsford Winery, Chaddsford: Academy Awards of Pennsylvania Wines ($$), Harrisburg Hilton, Sunday, 2:55 p.m., tickets through the Wine Society of Pennsylvania; Taste of the Brandywine benefit at Hilton Garden Inn ($$), Friday, Jan. 23, 6 to 10 p.m., members of the wine trail will showcase its newest releases along with hors d’oeuvres provided by the Hilton; Eric Miller wine and food pairing dinner at The Kitchen Shoppe in Carlisle ($$), Friday, Jan. 23, 6 to 9 p.m.; Wine and Chocolate Reserve Tastings ($$), every weekend in February, link to winery

Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville: Snowy 6 Pack Sale, 20 percent off purchases of any six bottles of wine, through Sunday; beginning wine-tasting class ($$), Saturday, 3 to 4:30 p.m., SOLD OUT, link to winery

Country Creek Winery, Telford: Resolution Revolution, Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Wine and Chocolate Tasting, Friday, Feb. 6, 6 p.m., Harleysville Books, 672 Main St., reservations requested, link to winery

Crossing Vineyards & Winery, Washington Crossing: Wine Tasting for Singles ($$), Friday, 7 p.m.; Insider’s Guide to Vintage 2008 ($$), five-course gourmet meal, Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Wine Tasting for Dummies ($$), Sunday, 2 p.m.; wine and cheese pairing, ($$), Tuesday, Jan. 20, 7:30 p.m.; Wine Tasting in Riedel Crystal ($$), Sunday, Jan. 25, 2 p.m.; Wine & Wellness, East, Drink and Be Healthy ($$), Wednesday, Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m., link to winery

Hauser Estate Winery, Biglerville: New winery open, Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.; Candle Light Friday/Happy Hour, the last Friday of every month, 5 to 8 p.m.; satellite shop opened at 17 Lincoln Square, Gettysburg, 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.; Valentine’s Day Celebration, Feb. 14-15, link to winery

Manatawny Creek Winery, Douglasville: Weekend celebration, Friday through Monday, Sunday, noon to 6 p.m., otherwise 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Winter Warmth on sale for 10 percent off (try dipping ginger snaps into the spiced red warm wine). Fire will be blazing, link to winery

Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery, Wrightsville: Music every Saturday (2 to 5 p.m.) and Sunday (2 to 5 p.m.); will close Fridays at 5 p.m. at least through February; vineyard hike and mulled wine ($$), Saturday, Feb. 21, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., link to winery

Naylor Wine Cellars, Stewartstown: Lovers Weekend Dinner White Wine Tasting ($$), Saturday, Feb. 14, 3 to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 15, 2 to 5 p.m., link to winery

Paradocx Vineyard, Landenberg: Valentine’s Day at the Vineyard, Saturday, Feb. 14,
link to winery

Pinnacle Ridge Winery, Kutztown: The Buy Fresh Buy Local Wine dinner ($$), at John J. Jeffries on Sunday, Jan. 25, with Chardonnay, Chambourcin, Pinot Noir, and Late Harvest Vidal accompanying the four courses, $52 including tax and gratuity, sign up at www.johnjjeffries.com or call 717.431.3307; Chocolate & Wine Weekend, weekend of Feb. 14-15, Berks County Wine Trail event, link to winery

Rushland Ridge, Rushland: Closed January and February; will reopen March 5, link to winery

Tamanend Winery, Lancaster: New winery open, Thursdays, Fridays and 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

Twin Brook Winery, Gap: Souper Saturday/Sunday ($$), Jan. 24-25, soups & stew in fresh bread bowls available for sale, paired with a glass of wine; tickets on sale for Valentine’s Concert in the Vineyard ($$), Saturday Feb. 14; Wine, Cheese & Chocolate Weekend, Saturday, Feb. 14, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 15, noon to 5 p.m., link to winery

Va La Vineyards, Avondale: New holiday hours starting Dec. 1, weekdays, 12:01 to 5:27 p.m., Saturday and Sundays, 12:02 to 5:48 p.m., http://www.valavineyards.com/

MARYLAND WINERIES

Black Ankle Winery, Mt. Airy: Open for business, winner of Maryland Governor’s Cup in 2008; winter hours start Dec. 1, Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., other times by appointment, link to winery

Boordy Vineyards, Hydes: Chili Winter Days ($$), this weekend, next weekend, and Jan. 31, 1 to 5 p.m.; Fond of You Fondue ($$), Saturdays in February, 1 to 5 p.m., winery link

Frederick Cellars, Frederick: Frederick Gives Back, fund-raiser for county Humane Society, Saturday; Inaugural celebration, stop by to toast the new president, Saturday and Sunday, music at 7 p.m. Saturday and meet the new winemaker from 3 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, link to winery

Fridays Creek Winery, Owings: Wine & Chocolate Tasting United Way Fund-raiser ($$), Saturday, Jan. 24, link to winery

Linganore Winecellars at Berrywine Plantations, Mt. Airy: Wine and desserts pairing ($$), through the month; Jazzin’ in January ($$), Saturday, Jan. 24, noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., http://www.linganorewines.com

Woodhall Wine Cellars, Parkton: Soups of the World ($$), every weekend in January, this weekend is soups of France (Vichyssoise, Butternut Squash Soup, Bouillabaise),
all are served with bread from Stone Mill Bakery and Woodhall wine pairing recommendations, reservations are requested at 410.357.8644, 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

$$ – Admission charge