'Two-stop' wine dinner draws 55

Regional wineries have their own shares of war stories about getting local restaurants to carry their wines. Then you have the opposite end of the spectrum, where Brandywine Prime in Chadds Ford, Pa., not only carries a number of local wines but operates in concert with a few of them on events.

One occurred last Saturday with the third annual Barrel Tasting and Dinner that Brandywine Prime sponsored along with Chaddsford Winery. Restaurant GM Michael Majewski told me by phone that 55 attended. “That’s awesome," he said. "That's a great turnout for a wine dinner."

Costing $65 per person, the event started with hors d’oeuvres and wine out of the winery, then moved to the restaurant for dinner paired with Chadds Ford’s wines. Majewski said this is the second time they’ve followed the same “two-stop” script, and it’s not one they’re likely to change. “It seems to be a real popular thing, Majewski said, adding he’s planning to maintain a schedule where these are held twice a year.

“I think we’ll do it again in the spring and probably in the fall,” he said. “The fall works out well because they get to taste fermenting wine, and then the spring works out because the fermented wine is finished and racked off, and you get to taste it in a little bit different stage. If you come both times, you get to see a little bit of then and now. But even if you don’t, to taste fermenting wine, that’s pretty cool.

They go to the winery, taste out of the barrel . . . then we they come back to the restaurant and we finish the dinner there. This dinner. I made warm cider with apple spice wine that [Eric Miller] makes [at Chadds Ford]. Then I splashed it with a little bit of Wild Turkey. We had a little bourbon pumpkin pie and that was a big hit.”

What helps the Brandywine Prime-Chaddsford Winery pairing is their proximity; they’re only a couple of miles away. Majewski wouldn’t rule out trying the same idea with another winery, say, when Brad Galer reopens Folly Hill in another year or so. Otherwise, the distance from winery to restaurant eliminates many of the others on the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail.

“We could do it at Penns Woods, but he doesn’t have that winery up and running yet,” Majewski said. “It’s gotta be someplace close, because if you’re in the car for more than 10 of 15 minutes, it kind of loses something.”

Three Beaujolais tastings set for tomorrow

I had mentioned in a previous post about the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and its release Thursday of the 2008 Beaujolais Nouveau. The significance of tomorrow is that Beaujolais Nouveau Day is celebrated internationally the third Thursday in November, marking the debut of the first wine made from the annual harvest of Gamay grapes produced in the Beaujolais region of France. It will sell for $13.99 in stores across the state.

As part of the release, public tastings of the Beaujolais along with hors d'oeuvres will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. tomorrow will be held at the following locations:

East region of Pennsylvania:
Sofitel, 120 South 17th Street, Philadelphia

Central region of Pennsylvania:
Harrisburg Hilton
One North Second Street
Harrisburg

West region of Pennsylvania:
The Renaissance Hotel
107 Sixth Street
Pittsburgh

Fall Tour: Blue Mountain Vineyards/Winery

Caught up to Vickie Greff of Blue Mountain Vineyards & Winery in New Tripoli, Pa., yesterday and she was coming up for air after what’s becoming one of the busiest weekends on the winery’s calendar.

For one, they were welcoming visitors for Nouveau Weekend, one of a number of events that members of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail hold throughout the year. Not only did they release their first new wine from the 2008 crop0, but they paired it Saturday with Cranberry Glazed Chicken. In addition, March Madness 2009 Passports went on sale at all nine wine trail wineries. Those cost $30 apiece and are limited in quantity. The trail uses the holidays as a pitch to visitors to buy them and give them away as stocking stuffers. Those passports can be used any weekend in March to sample wine and food pairings at any of the nine wineries on the trail and also receive a complimentary wine trail gift, which this year is a Prodyne Vino Gondola two-bottle wine bucket. This black wine bucket is embossed in gold with the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail logo and the names of all the wineries. These can be picked up in March at the winery where folks buy their passports.

On top of all that, Greff said that they held their fifth annual German Night celebration on Saturday night. For $18.50 a person, attendees get to dine on authentic German food, music and dancing, and leave with a souvenir glass.

Otherwise, they are reveling at what has been up to now a good business year. Sales have been steady, she said, and the events have been well-attended. The designation of the Lehigh Valley trail as an American Viticulture Area in April enhanced the reputation of all the wineries. That has helped Blue Mountain and others forge new relationships with restaurants that have in the past only carried wines from outside the region. Now, the official AVA designation has turned some heads. Still, she admitted, it’s a fight for recognition and respect that hasn’t ended. Trying to pitch Blue Mountain in particular and local wines in general remains a challenge, something they are forced to squeeze into their schedules amid a number of other priorities.

Still, with the winery 23 years old and going strong, and with a wine trail that gives added support, she and husband Joe are counting their blessings and looking ahead to 2009 with a great deal of expectation.

Oh, what’s on the horizon? Two more Sundays of the Fall Foliage Tastings, from 2 to 5 p.m., and then the ninth annual Christmas Wine Tasting, from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6.

Fall Tour: Mount Felix Winery

Mary and Peter Ianniello only have had Mount Felix Vineyard & Winery open for less than two months. Located in Havre de Grace, Md., in what they term on their site as the Birthplace of American Viticulture, the couple just sent out the winery’s first e-letter a few days ago.

That included the link to their new Web site, which is a dramatic improvement on what they used before. With the vineyards and winery as part of a bigger estate, the new site features photos of the rooms in the manor house, loads of info on the vineyards and the wines, a link to John Adlum, the Father of American Viticulture, and key words to other pertinent information.

Peter had written by e-mail a few weeks ago that they’ve been quite satisfied with their volume and the interest in their winery. They also feature a link to retail outlets around them, more than 15 strong, which are carrying their wines. I always preferred the wineries that included the price on the wine list, but certainly in this region those are in the minority.

Still, nice to see progress, evidenced by the correspondence and the upgraded site. One thing that always adds some flavor is the background of the family and the winery. In this case, Peter explains that this idea took root as he was growing up, listening to grandfathers Luigi and Giulio talk about wine and how it became such an important aspect of their family. “I recall fond memories,” he writes, “of passionate debates filed with laughter when arguments ensued over what tasted better, Grandpa’s jug wine or Uncle’s vintage Barolo.

What will I try when I eventually swing by? Well, there’s neither the jug wine nor the Barolo. But the Chambourcin, called Adlum’s First, would work just as well for me. A full-bodied red, they describe it as possessing complex flavors of dark cherries, spices and smoke.

Pretty much open full time, the winery welcomes visitors from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, and Fridays to Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Sand Castle to head west to York

-
Sand Castle Winery will be pouring at The Pennsylvania Food & Beverage Show this coming weekend in the Toyota Arena at the York (Pa.) Expo Center. The show will run Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

The November e-letter also noted that the winery, located in Furlong, Pa. will hold a Country Holiday Weekend on Dec. 6 and 7. That will run from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days and feature a horse-driven sleigh and carols, plus plenty of drink, including hot spiced wine.

Allegro opens first shop in grocery store

If it had been up to Carl Helrich of Allegro Vineyards in The Brogue, Pa., he would have had a retail outlet in a grocery store long ago.

But his lengthy wait is over now, as he operates what he said is the first Pennsylvania winery to place a shop inside a grocery store. Opened for business on Nov. 5, the retail outlet allows customers to taste the line of Allegro wines, buy bottles (including chilled), and purchase other wine accessories. The outlet, staffed fully by Allegro employees, is open noon to 8 p.m. Sundays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays.

“Giant Foods has been great to work with,” Helrich, the winemaker and owner (along with wife Kris Miller) of Allegro, said by phone on Friday. “They want to work with a Pennsylvnaia winery. I’m a Pennsylvania Preferred winery, and they work with a lot of Pennsylvania Preferred vendors. Selling wine in Harrisburg is our kind of market, too. We’re known for our premium dry wines, and people up there are really taking to them. I’m really surprised actually with the split between the dry and sweet [wines] up there. People up there definitely enjoy their better wines.”

Besides the winery, Allegro maintains a retail outlet on the outskirts of York, along South Queen Street a few miles north of Dallastown, a spot in the West Shore Farmers Market in Lemoyne, and operates as part of a cooperative in Lancaster with Twin Brook Winery of Gap, Pa., and Tamanend Winery of Lancaster. Helrich noted that at those locations the percentage of sweet wine sold might exceed 70 percent, but that the shop in Enola has dry-sweet sales that are closer to equal. “I was a little surprised at that,” Helrich said, “although that is what I was hoping. But now that I know a little more about it and have seen more of the demographic numbers, I’m not surprised any more.”

You can’t miss the Allegro outlet as you pull into the Giant store. About 570 square feet, it’s located in an area in what formerly was a bank. “The opening of the Allegro Wine Shoppe enables us to continue to showcase and promote quality products found right here in Pennsylvania's own back yard," Jeff Martin, Giant’s executive vice president for sales and merchandising, said in a release when the announcement of the opening was made. “The Allegro Wine Shoppe will provide customers with the convenience of purchasing wines from a well-recognized vintner at the same time they are shopping for their groceries. We look forward to their great success.”

For Helrich, it ends what he called a five-year search that began with an unsuccessful broaching of the idea to Wegmans and then a spot in a Weis Market in York. But that turned out to be a temporary relationship.

“We were using a special permit, like a festival permit,” Helrich said. “We called it miniature festivals in the Weis. That was December 2005, I think, right about the time that shipping ban was going on . . . and then after that got overturned they decided, well they’re going to do tit for tat and they going to tighten up on festival permits. So they took that away from me, and so I was not be able to sell from a grocery store again. And Weis was not being cooperative as far as letting me open up a shop because they are a little more of a conservative organization, they didn’t want me blowing holes in the outside of their building to put in the outside entrance that’s required. So, about four years ago, I went to an expo for Giant vendors. I gave them all the information and talked to people and said, ‘Boy, if you guys want to, I’ll be there. And they contacted me about a year and a half ago.”

Going cold-turkey into holiday wines

If you don’t mind a mishmash of sentiments on wine for Thanksgiving and the other holiday, step on in.

This is all starts with a piece that John Farlow wrote for Baltimore magazine on Maryland wines that would be perfect for the holiday table. Farlow is a longtime author and aficionado of wines worldwide, and was kind enough to call me back and talk about what he’s finding at wineries closer to his home. There are 34 wineries now in Maryland, and that number is far exceeded in the surrounding states of Pennsylvania, Virginia and New York. Farlow agrees that slowly the bar is being raised, and that the opening of Black Ankle Winery and others of its ilk will force others in the state and region to change, in varying degrees, what they are doing.

Two of the wines that Farlow recommends come from Woodhall Wine Cellars in Parkton, Md., which made note of his article in the November e-letter.

Deb Morris, who produces the e-letter, noted:
“The current Baltimore Magazine (November 2008) recommends the use of Maryland wine for the holidays. John Farlow, in his Grapevine column (p. 220) enthusiastically recommends two Maryland whites, one Maryland Rose and three Maryland reds for his readers table. Two of the three reds are Woodhall wines. Here is what he writes:

“I couldn’t pick between Woodhall Cabernet Franc 2007 and Woodhall Sangiovese 2007, so consider them both. They are impeccably made: the Cabernet Franc is a bit darker and leaner, and the Sangivese is brighter and broader. They possess the finesse to cope with Turkey Day without actually overwhelming the turkey.”

We commend Mr. Farlow. Not for recommending Woodhall wines (although we agree with him, as you will see later in this newsletter), but for recognizing the quality of Maryland wine and its appropriateness at celebratory dinners. It certainly doesn’t make sense to import wines from halfway around the world when wines just as good are available locally.

And, under the Wine of the Month, came this entry:
“We agree with Baltimore Magazine’s recommendations of Woodhall Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc as wines for Thanksgiving, but would expand the list. Thanksgiving dinner is a cacophony of flavors, generally on the heavy, rich side. Roast turkey and white wines usually create a metallic taste in the mouth. Big tannic reds with high alcohols (think California) add to the heaviness without cleansing the palette. So, the Woodhall Gang recommends lighter bodied red wines with moderate tannins. Should you need a white wine, consider the slightly sweet Woodhall Vignoles. But in our experience, reds are best. The lightest of our reds are the Sangiovese Rose and the Pinot Noir. The Chambourcin, with its dark purple color and spich flavor works well, as does the Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc recommended by Baltimore Magazine. For a step up in quality, try the Vintner’s Prestige series, Jubilee Reserve Barbera 2007. Deep blueberry/red color…herbal/black cherry aromas, and earth, terrior-like flavors brings an added dimension to Thanksgiving.

You can hit a number of regional winery Web sites and find references to what they’d suggest for the holiday.

On a state level, Pennsylvania’s Wine and Spirit stores will begin selling the Beaujolais Nouveau next Thursday, Nov. 21, and will hold tastings at a number of stores around the Commonwealth. Here’s the tasting schedule for next Thursday, and at this link you can find the daily tastings schedule for this item and many others.

Finally, I’ve always admired the site of a California writer named Deb Harkness, whose knowledge of wines and the way she’s able to integrate her Web entries with a mix of history and modern culture has turned her Good Wines Under $20 into an award-winning blog that’s chock-full of information and entertaining reading.

While my blog focuses on regional wines and wineries, I don’t mind sharing her take, which incorporates a more global scale. Enjoy, and an early happy holidays to everyone.

Her entry, produced on Nov. 6, follows:
Every year, new visitors come to this site in search of a delicious, affordable, and available bottle of wine to pair with their holiday meal. Old friends visit, too, sometimes to suggest their own picks for the year and sometimes to take issue with something I've picked. It doesn't matter why you're here--I'm glad to see you, and hope that what follows will be helpful to you as you plan for the big dinner.If you are looking for general advice on Thanksgiving wine and hospitality, I'd encourage you to check out this article I wrote a few years ago on issues facing the host/hostess and the guests. If you are wondering what to drink with your meal, and with leftovers, you're in the right place.

Here are my picks for 2008--all of which offer great taste and great value in an easy-to-find package. Clicking on the wine's name will take you to the winery's site where you can find more information about the wine and its makers. Many of the wines I picked this year are made with organic grapes, are farmed with sustainability in mind, and/or are made by families with great stories of how they got in the business of grape-growing and wine-making. Clicking on the range of prices will take you to a list of retailers who stock the wine. Maybe one will be near you.

Sparkling Wines

What's a holiday dinner without some bubbles? These two picks are great for toasts, appetizers, brunch the morning after, or drinking with the main meal. Sparkling wine has great acidity, which means it pairs with most foods and there's no doubt that sparklers are festive.

NV Roederer Estate Brut ($15-$20). For my money, this is the best value around in domestic sparkling wine. Expect tiny bubbles, aromas of brioche and Meyer lemon, and flavors of apples, toast, and nuts. Just as good with food as without.

NV Domaine Allimant-Laugner Cremant d'Alsace Rose ($16-$19). If you're looking for a pink sparkler, try this one. It' made with 100% Pinot Noir and has knockout fresh strawberry aromas with light berry, mineral, and citrus flavors. Like the Roederer Brut, this wine is as good with food as it is without.

Rosé Wines

Rosé wines are perfect for turkey and all the side-dishes that make us groan afterwards. If you feel that rosé wines are too "casual" for a fancy dinner, don't forget the leftovers. Wouldn't a cool rosé be perfect on Saturday with your turkey sandwich? These rosé wines are dry, not sweet, and very refreshing.

2007 Fort Ross Pinot Noir Rosé ($12-$16). Fort Ross makes some of the best Pinot Noir out there, and this is the rosé version of their wine. It's a beautiful color, with raspberry and strawberry aromas and flavors and a delicious stony note that keeps it complex and interesting.

2006 Jeriko Estate Rosé ($9-$13). This is a round and full rosé, with aromas and flavors of strawberries and minerals. If you don't like watermelon notes in your wine, you'll like this. Made with organic grapes.

White Wines

I'm a fan of white wines for Thanksgiving. I like their freshness, and the way that they pair so beautifully with stuffing, gravy, turkey, cranberries, Waldorf salad--you name it, these whites will go with it. They're versatile and flavorful, but won't overwhelm the food.

2006 Brooks Riesling ($14-$19). This is not a sweet wine. It's dry in style, with aromas of lime, apple, Meyer lemon, petrol, and stone. You will taste lime, slate, currants, and a touch of honey which makes it ideal if you are serving smoked turkey or a turkey made with lots of spices. Exceptionally complex for the price.

2006 Adelsheim Pinot Gris ($14-$20). Delicious aromas of peach, honey, and a kiss of caramelized sugar, but there's lots of bright acidity to keep the peach and apple flavors in balance. This aromatic wine would be perfect if you are serving sausage stuffing, and while it may give a sweet impression it finishes dry.

2006 Mauritson Sauvignon Blanc ($13-$17). One of the best domestic Sauvignon Blancs I've had in a long time, made with no oak and no assertive aromas or flavors. Warm melon, Meyer lemon, and clementine aromas and flavors accompany fresh, grassy notes.

2007 Clif Bar Family Winery The Climber White ($13-$15). This white blend has a core of Sauvignon Blanc with the addition of Pinot Blanc (12%), Chenin Blanc (4%) and Muscat (3%). The result is a wine with good acidity but an impression of softness. Aromas of pink grapefruit and nectarine, and flavors of Meyer lemon, nectarine, and peach.

2007 Cupcake Vineyards Chardonnay ($11-$13; also available in CostPlus World Markets). A new label to me, this wine had clean and fresh apple and citrus aromas and flavors. There is a lovely creaminess to this wine, and a touch of mild oakiness. Very much like a white wine from Burgundy at a fraction of the price.

Red Wines

There are a lot of people out there recommending Zinfandel for Thanksgiving. Unless you are very, very careful you may overwhelm your food with a jammy, high-alcohol wine. That's true for many other red wines, too. If you are serving turkey and lots of different sweet and savory dishes, red wines may not be your best bet. However, the ones below will not overwhelm your food--and the flavors may be just right for you if you like dark meat, or are serving something smoked or (gasp!) not serving turkey at all.

2006 Domaine du Vissoux/Pierre-Marie Chermette Vieilles Vignes Cuvee Traditionelle ($12-$16). Gamay is a low-alcohol, high-acid grape that produces fresh, zesty reds. You will smell cherries, berries and some chalk in this wine, and the flavors are pure, juicy Bing cherry with an earthy undertow and some mineral notes.

2006 MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast ($12-$27) A great bargain in Pinot Noirs, this wine has high-toned cherry and raspberry fruit aromas, with a touch of allspice. There are flavors of cherry, raspberry, allspice, and fresh-baked cobbler with a terrific, silky texture.

2004 Quivira Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley ($18-$20). If you must, this is the Zinfandel to get. With aromas of black cherry, allspice, and cedar, and flavors of cherry, baker's chocolate, and pepper it has beautiful acidity and is very food friendly. This Zin feels and tastes more old fashioned and restrained--just the way I like them. The 2005 is also in the market, and while I haven't tasted it, ordinary drinkers on CellarTracker! seem to give it thumbs up, too.

2004 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Crianza ($7-$12). If you think I'm nuts to suggest Tempranillo with turkey--trust me. I'm not. This is one of the great bargain reds, from Osborne's Bodegas Montecillo. There are aromas of roasted herbs and spicy berries, and nice, high-toned red fruit. Beautiful acidity and some dusty tannins make for a long, juicy aftertaste.

Whatever you serve on Thanksgiving, remember to relax and enjoy your friends and family. That's what the holiday is really all about!