Second wine camp welcomes 25 for weekend

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Nina Kelly, director of comunications for The Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau, submitted these photos and this account of the second annual Brandywine Valley Wine Camp, held this past weekend. The photos include the dinner at Chaddsford Winery and hayride at Paradocx Vineyard.

The second annual Brandywine Valley Wine Camp was a great success. Twenty-five "campers" descended upon the Chaddsford Winery on Friday night and were greeted by proprietors Eric and Lee Miller with a glass of their refreshing Spring Wine. Eric then toured the group through the winery and sampled barrels of various wines. A delicious dinner outdoors and concert under the stars followed - and more wine.

The weather cooperated and the evening was enjoyed by all. Two couples from Pittsburgh took off to watch their beloved Penguins in the hockey final; they contributed to the fun by winning Lord Stanley's Cup (to the chagrin of Flyers fans!)

Saturday began with a tour of Kruetz Creek Vineyards in West Grove. Jim and Carole Kirkpatrick hosted the morning portion of the camp with a walk among the vines. Jim spoke of the varieties of grapes, root depth, pest control, pruning, harvesting and much more about the actual "fruit" of their labor.

Nearby Paradocx Winery was the next stop on the tour. A hayride, with a stop for lunch among the vines, and wine tasting was on the agenda. Time for exploring on their own in the afternoon was filled with other winery visits (Penn Woods and Stargazers), shopping or even napping.

A Wine Dinner was delightful at the Innkeepers Kitchen at the Dilworthtown Inn with tours of their renowned wine cellar a highlight. Finally Sunday concluded with a trip to Twin Brook Winery where Tim Jobe explained the wine-making process from vine to wine.

The wine campers were a lovely group of people from various areas who fell in love with the Brandywine Valley. The accommodations (Bed & Breakfasts and Boutique Hotels) were gracious and so hospitable according to the visitors. The area offered so much to see and do that many are planning to return.

The next Wine Camp is planned for June 11-13, 2010 and a custom weekend is always available. Please contact the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau at

800.566.0109 for more details or visit BrandywineValley.com anytime for more information.

Basignani 'Swings into Spring' next weekend

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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."

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

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.

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."

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.