Lehigh Valley wineries list invididual schedules

Been AWOL for a week trying to stay afloat with my other job, so I apologize. Most obvious subject heading into this final weekend before Christmas is the bad timing of this prdicted snowsotrm for wineries trying to unload product and gifts before the holiday.

With that in mind, let me post a couple of e-letter that I received about activities at several wineries over the next week or so.

Courtesy of PR ace Courtney Romain, here's the listings of what the wineries on the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail in eastern Pennsylvania have planned.

• Amoré Vineyards: The warmed Spiced Apple is always a special holiday treat. A cinnamon stick makes it even more festive. The brave and bold enjoy it with apple pie. Open daily until Christmas.
• Blue Mountain Vineyards is offering a new release of its Sparkling Peach ($19.50). It is a semi-sweet sparkling wine produced with succulent peaches and alive with sparkling bubbles. Blue Mountain also offers an Adopt a Vine Program for that wine lover who has everything on your gift list. Purchase a vine and receive a certificate explaining the program to present to the recipient. The first year they receive a plaque to be placed on their vine and for five years thereafter they will receive a specially labeled bottle of wine for the varietals you have chosen. The winery will be open Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will be closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
• Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery: Share the grape of the Lehigh Valley, Chambourcin, with friends and family this holiday season. Clover Hill makes two styles of Chambourcin: 2008 Chambourcin ($14.99) is a dry, oak-aged medium body red with rich, luscious berry flavors and a warm toasty oak. The Turtle Rock Red is a lighter, fruiter version of the Chambourcin made in stainless steel tanks with just a hint of residual sugar. Celebrate the holidays with local flavor! Open Monday – Saturday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon – 5 p.m. Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
• Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery: The winery suggests custom labeled wines as a great gift; an extensive collection of artwork with your personalized message for a flat fee of $10, plus cost of the wine. Minimum order is a case (12 bottles). Through January 3, 2010, Galen Glen will be open Sunday through Friday noon -5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Also open Christmas Eve 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Closed: Christmas Day and New Years Day.
• Pinnacle Ridge offers great gift baskets for holiday giving. Choose your wine, wine accessories and gourmet foods and create your own special gift for that special someone. The winery is open Sunday through Friday (except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day) from noon- 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Open until 6:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve for those last minute wine and gift purchases!
• Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery’s Spiced Winter Red ($9.99 a bottle), a seasonal holiday wine, is reminiscent of a German Gluwein, which can be served warm with Christmas cookies or fruitcake. Spiced Winter Red is available in a three pack, specially priced for December at $25.00. Starting Thursday, December 17, the winery is open every day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., until Christmas Eve (open 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.). Closed Christmas Day, then open December 26 - 29, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., December 31 open 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
  

State wine trails, stores ring in the Nouveau

Wine moves to the forefront this week across the state, and not just because it's nearly Thanksgiving and you figure to be buying a few bottles or cases for your dinner table.

It's also Nouveau week, the first release of the 2009 vintage. The state makes it a big to-do Thursday when the Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau goes on sale and is complemented by a number of free tastings through the weekend. A number will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday throughout the Philadelphia suburbs and west to Lancaster and Harrisburg. You have a pretty good selection of wines to pair up with your Thanksgiving food, and one of those on the list is the Beaujolais.

This Beaujolias release on the third Thursday in November has become a regular event on the wine calendar in France and the United States. What is becoming more the standard among Pennsylvania wineries is a similar release, accompanied by plenty of hoopla and food pairings.

One will take place along the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail, where Nouveau Weekend will be held Saturday and Sunday. In addition to being able to taste and purchase the wines, trail members are expected to offer Thanksgiving-themed food pairings, live entertainment, and more.

Nouveau Weekend will be held at all nine wineries on the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. A few wineries will be open as late as 6 both days. According to a release sent out on behalf of the trail, here's what some of the wineries are planning:

Big Creek Vineyard in Kresgeville is recommending a warm Spiced Apple as an aperitif and Nouveau Red with the big bird.

Blue Mountain Vineyards of New Tripoli suggests its 2008 Riesling - a refreshingly dry, intensely fruity and crisp wine with a very long lingering finish.

Cherry Valley Vineyards of Saylorsburg will serve its award-winning Cranberry Blush, a semi-sweet that is crisp and clean, similar to a white zinfandel with intense cranberry flavor. It starts sweet and finishes with a well-balanced citrus zest.

Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery of Breinigsville offers its new release 2007 Oak Vidal Blanc – upfront rich butter and cream flavor, the finish bursting with lemon and zesty acidity.

Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery, Andreas: Cellar White is a cuvee of the vineyard - Vidal, Riesling and Cayuga. Created in the style of German wines, it is an arrested fermentation (all sweetness is natural and from the grapes) with an elegant wild flower nose and brightly layered fruit ending.

Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery of Breinigsville will serve the Gamay Beaujolais Nouveau 2009 vintage wine, a perfect accompaniment to your holiday meals.

No Nouveau, but the old standbys should make visitors plenty happy at Pinnacle Ridge

Lehigh Valley Wine Trail will be among several in the state that will hold Nouveau Weekend NEXT weekend, a day or two after the Beaujolais from France is released in the state stores. You probably recognize the term even if you pay little attention to wine. Nouveau is, obviously, new wine that only a month or two ago was hanging out in clusters on the vine. All nine wineries will be participating in the promotion, which will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the 21st and noon to 5 p.m. on the 22nd.

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Pinnacle Ridge Winery will be one of those wineries, indeed open until 6 both days, only you won't be getting the Nouveau when you exit the Krumsville exit of I-78 and drive the half-mile or so to the tasting room. Had a chance to bust on winemaker and owner Brad Knapp on Thursday about Nouveau Weekend without the Nouveau, since he decided not to make it this year after producing it since 1995. The reason? Simple. Lots of effort for minimal reward.

"I had made a few from Chambourcin," Knapp said by phone, talking about the grapes he incorporated into his previous Nouveaus. "Which is troublesome because it's so late [to harvest]. It's hard to get the wine made in time. And then I was purchasing some Dornfelter, which is an early ripening German red variety, which works reasonably well. But I was not real happy frankly with the sales of that style."

Knapp said that he and wife Christy were touring wineries on Long Island when they entered Macari Winery, which "put out a wine called early Chardonnay, I think it was called. And it was an oaked wine, released very early. I think it was November. And they did very well with it and we decided to try it. They pitched it as an Austrian pub wine. . . . the taverns around Vienna will serve this newly fermenting wine in the fall. So we pitched it that way, that this was an Austrian-style Nouveau. And that actually did well. Slightly sweet and very fruity."

But, he added, no matter what he made, it was a lot of work to produce a small quantity of wine that just didn't have much appeal. "The bang for the buck was low, let's put it that way," Knapp said.

So what you'll get instead will be a few of Pinnacle Ridge's award-winning line of wines paired up with Turkey Day foods. They'll match up their 2008 Chambourcin and slightly sweet, fruity 2008 Chambourcin Rose with smoked turkey breast piled on lightly toasted baguettes. Those will be topped with a variety of Robert Rothschild spreads: Caramelized Onion Balsamic Spread, Champagne GarliC Honey Mustard or Raspberry Cranberry Horseradish Sauce.

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Check out the Web site to see the wide array of food to be served at Customer Appreciation Weekend on Dec. 5-6 and the chocolate and red wine pairing event the following weekend. Knapp said there have been plenty of customers to appreciate this year.

"Our business is phenomenal," he said. "We're doing great. My take on it is that most of us, myself included, there's a strong element of entertainment. And we're inexpensive entertainment. And we're local entertainment. So folks are getting in their car and driving around the countryside and spending a few bucks on buying a few bottles of wine instead of hopping in a plane to go somewhere or doing something more expensive."

This weekend's activities run gamut from grape stomp to wine trail celebration

This is a busy weekend coming up for winery-based activities in the Pennsylvania-Maryland region. One is what's now become the annual grape stomp down at Sugarloaf Mountain Winery in Dickinson, Md., on the way to Washington D.C. Activities will run Saturday and sunday from noon to 5, with everything from music to tours to tastings and, of course, the stomp, with prizes awarded to the fastest (and most accomplished) on their feet. Love the photo I've attached on here of the toddler in the barrel; borrowed it off their Web site. Online advance tickets are $12; they will be $15 at the gate.

Across the Mason-Dixon Line in Pennsylvania will be the celebration of the harvest on the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail, an event called Chambourcin Weekend. All nine wineries will feature special tastings and food pairings, entertainment, seminars and more. You can hit the trail site for specifics. Expect things to commence Saturday at 10 a.m. and running until 5 p.m., with maybe a little more room to move around on Sunday once the NFL kicks off. Wineries that day are scheduled to be open from noon until 5 o'clock.

Down the road a bit will be the sixth anniversary bash at Crossing Vineyards & Winery. There's a new building dedication on Saturday, in addition to tastings and a birthday drawing that can win you two free tickets to a wine and food dinner on Nov. 14.

These are just a taste of what's going on. You can do a wider search by stopping by the Web sites of the Association of Maryland Wineries or the Pennsylvania Winery Association and clicking on the individual winery sites.

Galen Glen's Harvestfest to go next 2 Sundays

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Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery, a member of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail, has two more dates for its Harvestfest Tours, this Sunday and also on Oct. 11. Not only will you have a chance to taste some of the many wines made by this producer in Andreas, not far from the Mahoning Valley exit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, but they also are offering a tractor and wagon tour into the vineyards. Those tours will leave the winery at 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m. each of the next two Sundays.

Wanted to mention that the winery has developed relationships with several restaurants located close by and also throughout the region. Should you not be able to make it to the winery, here's a lot of eateries serving Galen Glen wines:

Locally
Flow, Jim Thorpe - click for website link
Macaluso’s at The Lantern, Jim Thorpe Area - click for website link
The Restaurant at The Station, Tamaqua - click for website link
Romano’s, Andreas - click for website link
Curious Goods at The Bake Oven Inn, Germansville - click for website link

Philadelphia Area
GG Brewers, Glenside - Phone: (215) 887-0809
The Restaurant School, Philadelphia - click for website link

Lancaster Area
Belvedere Inn, Lancaster - click for website link
General Sutter Inn, Lititz - click for website link
Gibraltar, Lancaster - coming soon
John J Jeffries, Lancaster - click for website link

Lehigh Valley's Chambourcin Weekend planned for the weekend of Oct. 17-18

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Wanted to mention that the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail’s annual Chambourcin Weekend will be held at all nine wineries on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on the 18th from noon to 5 p.m.

Chambourcin, pronounced Shom-bor-san, produces a dark, intense wine similar to but not quite as heavy or robust as Cabernet, according to a release from the trail. The varietal is often compared to Merlot because of its softness and Shiraz for its spicy characteristics. Chambourcin also has a fair amount of acidity, which makes it a wonderful food wine because it accentuates the flavors of the food. In the Lehigh Valley, there are 36 acres of Chambourcin grown today yielding 93 tons of grapes and producing 14,725 gallons of wine in 18 different styles. The styles include Nouveau, Rose, Sweet Red, Semi Sweet, Dry Oak Aged and Sparkling. The Lehigh Valley's Chambourcin wines have won more than 50 medals in various competitions around the country.

Some events happening along the trail include:

• Amoré Vineyards & Winery will feature four styles of Chambourcin paired with ravioli in a red Chambourcin sauce, Chambourcin Bar-B-Q, and assorted breads with PASTAMORE dipping oils.
• Big Creek Vineyard will be pairing a number of traditional Pennsylvania Dutch Foods from its neighbors at Grouse Hunt Farms with our 2008 Chambourcin. The sampling will include Brandied Peaches, Vanilla Peaches, Brandied Cherries and a few types of fruit butter.
• Blue Mountain Vineyards will offer its 2005 Chambourcin paired with Braised Beef with Tomatoes & Herbs both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday it will offer a Chambourcin Seminar and Tasting at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. with the winemaker. Saturday it will offer complimentary acoustic entertainment provided by Rob and Marty. On Sunday it will offer our very popular Fall Foliage Wine Tasting featuring Leechboy for an admission of $5. Wine trail customers to the winery are welcome for wine tasting and our pairing at no charge.

• Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery will once again pair up with Chef Nathan Grube to present cooking demonstrations featuring Chambourcin friendly foods on the patio, at 1, 2, 3 or 4 p.m. for a demonstration. The demonstration food will be available for sampling and plates of food will be available for purchase.
• Franklin Hill Vineyards will be featuring its delicious homemade beef stew paired with Chambourcin. Klein's Farms Dairy & Creamery will be joining the folks at Franklin Hill to offer their gourmet handmade cheeses. Fresh apples and apple cider will be available at Kachline's Farms.
• Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery will feature tastings of Chambourcin infused and winery prepared Chili with our Claret, a naughty new world blend of ‘Cin and Franc, or Cellar Red, our unwooded and fruity Chambourcin wine. In addition, you can sample its autumn favorite, mulled Chambourcin.
• Pinnacle Ridge Winery will be releasing its 2007 CHAMBOURCIN RESERVE. Brad Knapp and Co. will be pairing the new vintage with a wonderful selection of smoked meats and cheeses from Dietrich's Meats and Country Store.
• Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery will be serving samples of beef a la Chambourcin, a rich beef and mushroom stew served over noodles (recipes available) paired with its 2007 dry Chambourcin. There will be live music in the Vyneskeller Wine Bar both days 1 to 4:30 p.m.

Raspberry wine back on shelves at Galen Glen

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Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery in Andreas, Pa., a member of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail, is touting its raspberry wine that was released in the past couple of days and that it's planning a winemaker's dinner for Saturday, Nov. 7. A menu is in the works and reservations are being accepted at 570.386.3682.

The winery is open for business Fridays through Sundays and also on Memorial Day, Labor Day and Columbus Day. Stop there and you can sample a wide mix of wines, from white to rose to red to dessert and sparkling.

One intriguing aspect is who carries the wine outside the winery. Four local restaurants in the vicinity of Jim Thorpe and Tamaqua carry Galen Glen's wines, but so do three in the Lancaster area, including the Belvedere Inn and John J Jeffries in Lancaster and the General Sutter Inn in Lititz. A fourth, called Gibralter, is also expected to carry wines from a winery that's a couple of hours away.

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

The Event Grapevine: April 16-19

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One of the more noteworthy events planned this weekend is Vynecrest Vineyard and Winery’s 20th anniversary weekend, set for Saturday (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Sunday (1 a.m. to 5 p.m.). The winery, located in Breinigsville, Pa., is a member of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail.

Live music (jazz vocalist Kristin Grassi and jazz guitarist Andy Warren) will take place in the Vyneskeller both days, along with wine specials and the celebratory cutting of a birthday cake both days at 3. There will be a 20 percent discount and a free Vynecrest short for all cases purchased this weekend.

Vynecrest's vineyard is the oldest in Lehigh County, its roots dating back to 1974. The winery opened 15 years later. It's owned by John and Jan Landis. Their youngest son, Sam, began lending a hand with the operation in 2002. He's now president of the Pennsylvania Wine Association.

Jan said during a phone conversation last week that they hadn't even thought about opening a winery when that vineyard was first planted.

"The whole idea stemmed from my editing a book on living off the land," she said. "We were thinking of just having a vineyard, really, and having our own wine. John loved planting, so we kept planting." She stopped and laughed. "You can only drink so much. And we gave it away. I think a lot of us back then didn't really consider doing it full time. And then if somebody would have said our son would come in with us. That was another thing."

Their elder son Ben, by the way, is a women's soccer coach at Bucknell.

Jan said they have 15 acres planted; at least two more will go in this spring, including grapes that have been very successful (Chambourcin) and quite unsuccessful (Chardonnay) there. "Early on we had Chardonnay planted, and it would come within two or three weeks of harvest every year and we'd lose the whole crop, with humidity, or some problem," she said. "So we ripped it out, and John said ABC, anything but Chardonnay." But recent improvements in the durability and resistence of the grape have them trying once again, putting in a half-acre.

As for what’s going on elsewhere, both this weekend and beyond, take a look:

PENNSYLVANIA WINERIES

Adams County Winery, Orrtanna: Home wine-making class ($$), Sunday, May 10; concert series will begin July 4, link to winery

Allegro Vineyards, Brogue: Fridays’ Weekly Winedown ($$), 4 to 7 p.m.; Sweet & Spicy Saturdays ($$), 2 to 5 p.m.; Sip & Savor Sundays ($$), 2 to 5 p.m., all require reservations at 741.3072, all events at the Wine Gallery in Olde Tollgate Village; Women’s Wine & Unwind ($$), Saturday, May 9, 2 to 5 p.m., call 717.741.3072 to reserve a seat or a table by May 6, space is limited, link to winery

Blair Vineyards, Mertztown: Taste of Spring Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26, a Berks County Wine Trail event, link to winery

Blue Mountain Vineyards & Cellars, New Tripoli: Sunday Blues Wine Tastings, music every Sunday ($$), 2 to 5 p.m.; 13th annual Candlelight Barrel Tasting, 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, 1 to 6 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, link to winery

Boyd’s Cardinal Hollow Winery, North Wales: North Wales Day, Saturday, May 16, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nina singing live, May 16, 5 to 8 p.m., link to winery

Chaddsford Winery, Chaddsford: Reserve tastings ($$) 1, 2:30 and 4 p.m. every Saturday; Wine 101 ($$), Thursday, 7 to 9 p.m. with Eric Miller, the first of a series of classes that run through May; next class is tonight (Thursday, April 16), Decadent Chocolates and Dessert Wines($$), 7 to 9 p.m.; following one is Art of Blind Tasting: An Interactive Tasting ($$), with special guest Laurie Forster, Sunday, April 19, 2 to 4 p.m.; technical tour program, free, on Fridays at 3 p.m. and Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., reservations accepted, link to winery

Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville: Beginner tasting class ($$), Saturday, April 25, 3 p.m.; A Taste of Spring, a Berks County Wine Trail event, April 25-26; vineyard and winery tour ($$), Saturday, May 30; Day in the Vineyard ($$), at Clover Hill Winery, Saturday and Sunday, June 5-6, along with Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery and Pinnacle Ridge Winery, link to winery

Country Creek Winery, Salford Township: Music, Christine and Company, Saturday, 6 to 9 p.m., no cover charge, 133 Cressman Road, Telford, link to winery

Crossing Vineyards & Winery, Washington Crossing: Wine 101 classes ($$) at the institute, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Monday, the next one will be White Wine on April 20; Pairing Wine and Cheese ($$), tonight (Thursday, April 16), 7:30 p.m.; Wine Tasting for Singles ($$), Friday, April 17, 7 p.m.; Wine Tasting for Dummies ($$), Sunday, April 19, 2 p.m., at the institute; Spring Winemaker’s Dinner ($$), Saturday, April 25, 7:30 p.m., five-course meal and wine pairing, information and reservations by calling 215.493.6500, ext.19; How Sweet It Is: Pairing Wine and Chocolate ($$), Sunday, April 26, 2 p.m., link to winery

Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor: Free winery tour, Wednesdays at noon; St Paddy’s Day in April, Saturday, link to winery

Galen Glen Vineyard and Winery, Andreas: Mother’s Day party, Sunday, May 10; spring tour of the vineyards and wineries, May 16-17, tours begin at 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m.; summer sipper, June 6-7, link to winery

Hauser Estate Winery, Biglerville: Candlelight Friday, last Friday of every month, 5 to 8 p.m., wine tasting, music and warm food, Reese Project Trio will perform on April 24; Ken Garrett book signing, Saturday, May 2; Italian Night ($$), Saturday, May 9, 5 to 8 p.m.; Mother’s Day at Hauser Estate ($$), limited seatings at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., food by Accomac Catering, link to winery

Kreutz Creek Vineyards, West Grove: Music at West Chester tasting room, 44 E. Gay St., Fridays and Saturdays, 6 to 9 p.m.; vineyard planning, volunteers welcome, Saturday, April 25; serving at Longwood Garden Wine and Jazz Fest, Saturday, May 2 (see more below); bottling work day on Memorial Day, May 25, both days will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and include Carol’s famous Vineyard Burgers -- reservations for both are requested at 610.869.4412; grand reopening on Saturday, May 30, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., music and snacks from 2 to 5 p.m. along with giveaways and wine sales, link to winery

Long Trout Winery, Auburn: Taste of Spring Weekend, Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26, a Berks County Wine Trail event,; Hippie Day, Saturday, May 23; Hippie Hurler Disc Golf Tournament, Sunday, May 24, link to winery

Manatawny Creek Winery, Douglasville: Hours have changed to Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays, noon to 6 p.m.; A Taste of Spring, Berks County Wine Trail event, Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26; pairing with John J Jeffries Restaurant in Lancaster for an all-vegetarian dinner on Sunday, April 26, one of the monthly food pairings with regional wineries and brewries, call the restaurant to make reservations, link to winery

Marburg Estate, Spring Grove: Tasting room reopening 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 6, link to winery

Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery, Wrightsville: Music Fridays (6 to 9 p.m.), Saturdays (2 to 5 p.m.) and occasionally on Sundays (2 to 5 p.m.); Mother’s Day champagne brunch ($$), Sunday, May 10, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., call 717.252.9463 for reservations; jazz festival ($$), Saturday and Sunday, May 23-24, 2 to 10 p.m., link to winery

Naylor Wine Cellars, Stewartstown: Forget The Taxes and Red Wine Dinner ($$), Saturday, 3 to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 2 to 5 p.m.; Mason Dixon Trail event, April 25-26 and May 3-4; Margaritaville 2009 fund-raiser for Mason Dixon Public Library ($$), 5 to 11 p.m.; Grape Blossom Festival ($$), Sunday, June 7, noon to 6 p.m., link to winery

Nissley Vineyards & Wine Estate, Bainbridge: Will be pouring at one of the houses of a Time for Wine, a tour and taste of historic Marietta houses, Sunday, April 26, 4:40 to 7:30 p.m., enjoy wine or iced tea, delicious hors d'oeuvres, cheeses and appetizers in three of Marietta's lovely old homes. Your tour and taste will end with decadent deserts and coffee at the historic Union Meeting House, for reservations and tickets, please call Vivian Carroll at 717.426.1270, note the tour is limited to the first 100 reservations, to benefit the Marietta Restoration Associate's restoration of the Vesta Furnace Building, http://www.nissleywine.com/

Paradocx Vineyard, Landenberg: 2nd annual "Bud Break Bash," a celebration of the beginning of the grape growing season, Saturday, May 9, noon to 8 p.m. Only cost is $5 for the wine tastings. Will also include music from The Acoustic Groove Project, wine tastings, cheese samples, hayrides, winery tours, and tours of the vineyard (the bonfire will be held from 6 to 7 p.m.; Mother’s Day Afternoon at the Vineyard, Sunday, May 10, link to winery

Pinnacle Ridge Winery, Kutztown: Taste of Spring, Berks County Wine Trail event, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, Day in the Vineyard ($$), at Clover Hill Winery, Saturday and Sunday, June 6-7, along with Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery, link to winery

Reid’s Ochards & Winery, Ortanna: New winery; call 717.677.7047 for more information.

Rushland Ridge, Rushland: Reopened, link to winery

Sand Castle Winery, Erwinna: Mother’s Day Brunch ($$), Sunday, May 10, 1 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Principles of Food and Wine ($$), a lecture and wine tasting, Wednesday, May 13, 6 to 8 p.m. Interested parties should make a reservation with Sheri Simond via email at
Philadelphia@eurocircle.com, link to winery

Tamanend Winery, Lancaster: Open Thursdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m., classically styled premium wines in their bottled wine group, and premium sweeter styled wines in their Bag in Box group of wines, link to winery

Va La Vineyards, Avondale: Open Thursdays and Fridays, noon to 5:30 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 6 p.m.; 2006 Patina being released in April; art of David Oleski through April 19, link to winery

Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville: 20th anniversary weekend, Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; May Day Saturday, May 2; Pinot Weekend, May 16-17; Day in the Vineyard ($$), at Clover Hill Winery, Saturday and Sunday, June 5-6, along with Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery, link to winery

Waltz Vineyards, Manheim: New winery, open Thursdays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m., and by appointment; Cherry Tree Merlot has been released, two-bottle purchase limit, link to winery

Wycombe Vineyard & Winery, Furlong: Reopened for 2009 season; noon to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays, link to winery


MARYLAND WINERIES

Basignani Winery, Sparks: Pizza and herbs ($$), Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., link to winery

Black Ankle Winery, Mt. Airy: Winner of Maryland Governor’s Cup in 2008; explanation of wine and cheese with Cherry Glen Farms ($$), Sunday, sessions at noon and 2 p.m.; Friday Night Flights, 5 to 7 p.m., beginning tomorrow (April 17); back on summer hours: Wednesdays to Fridays, noon to 5 p.m., Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m., Sundays, noon to 5 p.m., link to winery
Boordy Vineyards, Hydes: Reds, Whites and Bluegrass ($$), wine and music, Sunday, April 19 and April 26, 1 to 5 p.m.; Queen for a Day, Mother’s Day picnic ($$), May 9-10, winery link

Frederick Cellars, Frederick: Happy Hour, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. every weekday, glasses are half-price; Music in the Cellar, every Friday and Saturday in April, 7 p.m.; looking for volunteers for Wine in the Woods in May, signup is first come, first serve, link to winery

Serpent Ridge, Westminster: New winery, tasting room opening Saturday, will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Maggie's Restaurant in Westminster will be hosting a wine dinner on May 5 highlighting Serpent Ridge wine. Call Maggie's (410.876.6868) for more information or to make reservations.

Sugarloaf Mountain, Dickerson: Friday Flights ($$) is every Friday from 2 to 4 p.m., which consist of 3 half glasses of SMV wine, each paired with an appropriate cheese, fruit or chocolate, reservations at 301.605.0130; “April in Paris,” Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., taste Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard's Bordeaux style red wines as well as its Chardonnays and the newly released 2008 Pinot Grigio along with light French fare, music and ambiance. Discounts on several bottles and on Sugarloaf Mountain cases. Take a tour of the winery, link to winery; Countryside Artisans Tour, Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., tour studios and meet artists who create fine handblown glass, prints, paintings, jewelry, furniture, sculpture, ironware and at SMV, sample our handcrafted wine. For information, an electronic brochure and a map, visit http://www.countrysideartisans.com/.

Woodhall Wine Cellars, Parkton: Patricia Della Casual Fine Dining on location, will be serving dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and lunch, call 410.357.5078 for reservations, link to winery

Other MARYLAND winery events can be found at this link, VIRGINIA events at this link and New York events at this link

WINE TRAIL EVENTS AND FESTIVALS

A Taste of Spring, annual celebration of Berks County Wine Trail, which will be celebrating its fifth anniversary, April 25-26, with wine and food pairings, wineries include Bashore & Stoudt, Blair, Calvaresi, Clover Hill, Kog Hill, Long Trout, Manatawny Creek and Pinnacle Ridge, link to trail Web site

Mason Dixon Wine Trail Spring Event, April 25-26 and May 2-3, Travel the trail between the 8 wineries on the Mason Dixon Wine Trail and collect a different herb to plant in your garden and a recipe card using the eight different herbs. The event is open to new and existing wine trail members free of charge. Wineries include Adams County, Allegro, Naylor and Seven Valleys in Pennsylvania, and Basignani, Boordy, Fiore, and Woodhall in Maryland, link to trail Web site

Pittsburgh Wine Festival ($$$$), Heinz Field, Thursday, April 30, benefits Univ. of Pittsburgh Medical Center, info at this link or 412.281.2681

Wine Festival in Hershey ($$$), Friday, May 1, Giant Center, benefits Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital, info at this link or 717.534.3911

Philadelphia Wine Festival 2009 ($$$$), Saturday, May 2, Marriott Philadelphia Downtown, 1201 Market St., info at this link or 215.279.8313

Third annual Longwood Gardens Wine and Jazz Fest ($$), Saturday, May 2, wine and jazz, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and jazz concert featuring pianist McCoy Tyner, 7:30 p.m., For ticket prices, etc., please see http://www.longwoodgardens.org/WineandJazz2009.html

Margaritaville 2009 ($$), to benefit Mason-Dixon Public Library, Naylor Wine Cellars, Stewartstown, Saturday, May 9, 5 to 1 p.m., rain or shine, must be 21 or over to enter, For tickets contact Mason-Dixon Public Library, 250 Bailey Drive, Stewartstown, PA 17363, 717.993.2404

Wine in the Woods Wine Festival ($$), Columbia, Md., Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, noon to 6 p.m. each day, link to festival Web site

Bucks County Wine Tour ($$), Sunday May 30, 8 participating wine venues with food partners:
Buckingham Valley Vineyards - None Such Fard
Chaddsford Wine Shop - Earl's Prime Restaurant
Crossing Vineyards - Jamie Hollander Catering
New Hope Winery - Bobby Simone's Restaurant
Rose Bank Winery - Market by Shadybrook at Delaware Valley College
Rushland Ridge Winery - Luigi's Italian Ristorante
Sand Castle Winery - DISH Catering
Wycombe Vineyards - Andre's Cheese Shop
An after event reception will be held at the Tuscany at the Towpath in New Hope at 18 W. Mechanic Street from 5 - 6:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce, Doylestwon Bookstore or at any participating wineries the day of the event. Link to trail Web site

CLASSES

Wine School of Philadelphia: Wine 101: Intro to Wine ($$), tonight (Thursday, April 16), 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., 2006 Fairmount Ave., Philly; Core Wine Certification ($$), classes for spring semester will begin April 23; Premium Green: Environmentally Soud Extravangance ($$), Wednesday, April 22, 7:30 p.m.; Wine 201 ($$), Wednesday, May 6, 6 to 8 p.m.; Sommelier Smackdown ($$), Wednesday, May 6, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.; for information on these and others, contact Keith at 215.965.1514 x55 or go to the Web site

Bin 604, 604 S. Exter St., Baltimore: Wine 101: The Basics of Wine Tasting ($$), class on April 25 (also May 9 and May 23), at 2 and 3:30 p.m., classes limited to 12 people, they look at the typical characteristics of popular grape varietals and explain the terminology and techniques of wine tasting and learn how to recognize the subtle and subjective flavors of wine; Green Wine Tasting ($$), Sunday, 3 to 6 p.m.; Alain Blanchon portfolio tasting ($$), Thursday night, April 30; Spanish wine and cheese tasting with Whole Foods Market ($$), Wednesday night, May 6; Call 410.576.0444 for information and reservations, link here to Web site

RESTAURANTS

John J. Jeffries, 300 Lancaster Ave., Lancaster: Happy Hour Revival, Friday, 4 to 6 p.m., Wine by the Glass: $5, Organic Cosmos: $4, Local Drafts: $3, Straub Light Bottles: $2; appearance of Octavia on May 1 will kick off Happy Hour on the Terrace promotion; wine and food dinner with Manatawny Creek Winery ($$) on Sunday, April 26, call the restaurant for reservations at 717.431.3307; SSBN fund-raiser with blues, brews and BBQ ($$), Sunday, May 3, noon to 4 p.m., link to restaurant

$$ – Fee

Blending together a bit of this, that

Amid all the e-blasts and e-mails I have received the past 48 hours, let me clear the notebook a bit.

From Adam Borden, who's heading up Marylanders for Better Beer and Wine Laws and directed an effort to hand out flyers at Monday's Opening Day at Camden Yards in Baltimore: "We had a decent but not great turnout, about 10, and handed out probably 10,000 fliers," he wrote. "Boy, did I have to get my elevator pitch down! I got it to: 'We're a Maryland non-profit trying to change our laws.' Many people said they did not care about changing any Maryland law without even hearing what law it was, though on the opposite side, a few actually were already members and had signed up for email alerts. I am not sure we will do it again, but we sure got in front of a lot of Marylanders."

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From Dr. Vino, who posted on his blog Thursday a link to a story that ran in Tuesday's New York Times on restaurants beginning to serve wines from refillable tanks: essentially, wine on tap. Here's the Times story and below the Dr. Vino blog entry.

The NYT ran a story yesterday about wine served in restaurants from refillable tanks. It’s a win-win idea since it lowers the cost per glass of wine reduces wine’s carbon footprint with less packaging mass, similar to the bag-in-box idea I detailed in the Times last summer.
Let’s just hope the restaurants that do use the system pass on the lower costs to diners. Such is the case of those detailed in the story. Last spring, I also saw an affordable tank wine (”Mas vino,” pictured above) offered by the glass at Small Shed Flatbreads in Mill Valley. I didn’t try it because I was too busy trying a prosecco.

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Paradocx Vineyard in Landenberg, a member of the Brandywine Valley Wine Trail, will hold its 2nd Annual "Bud Break Bash" from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 9. There will be live music from 3 to 6 p.m. and a bonfire from 6 to 7 p.m. It's a celebration of the beginning of the grape growing season, signified by the grape vines breaking their first buds. “Bud Break Bash” will have something for all ages, including live music from The Acoustic Groove Project, wine tastings, cheese samples, hayrides, winery tours, and tours of the vineyard, where those conducting the tour will point out new bud growth. A ceremonial burning of the old grape vine trimmings will be held after dinner. Standard wine tasting fees apply ($5 for tasting of 7 wines). Everything else is complimentary.

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Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery in Breinigsville listed its receipes from the recently completed March Madness and gave notice to one of this region's unique events: A Day in the Vineyard. Held in conjunction with Pinnacle Ridge and Vynecrest, "the Hill" will serve as the location for grand tastings several times on Saturday, June 6, and Sunday, June 7. Activities after the grand tastings then will move to the other two wineries. The cost is $25. To sign up or for more info, call Clover Hill at 610.395.2468.

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Maryland Governor's Cup winner Black Winery Vineyards has moved to summer hours (Wed-Fri, noon-5 p.m.; Sat, noon-6 p.m.; Sun, noon-5 p.m.) and will begin a weekly "happy hour" called Friday Night Flights starting next week, the 17th, from 5 to 7 p.m.

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Black Ankle and Serpent Ridge Winery (Westminster) are among various Maryland wineries looking for volunteers to pour during the upcoming summer festival season. Best place to start is the site for the Association of Maryland Wineries for a list of wineries near you. If they need help, you'll likely find that request on the winery's home page. E-mail Tracy at tracy@blackankle.com if you'd like to assist Black Ankle and volunteers@serpentridge.com if you want to assist Serpent Ridge. Those folks are asking for the following: Name/Contact Info/Date and shift you would like to volunteer, First (11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.) or second (2:30-6 p.m.). Time slots will be filled on a first-come basis and we will need to know if you would like to volunteer by May 1.