Grapes coming in, wines going out at Pinnacle

Passing along a couple of notes off the Pinnacle Ridge Winery's October newsletter. Like Eric Miller at Chaddsford and Carl Helrich at Allegro, among others, owner and winemaker Brad Knapp is as much about sharing what he does and why as producing the wine for consumption. Have mentioned before that the winery is a must-stop, right off the Krumsville exit of I-78 about 30 minutes or so west of Allentown.

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The final portion of the newsletter deals with the harvest. Have a read:

"It is early in the morning. There is a pleasant and comforting stillness in the air. One hears the faint murmur of voices; conversations held through the vines. There is the constant click, click, click sound of shears cutting clusters followed by the plopping sound of one grape luster after another falling into containers. Hand harvesting is hard work, but also satisfying. Sometimes, when harvesting an exceptionally gorgeous cluster, one has to pause for a moment to admire, holding the cluster in one's hand.

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The days can be glorious. Mornings are damp but by mid-morning the dew is gone and the sun warms the pickers. The view in the vineyard is 360 degrees of beauty. The leaves are starting to turn color. Friendships develop among the pickers. Some have known each other for years. It is a great time to connect again.
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The 2009 season has put growers and winemakers to task. The relationship between grape growers and wine makers has never been more important. In other years, fruit has been cleaner. Easier to pick. At our Estate Vineyard and at Round Ridge Farm the goal is the same. Pick the best fruit. Cut out any problems. Make great wines out of a difficult growing season. It makes this writer proud to get up early and head out in to the field with my co-pickers. Aching back, tired arms, and all.

It's a busy month at Pinnacle Ridge, a member of two wines trails. It will be open noon to 5 p.m. tomorrow and Sunday for the Berks County Wine Trail's Artisan Cheese and Wine Pairing, then 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17, and noon to 5 p.m. on the 18th for the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail's Chambourcin Weekend. The newsletter also contained info on two new releases this month, a Chambourcin Reserve and a red blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon called Veritas. Here's the skinny on those.

We started making a CHAMBOURCIN RESERVE with the 2004 vintage, making this our fourth edition of the wine. The Reserve version of Chambourcin is sourced from either our Estate Vineyard or our vineyards at Round Ridge Farms in Kempton . We evaluate the fruit in the field to determine what we believe will result in the most intense wine. This usually is defined by low yields and a good canopy on the vine towards the end of October.

Another defining feature of our Chambourcin Reserve is the barrel-aging program is carried out in Hungarian Oak Barrels. 2007 was a FABULOUS VINTAGE and has resulted in an intense 2007 Chambourcin Reserve. The color is an intense ruby while aromas of sandalwood, vanilla, and blackberries jump from the glass. On the palate our reserve is medium bodied, with soft tannins and acid. The flavors follow the nose with black fruits and wood influences being dominate. This is a beautifully balance red wine that will reward aging for several to eight years.

The 2007 represents our seventh release of the VERITAS. We consider VERITAS to be on of our FINEST WINES and we only will produce it in the best vintages. This vintage is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. This is the traditional blend of grapes in the making of fine Bordeaux. The wine was grown primarily at Round Ridge Farms in Kempton. Our Veritas was aged for 16 months in Pennsylvania Oak barrels. The color is a medium ruby with aromas of cassis, tobacco, forest floor, and vanilla. The mouth displays soft tannins and flavors that follow the nose. This is the wine for roasts and rich, savory dishes. Our customers are welcome to come to our winery to sample and purchase these two beautiful dry reds. Our release date for our CHAMBOURCIN RESERVE is October 17th 2009 (Chambourcin Weekend). Our release date for VERITAS is October 24th 2009.

The Chambourcin Reserve, according to the Web site, will sell for $16, with the Veritas going for 20 bucks.

Crossing into the subject of Viognier

The Association of Maryland Wineries has a page on its site called GrapeView, where various grapes grown around the state are identified and then put in the context of what they're like to grow and the type of juice they produce. This month's is Viognier, a wine you'll find on a sizeable number of wine lists throughout both states.

It seemed ironic to see Viognier [pronounced VEE-own-YAY] highlighted yesterday on the heels of a Wednesday conversation with marketing and PR director Chris Carroll of Crossing Vineyards & Winery in Washington Crossing, Pa., which will be blowing out six candles on its cake during a birthday party the weekend of Oct. 17-18. In the midst of talking about the wines they make, she said the one that has had the most surprising success has been their Viognier.

While their Merlot and Cabernet Franc have been recognized recently in competition, a conversation that I'll detail more in a future post, Carroll refered to their 2007 Viognier as "a sleeper."

"It wasn't as good initially as it turned out to be," she said by phone. "It was a little hot-tasting to me in the beginning and it settled down nicely. A very elegant wine. And, it's funny, because we're overlooking it and [statewide wine educator] Mark Chien came to our tasting room one day unannounced, which we always love him and welcome him, and he was tasting the wines, and he said 'You know, this Viognier is really good.' He said, 'You're charging 17 bucks. That's a real good value for that wine."

High praise from someone who knows his wines and isn't afraid to speak his mind, good or bad. Carroll said those comments affirmed their desire to nurture this grape and maintain it as part of their growing line.

"We were very pleased at [Mark's comments] because Viognier is a wine we're committed to making," she said. "and it's not an easy sale. Because many people in Pennsylvania do not know the varietal. They know Chardonnay and they know Sauvignon Blanc, and if they're not familiar with it, they often don't like it because it's tastes different from Chardonnary. And it's something you have to understand and know what to expect."

As for some background on the grape, here's the description that appears on the Maryland wines Web site:

It is with great patience and determination, Maryland vineyards have taken on the difficult task of cultivating the Viognier grape. Its name coming from a Latin phrase meaning “road to hell,” the Viognier is neither eager nor willing to be harvested to create wine. Taking on this task displays the passion and dedication of Maryland winemakers and grape growers.

“Growing grapes just because they are easy to grow would make Maryland wines extremely one dimensional and uninteresting,” states Mark Cascia, the owner of Cascia Vineyards in Stevensville.

The Viognier, a white grape, is thought to have been brought to the Rhone Valley in France by the Romans in the third century. It is extremely rare, making up only a small fraction of grapes grown in the world and was nearly extinct by the mid 20th century after two World Wars and the relentless onslaught of insects and disease.

By the end of the 20th century, however, the Viognier was planted in both North and South America and southern Australia. The growing season of this particular grape is longer than most, leaving a very small window to be harvested. If picked too early the rich taste cannot fully develop and if picked too late the grape becomes oily.

The strength and resilience of this grape is evident in its bold taste. Mark Emon, the owner of St. Michael’s Winery describes the Viognier as “complex and rich,” perfect for blending with other wines such as Syrah/Shiraz, which is done in Cote Rotie of France. Emon says that this wine is enjoyed by red wine drinkers, who usually prefer a heavier, fuller taste. St. Michael’s goes as far to list the Viognier on their “Red Lovers” list.

This wine is described by most as having a taste and aroma of citrus fruits. Viognier differs from other white wines because it contains an array of volatile aromatics, which give it its complex taste. It is paired well with seafood and chicken as well as spicy dishes such as Thai and Vietnamese cuisine.

Though frustrating to growers, the final result of the Viognier is worth the trouble and long wait. This unique, versatile wine stands alone, unlike its family of white wines. It is this unwavering perseverance that sets Maryland Wine makers apart; there is no task too difficult or tedious when it comes to making a great wine.

Berks County trail's eight wineries serving up cheeses and wine as part of weekend festival

Gotten away from those long weekly list of wine-related activities, but still want to steer you toward specific events that you might want to consider as a weekend destination. One this coming Saturday and Sunday will be the Berks County Wine Trail's Artisian Cheese and Wine Weekend. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

That trail includes eight wineries, with four running north to south along a western flank from north of I-78 to around Rt. 422, and then east to Blair Vineyards near Rt. 100 in Mertztown and south to Kog Hill Winery in Morgantown.

You can click on the wine trail Web site and then on each winery's link to see what they're planning for food and events in addition to having wine available for tasting. But you can start right here with three wineries that I want to mention:

Blair Vineyards in Mertztown is offering two cheese from Hendricks Farm and Dairy in Telford. One is an aged Gouda that will pair with a 2005 Merlot, and the other is their Keystone Classic that will match with Blair's 2005 Chardonnay.

Breakaway Farms of Manheim will cart its organic cheeses and meats into Clover Hill Vineyards' Robesonia location, open noon to 5 p.m. both days.

Finally, Manatawny Creek Winery in Douglassville will offer cheeses from three local producers: a fresh goat cheese from Woodchoppertown Chevre will be paired with its Riesling wine; a cheddar cheese from Wholesome Dairy Farms will be paired with its Cabernet Sauvignon, and Fat Cat cheese from Birchrun Hills Farm will be paired with its Chardonnay.

Asian pears will be available to sample at all the wineries.

Best part of the Berks County trail, at least at last check, is the absence of a tasting fee to sample their wines. That won't last forever, but it makes this trail unique among all the others in the region.

Four Maryland winery owners, and how they got started, profiled in magazine story

Two quick notes out of Maryland before I head out the door to class.

The newest e-letter of the Association of Maryland Wineries links to a story that Baltimore Magazine recently published on four wineries in the state -- Black Ankle, Boordy, Sugarloaf Mountain and St. Michaels -- and how they got started. A good read with an ample mix of background and quotes. I've dealt with three of the four wineries, and all three have been media savvy and eager for the publicity. I've always appreciated their cooperation. The one I haven't visited as yet is St. Michaels.

Wanted to also call attention to the Eastern Yacht Club's Bayside Blues and Wine Fest, scheduled for noon to 6 p.m. Saturday in Essex, Md. "Seven wineries in the proximity of the yacht club will be pouring. You can find out more by clocking on this link.

Regional Wine Week encore on Oct. 11-17

Already a year has passed since the inaugural Regional Wine Week, with writers and bloggers outside the West Coast writing about wines and wineries in their home areas. Created by freelance writer Dave McIntyre, who among his many ventures produces a blog called WineLine, and Wine Curmudgeon blogger Jeff Siegel, they developed a Web site called www.drinklocalwine.com that posted the links to all of these writers' blogs and stories.

Always like to hear the words bigger and better when it comes to promoting local wines, and that appears to be the case here, as McIntyre wrote on his blog that they are hopeful of luring 50 or more bloggers to participate. The week will run from Oct 11-17.

In a recent e-mail to those of us who participated last year, McIntyre wrote that "Jeff and I are ready to link all your posts about regional wine/local wine/wine from around here, wherever here happens to be, ... on DrinkLocalWIne.com, plus a Tweet and Facebook campaign to promote all your posts. I'm planning something on my recent visit to the southernmost winery in the USofA (hint - Hawaii, and talk about a volcanic terroir!), as well as a feature in The Washington Post on Loudoun County, "DC's Wine Country." Jeff is whipping up something on Texas, and we have folks planning updates from Quebec, Kansas, Missouri, Arizona, Georgia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and several other areas."

I figured a note to McIntyre asking what's different with this year's encore wouldn't hurt, and he sent me back this response: "We have more people involved this year and from more states. We are thrilled to have some coverage of Michigan, more coverage of North Carolina and Georgia. We also have tremendous interest from Texas bloggers, many of whom attended our first DrinkLocalWine.com conference in Dallas in August."

Those of you who drink wine with any regularity probably are familiar with American wines created in California, Oregon and Washington. But if you're looking to increase your education on the winemaking going on in a number of other states, then bookmark www.drinklocalwine.com and make frequent visits during the week. It's all knowedge that comes free of charge.

New Pa. wine blog checks in, flavored by hands-on knowledge of the tasting room

Can I have your attention, everyone. Mind a bit of applause for C.J., who recently gave birth to the Girlfriend's Guide to Vinification blog. OK, maybe giving birth is a little strong. She knows about giving birth, with three boys who sound like they're into a million activities. But you can tell in a couple of postings that she has just the right touch: a blend of education and humor that puts the reader at ease and slowly brings him/her up to speed on understanding many of the basics of the winery and wines.

She's using her experience gleaned from working the past four years at Twin Brook Winery in Gap, Pa., where I've visited numerous times and treated like a friend at every turn. Assistant winemaker Jason Price has been a huge supporter, so have Melissa and Tim Jobe, who have their hands in a number of tasks at the winery. So, I'm delighted to see C.J. venturing into the blogosphere and wish her all the best . . . and recommend you follow along hers as you check in occasionally with mine.

Here's a sample from her newest post, made on Oct. 4. I just copied and pasted this, explaining the reason for the change in the color of the type.

So, getting back on track here - in the grand scheme of things, an evening out at your favorite eatery you will pay on average $8 for a 5oz. glass of wine from a member of the waitstaff who doesn't even remotely like wine and has absolutely no clue of what you should have with your chicken parmesan. At your local winery, you can pay an average of $1 per ounce (at Twin Brook, you will get a one ounce pour each of 7 different wines for $5) and some even pair wines with a cheese, chocolate, or specialty bread. Currently, we have released our Chardonnay Reserve, and are pairing it with a raspberry ale infused cheese. Mmmmm, heavenly! Also, some wineries offer tours for free! Just ask. Locally, about half of the tasting rooms are located on the growing and production premesis. As I said before, we love wine, and we LOVE to tell you about it!

Sunday News story highlights Logan's View

Logan's View Winery has to appreciate the spread it received in the pages of the York Sunday News. I've blogged several times on the new winery that opened at Brown's Orchards & Farm Market, with its mix of dry and sweet white wines and fruit wines. Expect to be able to sample its red wines by next year. It's no more than five minutes off I-83 in Loganville, Pa., right on the Susquehanna Trail.