Wine blending party a hit at Woodhall

Just returned from a wine-blending "party" at Woodhall Winery in Parkton, Md., an event for case club members only. There were several couples that joined us to "experiment" during a session that began at noon and went past 3 p.m. Winemaker Chris Kent (right photo) pulled out vidal, seyval, cayuga and vignoles among the four white wines to blend. Among the reds he brought together were chambourcin, cabernet france, cabernet sauvignon and sangiovese.

Equipping up with a notepad and eyedropper, he told us to smell and taste each of the white and then mix them to our heart's content. And it was fascinating to try different percentages of the various wines and see what we concocted. We were instructed to write down one combo we liked the most, and he sent us home with a 350 ml bottle of red and white with our favorite mixtures (see photo).

Kent's background is as interesting as any of the winemakers that I've interviewed to date. It's rare to find anyone making wine who considered that as their occupation while they were growing up. Kent's the same. His background is in broadcast journalism, and after working for a long time in Louisiana he headed north, where (with plenty of vintages under his belt) he's now a fixture at Woodhall.

The blending party was something that the winery tried back in the mid-1990s, then just dropped, one of those ideas that moved to the back burner. Here's hoping it becomes an annual event at Woodhall and other wineries. It's instructive and fun, particularly sitting out a hot day down in the cellar. One young couple (hi Sara and Mike) talked about their time traveling abroad in Spain and Portugal and Italy. They're headed for South African in December. Another couple (hi Cooley and Kate) talked about the wine they drank during a trip to Australia.

It's a different twist on the many events that wineries hold. This one provided entertainment but also was educational, with a chance to pick the winermaker's brain about everything from blending the wines to the effects that global warming could have on the industry. It was a chance to relax, mingle and learn, and one I'd recommend other wineries trying in one form or fashion.

PLCB trip next week to include 'consultants'

A contingent from the Pennsylvania state stores is leaving town just in time with this heat wave settling in. And while you could call their destination – California – a vacation spot, there will be far more work than play.

Although there’s certainly enough enjoyment in tasting wine for a week.

Three consultants, one representing each of the state’s liquor control board region – east, central and west—will join Tony Jones, the chief of the product management and pricing division, and Jim Short, director of marketing for the LCB, for a trip that should take them through 400 miles and so many California wines that they might lose count by about the fifth day.

Jones and Short make this trip several times a year, since California accounts for 50 percent of the LCB stores' special wine purchases, amounting to about 700,000 cases annually, a spokesman said. But it’s the first time they’ve been accompanied by consultants from several of the state’s premium collection stores. Patti Meckley (my wine guru from the East Market Street store in York) will join Robert Skelly from the Pittsburgh area and Rian Poltrone from the east region, which essentially takes in the area in and around Philly. They head west early Sunday morning.

“The first three days of the trip is going to be buying for our chairman’s collection and premium power purchase programs,” Jones said earlier this week by phone, “and we want those people to sit in on the meetings, observe the buying process that Jim and I go through . . . [and make them] part of the decision making process as well. So they’ll actually sample the wine with us, give us their input, and all that will be considered in the decision process.”
Short noted that in the past the consultants and others have had a chance to sample the wines that Pennsylvania has purchased from California, the state it buys more wine from than any other in the country. Bringing this trio out will, as Short said, incorporate them in the process and then bring back what they learn to share with “their colleagues in other stores with the different regions.”

So how did these three get picked? Jones said, for one, they haven’t been invited on any previous trips.

“They’ve never traveled with us before,” he said. “We just wanted fresh new faces, get them out there. Years ago, the specialty buyers here would take store people out on trips, but that was more as a merit based on the completion of the educational courses [they took as part of the] three-level wine course training. Then their names were drawn out of a hat and there were drawn out for trips. So it was used as an incentive for the educational process.”
In this case, the choice of the three was as much as anything, Jones said, a chance to “rejuvenate the enthusiasm of their career. You know, Patti’s been around like 20 years and the other guys have been around for a number of years. So we kind of want to incorporate them and let them feel a true part of the process and have a thorough understanding so they can go back and spread it among their fellow employees, their associates as well as their customers.”

They will spend the first three days in Napa, welcoming around 25 suppliers that Short said could represent more than 100 wineries. They then will accompany Jones on an intrastate jaunt that will take them to Paso Robles and then to Santa Barbara. On that trip they’ll hit more than 10 wineries.

“It’s the broadest selection and presentation of wine since I’ve been traveling to California on these buying trips back over the last five years,” Short said. Asked what he saw as the most valuable aspect of the trip, Short said he thought that it provided a great opportunity “to have the store buyers get to see the process, see how the deals are structured, to see the detail that we get into. It’s not just about pricing, but we want to make sure there’s a quality level of the wine associated with the deal.” This will show them “an appreciation for what their palate has to offer, show them that we are receptive to their input, plus it really gives them a good understanding of how these deals are put together.”

And, assuming all works well, both Short and Jones said they see this first trip as the beginning of something that will take place again with a different group of employees each time. Would they consider travel to other sites, such as Italy? “I think we’ll do an assessment on the next two California trips before we branch out across the country or [travel internationally],” Short said. “There’s the potential there for that as well."

Drink wine, live longer

Heard this interview on the BBC while driving into work on the health benefits of wine, particularly red wine. In that I'm a glass a day drinker, and this health expert felt that amount could lead to a longer, healthier life, I decided to share it with you.

As with a lot of things, the key word that accompanied the one-glass-a-day regimen was moderation, that too much will produce an altogether different effect.

The event grapevine: June 6-8

FEATURED EVENT

A Day in the Vineyard, Saturday and Sunday
Pinnacle Ridge Winery, 407 Old Route 22, Kutztown, Greenwich Township
www.pinridge.com, 610.756.4481

OK, it’s a full day in the vineyard for the hosts, which includes representatives from Pinnacle Ridge, Clover Hill and Vynecrest wineries. For you, it’s part of the day, with each of the four sessions lasting 90 minutes.
As of tonight, there was one ticket left for the noon Saturday session, about a dozen left for the one at 3 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday. Around 30 remained for the 3 p.m. Sunday session. Each session will accommodate 120 people.
They are planning to pack plenty into those 90 minutes, according to the host and Pinnacle Ridge owner Brad Knapp.
“It’s the most educational event we do,” Knapp said earlier today. It’s a sit-down hour and a half. People hear from three different winemakers. What we are going to do this year is that each winery is going to present a Riesling, a Vidal and a Chambourcin. They’re going to see dry Rieslings, sweeter Rieslings; they’re going to see different interpretations of Vidal and Chambourcin. So they’re going to get a sense of what the varieties are like and the different ways that winemaking can be used to interpret these varieties.”
This is the sixth time for the event, which rotates among the three wineries. Knapp said the primary difference in the format has been the partnerships with regional food producers. “That has been great actually,” he said. “Premise maid, for instance, which is a chocolatier in our area; we’re working with Mr. Bill’s Poultry, which is an Allentown institution, and we’re doing cheeses from Klein Farms, which is up in Northampton. So that’s been a nice addition in the last few years.”

FESTIVALS
Shippensburg Art & Wine Festival, Saturday only, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., East Street Triangle of the university campus, 717.532.5509.

PENNSYLVANIA WINERIES
Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery, Wrightsville: music Friday night and Saturday afternoon; Summer Concert series Saturday night ($$), http://www.moondancerwinery.com
Naylor Wine Cellars, Stewartstown: Grape Blossom Wine Festival ($$), Sunday, noon to 6 p.m., http://www.naylorwine.com/
Twin Brook Winery, Gap: Art in the Vineyard, Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., http://www.twinbrookwinery.com/
Chaddsford Winery, Chaddsford: Summer Night Under the Stars ($$), Friday, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., reservations requested, 610-388-6221; Reserve Tasting ($$), Saturday, sittings at 1, 2:30 and 4 p.m., http://www.chaddsford.com
Crossing Vineyards & Winery, Washington Crossing: Wine Tasting for Dummies ($$), Sunday, 2 p.m., http://www.crossingvineyards.com/
Kreutz Creek Vineyards, West Grove: Summer Outdoor Concert ($$), Saturday, 6 to 9 p.m., http://www.kreutzcreekvineyards.com/
Paradocz Vineyards, Kenneth Square: concert ($$), Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m., http://www.paradocx.com/
Pinnacle Ridge Winery, Kutztown: A Day in the Vineyard ($$), Saturday and Sunday, sessions at noon and 3 p.m. both days, http://www.pinridge.com/

MARYLAND WINERIES
Berrywine Plantations / Linganore Winecellars, Mt. Airy: Fathers Day Weekend, Saturday (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and Sunday (noon to 6 p.m.), www.linganorewines.com
Cygnus Wine Cellars, Manchester: Solstice at the Cellar, Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. both days. www.cygnuswinecellars.com
Woodhall Wine Cellars, Parkton: Rockin’ Summer Concert, Saturday, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; Case Club Blending Party ($$), Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m., members only

($$) – Admission charge

Too much rain: Not yet anyway

With another bout of heavy showers moving through today, I sent out e-mails to several wineries asking how they're hanigng in there this spring. Jason Price, of Twin Brook Winery in Gap, Pa., mentioned in Monday's interview that the rain has been excessive this spring. Not destructive, mind you, but a bit more than growers would like to see. Anyway, here's what I heard back.

From Eric Miller, Chaddsford Winery, Chaddsford, Pa.:

"I've just surveyed several vineyards I buy from and feel like the season is in order. There are signs of the late spring frost but only on a few leaves and zero crop damage. Mind you, all the vineyards are on hillsides.

"Things got an early start with some varieties pushing a week or so early but that has all evened out with the cool, dark, wet weather interdispersed with cool low humidity and sun. Typically unpredictable weather for this area (we do a lot of planning before the season begins but that's why we are also soooo reactive) . To make sure we are free of pests and mildew most of us have put at least one more spray on than typical for this time of year.

"With Memorial weekend's wonderful weather, things suddenly began to jump. Thus we are all busy removing suckers, thinning shoots from the crop zone, opening the canopy and managing growth under the trellis and in the alleys. I expect the projected heat next week to promote rapid growth and set us up for leaf pulling and maybe our first hedging of the season in some varieties (Merlot, Chard and Pinot Noir being likely candidates)

"For those who read your blog and are Chaddsford's "frequent buyers" (don't ask me how this occurs in a person's life; ask Lee; I'm just the winegrower) we are having a vineyard picnic on Saturday, June 14, where I'm going to take those interested on a walk thru our Pinot, Cab, Chard, Syrah and Barbera. My plan is to review a bit of last vintage, how we got to where we are this Spring and explain a bit about how things might go this 2008 vintage."

From George Kline, West Hanover Winery, Harrisburg, Pa.:

"Everything is very clean in the vineyard this spring. The only problem I am having this spring is a large amount of winter kill , because of the past three winters. up and down tempatures."

From Brad Knapp, Pinnacle Ridge Winery, Kutztown, Pa.:

The vineyard is exploding, which is normal behavior for this time of year. We started a ahead of schedule due to warm weather in early April but then slowed way down with cooler/wetter weather in May but are now catching back up as things warm up. This time of year is when the crop size is determined by the number of flower clusters that are on the vines coupled with the effectivness of bloom (usually early to mid June). The quality of the crop is largely determined later in the year (late August/September/October).

Inaugural 'Taste of Pa.' is in the books

This e-mail came in this morning from Brian Dudley, the spokesman for The Taste of Pennsylvania Wine and Music Festival that was held at the York Fairgrounds this past weekend:

"As a whole the event was fun and great. The Sons of the American Legion lost about $4,000 but everyone wants to do it again, so we plan to do it again next year. On Saturday it was basically a wash; we only got the last band on stage when the sun came out at 3 p.m. We did still get over 200 people to come out.

"Sunday was a much better day. The sun was shining and we had a breeze that at times was too much but kept it from getting too hot. On the whole, the wineries did well and most if not all of them have said they plan to come back next year. As people were leaving we of course we asking them how they enjoyed the event and everyone said they hope we do it again and they think it has great potential. So I am happy. Everything ran smooth on our end on Sunday and we look forward to another event next year."

A textBrook career change for Price

Shots from around the winery,
including winemaker Jason Price in one of the spots
you're likely to find him if you pay a visit.


Jason Price looks much more at home in a winery than at a nuclear power plant in Wilmington, Del., where he spent six years of his career. Clad in a T-shirt, buzzing around the cellar at Twin Brook Winery in Gap, Pa., he’s relaxed, smiling. Maybe pinching himself a bit; he’s a long way from punching a clock in a place where the only wine was the whine from the monitors.

“I enjoyed wines as a consumer,” Twin B rook's assistant winemaker says late Monday morning, the distinctive echo of the cellar evident throughout the 11-minute conversation that touches on different aspects of a job he’s now held full time for a year. “It’s the ultimate food science. It’s microbiology, it’s chemistry, it’s engineering when you r pump breaks. It’s so romantic. You know it just brings people together. I’ve always loved wines socially, and having the science background, I was just attracted to it.”

He talks about having had the opportunity to go into agricultural chemistry when he was in college 13 years ago. Now, “I have a chance to live that desire. It just took me a little while to get there. It was an easy transition for me. I had to wrap my head around it a little bit. There was a big difference in lifestyle. I worked shift work for a nuclear power plant for six years living in Wilmington to now living in a barn in Amish country, to where there really are no set hours. You work when the work needs to be done, and when it’s finished, you’re done.”

His tastes in wine seem to run similar to the winemakers I’ve had the chance to meet so far. Similar to mine: thumbs-up on red and thumbs-up on dry. As is his sense of humor. “This is on tape?” he asks, peering at the recorder and breaking into laughter. “I love those big bold fruity California reds, the zinfandels, the stuff we really can’t grow here yet . . .but we’re learning.” As for those fruit wines that are part of the regimen at any winery that’s anywhere near the Route 30 corridor? “I’ve gotten used to them,” he says, “but I still don’t prefer them.”

The day to day could send Price in a number of different directions. The size of the full-time staff at Twin Brook – three – dictates an all-hands-on-deck mindset. “We’re assisting a lot with inventory in the warehouse and getting the wine here and taxes, that’s the drudgery, that’s not the fun stuff,” he says in response to a question about the non-glamorous part of his routine. The best part? You can guess the answer. “It’s the winemaking, being down here and making the wine, absolutely, and even the vineyard. The vineyard is fun, picking grapes is fun for about 45 minutes,” he says, and then there's that grin again. "And then it gets a little old.”