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(Southeastern Pennsylvania) It’s not quite here yet, but you can tell that Fall on its way. The days have gotten shorter, the nights have gotten cooler, and soon we’ll start seeing pops of color on the hillsides as the leaves begin to turn to brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold.
Another sign of Fall is the Berks County Wine Trail’s annual Wine & Cheese Tasting Weekends. We’ve scheduled two weekends, October 5-6 and 12-13, for this marquee event when each of our member wineries shines a spotlight on wine and cheese pairings guaranteed to tempt everyone’s taste buds! The diversity of award-winning wine selections you’ll find here is the hallmark of our Trail. Plan your self-guided tour of the scenic Berks County by-ways and visit all eleven family-owned wineries.
Advance-priced tickets are just $15, available now through October 4, and $20 beginning October 5. Purchase online through our website at www.berkscountywinetrail.com (processing fees apply), or in person at any of our wine trail locations (cash or checks only, please). Your ticket is good for all 4 event days, allowing plenty of time to savor and enjoy each and every stop.
Here are just a few of the wine and cheese pairings our winemakers have planned:
Setter Ridge Vineyards welcomes Conebella Farm, an award-winning 100% Ayrshire dairy farm, located in beautiful Chester County, Pennsylvania. Setter Ridge Vineyards Pinot Gris will be paired with Conebella Farm’s Garden-Garlic Cheese spread. Also, enjoy cheese in your dessert with Chilled Blueberry Cheese Tarts featuring Conebella Farm’s Cheddar Cheese & Cheddar Cheese Spread paired with Setter Ridge Vineyard’s Pinot Noir.
Deerfoot Vineyards and Winery is partnering with two local cheese producers during this years’ event. October 5-6 will feature cheeses from Haven Farmstead Table, New Tripoli, paired with their red wine blend, Six Point, and their Chardonnay. Visit Deerfoot during the second weekend when Grube’s Dairy returns with their popular cheese curds and mild cheddar cubes. They’ll highlight two sweeter wines, Sweet Riesling and Port, to go along with that amazing squeaky cheese!
Stoudt’s Winery will be pouring their best-selling Red Raspberry wine paired with two smoked cheeses. The fresh-picked berry sweetness of this wine creates a fantastic contrast to the nutty, smoky flavor of the cheese, heightening the flavors of both. This is one you won’t want to miss!
Manatawny Creek Winery takes you south-of-the-boarder with Mexican Cheddar Queso Dip served with corn tortilla chips and paired with 2015 Merlot. Next, you’ll enjoy Blue Cheese Pastry Puffs paired with a rich, deep red, ruby-style port made from Cabernet Franc grapes fortified with grape alcohol to 19%. The salty nuances in the blue cheese pair beautifully with the sweet wine!
Weathered will be pouring semi-sweet Cirrus, a Cayuga-Riesling white wine blend with hints of lemon and apple, paired with a tangy Feta & Lemon Dip on a pita. Then enjoy Cherry Blossoms, a puff pastry bite of happiness, filled with goat cheese and topped with cherry, to bring out the subtle cherry undertones of Weathered’s Pinot Noir.
The Events page of our website has more pairing details.
This year, the Berks County Wine Trail celebrates 15 years as an active group of wineries in southeastern Pennsylvania. Stop in for a tasting at any of our winery locations; many are open seven days a week! You can also check out our website at www.berkscountywinetrail.com for more wine trail information including links to each of the wineries, a map, and driving directions.
The Berks County Wine Trail member wineries are proud partners with the Pennsylvania Winery Association. For more information about these and other Pennsylvania wineries, visit www.pennsylvaniawine.com. Your wine purchases support the agriculture community throughout the Commonwealth.
Information and images provided to TVL by:
Berks County Wine Trail
