Lehigh Valley, PA – January 11, 2016 – Experienced wine lovers and newbies alike can explore the nine member wineries of the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail during the upcoming Vino in the Valley Passport Program to discover new food and wine pairings.
Participants purchase a passport for $35 (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vino-in-the-valley-2016-tickets-19335524073) and visit each of the wineries during the first four weekends in March (3/5 & 6, 12 & 13, 19 & 20, 26. Please note: the wineries will be closed on Sunday, March 27 for the Easter holiday). Event hours at each winery are Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Sunday noon – 5 p.m. Only 1,800 passports are printed each year and they often sell out in advance of the event’s start, so wine lovers are encouraged to purchase passports early.
Participants receive tasting-sized food and wine pairings to sample at each winery. (The food and wine pairings offered at each winery will be announced in February.) Their passport is stamped at each winery, and once it’s been stamped by at least eight of the nine member wineries, participants fill out their contact information at the bottom of the passport and turn it in at the last winery they visit to be entered into the Grand Prize Drawing to win one of 30 $25 Lehigh Valley Wine Trail gift certificates. Each passport holder also receives a special gift, which for 2016 is a Wine Trail Vino in the Valley event t-shirt.
The Wine Trail recommends that participants visit no more than three wineries a day to get the most enjoyment out of their experience without being rushed. It is also strongly recommend that participants have a designated driver to allow for safe travel to and from each winery.
In order to ensure a positive experience for all passport holders, the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail enforces Group Guidelines for this event. The nine wineries will not accept commercial vehicles of any type (buses, limos, vans, etc.) during weekends in March. For passport holders traveling by private passenger vehicle in a group of 8 or more, appointments are required at all wineries they plan to visit. Please call ahead to each winery to make appointments at least three days in advance.
To read the complete list of event rules and group guidelines, as well as tips for traveling the trail, visit: www.VinointheValleyLVWT.com.
The Lehigh Valley Wine Trail is a non-profit organization of wineries whose mission is to promote agri-tourism and to create a premiere wine destination and grape growing region while promoting Pennsylvania wines from the region.
Members include:
•Amoré Vineyards & Winery, Nazareth
•Big Creek Vineyard and Winery, Kresgeville
•Blue Mountain Vineyards, New Tripoli
•Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery, Breinigsville
•Franklin Hill Vineyards, Bangor
•Galen Glen Vineyard & Winery, Andreas
•Pinnacle Ridge, Kutztown
•Tolino Vineyards, Bangor
•Vynecrest Winery, Breinigsville
The Lehigh Valley region is an official American Viticultural Area as designated by the Federal Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau in April 2008. The Lehigh Valley AVA includes portions of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Schuylkill, Carbon and Monroe counties in Pennsylvania. In order to receive the designation a least 85% of the grapes used to make local wines must be grown within the region. Wineries in the region are permitted to list “Lehigh Valley” as the growing region on their labels.
Information Provided By:
Tracey Werner, Blabbermouth Communications
tracey@blabbermouthcommunications.com
