Photo by: Kathy Molitoris
LEHIGH VALLEY WINE TRAIL 2017 EVENTS HELP WINE LOVERS
DISCOVER LOCAL WINES MADE BY REGION’S FAMILY-OWNED AND OPERATED WINERIES
The nine member wineries of the nonprofit Lehigh Valley Wine Trail will host six events in 2017, created to bring wine lovers from across the Mid-Atlantic to the Lehigh Valley American Viticultural Area.
All events are free except for Wine on the Mountain, which requires a ticket, and the Vino in the Valley, which requires an event passport. (Note: each winery sets its own policy on wine tasting fees.) Event hours are Saturdays from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon – 5 p.m. For more details on each of these annual events visit http://lehighvalleywinetrail.com/ and go to the Events tab in the main navigational menu.
- Vino in the Valley – March 4 & 5, 11 & 12, 18 & 19, 25 & 26 – Customers purchase a $35 passport for access to wine and tasting-sized food pairings at each winery during the four weekends of March. Passports are stamped during each visit and are entered into a raffle. New this year, raffle prizes include 10 Lehigh Valley Getaway Packages to local inns and B&Bs. Passports are currently on sale at member wineries and online via Eventbrite –
- Spring Wine & Cheese Event – May 20 & 21 – Each winery will select one of its wines to pair with the perfect cheese and will offer complimentary tastings of the pairing to wine lovers who will explore how the texture, acidity, fat and tannin compliment or contrast each other.
- Wine on the Mountain – July 22 & 23 – Held at Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe, this wine festival includes wine sampling, local artisans displaying their arts and crafts, light fare available for purchase, and live entertainment. Tickets are required for this event and can be purchased in advanced at each winery, or online starting in April, as well as at the door the days of the event.
- Harvest Weekend – The Butcher, The Baker and The Winemaker – September 9 & 10 –The wineries proudly promote the state’s “Pennsylvania Preferred” program by partnering with manufacturers of other Pennsylvania products to showcase their high level of quality. Wine pairings, vineyard tours, food, music and other special activities are featured.
- Chambourcin Weekend – October 21 & 22 – Taking place after the harvest is over, this event celebrates the Lehigh Valley’s beloved wine grape, the Chambourcin. It is the only wine grape grown by all nine of our member wineries. In the greater Lehigh Valley, there are more than 40 acres of Chambourcin, which ferment into 150,000 bottles of wine. Chambourcin is very versatile, and the wineries craft it into several styles of wine including nouveau, rosé, semi-sweet, sweet, dry barrel aged, sparkling and port.
- Nouveau Weekend – November 18 & 19 – This is the earliest chance to sample the first wines from the new vintage as well as other new wine releases. It’s also an opportunity to purchase wines for the upcoming holiday season to give as gifts or to drink at dinner. 2018 Vino in the Valley passports go on sale this weekend.
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
