Cheers from Vintage Connections  

Wine Educators and Consultants  

We're going to publish our newsletter and blog about twice a month.  Since we're publishing this week, we'll skip next week.  We still welcome guest writers to contribute.  Send us your wine reviews, etc., we'll edit as needed and post in the newsletter and on our Grapevine blog in the Pottstown Mercury.

Dean and Lisa Foster

Wine Tips of the Week

Neil Ellis 2008 Pinotage

A surprisingly easy to drink Pinotage, this wine is a blend of Pinotages from many different vineyards in Stellenbosch South Africa.  Deep red with just a hint of purple in color, it has light aromas of dark red fruit and tobacco.   The flavors of the fruit stand out in this vintage more than in most other Pinotages, but is balanced nicely with spice and chocolate on the finish.  

This wine received 89 points from Wine Enthusiast.  It is medium-bodied and great when paired with pork barbecue.  We hope to be using this wine at the up-coming Pottstown Library wine tasting (themed "Tasting the Southern Hemisphere) in November. 

Alcohol is 14.5% by volume.  PLCB product code is 19133 sells for $17.99 and is available at many PA Wine and Spirit stores.  

Dourthe Le Grande Cuvee 2010 Bordeaux Rose

At a recent Indian Valley AWS wine tasting we were treated to a variety of roses.  The Dourthe Bordeaux was one of our favorites. 

This wine is a classic Bordeaux blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. 

Light pink in color it has aromas of light fruit with just a hint of flowers.  The fruit comes through on your first sip and each subsequent sip with just a hint of toasty oak.  The finish is long and pleasant making this a wonderful sipping wine.  Good with light foods and cheeses. 

Alcohol is 12.5% by volume.  PLCB product code is 29350 and sells for $11.99 at  many PA Wine and Spirit stores.   

 

Up-coming Events

   

** Berks County Wine Trail  Members are all participating in  

Artisan Wine & Cheese Pairing Weekend  October 8th & 9th
Noon to 5:00 PM both days!

 

** Manatawny Creek Winery 

Harvest Festival, Saturday, September 17
Music by AKA from 2-5 PM, winery tours, food and crafters.
Click to events.

** Pinnacle Ridge
Blues in the Barn and Harvest Weekend, September 10-11
Click to events.

** Blair Vineyards
Happy Hour
at the winery
Friday, September 9
5:30-8:30

Harvest Weekend
September 24-25 
Wine, food, music
 Click to events.
  
** Calvaresi Winery
Fall Evening Wine Festival
Saturday - September 10, 2011
6:00 - 10:00 pm
click to events

** Vynecrest 

Music in the Vyneskeller every Saturday.  

Winemaker Tour Saturday, Sept 10, 1 PM 

 Click to events.  

Galen Glen

Harvest Weekend

Sept 10-11

Wagon and Tractor Tours

click to events

Lehigh Valley Wine Trail
All participating wineries.
See website for listing.

Harvest Weekend - The Butcher, The Baker and The Winemaker

September 10 & 11
click to events

Mom's House Benefit Wine Dinner
Friday, October 21
Begins promptly at 6:30 PM
$75/person
$525 for table of 8

Pottstown Public Library Benefit Wine Tasting
Saturday, November 5
Time and Cost TBD

Contact Vintage Connections to arrange a customized wine seminar, wine tasting, wine and food pairing, or any kind of wine related event.

 

Fun Fact
Pinotage is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault (also known as Hermitage) giving it its combined name of Pinotage.