The Grapevine

Wineries

Wine Bars (and restaurants)

Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar

Wine Tips of the Week - Lingenfelder Shoy and Domaine des Carteresses

2012-01-19T09:09:00.000-05:00

Cheers!

from Vintage Connections
Dean and Lisa Foster

Wine Educators and Consultants

Bet you've NEVER heard of these two wines!

Lingenfelder Shoy 2009

This wonderfully aromatic dry Riesling-type wine comes from the Lingenfelder Estate in the Pfalz region of Germany.

Shoy (short for Scheurebe-[shoy-ray-beh]) is a cross between Riesling and Silvaner. It is a full-bodied white wine very light yellow in color. It has aromas of fresh flowers and black currants, with crisp well-balanced acidity. Light flavors of black currants are gently accented with light flavors of apricots. A truly surprising wine with a lovely finish! We thoroughly enjoyed it with Spicy Indian Chicken bites.

Alcohol is 11% by volume. PLCB product code is 12536 and is available at a limited number of PA Wine and Spirit stores, but it is findable.

Domaine des Carteresses 2010

This dry rose` wine comes from the Tavel appellation in the southern Rhone region of France.

Lovely bold pink in color, it is a blend of 50% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, 13% Clairette, 12% Picpoul and 10% Syrah. It has lush aromas of red summer berries with flavors of red berries, tobacco and spice. It has a strong and pleasant finish. Great when paired with roasted pork.

Alcohol is 14% by volume. PLCB product code 29339, sells for $12.99 a bottle and is available at a limited number of PA Wine and Spirit stores, but it is findable.

Up-coming Events

We will copy and paste your information into our newsletter and blog. We reserve the right to edit as we deem necessary and to not list or publish information at our own discretion.

We plan to publish our newsletter and blog two times a month but may do so more or less often, so be sure to send information to us as far in advance of the event as possible.

Blair Vineyards

Happy Hour
Fri, January 20, 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Food from Divine Dining, wine, and great music. Tapas Package is $25, which includes your choice of 3 tapas. Reservations are required. See website for details.

Syrah Release

Jan 28 - 29, $15 per person to taste Blair's Syrah, another from California and another from Rhone (France). Reservations not required. See website for details.

Vynecrest Winery

Music in the Vyneskeller Saturdays beginning January 28, 1:30-5 PM (SuperBowl Chili February 4, no music scheduled). See website for details.

Fun Fact
The Picpoul grape (also known as Piquepoul) is a white grape grown primarily in the Rhone and Languedoc regions of France. There are both a dark (Noir) and light (Blanc) varieties. Often blended with Clairette because of the high acidity of Picpoul grapes.

Links

These are a few of our favorite wine-related businesses and organizations.

Wine Trails

Wineries

Wine Bars (and restaurants)

Seasonal Harvest Grill

Vintage Connections provides Wine Education and Consulting Services including wine classes and seminars, food and wine pairings, and wine tastings. In our newsletter and blogs we provide information and recommendations about wine, wine events, and the world of wine, primarily in the Montgomery, Berks, and Chester Tri-County Area of Southeastern Pennsylvania. We focus on affordable and accessible wines, mostly priced under $20 and available at PA Wine and Spirits stores or at wineries located in Eastern Pennsylvania. Contact us at Vintageconnections@comcast.net

Wine Tips of the Week - First Tip of 2012 and Last of our Top Ten in 2011

2012-01-05T10:00:00.000-05:00

CHEERS!

from Vintage Connections
Dean and Lisa Foster

Wine Educators and Consultants

First New Wine Tip for 2012

Playmates Fetish Wines 2008
Barossa Valley

Our friends Steve and Lori introduced us to this wine. We bought a few, gave one as a gift, and REALLY enjoyed some more ourselves.
This excellent dry red wine comes from the Barossa Valley in Southern Australia. It is a Rhone-style blend of 80% Shiraz, 10% Mataro and 10% Grenache.

This dark red dry wine has aromas of fresh dark red fruits and flavors of cherries and plums. The three varietals blend beautifully and are well-balanced with a long-lasting finish. Excellent when paired with duck and red meats. Try it with your next pot of beef stew! Also extremely drinkable by itself.

Alcohol is 14.5% by volume. PLCB product code is 32224. Currently a Chairman's Select it sells for $12.99 at many PA Wine and Spirit stores.

Final Five Top Picks from 2011
We sense that many readers aren't really interested in last year's wines, in part because they can't find them any longer (PLCB wines, especially Chairman's Selects come and go, sometimes quickly). However, most of these remaining wines are still available, so buy them fast!

Neil Ellis 2008 Pinotage: PLCB product code 19133, sells for $17.99. This Pinotage is still available at a few PA Wine and Spirits stores, including the Pottstown store.

Dourthe Le Grande Cuvee 2010 Bordeaux Rose: PLCB product code 29350, sells for $11.99. This dry Rose is still available at a few PA Wine and Spirit stores.

Gemtree Vineyards McLaren Vale Tadpole Shiraz 2008: PLCB product code 22914, sells for $13.99. This shiraz is limited in availability locally, closest store is at the Berkshire Mall.

Rocca Dei Sanniti Vino Spumante Sparkling White Wine 2009: PLCB product code 13604, sells for $13.99 and is still a Chairman's Select and is available at many PA Wine and Spirit stores.

Blackstone Reserve Chardonnay Sonoma 2008: PLCB product code 32349, sells for $9.99, is also still a Chairman's Select and is available at many PA Wine and Spirit stores including the store at Suburbia Shopping Center.

Up-coming Events

If you would like an up-coming (wine-related) event listed in our Vintage Connections Wine E-newsletter and Grapevine blog in the Pottstown Mercury, please email a short summary of the event including the name of your event, name of your winery or organization, short description of the event, date, time, location and cost, at least two weeks in advance to us at
Vintageconnections@Comcast.net

We will copy and paste your information into our newsletter and blog. We reserve the right to edit as we deem necessary and to not list or publish information at our own discretion.

We plan to publish our newsletter and blog two times a month but may do so more or less often, so be sure to send information to us as far in advance of the event as possible.

We're not purposefully scouring winery newsletters, websites, etc. to find events, but we opened Blair's recent newsletter and wanted to share these up-coming events with you.

Blair Vineyards

Winemaker's Dinner
Sunday January 15th, 6pm

This four course meal prepared by Chef Ben Smith is priced at $60 per person. Seating is limited. Contact the winery at 610-683-8463 for menu details and to make your reservation. .

Happy Hour & Tapas
Friday, January 20th
5:30 to 8:30 pm

Join the chefs from Divine Dining for another fabulous Happy Hour. Reservations are required, so please contact the winery for details and to save your spot. Music.
Tapas plate $25. Wine may be purchased by the glass or by the bottle. Please no tastings during the event.

2010 Syrah Release!
January 28th & 29th

We are releasing our 2010 Syrah at the end of January! We will be offering tastes of our 2010 Syrah, as well as a French Rhone & California Syrah side by side to compare the wines across the regions. For $15, you will receive 2 ounces pours of each of the three Syrahs, as well as chocolate pairings. Reservations are not needed for this event. However our 2010 Syrah will only be available for tasting and purchase this weekend if you take part in this event. The release for the general public will take place the following weekend.

Fun Fact
The varietal Mataro is also known as Mourvedre in most of Europe and the US and also as Monastrell in Spain. Often blended with syrah and grenache to add an interesting complexity to the Rhone-style blend.

Links

These are a few of our favorite wine-related businesses and organizations.

Wine Trails

Wineries

Wine Bars (and restaurants)

Seasonal Harvest Grill

Wine Tips of the Week - Another Two of Our Top Ten of 2011

2011-12-29T09:40:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays!

from Vintage Connections
Dean and Lisa Foster

Wine Educators and Consultants

TWO MORE OF OUR TOP TEN OF 2011

Trapiche Oak Cask Pinot Noir 2009

If you enjoy a good French Burgundy, you will enjoy this pinot noir from Mendoza, Argentina.

It is a light, clear ruby red in color with aromas of black cherries. The flavor of fruit is light and subtle with notes of toasted bread and vanilla. Aged for nine months in French oak barrels, this wine is well-balanced with a pleasant finish.

Alcohol is 13% by volume. The Trapiche Oak Cask pinot noir is available at many PA Wine and Spirit stores sells for $11.99. PLCB product code is 5439.

Trapiche Winery is located in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. Grapes for the Oak Cask pinot noir are gathered from various vineyards at different elevations creating a more complex wine.

2007 M. Cosentino Cabernet Franc

This excellent dry red wine comes from the Napa Valley in California. This cabernet franc is actually a blend of 83% cabernet franc and 17% merlot. It is garnet red in color, softening to almost pinkish at the edges. It has great aromas of red fruit and green pepper, so characteristic of cabernet francs.

Though high in alcohol (winemaker says 15.5% by volume), it did not taste hot as so many California wines do, but was pleasantly balanced.

We felt the addition of the merlot helped to give this wine a roundness that perhaps a California cabernet franc may otherwise be missing. We were pleasantly surprised by this wine. We tasted it at an Indian Valley Chapter of AWS tasting. We also felt that it was exceptional when paired with the homemade cream of mushroom soup.

Unfortunately, this is still not available in PA, except by ordering it through Wine Access or Wine Express, but we felt it was such an exceptional wine that it deserved to be brought to your attention.

Fun Fact
Pinot Noir wines should be served slightly chilled (around 50 degrees) for younger Pinots to cool (around 60 degrees) for older Pinots.

Up-coming Events

We're not purposefully scouring winery newsletters, websites, etc. to find events, but we opened Blair's recent newsletter and wanted to share these up-coming events with you.

Blair Vineyards
Winemaker's Dinner
Sunday January 15th, 6pm

This four course meal prepared by Chef Ben Smith is priced at $60 per person. Seating is limited. Contact the winery at 610-683-8463 for menu details and to make your reservation. .

Happy Hour & Tapas
Friday, January 20th
5:30 to 8:30 pm

2010 Syrah Release!
January 28th & 29th

If you would like an up-coming (wine-related) event listed in our Vintage Connections Wine E-newsletter and Grapevine blog in the Pottstown Mercury, please email a short summary of the event including the name of your event, name of your winery or organization, short description of the event, date, time, location and cost, at least two weeks in advance to us at

Vintageconnections@Comcast.net

We will copy and paste your information into our newsletter and blog. We reserve the right to edit as we deem necessary and to not list or publish information at our own discretion.

We plan to publish our newsletter and blog two times a month but may do so more or less often, so be sure to send information to us as far in advance of the event as possible.

Links

These are a few of our favorite wine-related businesses and organizations.

Wine Trails

Wineries

Wine Bars (and restaurants)

Pottstown Regional Public Library

Seasonal Harvest Grill

Wine Tips of the Week - Two More of Our Top Ten of 2011

2011-12-22T16:50:00.002-05:00

Happy Holidays!
from Vintage Connections
Dean and Lisa Foster
Wine Educators and Consultants

TWO MORE OF OUR TOP TEN OF 2011

Clos LaChance Hummingbird Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

This dry red wine from the Central Coast of California is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and small amounts of Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to make up the last 7% of this Bordeaux style blend.

It is deep dark ruby red in color and has aromas of dark red berries and anise. Flavors of black currants and plums are gently subtle. It is best to allow this wine to sit open for about one hour previously to drinking. It has well-balanced tannins and a long-lasting finish. Alcohol is 13.5% by volume. PLCB Product code is 32236 and is currently a Chairman's Select. This is a great bargain at $7.99 a bottle. (quoted at $18.00 a bottle). This is, unfortunately nearly sold out in the area, but as of 12/21 here is 1 bottle (according to the PLCB website) at the Suburbia Shopping Center and a few in Collegeville. Someone is sure to get there before we do!

Llai Llai Chardonnay 2009

This 100% Chardonnay wine comes from the Bio Bio Valley in Chile. It is light yellow in color with light aromas of fresh flowers and delicate oak.
It is able to ripen slowly in the climate of the Bio Bio Valley which allows the fresh tropical fruit flavors to come through with a light minerality. It has a long and pleasant finish. Alcohol is 13.3% by volume and residual sugar at 2.6 g/L. PLCB product code is 18797 and sells for $12.99. There is still some of this available at area PA Wine and Spirit Stores.

Fun Fact

The tradition of toasting "to your health" originated in Greece where the host would sip the wine before his guests to prove that the wine was not poisoned or drugged and their "health" was not threatened by that particular host.

Wine Tips of the Week - Blackstone Reserve Chardonnay and Top Ten of 2011

2011-12-14T16:30:00.004-05:00

Cheers from Vintage Connections
Dean and Lisa Foster
Wine Educators and Consultants

Blackstone Reserve Chardonnay Sonoma 2008
We were recently served this Chairman Select chardonnay at our friends Steve and Lori's home as an aperitif to an evening of wine, dinner and catching up with friends. What a delightful surprise.

This California chardonnay was not the typical over-oaked chardonnay we've come to expect from California. It was deliciously smooth and buttery. Created at Blackstone's Kenwood Winery, this blend of 97% chardonnay and 3% muscat is pale yellow in color with fresh aromas of sweet apple pie and butterscotch. Flavors of lemon peel and lime along with fresh apples and pears are balanced by crisp acidity. This wine is full-bodied with a long-lasting pleasant finish. Great when paired with shrimp or salmon. Alcohol is 13.5% by volume. PLCB product code is 32349 and sells for $9.99 at most PA Wine and Spirit stores.
A GREAT VALUE!

2011 Top Ten Favorites
This year we are once again going to look back through all the wines we've tasted this year and try to pick 10 of our favorites, though it is hard to pick just ten! We will list them in no particular order.

90+ (Ninety Plus) Shiraz/Viognier Lot 4 2008
This surprising blend of shiraz and viognier comes the McLaren Vale in Australia.

Though a blend of white and red grapes, this wine is not a rose`! The addition of the viognier to shiraz adds a delightful complexity. It is medium-bodied, deep dark red in color. The shiraz and viognier are co-fermented and then aged for 14 months in French oak barrels. It has aromas of dark red fruits and just a hint of black pepper, with flavors of juicy dark berries and well integrated oak. The finish is long and savory. Alcohol is 14% by volume. PLCB product code is 3732 and sells for $13.99 a bottle. This wine is still available at some PA Wine and Spirit stores but could prove hard to find. Though a one time buy, this wine is also available as an SLO PLCB product code 510571 and sells for $14.79.

Fun Fact
The term "reserve" is often seen on a bottle of wine. But what does it really mean? If you are buying a French wine, it means you are probably getting the best that that winery has to offer. There are many rules and restrictions in France controlling the quality of a "reserve" wine. But in the US it actually doesn't mean anything. Anyone can put the term "reserve" on any wine, even the worst. Most reputable wineries though, will use

Up-coming Events
If you would like an up-coming (wine-related) event listed in our Vintage Connections Wine E-newsletter and Grapevine blog in the Pottstown Mercury, please email a short summary of the event including the name of your event, name of your winery or organization, short description of the event, date, time, location and cost, at least two weeks in advance to us at
Vintageconnections@Comcast.net
We will copy and paste your information into our newsletter and blog. We reserve the right to edit as we deem necessary and to not list or publish information at our own discretion.
We plan to publish our newsletter and blog two times a month but may do so more or less often, so be sure to send information to us as far in advance of the event as possible the term for what they feel is their best wine, or the wine-makers favorite.
advance of the event as possible.

Links
These are a few of our favorite wine-related businesses and organizations.

Wine Trails
Berks County Wine Trail
Lehigh Valley Wine Trail

Wineries
Pinnacle Ridge
Manatawny Creek
Blair
Calvaresi
Vynecrest
Galen Glen

Wine Bars (and restaurants)
Winedown
Seasonal Harvest Grill

Quick Wine Tips for Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T13:15:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving Wine Tips

We know these tips may be late, but hopefully "better late than never" for at least some of our readers.

Pairing wine with Thanksgiving dinner is difficult because of the variety of flavors and sweetness levels traditionally on the table. We recommend serving several wines with Thanksgiving dinner and finding out what you, your family and friends, like best.

Light reds like Gamay, light Pinot Noir, and dry rose (semi-dry depending on your taste) go well with turkey. Light reds and dry roses also stand up to dressings and many side dishes, although cranberries and sweet potatoes (especially with brown sugar and marshmellows) may make the wine taste a little too light and maybe a touch bitter. Vynecrest produces a Nouveau Beaujolais made from 100% Gamay and Pinnacle Ridge produces a Chambourcin Rose, both of which should pair well with turkey.

Some whites also pair well with turkey but too often whites will be overwhelmed by cranberries, sweet potatoes, and some stuffings. A light white with touch of sweetness, rather than a heavy, oaked chardonnay, should work well.

We especially like dry and semi-dry white and rose sparklings with turkey and other traditional Thanksgiving dishes.

What We're Drinking

This Thanksgiving we're drinking a dry rose from Barren Ridge (one of our favorite Virginia wineries), Brut Rose from Pinnacle Ridge (a very dry, light, sparkling rose made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes), and Trapiche Extra Brut Sparkling from Mendoza, Argentina, which we've reviewed several times and have used at several large wine tasting events. We also highly recommend Manatawny's Blanc de Blanc sparkling, especially if you like your sparkling with just a touch of residual sugar (sweetness) and Pinnacle Ridge's Blanc de Blanc if you like even a touch more sweetness to your sparkling. Vynecrest has produced a sparkling Chambourcin, but we have not tried it.

More about Sparkling

Pinnacle Ridge's Brut Rose and Trapiche Extra Brut are very dry and so may be too dry for some readers. The Brut level of sweetness (dryness) is more popular and many readers will prefer a semi-dry level of sweetness in their sparkling wine. Both Manatawny's and Pinnacle Ridge's Blanc de Blancs are good bets in this medium range (with Mantawny's being a bit drier than Pinnacle's). Extra Dry sparkling is a little sweeter than Brut and Demi-Sec is clearly a sweet dessert-type sparkling.

Korbell produces a full line of sparklings (from naturel which is the driest to demi-sec which is the sweetest), with most of these usually available in most PLCB stores. Flexinet from Spain also produces several sparklings and is worth a try.

Let us know what you've been drinking and what you like !

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Wine Tips of the Week: Don't Buy Beaujolais Nouveau This Year! And praising Malbec.

2011-11-18T13:29:00.000-05:00

Cheers from Vintage Connections
Dean and Lisa Foster

Wine Educators and Consultants

Beaujolais Nouveau (Georges Duboeuf) 2011

We've never directly recommended against buying a wine before (not in our newsletter or blog, anyway). Last year we recommended the Beaujolais Nouveau 2010, bought several bottles ourselves including the 1.5 L bottle, and took this wine to a party or two. Not this year.

Nouveau is released every year on the 3rd Thursday of November. This year that was Thursday, November 17. The Georges Duboeuf is the only 2011 Beaujolais Nouveau available off the shelf in PLCB stores. Others are available by special order.

The Georges Duboeuf is Beaujolais Nouveau thin and bitter. We don't expect much of this wine in any year but this year, despite our low expectations, we were REALLY disappointed. But, don't take our word for it. Go ahead and buy a bottle and let us know what you think. It's currently available at all PLCB stores, product code 5877, for $12.99 (plus tax) per 750 ml bottle. 1.5 L bottles are also available for $23.99 (plus tax). Most stores have big displays near the front of the store.

A Reuters news release says "Beaujolais seeks to burnish its image as a wine to celebrate the new vintage and dampen criticism that its popularity lies more in the marketing than in the quality of the wine." Judge for yourself. This year we think it's all about marketing.

The Beaujolais region, within the Burgundy region of France, produces some fine wine. Like Nouveau Beaujolais, other Beaujolais wines are made from the Gamay grape. Generally, wines made from Gamay are light and fruity and easy to drink. We've tasted (and bought) a few made in the USA and they have been good wines.

Nouveau Beaujolais is made differently from other Beaujolais and Gamay wines. It is made quickly, taking about 10 weeks from harvest to market. The juice spends almost no time on its grape skins and never sees oak, so it is light in tannin. The idea is to produce an inexpensive, light, drinkable wine quickly to celebrate the new harvest (and to help with cash flow). The wine and its release is highly celebrated and usually a lot of fun. But, we're not buying any more this year and aren't sure if the wine still in the bottle we opened yesterday will find its way to the glass, or just the kitchen sink.

Malbec

Let's talk about some good wine. Last night we went to a Malbec tasting at the monthly meeting of the Indian Valley Chapter of the American Wine Society.

We've been looking forward to this tasting for months and we were not disappointed. The hosts served six Malbecs including three from Argentina, two from France, and one from Washington State. Some were blends with Malbec composing less than half of the blend. In the case of Washington wine, only 4% we Malbec. But, we're fine with these blends because Malbec is often used as a blending wine to add color and complexity to other wines. Tasting the blends was interesting and educational. However, we're still fans of 1005 (or close) Malbecs from Mendoza, Argentina, and have been drinking, writing, and recommending several over the past few years.

Our favorite last night was Maipe Reserve from Mendoza. However, the surprise of the evening and the overall favorite of the group was Chateau Caminade Cahors "La Commnadery 2088 (Cohors, France). Although our hosts purchased all of their Malbecs from Wine.com, this favorite is available in PA as a special order, PLCB code 52318 for $21.89 per bottle with a minimum order of 12 bottles.

A Maipe Malbec is available at some PLCB stores, code 25616, for only $11.99 per bottle. This is NOT the reserve we tasted last night, but at this price, we're going to try it (the reserve from Wine.com was only $13.79 per bottle).

In our last blog and newsletter, we recommended Altivo Barrel Select Malbec, which we used at the benefit wine tasting at the Pottstown Regional Public Library, which was very successful thanks to the 70 people who attended. We've repeated that past article below.

We've found that there are different styles of Malbec fruity, powerful, and complex. We prefer the complex style, which is big, bold, and with a little less alcohol (13.5 % vs. 14.9%) than the powerful style. Overall, Malbec is usually lighter in tannins than you'd expect given its color. We like the sharper tannins, more complex and intense taste, which is why we probably preferred the Maipe over the Cahors and other four Malbecs last night.

Altivo Barrel Select Malbec

This rich full-bodied dry red wine comes from the Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina.

It is made from 100% malbec grapes from one of the oldest estates at Altivo vineyards. Pleasantly aromatic, it features lovely aromas of boysenberries with a hint of basil. Flavors of rich dark fruits are well balanced with tannins and acidity. It has a long lasting finish.

This is one more of the wines we'll be featuring at the Pottstown Library Benefit Tasting on Saturday, November 5.

Alcohol is 13.5% by volume with residual sugar at 2.6 grams per liter. Great when paired with beef of lamb. PLCB product code is 19768 and sells for $14.99 at many PA Wine and Spirit stores, including the Pottstown store the last time we checked.

Up-coming Events

Lehigh Valley Wine Trail

Nouveau Weekend

November 19 & 20

(From the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail website)

This is the earliest chance to sample the first vintages of the new harvest. Nouveau wines are light, fruity and semi-dry to dry red wines.

It's also a great opportunity to purchase wines for the upcoming holiday season to give as gifts or to drink at dinner.

Tip: March Madness passports also go on sale this weekend. Get them before they sell out!

The Seeker Sauvignon Blanc and One Last Chance - Pottstown Library Wine Tasting

2011-11-02T21:04:00.000-04:00

Cheers from Vintage Connections
Dean and Lisa Foster

Wine Educators and Consultants

WINES of the SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

Call the Library at 610-970-6551

before NOON on FRIDAY to reserve your place

at the Pottstown Regional Public Library Benefit Wine Tasting

Saturday, November 5

at the Pottstown Regional Public Library

on High Street in Pottstown

$40 per person

The Seeker Sauvignon Blanc
This crisp, refreshing sauvignon blanc is typical of so many sauvignon blancs from Marlborough, New Zealand. Crafted from grapes from three premier vineyards in Marlborough, this 100% sauvignon blanc has aromas of fresh summer herbs with fruity flavors of nectarine and citrus. It has a long, pleasant finish with balanced acidity. Alcohol is 13.5% by volume. PLCB product code is 3249 and sells for $12.99 at most PA Wine and Spirit stores.

This is one of the six wines we're featuring at the Pottstown Regional Public Library Wine Tasting Fund-Raiser on Saturday night, November 5.

Altivo Barrel Select Malbec

This rich full-bodied dry red wine comes from the Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina.

It is made from 100% malbec grapes from one of the oldest estates at Altivo vineyards. Pleasantly aromatic, it features lovely aromas of boysenberries with a hint of basil. Flavors of rich dark fruits are well balanced with tannins and acidity. It has a long lasting finish.

This is one more of the wines we'll be featuring at the Pottstown Library Benefit Tasting on Saturday, November 5.

Alcohol is 13.5% by volume with residual sugar at 2.6 grams per liter. Great when paired with beef of lamb. PLCB product code is 19768 and sells for $14.99 at many PA Wine and Spirit stores, including the Pottstown store the last time we checked.

Wines of the Southern Hemisphere

Support the Pottstown Regional Public Library

Saturday, November 5, beginning at 6:30 PM
at the Pottstown Regional Public Library
500 East High Street, Pottstown.

$40 per person in advance.

Call the Library at 610-970-6551 to register.

Taste 6 wines, including this unique shiraz/viogner blend from Australia, each from a different country in the Southern Hemisphere.

Wine presentation and comments by Vintage Connections, Dean and Lisa Foster.
Each wine paired with an appetizer prepared by Jerry DeLena and his Magic Grillability.

Music by Dillan Taylor, classic guitarist

Lehigh Valley Wine Trail

Nouveau Weekend

November 19 & 20, 2011
This is the earliest chance to sample the first vintages of the new harvest. Nouveau wines are light, fruity and semi-dry to dry red wines.

It's also a great opportunity to purchase wines for the upcoming holiday season to give as gifts or to drink at dinner.

Tip: March Madness passports also go on sale this weekend. Get them before they sell out!

Last Chance to Register for Wines of the Southern Hemisphere to Benefit Pottstown Regional Public Library

2011-10-27T11:30:00.001-04:00

Cheers from Vintage Connections
Dean and Lisa Foster

Wine Educators and Consultants

to be held on

Saturday, November 5

beginning at 6:30 PM

at the

on High Street in Pottstown

To register, call the Library SOON at 610-970-6551

$40 per person

Taste 6 wines, each from a different country in the Southern Hemisphere.

Wine presentation and comments by Vintage Connections, Dean and Lisa Foster.

Each wine paired with an appetizer prepared by Jerry DeLena and his Magic Grillability.

Music by Dillan Taylor, classic guitarist.

90+ (Ninety Plus) Shiraz/Viognier

One of the six wines to be featured at

Wines of the Southern Hemisphere

Wine Tasting Benefit for the Pottstown Regional Public Library

This surprising blend of shiraz and viognier comes from McLaren Vale in Australia. Though a blend of white and red grapes, this wine is definitely a red wine.

The addition of the viognier to shiraz adds a delightful complexity to the wine. 90+ is medium-bodied and deep dark red in color. The shiraz and viognier are co-fermented and then aged for 14 months in French oak barrels. It has aromas of dark red fruits and just a hint of black pepper, with flavors of juicy dark berries and well integrated oak. The finish is long and savory.

Alcohol is 14% by volume. PLCB product code is 3732 and sells for $13.99 a bottle. This wine is still available at some Chester and Montgomery County PA Wine and Spirit stores. Though a one time buy, this wine is also available as a SLO, PLCB product code 510571 and sells for $14.79.

Up-coming Events

Lehigh Valley Wine Trail

Nouveau Weekend

November 19 & 20, 2011

Tip: March Madness passports also go on sale this weekend. Get them before they sell out!

Last Chance to Register for Mom's House Benefit Wine Dinner

2011-10-15T09:53:00.014-04:00

Cheers from Vintage Connections
Dean and Lisa Foster

Wine Educators and Consultants

This weekend, October 15 and 16, is the LAST CHANCE to register for the Mom's House Benefit Wine Dinner

to be held on

Friday, October 21

at Columbia Station in Phoenixville.

Mom's House Wine Dinner

LAST CHANCE to register is this weekend, October 15-16, on-line only.

Friday, October 21 at Robert Ryan's Columbia Station. Begins at 6:30 PM with an aperitif and appetizers while browsing over 50 silent auction items. Dinner begins promptly at 7:30 PM.

Five course, sit-down dinner, each course featuring a specially chosen wine and food pairing.

Wine presentation and comments by Vintage Connections, Dean and Lisa Foster.

Silent Auction featuring over 50 items.

Support Mom's House and its Mission

$75 per person, $525 for a table of eight.

Reservations at 610-935-7711 or on-line at

www.momshouse-phoenixville.org

Another wine-tasting event!!
Wines of the Southern Hemisphere

Wine Tasting to benefit the Pottstown Regional Public Library at the Library, 500 East High Street, Pottstown.

Taste 6 wines, each from a different country in the Southern Hemisphere.

Wine presentation and comments by Vintage Connections, Dean and Lisa Foster.

Each wine paired with an appetizer prepared by Jerry DeLena and his Magic Grillability.

Music by Dillan Taylor, classic guitarist.

Saturday, November 5, beginning promptly at 6:30 PM.

$40 per person in advance.

Tickets available at the Library or call at 610.970.6551.

And yet another wine-tasting event!!

Indian Valley Benefit Wine Tasting

Saturday, November 5, 2011

7:00 - 10:00 pm

$50 per person ($55 after November 1)

Featuring a sampling of fine wines (served in a souvenir etched wine glass), hearty hors d'oeuvres, coffee, and desserts. Includes a raffle and silent auction to benefit the library. Purchase tickets on the library website or in person. Tickets purchased online will be held at the door.

Register on-line by clicking here.

Follow their Wine Tasting page on Facebook for info on

participating restaurants, raffle/silent auction items, corporate sponsors, and even enter to win two bottles of wine!

Wine Tips of the Week - Clos LaChance Cabernet and Llai Llai Chardonnay

2011-10-06T13:18:00.000-04:00

Cheers from Vintage Connections

Wine Educators and Consultants

Please support Mom's House of Phoenixville and the

Pottstown Regional Public Library through their up-coming wine tasting events. Basic information is available in the Up-coming events column of this blog. More information is available in our Grapevine blog last week.

We'll be presenting and talking about some very good wines that are available at many local PLCB stores.

Dean and Lisa Foster

Wine Tip of the Week #1

Clos LaChance Hummingbird Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

This dry red wine from the Central Coast of California is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot and small amounts of Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot to make up the last 7% of this Bordeaux-style blend.

It is deep dark ruby red in color and has aromas of dark red berries and anise. Flavors of black currants and plums are gently subtle. It is best to allow this wine to sit open for about one hour previously to drinking. It has well-balanced tannins and a long-lasting finish. Alcohol is 13.5% by volume. PLCB Product code is 32236 and is currently a Chairman's Select. This is a great bargain at

$7.99 a bottle. (quoted at $18.00 a bottle). It is available at most PA Wine and Spirit Stores.

We will be pairing this wine with Carved Top Round of Beef at the up-coming fund-raising dinner for Mom's House in Phoenixville. Register by clicking on this link or call 610 935-7711.

Wine Tip of the Week #2

Llai Llai Chardonnay 2009

This 100% Chardonnay wine comes from the Bio Bio Valley in Chile. Llai Llai is light yellow in color with light aromas of fresh flowers and delicate oak. It is able to ripen slowly in the climate of the Bio Bio Valley which allows the fresh tropical fruit flavors to come through with a light minerality. It has a long and pleasant finish. Alcohol is 13.3% by volume and residual sugar at 2.6 g/L (which is still very dry). PLCB product code is 18797 and sells for $12.99 at many PA Wine and Spirit Stores.

We will be using this wine at the up-coming
Pottstown Regional Library fund-raiser. Register by calling (610) 970-6551.

Fun Fact

As a general guideline, Chardonnay is best served at 55 degrees. If served cooler, the fruit flavors are lost. At warmer temperatures the oak flavors become too strong and the wine begins to taste dull. To achieve the 55 degree optimum temperature for Chardonnay, chill in the refrigerator approximately 2 hours, in the freezer for 15 minutes and on ice for 5 minutes. This varies somewhat depending on the specific Chardonnay but it's easier to warm the wine a bit by cupping the glass in your hands than it is to cool it more after serving.

Up-coming Events

Schuylkill River Festival Saturday, October 8,

11 AM - 4 PM

Riverfront Park in Pottstown

This is not a wine event but we will be there demonstrating geocaching.

Fun for the entire family.

** Berks County Wine Trail Members are all participating in

Artisan Wine & Cheese Pairing Weekend

October 8th & 9th
Noon to 5:00 PM both days!

** Pinnacle Ridge

Jazz and Blues in the Barn

Sunday, Oct. 9

** Manatawny Creek Winery

** Blair Vineyards

** Calvaresi Winery

** Vynecrest

Music in the Vyneskeller every Saturday, 1-4:30 PM

click to website for reservations

Galen Glen

Mom's House
Benefit Wine Dinner

at Columbia Station

Robert Ryan Catering

Phoenixville

(new location and food)
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
Begins promptly at 6:30 PM
$40 per person
Call Library at 610-970-6551

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

Special Issue - Benefit Wine Tastings, Pottstown Library and Mom's House

2011-09-28T13:06:00.000-04:00

Cheers from Vintage Connections
Dean and Lisa Foster

Wine Educators and Consultants

This Special Issue features information about two upcoming Wine Tasting Benefits.

Friday, October 21 at Columbia Station in Phoenixville to benefit Mom's House of Phoenixville

Saturday, November 5 at the Pottstown Regional Public Library to benefit the Library

See below for detailed information.

Mom's House Wine Tasting

Friday, October 21 at Robert Ryan's Columbia Station. Begins promptly at 6:30 PM.

Five course, sit-down dinner, each course featuring a specially chosen wine and food pairing.

Wine presentation and comments by Vintage Connections, Dean and Lisa Foster.

Silent Auction featuring over 100 items.

Support Mom's House and its Mission

$75 per person, $525 for a table of eight.

Reservations at 610-935-7711 or on-line at

www.momshouse-phoenixville.org

Wines of the Southern Hemisphere

Wine Tasting to benefit the Pottstown Regional Public Library at the Library,
500 East High Street, Pottstown.

Taste 6 wines, each from a different country in the Southern Hemisphere.

Wine presentation and comments by Vintage Connections, Dean and Lisa Foster.

Each wine paired with an appetizer prepared by Jerry DeLena and his Magic Grillability.

Music by Dillan Taylor, classic guitarist.

Saturday, November 5, beginning promptly at 6:30 PM.

$40 per person in advance.

Tickets available at the Library or call at 610.970.6551.

Vintage Connections
Lisa and Dean Foster
Wine Educators and Consultants
Members of the American Wine Society

Vintage Connections provides Wine Education and Consulting Services including wine classes and seminars, food and wine pairings, and wine tastings. In our newsletter and blogs we provide information and recommendations about wine, wine events, and the world of wine, primarily in the Montgomery, Berks, and Chester Tri-County Area of Southeastern Pennsylvania. We focus on affordable and accessible wines, mostly priced under $20 and available at PA Wine and Spirits stores or at wineries located in Eastern Pennsylvania.

Wine Tips of the Week - Ninety Plus Shiraz/Viognier and Rocca Dei Sanniti Vino Spumante Sparkling

2011-09-22T10:31:00.000-04:00

Cheers from Vintage Connections

Wine Educators and Consultants

Dean and Lisa Foster

We're publishing our newsletter and blog about twice a month. We still welcome contributions of wine reviews and other wine related information from guest writers. 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.

90+ (Ninety Plus) Shiraz/Viognier

Lot 4 2008

This surprising blend of shiraz and viognier comes from McLaren Vale in Australia. Though a blend of white and red grapes, this wine is definitely a red wine.

Alcohol is 14% by volume. PLCB product code is 3732 and sells for $13.99 a bottle. This wine is available at most PA Wine and Spirit stores. Though a one time buy, this wine is also available as a SLO, PLCB product code 510571 and sells for $14.79. We plan on using 90+ at the upcoming Pottstown Library Tasting in November.

Rocca Dei Sanniti Vino Spumante Sparkling White Wine 2009

This delightful sparkling wine comes from the hills of the Sannio countryside near the ancient town of Benevento in Italy.

This wine is a blend of 60% Falanghina, 20% Malvasia and 20% Trebbiano. It is not as sweet as an Asti, nor as dry as a Proseco, but falls pleasantly in between. Light straw yellow in color, the bubbles are tiny and plentiful. Aromas of light summer fruits abound with flavors of pears, apples and white peaches. The finish is bright and fairly long for a sparkling.

Alcohol is 9% by volume. This wine is currently a Chairman's Select at many PA Wine and Spirit stores. PLCB product code is 13604 and sells for $13.99. We hope to use this sparkling wine as the aperitif at the Mom's House Wine dinner in October.

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!

** Pinnacle Ridge

Jazz and Blues in the Barn

Sunday, Oct. 9

** Manatawny Creek Winery

** Blair Vineyards
Harvest Weekend
September 24-25
Wine, food, music
Click to events.

** Calvaresi Winery

** Vynecrest

Music in the Vyneskeller every Saturday, 1-4:30 PM

Galen Glen

Autumn Tours of Vineyard and Cellars

Sundays 9/25 and 10/2

click to website for reservations

Mom's House
Benefit Wine Dinner

at Columbia Station

Robert Ryan Catering

Phoenixville

(new location and food)
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
Begins promptly at 6:30 PM
$40 per person
Call Library at 610-970-6551

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

Fun Fact
Sparkling wine goes by different names in different countries. Champagne, Cremant, and Mousseux are French. Spumante is the generic name for sparkling wine from Italy and is traditionally low in alcohol and high in residual sugar. Asti (and Asti Spumante) is specifically from the Asti region of Italy and is made from Moscato grapes. The Spumante featured today is NOT an Asti.

Wine Tips of the Week - Pinotage and Bordeaux Rose

2011-09-08T11:02:00.000-04:00

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

Galen Glen

Harvest Weekend

Sept 10-11

Wagon and Tractor Tours

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.

Wine Tip of the Week - The Deck Carmenere

2011-09-01T12:51:00.000-04:00

Cheers from Vintage Connections

We're back from taking a much-needed break.

We're going to experiment with writing our newsletter and blog about twice a month. And, we welcome guest writers to contribute. Send us your wine reviews, etc., we'll edit as needed and post in our Vintage Connections Wine Newsletter and on this Grapevine blog in the Pottstown Mercury.

Dean and Lisa Foster

Vintage Connections: Wine Educators and Consultants

Wine Tip of the Week

The Deck Carmenere 2006

This week's wine tip was provided by our wine friends and loyal readers, Bob and Jacki. Thanks!

We have trouble finding a Carmenere that we like, often because they are just a bit too dense for us without much, if any, hint of fruit.

The Deck Carmenere 2006 from Chile (of course) overcomes that problem blending in small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Malbec.

The 2008 vintage of this wine is available in PA by Special Liquor Order (SLO) from the PLCB, code 504259, with a minimum of 12 bottles at $17.49 per bottle. If you're traveling to other states, you may find this wine by the bottle, maybe at a lower cost.

Below is the information provided by Bob and Jacki. This may be more technical data than some of you would like to know, but we've found some of our friends and readers, especially the winemakers who read our newsletter and blog, find this level of detail interesting.

TASTING NOTES

Dark red color. In the nose it has red cherries and plums with a touch of toasty oak. Hints of chocolate and berries. Round tannins, soft but well structure. (We agree!)

APPELLATION: Central Valley (Chile)

HARVEST

Hand picked. Depending on the variety, between end of March to

beginning of May.

VINEYARDS

Grapes coming from vineyards located in Maule and Rapel Valleys. The soil is stony and shallow.

WINEMAKING

Grapes were cold macerated for 2 days. Fermented in stainless steel tanks at a temperature between 25° and 28° C. Malolactic fermentation done in tanks. 40% of the blend was aged with American and French oak. Macerated for 15 days.

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

Galen Glen

Walking Tour of the Vineyard, Sept 3, 4, 5, at noon only. Please wear sturdy foot gear. No reservations required and weather permitting.

Harvest Weekend

Sept 10-11

Wagon and Tractor Tours

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

Harvest Weekend - The Butcher, The Baker and The Winemaker

September 10 & 11, 2011
click to events

Fun Fact
Carmenere is one of the original six grapes permitted in red Bordeaux, although it is rarely grown or used in Bordeaux today. When it was transplanted from France to Chile in the 19th century, Carmenere was often confused with Merlot.

Web Links

The Grapevine Pottstown Mercury Wine Blog

(read our past 80+ posts)

Calvaresi Winery

Manatawny Creek Winery

Pinnacle Ridge Winery

Blair Winery and Vineyards

Galen Glen Winery and Vineyards

Vynecrest Vineyards and Winery

Berks County Wine Trail

Brandywine Valley Wine Trail

Lehigh Valley Wine Trail

Winedown Cafe and Wine Bar

Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar

E-mail Us

Wine Tip of the Week - Quiz Winner and Quiz Answers

2011-08-10T11:48:00.000-04:00

Cheers from Vintage Connections

As we said in last week's newsletter and blog, we're taking a break from writing but will be back September 1st.

We're looking for guest writers. If you want to review a wine or two or have an amusing anecdote about a wine or a visit to a winery, we'd love to hear from you. We'll copy and share your tips and stories with our readers.

Dean and Lisa Foster
Vintage Connections: Wine Educators and Consultants

Quiz Winner and Quiz Answers

Congratulations to John Nase, whose name was pulled from a hat that included the names of all who answered all five questions correctly.

1. We love wine made from 100% Cabernet Franc. However, it is often one of the "minor" blending grapes used in either (red) Bordeaux or (red) Meritage.

2. French Red Burgundy is made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes.

3. American, Hungarian, and French oak are often used to make wine barrels. Which one is the most expensive? French

4. Blaufrankisch and Lemberger are the same grape.

5. French Chablis is made from what grape? Chardonnay

Thanks to all who entered!!

Up-coming Events

We deleted past events but will not otherwise update this list until we return to writing on September 1.

Blair Vineyards
One-year Celebration
Saturday and Sunday August 13 and 14.

The next Happy Hour is September 9th!
Click to events for more details.

Vynecrest

Music in the Vyneskeller every Saturday.

Wine Down Cafe and Wine BarSparkling Wine Class
Monday, August 22nd 6:30-8:00pm
$25 per person.
Reservations Required by
email to
benfranco@winedowncafe.net
(Vintage Connections is not teaching this class, but expect it will be excellent.)

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

Wine Tip of the Week - Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar - and Last Chance for the Quiz

2011-08-04T09:29:00.000-04:00

Cheers from Vintage Connections

For the past two months, we've been writing about nearby PA wineries and wine bars.

This week, we're writing about the Seasonal Harvest Grill and Wine Bar near Glen Mills (Route 202, Wilmington Pike).

This will be our last newsletter and blog for a few weeks. We're taking a break but we'll be back September 1st.

We're still looking for guest writers. Even if you want to review a wine or two, have an amusing anecdote about a wine or a visit to a winery, we'd love to hear from you and share it with others. Send it to us and we'll get it in the blog and newsletter!

Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar

We first visited Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar (located in Glen Mills, PA) this spring.
We had been visiting Longwood Gardens and decided to treat ourselves to dinner out. What better place than a wine bar? It's called "Seasonal Grill" because they change their menu each season and get many of their ingredients from local producers; from cheeses and meats to vegetables and fruits, and even wine (at that time they carried one wine from Paradox Winery. We wish they carried more wine from PA wineries - hint, hint).

The food was very good, healthy and fresh.
The atmosphere was pleasant and relaxing and the service friendly and excellent (that just right combination of attentive, but not invasive). We sat at a booth in the bar, but they have a large dining room and an outdoor seating area.
But we're here to talk about the wine!

We were pleasantly surprised with their wine list. They have an extensive wine list of wines from all over the world.

There's a small selection of "house wines", both red and white, then a large selection of whites, reds, rose`s, sparklings, and ports/dessert wines. Most of these are offered by the glass (a choice of 4 ounce or 7 ounce portions) or by the bottle, though there are some wines only available by the bottle.

When we visited, they offered their wines in flights. These consisted of 2 ounce servings of 3 different wines. So, of course, that's what we tried!

We ended up sharing 3 flights; two white and one red. We tried wines from many different countries, in many different styles and liked every one! They were all very good (some excellent) and sorry, we can't remember the names.

We found the entire dinner to be a pleasant experience and look forward to another visit next time we're down that way.

For those of you with food allergies, they are also willing to accommodate food allergies as much as possible. Just let them know you are coming and what your allergy is.

Quiz Time (easy this time)
One more chance!

Answers due by midnight, Sunday Aug. 7 to us at vintageconnections@comcast.net

It's been too long since our last quiz and we have a Wine Box/Basket from Manatawny that we've been waiting to give away.

Five Easy Questions.

Get all 5 correct and we'll enter you into a drawing for the prize donated by Manatawny Creek Winery. We will pull one winner from all those emailing all 5 correct answers to us by the deadline.

"Correct" answers are those found in our Fun Facts. The winner will be required to pick up their prize from us at a mutually agreeable location near Pottstown, PA.

1. We love wine made from 100% Cabernet Franc. However, it is often one of the "minor" blending grapes used in ____.

2. French Red Burgundy is made from 100% _____ grapes.

3. American, Hungarian, and French oak are often used to make wine barrels. Which one is the most expensive? _______

4. Blaufrankisch and ___________ are the same grape.

5. French Chablis is made from what grape? ___________

Email your answers to us at vintageconnections@comcast.net

Up-coming Events

** Berks County Wine Trail Members are all participating in

Christmas in August!

Saturday August 6th & Sunday August 7th
Noon to 5 PM

Enjoy "Cool Wine Treats" paired with featured wines of the region...and get a jump on your holiday shopping, too!

Join the wineries of the **Berks County Wine Trail for this festive event:

both days.

** Manatawny Creek Winery

** Pinnacle Ridge
August 7
Jazz and Blues in the Barn
Click to events.

** Blair Vineyards
Happy Hour
at the winery
First Friday (August 5)
5:30-8:30

Chef Jared Cohen will be on hand with another great menu including the Ahi Tuna Sushi Rolls, Sweet Chili Soy Chicken Wings, Hummus & Pita, Grilled Eggplant Babaganoush with Pita, as well as other great options. Wine can be purchased by the glass or bottle to be enjoyed with the delicious menu. No reservations necessary. Can't make it this month? The next Happy Hour is September 9th!

One-year Celebration, Saturday and Sunday August 13 and 14.
Click to events.

** Calvaresi Winery

** Vynecrest

Music in the Vyneskeller every Saturday.

Winemaker Tour Saturday, August 6, 1 PM ($5 fee).

Galen Glen

Walking Tour of the Vineyard, August 6 and 7 at noon only. Please wear sturdy foot gear. No reservations required and weather permitting.

Web Links

The Grapevine Pottstown Mercury Wine Blog

(read our past 80+ posts)

Calvaresi Winery

Manatawny Creek Winery

Pinnacle Ridge Winery

Blair Winery and Vineyards

Galen Glen Winery and Vineyards

Vynecrest Vineyards and Winery

Berks County Wine Trail

Brandywine Valley Wine Trail

Lehigh Valley Wine Trail

Winedown Cafe an d Wine Bar

Harvest Seasonal Grill and Wine Bar

E-mail Us

Wine Tips of the Week - Wine Down Cafe and Wine Bar and QUIZ

2011-07-28T18:21:00.000-04:00

Cheers from Vintage Connections

During June and July we're writing about nearby PA wineries and wine bars. The weather has improved and there are lots of fun activities, in addition to tasting wine, going on at PA wineries.

Take some time, take a drive, and enjoy!

This week, we're writing about the Winedown Cafe and Wine Bar in West Reading, the first of two wine bars we frequent.

Next week, we'll write about the Seasonal Harvest Grill and Wine Bar near Glen Mills (Route 202, Wilmington Pike).

After that, we'll take a short break but invite our readers to contribute as "guest writers" for this newsletter and Grapevine blog.

COME ON, WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM ANY VOLUNTEERS YET!

Winedown Cafe and Wine Bar

We try to get to Winedown on Penn Street in West Reading once every couple of months. They offer over 20 wines by the glass with at least a few for every taste.

Ben Franco, the owner, changes a few wines in and out of the list every few weeks and runs some specials. They also offer interesting food, including cheeses, snacks, salads, interesting and different sandwiches, and a few desserts.

We "make a meal" by pairing 4-5 food selections with 4-5 wines over the course of a few hours. Mostly, we go to sample wines and order the "tapas-sized" portions to complement the wines (choose the pairings well or you can ruin a good wine).

Winedown serves 5 ounce portions in 10-12 ounce glasses, so you can swirl and sniff and share to your heart's content. The wine, beer, cocktail (lots of martini's) and food menus are changing soon, so use the ones on the website to get an idea of variety and prices, but be advised the menu may be different when you arrive.

The bar area has traditional bar seating (and standing), a few comfortable sofas, and an outside seating area. We always try to arrive early on a weeknight (closed Sundays and Mondays) and snag a sofa.

Did we mention beer and cocktails? Some night we're going just to sample the beer. Ben usually has about 10 "special" beers on the menu, something for the more discerning beer lovers who you may want to take with you. And, there is a decent list of cocktails and spirits.

Winedown opens at 4 PM Tues through Saturday (and are not open Sunday and Monday). Check out their website, say "Hi" to Ben from us, and enjoy.

Quiz Time (easy this time)

Answers due by midnight, Sunday Aug. 7 to us at vintageconnections@comcast.net

It's been too long since our last quiz and we have a Wine Box/Basket from Manatawny that we've been waiting to give away.

Five Easy Questions.

Get all 5 correct and we'll enter you into a drawing for the prize donated by Manatawny Creek Winery. We will pull one winner from all those emailing all 5 correct answers to us by the deadline.

"Correct" answers are those found in our Fun Facts. The winner will be required to pick up their prize from us at a mutually agreeable location near Pottstown, PA.

1. We love wine made from 100% Cabernet Franc. However, it is often one of the "minor" blending grapes used in ____.

2. French Red Burgundy is made from 100% _____ grapes.

3. American, Hungarian, and French oak are often used to make wine barrels. Which one is the most expensive? _______

4. Blaufrankisch and ___________ are the same grape.

5. French Chablis is made from what grape? ___________

Email your answers to us at vintageconnections@comcast.net

Up-coming Events

** Berks County Wine Trail Members

Christmas In August!

Saturday August 6th & Sunday August 7th
Noon to 5 PM

Enjoy "Cool Wine Treats" paired with featured wines of the region...and get a jump on your holiday shopping, too!

Join the wineries of the **Berks County Wine Trail for this festive event.

** Manatawny Creek Winery

** Pinnacle Ridge
August 7
Jazz and Blues in the Barn
Click to events.

** Blair Vineyards
Happy Hour
at the winery
First Friday (August 5)
5:30-8:30

One-year Celebration, Saturday and Sunday August
Chef Jared Cohen will be on hand with another great menu including the Ahi Tuna Sushi Rolls, Sweet Chili Soy Chicken Wings, Hummus & Pita, Grilled Eggplant Babaganoush with Pita, as well as other great options. Wine can be purchased by the glass or bottle to be enjoyed with the delicious menu. No reservations necessary.

Can't make it this month? The next Happy Hour is September 9th!
August 13th & 14th Anniversary Weekend

Click to events.

** Calvaresi Winery

** Vynecrest

Music in the Vyneskeller every Saturday.

Click to events.

Galen Glen

Walking Tour of the Vineyard, every Saturday and Sunday in July, noon only.

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

Wine Tip of the Week - PA Wineries - Allegro, Calvaresi, Waltz

2011-07-21T11:50:00.000-04:00

Cheers from Vintage Connections

During June and July we're writing about nearby PA wineries and wine bars. The weather is great (a bit hot last week and next) and there are lots of fun activities, in addition to tasting wine, going on at PA wineries. Take some time, take a drive, and enjoy!

This week, we're writing short features about three wineries.

Next week, we'll write about two wine bars we've visited and liked. After that, we'll take a short break but invite our readers to contribute as "guest writers" for this newsletter and Grapevine blog.

Allegro Vineyards and Winery

Outdoors at Allegro

Allegro was one of our early favorites many years ago when we started visiting PA wineries. Carl is the winemaker and makes some superb dry reds, along with a great chardonnay, and then a full line of semi-sweet, sweet, and dessert wines (Jazz has been a favorite). In addition to the winery near Brogue, PA, Allegro wines are sold at five other locations including the Red Rose Wine Tasting Room in Lancaster, owned by Tamanend (which we featured last week).

We often combined a trip to Allegro with visits to other wineries on the Mason Dixon Wine Trail , which includes wineries for south central PA and north central MD, especially the Fiore Winery .

Allegro charges a tasting fee and limits the number of tastes as do many wineries these days. They also have music at the winery on Saturdays from 2-5 PM in July.

Since we are keeping this week's info short, visit their website for more information.

Calvaresi Winery

Calvaresi has also been one of our long time favorite PA wineries. Tom Calvaresi is the owner and winemaker. He started making wine in the basement of his row home in Reading many years ago and eventually bought land and established his winery on top of a hill just north of Reading near Bernville. Tom buys grapes and juice from reliable farmers and vineyards and focuses on making excellent, affordable wine rather than spending his time farming and tending vineyards. However, the view from his winery is beautiful and is another reason, in addition to excellent and affordable wines, to visit him at the winery.

Calvaresi is on open Thursday through Sunday and does not charge a tasting fee. Tom still uses small plastic cups for tastings (to keep his cost down) so we take our own glasses (we always have wine glasses and corkscrew in the car).

Check out his website for more information.

Waltz Vineyards and Winery

Waltz opened their winery, located in Lancaster County, in 2008. They began their vineyards in 1997, grow most of their own grapes, and so make excellent, traditional vinifera wines, aged in French Oak.

Because of the meticulous care taken in their vineyards and their exclusive use of French Oak, the wines are relatively expensive compared to most (but not all) PA wineries. Only two wines are priced under $20, and they charge an $8 tasting fee for a selection of wine paired with artisan cheeses. For those of you who want to experience a more upscale, traditional winery, visit Waltz. More information is available at their website

Up-coming Events

** Berks County Wine Trail Members

Christmas In August!
Saturday August 6th & Sunday August 7th
Noon to 5 PM

Enjoy "Cool Wine Treats" paired with featured wines of the region...and get a jump on your holiday shopping, too!

Join the wineries of the **Berks County Wine Trail for this festive event:

** Manatawny Creek Winery

Saturday, July 23th, Anniversary Festival
Music by Acoustic Vuja De.

** Pinnacle Ridge
August 7
Jazz and Blues in the Barn
Click to events.

** Blair Vineyards
Happy Hour
at the winery
First Friday (August 5), 5:30-8:30
Click to events.

** Calvaresi Winery

** Vynecrest
Music in the Vyneskeller every Saturday.
Click to events.

Galen Glen
Walking Tour of the Vineyard, every Saturday and Sunday in July, noon only.

Fun Fact

French oak imparts a more subtle, rounded flavor to wine than does American or Hungarian oak. That's because of the nature and "flavor" of the woods itself, and because the pores of the wood are more dense than American and Hungarian oak, moderating the oak influence. French oak, however, cost twice as much or more than do oaks from the US and Hungary, adding to the cost of wine aged in French oak.

Wine Tipe of the Week - PA Wineries - Tamanend

2011-07-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

Cheers from Vintage Connections

During June and July we're writing about nearby PA wineries and wine bars. The weather is great and there are lots of fun activities, in addition to tasting wine, going on at PA wineries.

Take some time, take a drive, and enjoy!

This week, we're featuring Tamanend Winery located at 759 Flory Mill Rd, Lancaster. Yes, it's a bit of a drive but well worth the trip.

Tamanend Winery and the Vitis Wine Center

OK, for some reason we'd never visited Tamanend Winery and the Vitis Wine Center. We rarely go as far west as Lancaster for "local wines," even though several wineries in that direction are closer than a few of our favorites to the north. So, off we went on an afternoon adventure. We were glad we did.

Richard Carey, with a flex tank to his right.

Tamanend Winery is owned and operated by Linda Jones McKee and Richard Carey. The winery is named in honor of the Chief of the Delaware Tribe of Indians. Richard is the "chief" winemaker and operates the Wine Center, which contracts wine-making services to other wineries.

The winery produces a wide variety of wines, including traditional viniferas, blends, hybrids, and American bred wines like Cayuga. Unlike any other winery we've visited, they also produce wine made from Blue Agave (yes, a tequila-like wine), blended with lime or orange, resulting in two interesting "marquirita wines."

Tamanend not only bottle most of their wines in the traditional 750 ml bottle, but they also box many of their wines in 1.5 and 3 liter boxes, suitable for storing open in the refrigerator for up to a month. We're not usually fans of boxed wine, but Tamanend's are an exception. We couldn't resist a box of blue agave (lime) for the fridge. Granted, these wines will NOT age and are meant to be enjoyed within a few months of purchase.

Bagging wines for boxing.

We also purchased an outstanding Zinfandel, made from California grapes and bottled under their Torosa label, which we'll try to cellar for 4-5 years, if we can resist the temptation to open is sooner.

Richard have us a tour of the winery and we observed the "boxing" of wine in progress. Tamanend also uses "flex tanks" and oak staves, which produce oak-aged wines without the expense of barrels (French barrels cost about $1,000 each).

Another unique feature of Tamanend is the naming of their wines. Most wines are named after flowers, rather than the grape or blend of grapes from which the wine is made.

Kate, pouring Azul D'Oro, a port wine made from blue agave.

We prefer knowing the grapes from which each wine is made, and Kate in the tasting room was more than willing to talk about the grapes used in each wine.

Wine Tasting at Tamanend

The Tasting Room at the winery is open Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday - Noon to 5 pm. There was no tasting fee and we were welcome to taste as many wines as we pleased. The tasting room also features wine-related items for sale.

You can taste Tamanend wines at the winery, 759 Flory Mill Rd, Lancaster PA

The Red Rose Tasting Room, 25 W. King Street, Lancaster

The Strasburg Wine Tasting Room, 11 Main Street, Strasburg

Call for hours of the tasting rooms at 717-560-WINE(9463).

Up-coming Events

** Manatawny Creek Winery

Saturday, July 23th, Anniversary Festival

Music by Acoustic Vuja De.

** Berks County Wine Trail

Christmas In August!

Saturday August 6th & Sunday August 7th

Noon to 5 PM

Enjoy "Cool Wine Treats" paired with featured wines of the region...and get a jump on your holiday shopping, too!

Join the wineries of the **Berks County Wine Trail for this festive event:

both days

** Pinnacle Ridge
August 7
Jazz and Blues in the Barn
Click to events.

** Blair Vineyards
Winemaker's Dinner
Sunday, July 17th
6:00 pm
at the winery
99 Dietrich Valley Rd
Kutztown, PA 19530
$60 per person includes food, wine, tax & gratuity!
Call 610-683-8463 for reservations.

Happy Hour
at the winery
First Friday (August 5), 5:30-8:30
Click to events.

** Calvaresi Winery

** Vynecrest

Music in the Vyneskeller every Saturday.

Galen Glen

Walking Tour of the Vineyard, every Saturday and Sunday in July, noon only.

Fun Fact

White Zinfandel, White Merlot, and other similar "white" wines are actually blush (rose) wines, made from red grapes. The juice is left on the skins for a short time so the red color from the skins is absorbed by the white juice, giving these lighter wines a bit of pink or rose color.

Wine Tip of the Week - PA Wineries - Pinnacle Ridge

2011-07-07T09:26:00.000-04:00

Cheers from Vintage Connections

During June and July we're writing about nearby PA wineries and wine bars. The weather is great and there are lots of fun activities, in addition to tasting wine, going on at PA wineries.

Take some time, take a drive, and enjoy!

This week, we're featuring Pinnacle Ridge Winery located on old Rt. 22 near the junction of Interstate 78 and Route 737, just north of Kutztown. (Click here for information about a detour due to bridge work).

Brad in the Vineyard

Pinnacle Ridge Winery has been one of our favorite PA wineries since we started visiting wineries over10 years ago. Brad Knapp established the winery in 1993 in a beautifully renovated Pennsylvania bank barn, originally built in 1851.

Brad produces excellent dry reds and whites, two exceptional sparklings, and a collection of wonderful semi-sweet and sweet wines for those who prefer their wine on the sweeter side.

Brad checking Pinot Noir during fermentation

While we enjoy all of Pinnacle Ridge's dry and semi-dry wines, Veritas (a Bordeaux-type blend) Reserve Chambourcin (Lehigh Valley's signature grape), and Pinot Noir are our personal favorites.

The 2007 Veritas won a double gold at this year's PA Farm Show and was named the "all around best wine" by the PA Wine Society.

In addition to the bold, hearty wines that we prefer, Pinnacle Ridge produces softer reds and whites that are excellent representations of their varietal, including Merlot, a (non-reserve) Chambourcin, Chardonay, Riesling, and Traminette, among many others. We think the lightly oaked Chardonnay is hard to beat for those of us who like a little oak influence in our chards, while the Naked (no oak) Chardonnay allows the pure grape flavor to stand out on its own.

Opus Vino, a compendium of information about wines, wineries, and wine makers from across the world lists Pinnacle Ridge as one its best 4,000 wineries in the world, and Brad Knapp, owner and winemaker, as one of the "rising star" winemakers in the world. .

Robert Parker and Hugh Johnson include Pinnacle Ridge in their guides to the world's best wineries. So, we're in good company when we recommend Pinnacle Ridge and its wines to our friends and readers.

Wine Tasting at Pinnacle Ridge

The tasting room is open seven days a week, noon-6 PM (opening at 10 AM Saturday). While all wines are available for tasting, each customer is asked to limit themselves to tasting six wines. The tasting costs $5, which is waived with the purchase of at least one bottle. We find it hard to leave without a case and have been members of the case club since its inception.

Pinnacle Ridge hosts several special events each year. This Sunday, July 10, you can enjoy Blues and Jazz in the Barn, always a delightful time.

Up-coming Events

Pinnacle Ridge
at the Kutztown German Festival, July 2-10
Jazz and Blues in the Barn, Saturday July 10.
Click to events.

Blair Vineyards
Friday, July 8, Happy Hour starting at 5:30.
Saturday and Sunday, July 9 and 10, Summer Cool Down with food, music and wine.
Click to events.

Calvaresi Winery
Summer Wine Festival
Saturday, July 10, 1-5 PM
"Elvis" Music, dancing, wine.

Vynecrest

Music in the Vyneskeller every Saturday.