March Madness - Western Wine Tour

Good Morning!

On Sunday, Fred and I had a spare afternoon (very rare) and we set aside time to visit a few wineries.  Wine tasting is something that we love to do either together, or with friends. 

The Lehigh Valley Wine Trail is made up of eight family-owned vineyards  and this time every year, they all participate in the March Madness promotion.  No, this isn't about basketball!  It's a special program where you can purchase a passport and visit all of the wineries on weekends throughout the month of March.  Each vineyard has different wine and food pairings depending on the weekend.

For more information on the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail, you can go to this link:

http://www.lehighvalleywinetrail.com/

Pinnacle Ridge was the first stop of the day.  This winery is nestled into the hills of Kutztown and is our favorite.  The tasting room is situated in an old, restored barn and the atmosphere is rich and warm.

When we walked in, our passports were stamped and we were immediately handed a sample of their egg roll crowns.  These crispy wontons were filled with pork, shrimp and cabbage and were topped with an apricot-ginger sauce.  The wonton was paired with a 2010 Riesling.  

Delish!  Together, they made a heavenly pair!

I LOVE those little crackers there on the left...they have a "sweet" taste to them.

 

Isn't the barn great?  I love the atmosphere.

They sell dips, oils, and snacks too!

Next stop...Clover Hill.  This vineyard is probably the biggest one on the trail, as well as the most commercial.  Their stores spread throughout the Lehigh Valley.  Plus, they sell some of their wines in select liquor stores.

Paired with their 2010 Pinot Noir was a tri-tip steak sandwich bite.  Their Cayuga White was also served with a Vegetable and Orzo Chowder.

Fred and I took a moment for a photo in the tasting room.

On to the tasting room...Clover Hill had an extensive wine list, as well as these tasty pretzel nubs.  They were little pretzels that were hollow on the inside.  I thought they were delicious!

I love this picture...it's artsy!

Last stop...Vynecrest, a vineyard right down the street from Clover Hill.  Vynecrest was established in 1989, however the grapes were planted back in 1974 (my birth year).  Fred and I spent some time talking to Jan, one of the owners.  Both Jan and her husband, John, are Moravian grads, just like us! 

Vynecrest featured their 2011 Traminette with Chipotle Mac & Cheese.  This dish was a spicy, smoky, three-cheese macaroni which perfectly complimented the spicy Traminette wine. 

We decided to forgo the tasting room and settle into a glass of Traminette and a cheese plate.  

They also had copies of the mac and cheese recipe which I will be trying in the near future.  It is actually low-fat!  I'll let you know how that goes...

Overall, we had a great afternoon.  It was so nice to spend some time with Fred since he has been so busy with his job.  Plus, this post is getting a little long, so I think I'll call it a day...

I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday!

Enjoy!

Tracy

PS - We are going to a wine pairing dinner at Shula's Steak House on Thursday.  I can't wait!!  The last one we attended was hosted by Peter Mondavi, Jr., owner of the Charles Krug winery in California and it was amazing.  I will be sure to fill you in afterwards!