The UnCork York Wine Trail - Part 1

By Alan Kassirer

Pennsylvania is not generally renowned for its wines. This is too bad because the State is home to almost 100 wineries that offer a great variety of delicious wines. A dozen of these wineries are part of the UnCork York wine trail. This trail winds through the Susquehanna Valley of Pennsylvania from Harrisburg and Hershey in the north to Glen Rock and Stewartstown in the south. As you travel along the trail, you'll pass some of Pennsylvania's abundant rolling farm land and get some spectacular views of the beautiful Susquehanna River.

The newest winery on the trail is Hauser Estate Winery in Biglerville. Located part way up a hill, the winery's beautiful deck offers panoramic views of the vineyard above and the valley below. On a clear day you can see the Gettysburg Battlefield from the deck. The deck and tasting room would make a great location for a wedding or any special event. Hauser Estate opened their doors in July, 2008 and offer a variety of traditional and specialty wines. Their most unique wine is a soon to be released sparkling peach. Tasting room manager, Melisa Patrono said that her favorite Hauser Estate wine is the Jennie Wade which is a sweet white wine named after the only civilian to be killed in the Battle of Gettysburg.

Perhaps the most famous winery on the UnCork York Wine Trail is Nissley Vineyards and Winery Estates in Bainbridge, PA. Nissley is a family owned winery that has been producing wine for over 25 years. They offer a self-guided tour that takes you from an old outdoor stone furnace, to the vineyard and into the fermentation and bottling room. Each summer, Nissley offers "Music in the Vineyards" on Saturday nights. People come from all over with their picnic dinners, enjoy Nissley wines and dance to the music of a variety of local and regional talent. My two favorite Nissley wines are the dry red 2006 Cabernet Franc and the dry white 2007 Seyval Blanc. Nissley Vineyards and Winery Estates has a wine for every taste.

Four Springs Winery in Seven Valleys, PA is located right along the York County Heritage Rail Trail. The trail covers 21 miles from the York County Colonial Courthouse south to the Maryland state line. The winery is a great stop if your bicycling the trail since it's located right at the half way point. Four Springs is home to a beautiful tasting room and sitting area that are available for community and business meetings and events. Four Springs Winery is also the home of my favorite Pennsylvania wine. When I tasted their Cabernet Sauvignon, I couldn't believe it was a Pennsylvania wine. It's rich bold taste and strong legs reminded me of its much more expensive California cousins.

The other wineries on the UnCork York Wine trail are:

Adams County Winery, Orrtanna, PA
Allegro Vineyards, Brogue, PA
Cullari Vineyards and Winery, Hershey, PA
Fox Ridge Vineyard and Winery, York, PA
Moon Dancer Vineyards and Winery, Wrightsville, PA
Naylor Wine Cellars, Stewartstown, PA
Reid's Orchard and Winery, Orrtanna, PA
Seven Valleys Vineyards and Winery, Glen Rock, PA
West Hanover Winery, Harrisburg, PA

Stay tuned for part II of this series when I'll talk about some more of these fine wineries and also discuss some of the events that the UnCork York Wine Trail sponsors each year.

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This article was written by Alan Kassirer, The Pennsylvania Wanderer. By day I'm an executive at Youth Advocate Programs in Harrisburg, PA. By evening and weekend I wander around Pennsylvania and the surrounding states visiting interesting places and meeting interesting people.

Please visit Picnic Baskets and More for all your picnic accessories including picnic baskets, picnic backpacks, wine carriers, wine totes and barbecue tools.

Article Source: Ezine Articles

   

TESTING 1-2-3: Sparkling wine, bargain prices

By Sabine Morrow
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday, December 28, 2008

Ringing in the new year with a budget in mind isn’t always easy, especially when you want to toast to the promise of good health and prosperity with a nice bubbly in your glass. While a top vintage champagne can indeed break the bank, there are alternatives that allow you to revel in the festivities while enjoying a lovely glass of sparkling wine —- and still keep a little change in your pockets.

I found three sparkling wines under $20, and one of them under $10. While I know good wines are available at bargain prices, and I can even tell a decent wine from one that’s a few minutes away from salad dressing, I’m also aware of my limitations, and I don’t really know beads from Brix when it comes to wine. And that’s why I sought out the help of a professional palate. Michael Nix, the wine consultant at the Cook’s Warehouse and Sherlock’s Wine Merchant, agreed to taste test the trio of sparkling wines, none of which came from his store.

He poured and tasted Mumm Napa Brut Prestige, Jean-Louis Cuvee Blanc de Blancs Brut by Charles de Fere and Risque Vin Vivant by Toad Hollow Vineyards. His results follow:

Mumm Napa Brut Prestige sparkling wine

$17.99 for a 750 ml bottle at Cost Plus World Market stores

First look: This familiar name in sparkling wines comes in a traditional olive green champagne bottle designed with a slightly wider body than that of its close relative, the Burgundy bottle. The neck and cork are wrapped with gold foil, and the body boasts an elegant black-and-gold label.

The rundown: The label touts methode traditionnelle, which means that Mumm uses the traditional French method (methode champenoise) for making champagne, but that the wine is made outside of France. It comes down to this: While all champagnes are considered sparkling wines, not all sparkling wines are champagne. And in some countries, it’s illegal to label sparkling wine champagne unless it comes from the Champagne region of France.

Upside: This wine is a standout in its class. Mumm Napa’s much-heralded blend of 51 percent Pinot Noir, 46 percent Chardonnay, 2 percent Pinot Meunier and 1 percent Pinot Gris starts with a toasty and slightly yeasty nose. Once on the palate, this medium-bodied gem delivers a complex and beautiful balance between peachy-citrusy fruit and its underlying minerality. The long finish is topped with a whisper of vanilla.

Downside: This sparkler can be somewhat hard to find.

Bottom line: Enjoy this one by itself for the full effect.

Risque Vin Vivant by Toad Hollow Vineyards

$12.79 for 750 ml bottle at Total Wine & More, 124 Perimeter Center West, Atlanta, 770-395-1678

First look: The pretty yellow label is an attention-getter with a Toulouse-Lautrec-inspired can-can dancer in front of a windmill who, upon closer inspection, turns out to be a toad. While the bottle features a traditional cork in a wire cage, it also comes with an old-fashioned metal and white porcelain flip top with a red rubber gasket so that you can seal the bottle if you don’t drink it in one sitting.

The rundown: This sparkling wine produced in the south of France is billed as employing the methode ancestrale, a rarely used, early bottling method that turns out a sweeter, less fizzy experience than champagne, and with a lower alcohol content. It’s produced and bottled by Les Vignerons du Sieur d’Arques, Limoux, France, and imported by Toad Hollow in Healdsburg, Calif. Toad Hollow was co-founded by Todd Williams, actor Robin Williams’ older brother, who died last year.

Upside: A delicate yet expressive bouquet on the nose is followed by loads of honey and melon on the palate. There is a subtle sweetness that is both refined and noncloying, and adds an unexpected dose of elegance. It contains only 6 percent alcohol.

Downside: Those of you who can’t forgive Robin Williams for starring in “Death to Smoochy” might hold a grudge against his late brother’s vineyard, but you’d only be cheating yourself out of a lovely glass of sparkling wine.

Bottom line: It’s ambrosia in a glass.

Jean-Louis Cuvee Blanc de Blancs Brut by Charles de Fere

$9.99 at Cost Plus World Market and select liquor stores

First look: It comes in the standard green bottle but it’s set off by silver foil on the neck and top, and the pale blue label with white, silver and gold lettering makes it look far more expensive than its under-$10 price tag suggests. It features a tag boasting that it received 87 points, Best Buy from Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

The rundown: Produced in France, this sparkling wine is categorized as the varietal blanc de blancs, a white wine made from white grapes that include Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard.

Upside: A wonderful expression of a Blanc de Blancs Brut. This wine has a light to medium body and a slightly shy nose that leads to soft and pretty fruit on the palate. Look for notes of apricot, dried pineapple and a very subtle note of citrus, specifically lemon and lime. The Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard grapes are fermented in the Charmat method, which also is known as tank or bulk, allowing for a terrific product at an affordable price.

Down side: This is a deal for the price, so stock up before it becomes hard to find.

Bottom line: By itself or used in a Mimosa, this one’s a keeper.

Got a product for a pro to test? Let us know at ajc.com/buyersedge

Every other week “Testing 1-2-3” road-tests a wide range of products. It’s not scientific testing —- we use the items just as consumers do, checking to see whether they deliver as promised. The tests can help you make buying decisions.

   

Holiday Specials on wine packs, gift baskets and more

   

All Red Tasting Pack

   

Fall's Harvest Wines on sale

   

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August is here, and that means more family reunions, bbq's and before you know, Labor Day. MyWinesDirect has an offer that you won't be able to turn down. You can save $10 off + FREE shipping on their Best Sellers Cellars wine pack. Click the link below to get your coupon code.

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Build your own wine cellar

Build your own wine cellar presents a complete guide to setting up your own wine cellar and also comes with two other reports about solving the common problems with wine, and a list of all of the words you need to know to help you tell the difference between a 'Magnum' and a 'Jeroboam'. Make you look like a pro, without having to look too far!


Build your own wine cellar