Manatawny Creek Winery and J. Lohr Fog's Reach Pinot Noir

Greetings from Vintage Connections!

This week's wine tips.
This blog was scheduled to post on June 1 but something went amiss with the automatic posting function in Blogspot.  We apologize.

Manatawny Creek Winery Riesling

We just learned that the 2008 Riesling sold out over the weekend.  We've heard that the 2009 is "not as fruity as the 2008," so some will like it more than the 2008, some less.  

This softly sweet white wine is an excellent summer sipper.  With bright floral aromas that puts you in mind of a warm summer field of wildflowers, it has flavors of peaches and apples.  Cool and refreshing, it has low residual sugar that makes it a wonderful accompaniment to spicy Thai or Indian food.  Great all by itself while you sit on the deck or patio and enjoy a warm summer evening.

Available only at the winery, but why not take a short road trip and visit!?  It sells for $11.95 a bottle.

We’ve talked before of the wonderful hospitality we receive in the tasting room.  Did you know Manatawny winery has a display vineyard?  There you can see how many of their varietals grow, mature and ripen.  See bud break in early spring and watch the clusters  grow into colorful grapes ready for harvest.

Manatawny also offers many festivals during the summer season where you can sit on the lawn, listen to great music and picnic with a bottle of your favorite Manatawny wine.  They also have many local artisans and crafters with items for sale.  Make a visit sometime this summer and see all they have to offer.



J. Lohr Fog's Reach Pinot Noir 2007

Deep red-purple with youthful hues and moderate density, aromas of strawberry, cherry and rhubarb jam, with a bouquet of toasted oak and vanilla.  The flavors are reminiscent of stewed strawberry and cherry with oak spiciness. A wisp of fresh herbs with a velvety structure, and a long, lingering finish. Perfect accompaniment to grilled lamb or duck.

Alcohol 14.9% (15.1% per vintner).   PLCB code 30861, is currently a Chairman’s Select (Luxury category) available at many PA Wine and Spirit Specialty stores for $19.99 while supplies last.

More info from their website.

The 2007 vintage of J. Lohr’s Fog’s Reach Pinot Noir marks our second release of this noble varietal.  Grown on cobbly, sandy loam soils in the cool, windy Arroyo Seco appellation of Monterey, Pinot here seems to thrive, producing tiny, deeply-colored and flavorful clusters. Comprised of Dijon clones 115, 667, 777 and Pommard 4 grown on two different rootstocks, the Pinot Noir grapes were hand-harvested, destemmed and sorted into six or twelve ton, open-top fermentation tanks in our newly created small lot winery in Paso Robles.  The grapes were cold-soaked for an average of five days prior to warming and inoculation with yeast.  Twice per day the Pinot Noir was punched down to optimize extraction of the delicate varietal character until the completion of alcoholic fermentation.  Once pressed, the wines were settled overnight and racked to new and second fill Burgundian-coopered French oak for eight months of barrel aging prior to racking, final blending and bottling.

Up-coming Events

If you know of an up-coming local wine event, let us know and we will add it to our calendar.

Summer Solstice Festival at Manatawny Creek Winery  on June 19.

Bottle Shock Revisited!

Saturday September 18, 6:30 - 9:30 PM 
Seen the movie? Read the book?  
Now try it yourself!

Blind tasting of USA vs. French wines. Appetizers included.
Benefits the American Wine Society Educational Foundation

$49 per person, $90 per couple, $350 per group of eight.

Perkiomen Valley Library, Schwenksville
See more about the Perkiomen Chapter of AWS.


Mom's House
Benefit Wine Dinner

Saturday, October 23

Five course dinner, each course paired with a different wine.  

Kimberton Arts Center  6:30 PM, $75 per person or $525 for a table of 8.  

For more information about Mom's House, click HERE

This Week's Fun Fact!

Like that Pinot Noir?  Like that Cabernet?  Guess what.  Many countries and appellations, including most in the USA, allow up to 25% of a different wine to be blended into a varietal without indicating so on the label.  Often, you can find this information in a specific wine's technical data on the winery's website, but not always.

There will be a quiz someday.