Revisiting Some of the Best of Pennsylvania

 As regular readers of the blog know, this is not the first time I've featured wines from Pennsylvania.   As the quality and number of wineries in the Keystone State steadily improves and grows, respectively, it behooves me to bring your attention to those local or regional wines that are worth checking out.  

Originally planned for a wine dinner that didn't quite come together as expected, I nevertheless had already drafted the following notes with the appointed wines resting in the cellar, and so I now present them to you. They are all available at the point of origin - all of which are lovely places to visit for a day trip, but some are also in stock at Wegmans off Route 422 near King of Prussia.  Every one comes heartily recommended, so the next time someone turns their nose up at PA wines (like this blogger used to do), enlighten them with these selections. Cheers!

Galen Glen Gruner Veltliner  2021 (~$18 at winery or Wegman's)

    

Origin:  Andreas, Lehigh Valley

Varietal: 100% Gruner Veltliner

Production/Tasting Notes: "Brimming with ripe pear and green apple aromas plus some white pepper. Juicy and mouth-filling for 12% alcohol, the spritz of carbon dioxide lifting the palate beautifully. Long, delicately spicy finish that pulls you back for more." James Suckling, 92 points.

Food Pairing: Aperitif; light appetizers; shellfish

Alcohol:12%

 

Karamoor Sauvignon Blanc 2020 ($24)

Origin: Ft. Washington, Montgomery County

Varietals: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Production/Tasting Notes: Aromas of honeydew melon, kiwi; hints of marzipan, vanilla bean, fresh celery; ripe, full-bodied flavors.

Food  Pairings: Light salads; appetizers; fried fish; pasta with tuna and beans

Alcohol: 12.7%%

 

 Penns Woods Cabernet Franc 2021 ($21)

Origin: Chadds Ford, Chester County

Varietal: 100% Cabernet Franc

Production/Tasting Notes: notes of dried herbs on the nose, along with red raspberry and roasted tomato; lively acidity; minerally tannins; well structured; long finish.

Food Pairing: beef bourguignon, lamb  gyro; Tomato Basil Cheddar; Gorgonzola, Ardi Gana 

Alcohol:  13%

 

Va La Mahogany 2014 (~$45)

Origin: Avondale, Southeastern Chester County

Varietals: Field blend of barbera, malvasia nera, charbono, petit verdot, carmine, teroldego, lagrein, sagrantino

Production Notes: Vine age 10-18 years; aged for 17 months in Burgundy and Pennsylvania barrels, followed by 7 months in the bottle before release.

Tasting Notes: very dense, concentrated, opening up to reveal red and dark fruit flavors; velvety, lush texture with hints of bramble, earthiness, dark chocolate, blackberry, spice; powerful, full-bodied but not overbearing; well-balanced, harmonious.

Food Pairings: lamb, prime rib, wild game, red sauces, aged meats and cheeses.

Alcohol: 14.4%

 

 Fero Vineyards Saperavi 2017 ($30)

Origin: Lewisburg, Susquehanna River Valley, Union County

Varietal: 100% Saperavi

Production/Tasting Notes: 18 months aged in oak; primary grape of the Republic of Georgia; 

extremely dark grape skin and juice due to red anthocyanin pigment; fragrant, fleshy, grapey, floral; creamy vanilla; faintly herbal, meaty notes; moderate acidity; long finish.

 

Food Pairing: beef stew, lamb, khachapuri (Georgian style bread with cheese)

Alcohol: 13%

 

Factoids about Pennsylvania Wineries

·       Pennsylvania boasts over 300 licensed wineries

·       There are five AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) in PA:

1. Cumberland Valley

2. Lancaster Valley

3. Central Delaware Valley

4. Lehigh Valley

5. Lake Erie

An AVA is federally designated wine grape-growing region in the U.S. distinguishable by its geography

·       Pennsylvania ranks 5th in the nation for wine production.  

·       Wine varietals grown in PA include Hybrid (for example, e.g,, Chambourcin, Seyval Blanc, Traminette, Vidal Blanc, Vignles); European, or Vitus Vinifera (Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Gruner Veltliner, Merlot, Pinot Grigio, Riesling); and Native (Catawba, Concord, Delaware, Niagara)

·       Galen Glen was the first to plant Gruner commercially east of the Rockies in 2003.  The winery was founded in 1995, when owners Galen, a mechanical engineer and Sarah, a commercial chemist, purchased the Troxell family farm from Galen's father. Daughter Erin, with viticulture degrees from Cornell and the Vinifera EuroMaster program, is now the head of the wine growing team.

·       Anthony Vietri's Va La Vineyards specializes in field blends of northern Italian and French varietals, including  the skin-contact white dubbed La Prima Donna, a blend of Tocai, Malavasia Bianco, Fiano, Pinot Grigio and Petit Manseng.  I've previously touted this winery as Pennsylvania's best in a previous blog post, and though it's a tough choice among their cuvées, the Mahogany may be the finest wine ever produced in the Keystone  State.

·       Karamoor founders Nick and Athena Karabots established the winery in the early 2000s with the first plantings made in 2006, and now consisting of 27 acres under vine. Grapes planted include the classic French varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Petit Verdot and Sauvignon Blanc.  All wines are 100% estate grown.

·       Penns Woods Winery was founded in 2001 by Gino Razzo, an Italian immigrant who had spent decades as a wine importer before turning his attention making wines on farmhouse land near Chadds Ford. A small tasting room first opened in 2006, and as business expanded two more vineyard sites were planted. Their portfolio includes mostly Vitis Vinera wines along with the hybrid Chambourcin.