A friend of mine will fly to Italy next week from Philadelphia (US).
Does some good stuff exist in Pennsylvania? I mean a bottle that's worth
to ask him to take me. Also something a bit exotic (Baco?) would be
welcome.

Luk

Luk wrote:

> A friend of mine will fly to Italy next week from Philadelphia (US).
> Does some good stuff exist in Pennsylvania? I mean a bottle that's
> worth to ask him to take me. Also something a bit exotic (Baco?)
> would be welcome.

Prosciutto!
--
Vilco
Think pink, drink rose'

Allegro in Brouge--Brothers who owned it past away but new owner although
commercially more adept has impressed me with their whites. This year they
should release serious reds, the red Meritage called Cadenza blows away
anything East of Nevada.

Here's their website and some notes.
http://www.allegrowines.com/
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.f...0226ce3535b3b7
http://www.allegrowines.com/newalleg...s/jcrouch.html

http://www.lnetweb.com/wmp/winepics.htm
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.f...a24fe5fb6c06b0

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.f...d30d83aab5de9f
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.f...ce350cc2d36a94
Sunday, the no longer new owners of Allegro Carl Helrich and Kris Miller
had a Library tasting of wine made by my friends the late Tim and Crouch.

I should mention that because of the laundry list of medications & vitamins,
this geezer takes my mouth is very dry and my sensitivity to acidity is
acute. So when I say a wine is acidic I'm probably overstating the effect is
made on my taste buds. A good taster should know exactly how his or her
palate reacts, especially when you have a cold or a dry mouth because your
perception is altered. To properly use your instrument(palate) you need to
determine when tasting more than 2-3 wines and scoring them, how your palate
is reacting. You could have eaten something that alters you taste or it
could be a warm humid day. Most people do this on the first two wines. Once
you have mentally calibrated your instrument, you adjust your notes & scores
and understand today your nose is stuffed or you're getting a garlic
heartburn. All that to say, my scores reflect my own calibration because of
a very dry mouth.

1990 Brut sparkling wine. John loved goofing around with method champenoise
wines using chardonnay grapes not really for sale but his own indulgence.
The 1990 Brut was disgorged in 2002 just around the time he made his
transition. The nose is clean and yeasty and promises more than the fruit
shows. The bubbles were small and the aftertaste moderate. The fruit could
have been in a "dumb" stage. 86 of 100 points. John made wines not for a
year or two but decades.

1999 Riesling. The biggest difference between Left Coast wines and those
from the East is that owners of California wineries can specialize with 1, 2
or 3 wines sent to competitions and critics. They may have a few lesser
wines for their tasting room usually sweeter, but their reputation rises and
falls with their heavy hitters. In the East most wineries sell best at
Festivals where simplicity and sweetness go side by side. Its these wines
that keep the cash-flow positive; so an Eastern Winery will have a large
variety of wines to cover the spectrum of taste. When critics come to the
winery or judge at a festival they taste everything which lessens their
overall perception of the winery's output. So with little exception, except
for Long Island, the two major publications the Wine Advocate and the Wine
Spectator seem offended that their times is taken up drinking plonk. In the
early days Parker looked for & championed Mid Atlantic wines, but has turned
over reviews to Pierre Rovani who views East Coast wines as minor
tipples at best.
This Riesling was the last one made by the Crouches who used the moselle as
an esthetic model. The Riesling was not made every year as Vidal blanc was
easier to grow and harvest albeit one-dimensional. A beginning darkness in
the robe, fruity nose and flavours. Its not Maximum Gruenhauser but a
delightful quaff. 87 points

1984 Chardonnay. John loved fat oaky chardonnays especially his reserves.
Taking them around to accounts or having a European winemaker visit the
winery we heard three words "too much oak". But John outfoxed us as shown by
this 20 year old wine, his chards were made to last. Fermented in French
oak, the nose is dominant and the fruit and finish sparse. Still it has
matured better then 98% of the fat oaky, wood chip tasting chards from
California that abruptly die after 5-7 years. 83 points

1988 Chardonnay Reserve. Golden colour, rich viscous flavours, good not
great finish. 87 points

1998 Reserve Chardonnay. Over the years Tim learned how to tend the soil and
this is his and John's last bottling of chard, featured fermentation in new
oak barrels that gives this wine a heavily aggressive character. Like
John's musical compositions it pushes you to the limits of how much fruit
and oak you can enjoy. This wine is still a baby sleeping. It may one of
the best ever made East of the Rockies in time. For now 85 points with a
bullet.

2002 Reserve Chardonnay, This is Carl's first wine from Tim's grapes. Carl
has a softer touch then John with the grapes and its more user friendly
without being commercially sterile. Nose is still closed, but there's lots
of fruit to contemplate. More burgundian then found in California. 87
points.

1988 Chambourcin. This French-American hybrid is usually made in a light
style with little tannin. Its probably the best red hybrid which is not
usually a compliment. Being a certified contrarian John left the skins on
awhile so this 15 year old wine still has tannins but little else except a
trace of spoilage. 82 points

1982 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine that got me excited. The color is
still sound, cedary nose, pleasant tannins, moderate finish. I think
about 5 years past its peak. 86 points

1990 Cabernet Sauvignon. A special bottling wasn't made in 1990 as it was a
pretty horrible year.not surprisingly the Reserve 82 has held up better then
this 83 point wine. What saves is its very pleasant finish which reminds me
of an old Tracy-Hephburn line from Spenser "There's not much meat there.
But what she has is cherce."

1991 Cadenza. Cadenza was the Crouches fantasy. Before the term meritage
polluted winegeek-speek. John aimed for Bordeaux, mostly St Julian in
style,A sensational nose still jumps out of the stemware, still tannic with
the old expression from Parkton "gobs and gobs of fruit." Stylistically
never as heavy as Reserve chardonnay this is a wine at the top of its form.
There are only two others alive in the East who can make a red wine this
good. 91 points.

1992 Cadenza The weather was rotten in 1992 in York County, hurricanes and
unusually cool. Nonetheless John made a more than credible wine now gently
going downhill but still fruity. 84 points

1995 Cadenza. Super ripe grapes went into this wine which in the past was
hibernating. Now the tannins have receded you can taste the fruit still
tentative in their appearance. At the cusp of challenging the 90. 88 points
with a big bullet.

1998 Cadenza The last Opus for the freres Crouch Cadenza creation. Still
tannic, lots and lots of berry like fruit with a knockout finish. 89 points

1999 Coda Every winemaker must have the desire to let it all hang out. A
post climax to the 98 Cadenza this is a schizoid blend of Pinot Noir, Petit
Meunier, Nebbiolo, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Like a Meritage
on acid,.the diverse flavours have not knitted together. What you have now
is a vinous parlor game. The tannins are not overpowering so like so many
"what ifs" in the wine careers of the Crouches- for future drinking, who
knows. 84 points.

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon. September rains nullified super ripe grapes. Lots
of tannin, pleasant fruit, too acidic for me now. 81 points. Shows Carl's
technical skills as this is a pleasant quaff in a very difficult vintage.

As mentioned above with the death of John Crouch and Ham Mowbray there are
only two other master. winemakers in the Mid-Atlantic. Bertero Basignani of
Basignani who's Chardonnay and Meritage, Lorenzino are excellent when
vintage conditions are favorable and Rob Lyons of Catoctin Vineyards who
while at Byrd Winery made the legendary 1980 Cabernet . While Rob has never
topped the 80 Byrd he makes consistently good chardonnay and cabernet
sauvignon. Although he has a Maryland wholesaler. Catoctin's best wines
are still at the winery. There are at least dozen skilled winemakers in the
Mid-Atlantic. They don't really get much respect or publicity. On the
Spectator although Tom Mathews likes East Coast Wines his boss Mr. Shankin
likes the glitz of the Hamptons on Long Island. Like Napa & Sonoma in the
80's there's lots of new money on the way to Montauk. Money which buys good
equipment and barrels and bring in winemakers who like modern chef's have a
buzz about them. Too bad it still not in the glass. The vines are still
young and the folks in the Finger Lakes have been doing it longer and
better. Aside from Judging for the Virginia Governors Cup, I am behind the
curve there but only NY does as well promoting their wine. The few West
Virginia wines I've tasted compare well with the Old Dominion's where for
the most part white wines dominate. North Carolina is emerging spurred on by
Biltmore Estate. Loved the mansion,disliked the wine. What few wines I've
had outside of Biltmore are far from prime time or the cutting edge.

It was good to retaste the Allegro wines. Carl and Kris have moved the
winery a lot closer to consumer orientation. Tim and John were old
school--try it you'll like it -kind of salespeople with no time or need for
frills.

After John's mother died and then Tim, John sold the winery and starting
composing classical music although he was very catholic in his tastes, Monk
being a favorite. He decided he wanted to do an oratorio based on the works
of Carson McCullers and wanted me to write lyrics which led me to an
appreciation of the author who was as much of an iconoclast as John was as a
winemaker. We never got to page one when John left us. I'm sure Ms.
McCullers rests easier in her grave never having to hear Opus #1 from
Rosenberg & Crouch.
__________________
Joe "Beppe" Rosenberg

Here is info on John's memorial service and a tribute by Carl Helrich,
Allegro's new co-owner.

I first met John in 1982 at a Wine Fair in
Washington DC, and it was if I was struck by lighting. I had tasted many
wines from Virginia and Maryland that were mediocre at best, except for Ham
Mowbray's, and John's were like a breath of fresh air in their balance,
complexity and professional status. Later others like Bert Basignani, Rob
Lyons and the pioneer wine makers at Mountdomaine and Rapidan Rivers showed
further that East Coast vinifera could make world class wines. I told John
so and we were friends for life. I was privileged to have a chance to sell
John and Tim's wine in Maryland twice, once through Chris Smith's Golden
Crescent effort and then when I was fine wine manager at Atlantic Wine &
Spirits.

I remember after we sold about 100 cases and sales slowed, I took John on a
"Victory" tour thanking the accounts who ordered his wines culminating in a
memorable joke-out at Jim Bartucca's Four Corner's Liquor trying to make up
in jokes the lack of sales made that day. Somehow other than his Cadenza and
Reserve Chardonnay, I could never get repeat sales for the Crouch's wines.
As I racked my brains for more schemes to move Allegro wines John
let me know he accepted my failure and continued our friendship. I saw John
and Tim about 3-4 times a year especially when Cadenza was released and I
was honoured at being invited to the famous vertical tasting of this wine.
Until he became ill, we'd feast, drink some of my italian wine and curse the
fates that kept wines from the Mid-Atlantic from being properly appreciated.
Late in 2000 I visited and asked were Tim was, and John said he was too sick
to come over to the winery building but said hello. I never did get to say
goodbye.

After that I visited more often, listened to John's music, discussed our
mutual appreciation for Monk and his favourite sideman Charlie Rouse, and on
the last visit John thanked me for my work. He introduced me to the work of
Carson McCullers and we planned somehow to put "Ballad of the Sad Cafe" to
music as an oratorio. I enlisted New Age composer Robert Hitz to guide us.
John seemed to be getting better and we discussed going on a wine buying
trip to replenish his cellar. I called him to talk to him about pending Md
shipping stuff and ended up talking to Carl who said he was doing well
despite the harsh winter, I never thought he be gone so soon.........

It is rare in this world when you meet a person of integrity, creativity and
sensitivity. A person whose character transcends the work he is doing and
makes you want to thank him and be in his company. John is that kind of man.
I speak of him in the present tense because through the grapes he and Tim
planted and the wine he made and his music his work goes on......

From the allegro web site:

We will be gathering at the Industrial and Agricultural Museum in York on
Sunday, March 9th, at 1:30 p.m. to celebrate the life of John Crouch, who
died on March 2nd, 2003. The museum is located at 217 West Princess Street
in York.

A Tribute to John

One of our own, John Crouch passed away on the afternoon of March 2nd due to
complications from heart and kidney failure. He was 55.

John and his brother Tim founded Allegro Vineyards in 1980, rehabilitating a
then-seven-year-old vineyard planted primarily to vinifera varieties. For
twenty years, they produced an array of dazzling wines in true European
styles. Their proprietary blend "Cadenza" from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and
their Burgundian-styled Reserve Chardonnays hold testament to this day of
the promise that Pennsylvania soils have for growing great wine.

John and Tim complemented each other well, like only brothers could. Tim's
focus on the vineyard brought John wonderful material to work with in the
cellar. (Or "sit with," as he preferred to say.) John's ability to encourage
wines in the best direction was unmatched. He was one of the first in
Pennsylvania to actually prove that vinifera varieties could succeed here.
He pioneered the use of French oak fermentations, extended macerations,
méthode champenoise sparkling wines, and unfiltered wines on the East Coast.
His were wines for aging, and for some we still do not know for how long.

I first met John less than three years ago, under less than fortunate
circumstances due to his brother's passing. John was a quiet man, with a
deep passion for excellence in his wines. He always told me to be careful of
perfectionism, as it led to a heart attack for him in the early 1990s. As we
got to know him, he began to truly enjoy the benefits of retirement while
still sharing with us the excitement of each new vintage. He had a wonderful
creativity and a sense of humor most would not believe.

John's appreciation for good wine and winemaking was only matched by his
enjoyment of music. His love for complex wines was mirrored by his complex
musical compositions. Originally a trained oboist, John composed over twenty
pieces of classical music. And while his wines were very traditional in
character, his music was extremely modern and provocative.

John will be greatly missed. His generosity and willingness to help made
many a "filter day" and press day easier. Even more, he was a great person
to taste wines with and talk winemaking. But most of all he will be missed
for the friendship he provided to us and to all those who knew him.

Thanks John.

-Carl
__________________
Joe "Beppe" Rosenberg

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03-09-2003, 01:03 AM #5
Joe Rosenberg
Executive Oenophile




Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Baltimore MD
Posts: 599

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

James Laube of the Wine Spectator wrote this article on John Crouch &
Allegro on the WS web site.

Unfiltered, Unfined: The Spirit of Allegro Vineyards

Posted: Friday, March 07, 2003

By James Laube




John Crouch, the quiet but lovable musician-turned-vintner who founded
Allegro Vineyards in Brogue, Pa., died on March 2.

Crouch held a special place in the hearts of wine lovers in this tiny hamlet
50 miles north of Baltimore. Friends will gather on Sunday in York to pay
tribute to the late vintner.

Crouch, an oboist, started the winery in 1980 with his elder brother, Tim, a
violinist. They began their winemaking careers using a wine kit that John
had received as a Christmas gift. They then took an old overgrown vineyard
and nursed it back to health. In 1980, they built a winery, which opened on
Halloween in 1981. Wine lovers in and around Brogue came to appreciate the
brothers' fascination with classic French varieties, such as Cabernet and
Chardonnay, along with their offbeat fruit specialty wines.


I'd never heard of the Crouches or their wines until we were brought
together by a quirk of fate.

Twenty years ago, I wrote a story about the naming of the first wine from
the joint venture of Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild.
Mondavi and Rothschild agreed to give Wine Spectator the exclusive on the
naming of their "Napamedoc" -- a wine which no one outside the winery had
tasted -- which they proudly called Opus One.

After reading the article, Crouch wrote me a letter, followed by a phone
call, politely informing me that -- surprise -- residents of Brogue had been
drinking Opus 1, a wine he and his brother made, for close to a year. It
cost $5.95 a bottle and could be purchased by the case at the local grocery
store.

You can imagine their shock and glee at the irony. The high-profile,
aristocratic Mondavi-Rothschild venture had chosen the same name for its
prestigious $50 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon as Allegro's hybrid blend of
peach juice and Seyval Blanc.

It turned out that both Allegro and Mondavi-Rothschild had applied for the
same name at about the same time. But the Crouches didn't bother with a
patent and did not secure a registered trademark. Reluctantly they gave up
the name.*

In the years since, I've often wondered what happened to the Crouches and
Allegro.

On March 4, I learned of John Crouch's death, due to heart and kidney
failure, at the age of 55.

Two years ago, when his brother Tim died, John became something of a recluse
and decided to sell the winery. Along came Kris Miller and Carl Helrich, an
energetic couple from upstate Pennsylvania smitten with a love of wine.

Miller, 32, had been a graduate teaching assistant at Penn State, working in
humanities and literature. But she found herself increasingly more
interested in vineyard work than in academia. Helrich, 33, showed even more
excitement about winemaking. "When I saw Carl catch his passion, I realized
I hadn't caught mine," says Miller. But she's getting closer.

This husband-and-wife team had been working at Mount Nittany upstate and
were eager to own a winery. They met Crouch and, according to Miller, hit it
off from the day they met. "Carl had this terrible cold, and we came into
this humble building, and John pulled out the 1997 Cadenza," Miller recalls.
"It was absolutely stunning, an amazing discovery for us." Cadenza was
Crouch's homage to Bordeaux. While locals admired Allegro's French varietal
wines, Miller says, they also respected Crouch for his palate, his
appreciation of fine wine and for bringing winegrowing to their community.

For the 2001 vintage, Crouch, Miller and Helrich teamed up for harvest and
winemaking and then worked out a deal to transfer ownership of the winery.
"What excites everyone is the continuity of Carl and John's winemaking,"
says Miller. "We're very happy that this overlap happened, that he and Carl
were excited about the same wines."

"I never dreamed I could work with grapes like this on the East Coast,"
admits Helrich. But the climate and soil provide a good interplay for the
grapes that are grown on the rolling hill vineyard. "What influences the
vineyard the most is it's a low-vigor site."

In 2002, Miller and Helrich faced a drought, followed by a bird invasion
that wiped out much of their grape crop, leaving them with one barrel of
Chardonnay. And the vineyard posts, now 20 years old, need fixing, too. But
the dessert wines turned out well, including a new wine called Aria, made in
an ice-wine style from the Traminette grape, a descendant of Gewürztraminer.

The couple is more determined than ever to make Allegro a success. "We
scraped by last year," Miller says, but things are looking up. "We're buying
bird nets this year, by the way."
-------------------------------------------------
*=Actually, the Mondavi-Allegro legal discussions netted Allegro with a new
corker, if I recall discussions with John.

RMP Jr wrote about Allegro in his first 3 editions of the "Wine Buyers
Guide" or until space limitations eliminated write ups of Middle Atlantic
wines in these books. In the 3rd edition is the quote
"...John Crouch is a serious winemaker. He has fashioned some elegant rich
Cabernet Sauvignon... fine Chardonnay and a crisp Seyre-Villard...."

I know John was grateful for these comments.

[ March 09, 2003, 07:07 PM: Message edited by: Joe Rosenberg ]
__________________
Joe "Beppe" Rosenberg

Chadds Ford makes some excellent whites and Dick Naylor's wines are
enjoyable. In their waning days, the Crouches sold both wineries some
wine--Chardonnay for Naylor,Cab for Eic Miller @ Chadds Ford. Both were
their best viniferas that year. Tim's last words to Eric Miller were if I
recall correctly, "Don't &%$^* it up"



> wrote in message
...
> A friend of mine will fly to Italy next week from Philadelphia (US).
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.f...senberg&rnum=3
#ee0226ce3535b3b7> Does some good stuff exist in Pennsylvania? I mean a
bottle that's worth
> to ask him to take me. Also something a bit exotic (Baco?) would be
> welcome.
>
> Luk

Joe "Beppe"Rosenberg ha scritto:
> Allegro in Brouge--Brothers who owned it past away but new owner although
> commercially more adept has impressed me with their whites. This year they
> should release serious reds, the red Meritage called Cadenza blows away
> anything East of Nevada.
>
> Here's their website and some notes.
> http://www.allegrowines.com/
> http://groups.google.com/group/alt.f...0226ce3535b3b7
> http://www.allegrowines.com/newalleg...s/jcrouch.html
>
> http://www.lnetweb.com/wmp/winepics.htm
> http://groups.google.com/group/alt.f...a24fe5fb6c06b0
>
> http://groups.google.com/group/alt.f...d30d83aab5de9f
> http://groups.google.com/group/alt.f...ce350cc2d36a94
> Sunday, the no longer new owners of Allegro Carl Helrich and Kris Miller
> had a Library tasting of wine made by my friends the late Tim and Crouch.
>

Really inpressive Joe, Thanks a lot!

Luk

Vilco ha scritto:
> Luk wrote:
>
>
>>A friend of mine will fly to Italy next week from Philadelphia (US).
>>Does some good stuff exist in Pennsylvania? I mean a bottle that's
>> worth to ask him to take me. Also something a bit exotic (Baco?)
>>would be welcome.
>
>
> Prosciutto!

Is it drinkable?
;-)
Luk

Luk wrote:

> Really inpressive Joe, Thanks a lot!

Luk,
I can second the recommendation of Allegro. I visited there a few
years ago (upon Joe's recommendation) and it was well worth the trip
(it's not terribly close to Philadelphia, so it involves a day trip out
of town by car). One thing to keep in mind is that wine is sold in
Pennsylvania in state-run stores. Traditionally, they were awful and it
was difficult to find anything more interesting than Gallo or
Mouton-Cadet there, but it's (gradually) been changing for the better.
Your friend should look for a "specialty store" that has the better
selection, though I doubt that it will have anything that would be
cheaper than you could find in Italy.

Mark Lipton

Mark Lipton ha scritto:
> Luk wrote:
>
>
>>Really inpressive Joe, Thanks a lot!
>
>
> Luk,
> I can second the recommendation of Allegro. I visited there a few
> years ago (upon Joe's recommendation) and it was well worth the trip
> (it's not terribly close to Philadelphia, so it involves a day trip out
> of town by car). One thing to keep in mind is that wine is sold in
> Pennsylvania in state-run stores. Traditionally, they were awful and it
> was difficult to find anything more interesting than Gallo or
> Mouton-Cadet there, but it's (gradually) been changing for the better.
> Your friend should look for a "specialty store" that has the better
> selection, though I doubt that it will have anything that would be
> cheaper than you could find in Italy.
>
> Mark Lipton

Good! It is not a question of money, is just curiosity.

Luk

Luk > wrote in news:45dad3c3$0$37196
:

> A friend of mine will fly to Italy next week from Philadelphia (US).
> Does some good stuff exist in Pennsylvania? I mean a bottle that's worth
> to ask him to take me. Also something a bit exotic (Baco?) would be
> welcome.
>

Well, there's Chaddsford:
http://www.chaddsford.com/site/


Perhaps you could have your friend find some Chambourcin or Vidal Blanc?

I know there are some wineries that sell on premises (and some don't sell
through the state-run stores), but I can't be of much help, as I haven't
had too much exposure to them...

....there are a handful of wineries in the Philadelphia area specifically.
Maybe Dan the Man can step in here?

And, for what it's worth, here is a link to the Pennsylvania Wine &
Wineries page:
http://www.pennsylvaniawine.com/

HTH!
d.

--
I didn't write it, but you can find the alt.food.wine FAQ he
http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com/

On Feb 20, 12:01 pm, enoavidh > wrote:
> Well, there's Chaddsford:http://www.chaddsford.com/site/
>
> Perhaps you could have your friend find some Chambourcin or Vidal Blanc?
>
> I know there are some wineries that sell on premises (and some don't sell
> through the state-run stores), but I can't be of much help, as I haven't
> had too much exposure to them...
>
> ...there are a handful of wineries in the Philadelphia area specifically.
> Maybe Dan the Man can step in here?

At your service, eno! Chaddsford is certainly a safe bet - they're one
of the few PA wineries that gets recognized (or even tasted) by many
critics.

If you'd like to try something new, give a look to Va La Vineyards in
Avondale, west of Philly. They produce small batches of wine with off-
the-beaten-path grapes like Corvina, Viognier, and Cab Franc - the
exact lineup varies at any given time.

If you want to keep the price down, there is also Rushland Ridge in
Bucks County. Not sure if they are open in February, though.

>
> And, for what it's worth, here is a link to the Pennsylvania Wine &
> Wineries page:http://www.pennsylvaniawine.com/
>
> HTH!
> d.
>
> --
> I didn't write it, but you can find the alt.food.wine FAQ hehttp://winefaq.hostexcellence.com/

Dan-O

"Dan the Man" > wrote in
ps.com:

>
> At your service, eno! Chaddsford is certainly a safe bet - they're one
> of the few PA wineries that gets recognized (or even tasted) by many
> critics.
>
> If you'd like to try something new, give a look to Va La Vineyards in
> Avondale, west of Philly. They produce small batches of wine with off-
> the-beaten-path grapes like Corvina, Viognier, and Cab Franc - the
> exact lineup varies at any given time.
>
> If you want to keep the price down, there is also Rushland Ridge in
> Bucks County. Not sure if they are open in February, though.
>

Oh, thanks, Dan! Do you happen to know which winery somewhere near
Philadelphia does a viognier? And they grow their own? I tried some at a
local wine festival maybe 2 years ago, and liked it, but I can't find the
brochures I so carefully set aside...they don't sell in the state stores, I
know.

d.

--
I didn't write it, but you can find the alt.food.wine FAQ he
http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com/

On Feb 20, 2:01 pm, enoavidh > wrote:
> Oh, thanks, Dan! Do you happen to know which winery somewhere near
> Philadelphia does a viognier? And they grow their own? I tried some at a
> local wine festival maybe 2 years ago, and liked it, but I can't find the
> brochures I so carefully set aside...they don't sell in the state stores, I
> know.

True, the most interesting stuff is generally unavailable in the state
stores. I took a glance at Va La's website; they are currently
offering Viognier in two blends, one with Pinot Grigio called
Zafferano, and another with Pinot Grigio, Malvasia Bianco, and
Friuliano called La Prima Donna. Va La's site indicates that some of
their grapes are "home-grown" while others come from nearby growers.

I haven't tried any other Philly-area Viogniers. French Creek
Vineyards (Elverson, Chester County) might still be making them.

Dan-O

enoavidh wrote:

> Luk > wrote in
> news:45dad3c3$0$37196
> :
>
>> A friend of mine will fly to Italy next week
>> from Philadelphia (US). Does some good stuff
>> exist in Pennsylvania? I mean a bottle that's
>> worth
>> to ask him to take me. Also something a bit
>> exotic (Baco?) would be
>> welcome.
>>
>
> Well, there's Chaddsford:
> http://www.chaddsford.com/site/
>
>
> Perhaps you could have your friend find some
> Chambourcin or Vidal Blanc?

I would NOT suggest a Chambourcin from ANY state.
Some people may love it but I would say that 95%
do not. I have a backyard vineyard here in
Central Maryland and I pulled all of my
Chambourcin grapevines this winter.

>
> I know there are some wineries that sell on
> premises (and some don't sell through the
> state-run stores), but I can't be of much help,
> as I haven't had too much exposure to them...
>
> ...there are a handful of wineries in the
> Philadelphia area specifically. Maybe Dan the
> Man can step in here?
>
> And, for what it's worth, here is a link to the
> Pennsylvania Wine & Wineries page:
> http://www.pennsylvaniawine.com/
>
> HTH!
> d.
>