Winter warmers, which is what us beer geeks call these winter ales, tend to be richer in flavor, higher in alcohol and generally bigger than beers we drink any other season. Weyerbacher, an Easton, PA brewer who has made a name for themselves with big, Belgian-style ales, has, somewhat surprisingly, gone in a different direction here. (I expected at least 8% abv in a Weyerbacher winter warmer, but this is only 5.6%) Instead of the big, over the top beer, they’ve come up with a roasty, malty, wonderfully smooth brew that can be enjoyed one at a time or in a session. The truth is that this is a somewhat simple beer. It’s not going to change your life. It is, however, darn delicious, which is why it is my “must buy” winter ale every season.

It starts out with aromas of molasses, vanilla and a hint of nutmeg. The taste is dominated by chocolate malts, coffee, and a bit of licorice. A hint of root beer essence (but not overwhelmingly so – I don’t even like root beer) and maybe just a hint of cherry as well round it out. Not much hops here, but some effervescent carbonation cleans off the finish. Simple, but delicious and a great “house” beer for your Winter season.

This beer doesn’t require much attention to enjoy. It just tastes great. I was going to write that if you prefer big, Belgian-style or hoppy, complex ales, this beer probably isn’t for you. But that’s not really true. Even if you love them big & bold, you can’t drink those every day. Everybody needs a “house” beer, and this is mine during the cold winter months. Give it a try!

“This smells like Christmas!” exclaimed a friend of mine who was trying this beer for the first time. Anchor Christmas Ale, from the Anchor Brewery in San Francisco (most famous for their Steam beer), is always the first beer I look for when the Christmas ales hit the shelves. Though the formula changes from year to year (and always remains a secret), it is consistently delicious and a great representation of what Christmas beers are about.

This year’s version pours a dark, reddish brown with ample head retention. The aroma features a heaping dose of pine, with notes of mulling spices, notably clove and cinnamon. Chocolatey malts coat the palate, paired with quite a bit of cherry and more of those great spices. A balanced dose of hops cleans up the finish and keeps this tasting like a beer. All in all, it is both immensely flavorful and very smooth.

This drinkability is one of the main differentiators for this beer. Many other excellent Holiday Ales, such as Tröegs’ popular Mad Elf and Belgian favorites like Delirium Nöel, are high in alcohol (8-12% ABV), so though they taste wonderful, they are definitely sipping beverages that are almost more like wines than beers. As such, if you aren’t as familiar with the Christmas style, Anchor’s version is a great starting point.

Anchor Brewing Our Special Ale (Christmas Ale)
Anchor Brewing Company, San Francisco
Style: Winter Warmer (Xmas Spiced)
ABV: 5.5%
Widely Available in the Main Line Area ($11 for a 6-pack at Wegman’s)

Photo via anchorbrewing.com

In 2010, we were lucky enough to take a dream vacation to a villa in Tuscany – a week of eating, drinking and exploring the small towns and beautiful countryside of Italy’s most famous* vacation destination. It was as great as it sounds, and of course grows in stature in my memory every day since.

Unsurprisingly, we drank a lot of wine during the trip, almost all of it Tuscan. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano was the particular wine we consumed the most often, for several reasons:

1. I’d never had it before.
2. It is part of the “Big 3″ Tuscan wine zones, yet far less well known or accessible in the states than the others, Chianti and Brunello. Though I love Chianti, it is widely accessible here. Brunello is also great, but it is very expensive here, and considered best when aged at least 10 years (something we were unable to pull off during our week-long stay).
3. Our villa was about 25 minutes from the town Montepulciano (Relax, TwiHards).
4. We visited a great winery in the Montepulciano region called Le Berne.

Most importantly, I immediately fell in love with this wine. It has a great sense of place, highlighting the dark cherry fruits of Sangiovese (the base grape for all 3 Tuscan wines), but also carrying great earthy notes of leather and mushroom. In addition, it tends to be a little fuller than Chianti, with slightly less acidity and a softer mouthfeel. It has potential for medium-term aging, but is also very accessible young.

Unfortunately, living in PA, even with my new-found knowledge and love of this wine, procuring some upon our arrival home became somewhat difficult. The PA system only listed a handful, and only one was available in a nearby store. IIRC, none were available online at that time. (Now that I am hip to other online options, it is a bit easier, but still requires some extra effort.)

So, as can be imagined, I was ecstatic when I saw that the Chairman’s Selection program was bringing in a Vino Nobile this fall. Though I hadn’t tried this particular wine, it was priced insanely low at $15 (the first Vino Nobile I’d ever seen under $20 in the US – hopefully not too good to be true), and would be widely available.

Truth be told, this is not one of the finer Vino Nobiles that I have had, but it is still a great deal at $15, and thus a great way to try this particular wine if you have never had it before.

The aroma of this wine is dominated by mushroom & earth, with notes of leather and dark (almost candied) cherries. Palate shows more cherry & kirsch-like flavor, with just a bit of earth. Tannins are soft, chalky and chewy on the finish. I would decant this wine for about 15-20 minutes – it does take to a little air, but also fades rather quickly, so avoid anything longer.

Cantina del Bueno Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2008
Region: Tuscany
Grape: Sangiovese (at least 70%)
PA Price: $14.99
Find it in stores

*I’m sure somebody will disagree with this comment, but it is certainly arguable that Tuscany is Italy’s most famous vacation destination. Sure, Rome (my favorite city in Italy), Amalfi Coast, and Venice also warrant consideration

Landor Associates image of new PLCB store in South Philly

As part of his campaign, new PA governor Tom Corbett promised to privatize liquor sales in Pennsylvania, but we’ve seen little action on this issue so far. It appears, however that this is about to change.  Last week, the movement gained a key ally when Senate Majority Whip Pat Browne (R-Lehigh) announced his support for the bill (House Bill 11) originally proposed by House Majority Leader Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, which proposes to close 625 state liquor stores and sell 1200 licenses to the highest bidder. In addition, according to the PA Independent, Corbett has just recently received a report from a Philly-based business research firm detailing the potential revenue gains from selling off the state stores (this report has yet to be made public). Lastly, the Pennsylvania think tank Commonwealth Foundation has recently launched http://freemydrink.com/ to bring more exposure to the issue.

The debate is far from over, of course. Over the summer, Senate President Joseph Scarnati, R-Jefferson, spoke out against the bill, showing support instead for removing “handcuffs” to allow PLCB to operate more like a private business. Other state senators, including John Blake, D-Lackawanna, also remain skeptical.

So, from that standpoint, I must say that I’m quite looking forward to checking out the swank (for PLCB standards, at least) new Paoli digs, which are planned for the ACME shopping center, in the space where Blockbuster used to be. The store, which will dwarf the current cubicle that hides behind BK, will feature more than 3000 additional products. It will also have a 8-seat bar for tastings, a plethora of Chairman’s Selections (including high-end choices), a temperature-controlled room, and even a wine chiller that’ll cool any shelved bottle of wine in less than 15 minutes. And – gasp – it’ll be open on Sundays!

When will this store open? Well, that’s just the thing. Apparently it was planned for July, but is held up in Harrisburg. Shocking.

I recently had the opportunity to take “The Wine Foundation” course at The Wine School of Philadelphia, which is described by the school as “the only certificate program of its kind in the United States.” The course description goes on to say that “students will learn the techniques and knowledge to become extraordinary wine tasters. Graduates are able to identity major wine varietals in a blind tasting: a skill many seasoned sommeliers cannot accomplish.”

Though I was an experienced wine taster before taking the class, and thought I knew quite a bit about wine, it turns out I still had a lot to learn. This program opened my eyes to a deeper level of appreciation and understanding of the wines that I drink, and it truly did establish a foundation for lifelong learning. Though it is difficult to explain or detail what we learned in the class without sharing a few glasses of wine, here are 9 tidbits that I can share:

1) Sauvignon Blanc smells like cat pee
It’s not just you;  it really does. Turns out there’s a chemical called pyrazine that naturally occurs in both cat pee and the two Sauvignon grape varietals, which gives off a sulfurous, grassy scent. Thankfully, pryazine cannot be tasted (though smell does, of course, contribute to perceived flavor). This aroma is actually part of what is known as the “fingerprint” of Sauvignon Blanc, meaning aromas or flavors that are always present and which help us identify this grape in a blind tasting. All wines smell like fruit of some kind, but these fingerprints enable us to differentiate certain varietals.

2) Syrah smells like bacon
I probably could have made this fact part of #1 (because gamey meat is the fingerprint of Syrah/Shiraz), but come on, it’s bacon! This had to be its own fact.

3) Chardonnay is the tofu of the wine world
That’s a direct quote from Keith Wallace, director of The Wine School. He was making the point that Chardonnay, when left on its own, has a relatively inert flavor, which is why it is so often heavily oaked (imparting a vanilla and warm-spice flavor, not a wood flavor), and put through malolactic fermentation, a process that creates the buttery flavor that is also oft-associated with Chardonnay. When this varietal does not go through these processes, it can show hints of tropical fruit, but it tends to be relatively bland (see: Chablis). Still, some people prefer it that way, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that!

4) MegaPurple is the ketchup of the wine world
…because winemakers add it to anything that doesn’t taste good to make it taste better. MegaPurple is a somewhat controversial wine additive that stabilizes color and body, but right now there is no requirement to tell consumers of its use. But that controversy is for another article. The point here is that we have to rely on taste to judge a wine. Color, for one example, is not indicative of how a wine tastes. Sure, a well-made Burgundy is typically going to be lighter in color and also lighter and more delicate in flavor than a Bordeaux, but Barolo is an example of a full-bodied wine that may look quite light. The problem is that color can easily be faked, and thus cannot be relied upon to make judgments.

5) When the word terroir is used to describe a wine, it is usually bullshit
As Wallace put it, if you plant a grape vine in soil laced with Twinkies, the wine will not taste like Twinkies. Grapes don’t actually develop flavor from the soil. Terroir, however, a French word used to describe the unique characteristics that the geographic location of vines brings to a wine, can be more accurately used to describe the characteristics of the place where the fruit was planted, such as the amount of sunshine and rain, which does play a huge factor in how wines taste (and explains why certain estates in Bordeaux are worth so much more than others). The use of terroir as a descriptor can be confusing because many wines (especially European ones) are made in a way that accentuates earthy and sometimes even funky flavors — one of Pinot Noir’s fingerprints is “barnyard”, a wine lover’s word for manure, for example — but this is more of a byproduct of winemaking technique than of the soil in which the grapes were grown.

6) If you want to taste wine seriously, get a lot of wine
Tasting one bottle of wine – which is probably what most of us do regularly at home – makes it very difficult to identify unique aromas and flavors, but when compared to 1-3 other wines, differences become much clearer. As such, to truly understand the characteristics of the wine you are drinking, find some friends and crack a few bottles at once, but…

7) Swallowing brings out wine’s aroma
…don’t spit! Swallowing enhances the aromas in a wine even better than sniffing it in a proper glass after a proper swirl, because of the way air moves through the nose and throat. As such, those who spit at tastings are not getting the full experience. The only problem with this is that, when you consider point #5 above, one’s senses quickly evaporate after swallowing a certain amount of wine, so the sweet spot for tasting is relatively limited. This may not be a problem when comparing 2-3 bottles at home, but for professional reviewers, who can taste up to 150 wines in a day, it means we’re probably not getting their best opinion on at least some of those. (They typically spit.)

8) On average, a bottle of wine is opened within 45 minutes of being purchased at the PA State Store
Hopefully people live a little closer than that to the store. The good news that, according to Wallace, 99.9% of wines aren’t meant to be aged. While that may be an exaggeration, his explanation makes a lot of sense. He compared aging wine to two people playing catch. For every step the two people take away from each other, the chances of an errant throw increase. Wine is the same. For every year you keep it, the chances that something will have gone wrong inside the bottle increase. That said, the best way to age wine is to buy at least 6 bottles, and drink one every year or two, carefully noting the differences. If it gets to a place where you think it is great, drink up!

9) “Studying” wine is fun!
…especially when you are doing it in the middle of the afternoon (as we did in the accelerated class that I took). If they served this much booze in college, I, er, well, nevermind.

The next Foundations of Wine program begins October 6^th and runs Thursdays through December 8^th from 7:30-9:30pm. Tuition is $595. Too much of a commitment for you? The Wine School offers many one-time classes aimed at the more casual consumer, including introductory classes, food & wine pairing classes, and classes for the seasoned wine lover.

The Wine School of Philadelphia
127 S. 22^nd St
Philadelphia PA
info@vinology.com
800-817-7351
http://wineschool.us

Fall is an exciting time for the epicure. Though the end of the grilling season is nigh, our ovens fire once again, slowly welcoming savory fall foods that will grace our holiday tables. And then there’s the beer. Oh, the beer! Light, watery summer ales and wheats become harder and harder to find, and fuller, more flavorful harvest-style beers enter the picture. For the beer lover, it’s simply the best time of the year.

Last year we took a look at some of the best pumpkin beers around. This year, we’re talking Märzen, the Bavarian-style beer of Oktoberfest. Before refrigeration, high temperatures made it impossible to brew beer in the summer months, so brewers crafted Märzen in March and stored it in caves and cellars all summer long. In order to ensure that the beer would keep, Märzen was brewed at a higher gravity (i.e. with more sugar), creating a beer that’s a bit sweeter and slightly higher in alcohol (5-6%) than a typical lager. The result is a medium-to-full bodied, copper beer that’s malt-forward and very smooth.

I recently sat down with Jeff from TJs in Paoli, who is offering an insane selection Märzens over the next month or so — as of today, they have NINE Märzens on draft, with more to come. In addition, there’s a great balance between traditional German brewers and American innovators.

We sampled each of the brews and jotted down some notes on each one. Below are the results:

Philly Beer Week is back June 4th- June 13th, and the suburbs are taking full part. Here’s our best shot at putting together an event list for the Main Line extended area… for more events in Philadelphia and other suburbs like Kennett, Downingtown and Phoenixville, visit http://www.phillybeerweek.org.

Pay as you go unless otherwise noted.

Saturday June 5th

12% Imports and their Brewers and Pig Roast
Teresa’s Next Door, Wayne
Noon – 3:00 PM

Monday June 7th

Suburban Kickoff
Brewers & reps from Stillwater, Cigar City, St. Somewhere, Voodoo, Boulder, Dark Horse, Ballast Point and 12% imports.
TJ’s Everyday, Paoli
4:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Tuesday June 8th:

Meet the Brewer of Bavik and Petrus
Oak Aged Pale Ale on Draught Here!
Teresa’s Next Door, Wayne
6:30 PM – 8:3o PM

Local Casks for Local Firefghters
Six local firkins with proceeds benefiting Paoli Fire Co.
TJ’s Everyday, Paoli
6:00 PM-9:00 PM

Home Brewers IPA Night
Local Home Brewers competition for the coveted Oakmont Cup. Brewers brew a special IPA for this Beer Week event. Beer-friendly Menu, patrons participate.
Oakmont National Pub, Havertown
6:30 PM – 9:00 PM

Weds June 9

Bear Republic Pint Night
Pint Night with Bear Republic: Crazy Ivan, Cask Conditioned Racer 5, Hop Rod Rye, Red Rocket Ale, Racer 5.
The Drafting Room Taproom and Grille, Exton
6:00 PM – 12:00 PM

Thursday June 10th

Sierra Nevada Tasty Thursday
We will be featuring the first half of the one-off brew made at Sierra Nevada by the Philly Beer Week Beer Campers. This top secret conglomeration from Philly publicans, craft distributors and some of our favorite beer writers will be sure to surprise you. We will have more details when we are allowed to talk about it! Get Excited!
Teresa’s Next Door, Wayne
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Great Lakes Meet & Greet
Meet and greet with Great Lakes owner Pat Conway.
TJ’s Everyday, Paoli
6:00 PM-8:00 PM

Friday June 11th

3rd Annual Visit from Bobo of Chimay
He will be here Friday evening to talk and tell stories about Belgium, monasteries and of course the Trappist Ales of the Scourmont Abbey. How could you possibly want to miss having a beer with this man? Especially you ladies…
Teresa’s Next Door, Wayne
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Saturday June 12th

Main Line Food and Jazz Fest 2010
Teresa’s will be featuring an indoor, air conditioned Troegs Beer Garden during the Main Line Food & Jazz Festival. At least two firkins and four taps!
N. Wayne Ave, Wayne
11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Stone/Brewdog Collaboration
Stone & Brewdog owners, brewers and reps take over TJ’s taps for the night.
TJ’s Everyday, Paoli
4:00 PM-7:00 PM

Spaten/Franziskaner
Spaten/Franziskaner Beer Party with Fran.
TJ’s Everyday, Paoli
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Sunday June 13th

Victory Fists of Feury Beer Release Party
Hors d’oeuvres and beer dinner celebrating the release of “Fists of Feury” a collaborative effort between Victory and chefs Terence and Patrick Feury
Nectar, Berwyn
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Price: $55.00

Yards Beer Dinner with Franklin Winslow the Brewer
Yards sampling and meet the brewer (Franklin Winslow) night. Beer friendly menu. Beer education offered by Peter Cherpack from Beerappreciation.com. Yards-infused menu.
Oakmont National Pub, Havertown
6:30 PM – 9:00 PM

Did we miss any events? Post ‘em in the comments section!

Recently, PA State Senator John Rafferty has become the latest to challenge Pennsylvania’s strange and arcane beer sales laws in attempt to allow six-pack sales at beer distributors, grocery and convenience stores (read more about that here). In addition, it’s been just about a year since Wegman’s made a splash in the PA scene when it was announced they would be selling beer. Beer in the supermarket? In Pennsylvania? Amazing! The catch, of course, is that they got a “pizza place” license to sell up to 12 beers (or the equivalent) for takeout. Sales are only allowed in the food court area, not the main checkout aisle. Still, the fact that you can grab a sixer on a trip to the grocery store is certainly a big plus for PA residents (and a Wegman’s should open in Malvern in 2010).

After checking out the selection at Wegman’s (which is quite good btw, with a nice variety of imports and craft beers), and picking up sixers of Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout and Hook & Ladder Brown Ale, I got to thinking about the other problem (aside from not being able to get it at the supermarket) with buying beer in PA — that you have to buy a case at a time (unless you want to pay $12 for a 6-pack of Bud at your local pizza joint). Who among us hasn’t gotten somewhat adventurous at the beer store, spending upwards of $40 for a case that looks great but you’ve never tried, only to come home and find out that it really isn’t all that good?

Is it so much to ask to be able to buy singles or sixers of beers that look interesting but are unknown, without making such a big investment? I knew there were a few places in the area that sold “mix your own” six-packs, so I decided to find out if this was a better way to buy beer (or at least a good alternative). Could I find single bottles with the selection offered at the Beer Yard? Would I have to break the bank to shop for beer this way? Read on to find out.

Michael’s Deli, King of Prussia
This unassuming deli features a wall of coolers featuring 6-packs, and 4+ coolers featuring single bottles. Around the corner, two more coolers feature large bottles of Belgian and other beers, such as Corsendonk and Brooklyn Local 2. Overall they had an amazing selection, with more (visible) beers than any place I visited. It was perhaps somewhat import-dominated, so I’d like to see them add some more US-based craft brewers. There was some kind of six-pack discount, but it wasn’t too clear to me what it was. I paid $16. Valley Forge Center – Rt 202; 610-265-3265; michaelsdeli.com

Ron’s Original, Exton
Through the “takeout” door, there’s a wall of coolers where two doors are devoted to single bottles, including some magnums. Another door has local craft six-packs. Although the selection was not the biggest we encountered, it was almost all seasonal. A trip in early September had me loading up on Oktoberfests and Pumpkin Ales. Beers are priced individually, but you get $1 off each beer you add to a six-pack. I paid just under $16. 74 East Uwchlan Ave.; (610) 594-9900; ronsoriginal.com

Flying Pig, Malvern
There is no big cooler to admire, just a written list of beers (100+), plus seasonal specials on the chalkboard. Grab a drink at the bar while you decide. The only drawback to their setup is that you have to tell the bartender what you want, which is not a huge deal, but kind of annoying, especially if you want a wide variety. 25% off bottle prices with a mixed six. I paid $17. 121 East King Street; (610) 578-9208

So, after sampling 3 different places, we learned that mixed six-packs tend to run around $16 each, or the equivalent of a $64 case. Most of the beers that we purchased would probably cost around $40 for a case, so clearly there is a markup here, but then again there is always a volume discount when buying food. Is it worth it? Well that’s really up to the buyer. I think we can clearly say that it is a nice option to have if you are looking to try a wide variety of beers… at least until someone changes our laws.

Other places that offer mixed six-packs with a large variety of choice:

TJs Everyday
35 Paoli Plaza Paoli, PA; 610-725-0100; tjsbeer.com

Gullifity’s
1149 Lancaster Ave. Rosemont, PA 19010; 610-525-1851; gulliftys.com

The Drafting Room
635 N. Pottstown Pike Exton, PA 19341; 610-363-0521; draftingroom.com

(comment below if we missed any, and we’ll add to the list)

Shipyard's Pumpkinhead Ale

Of course, living in Pennsylvania, where it is required to purchase a case of beer at the distributor, it can be intimidating shilling out $40 for a case of pumpkin beer you’ve never tried. A few years ago, I purchased a case of Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale, the first commercial pumpkin beer brewed, only to come home and find that I didn’t particularly care for it. So, in attempt to prevent you from having a similar experience, here’s a little bit of information about many of the pumpkin beers we’ve tried recently (updated for 2011!):

Bethlehem Pumpkin Ale
The Brew Works, Bethlehem, PA
This beer has plenty of pumpkin and spice flavors, but is also nicely balanced. A great entry-level pumpkin for those not as familiar with the style.

Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale
Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, NY
A solid choice. Well-balanced and medium-bodied, this beer features some nice pumpkin and pumpkin spice flavors, but never overwhelms to the point that it doesn’t still taste like a beer.

Dogfish Head Punkin’ Ale
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Rehoboth, DE
One of my favorite pumpkin ales — enough flavor that you know it’s a pumpkin, but not overwhelming. Though I’m not a huge hops fan, I think they help keep it tasting like a beer. 7% alcohol makes this a strong but tasty choice.

Fegley’s Devious Imperial Pumpkin
The Brew Works, Bethlehem, PA
Big beer (9% abv) that certainly has a bold flavor profile, but the pumpkin is relatively balanced. I found this to be quite smooth when consumed on its own, but when I started eating the food really brought out the heat (alcohol), making it a bit much. Still, a nice beer that I’d drink again.

Fisherman’s Pumpkin Stout
Cape Ann Brewing Company, Gloucester, MA
A love for stouts and pumpkin beers had expectations sky high for this one, but the result was somewhat disappointing. It’s not a bad beer — it just didn’t taste much like pumpkin. Actually, the ginger and cinnamon flavors, mixed with the roasted malts of the stout, made for more of a gingerbread taste than a pumpkin one. Poured jet black, but the beer was relatively light in body for a stout. Very sweet up front, with a bit of hops to balance out the finish. Overall, an interesting one to try but nothing special.

Shipyard Pumpkinhead
Shipyard Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Light-bodied and fizzy, this is a Pumpkin Ale for light beer drinkers. Crisp up front, without much flavor, the pumpkin really doesn’t come in until the end. Slightly odd aftertaste. Refreshing (like water), but not overly memorable.

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale
Smuttynose Brewing Co. Portsmouth, NH
One of the hoppier pumpkin ales I’ve had – not that it is all that hoppy, but more so than others. Nice pumpkin spices, but at 6% abv, this is a weighty, sipping ale.

Southern Tier Pumking
Southern Tier Brewing Co., Lakewood, NY
A huge ale, this baby packs a 9% punch, but is one of the better tasting pumpkin brews around. It’s a sipping beer worth trying, especially if you can get it on draft.

Southampton Pumpkin Ale
Southampton Ales and Lagers, Southampton, NY
Very smooth. Great aroma of pie spice. Malty sweetness with a hint of pumpkin – not overwhelming at all. Nutmeg lingers on the finish. Excellent!

Uinta Punk’n Ale
Uinta Brewing Company, Salt Lake City, UT
Nicely balanced brew with all the markings of  Pumpkin Ale. At around 4% abv, one could certainly throw back a few of these.

Wild Goose Pumpkin Patch Ale
Wild Goose Brewing Co., Frederick MD
This is a smooth, easy-drinking ale, but I hardly tasted any of the pumpkin or spices. There was perhaps a faint hint of nutmeg, but if someone handed this to me and I didn’t know what it was, I’d never have guessed pumpkin. Perhaps a good entry-level beer for those who haven’t tried pumpkin ales in the past and are wary of something overpowering.

Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale
Weyerbacher Brewing Co., Easton, PA
This huge beer smacks you in the face with pumpkin flavor and 8% alcohol! Great flavors, but not for the faint of heart.

Wolaver’s certified organic Will Stevens’ Pumpkin Ale
Otter Creek Brewing Co., Middlebury, VT
Very tasty brew. Hits you with real pumpkin flavor and a load of spice, then cools it off with a bit of hoppy bitterness. Perhaps could cut back on the spice a tad, but otherwise one of the more flavorful and interesting pumpkins I’ve had. Recommended!

Months later, when I stumbled upon the website for the 2009 Brandywine Valley Wine Trail annual July 4th “Big Bang” BBQ event, my thoughts drifted back to that article and my jealousy of its authors. Though I don’t have a job that will pay for me to travel in search of fine food and wines — I thought — my role at MLD (to call it a job would insinuate income) certainly affords me the opportunity to create my own mini-trek right here in Chester County. So, I recruited a few friends, called Frank at Secrets Limo to set up transportation, and planned what I hoped would be an exciting and envy-inducing day.

Would we find lush vineyards in our own backyard?

The Brandywine Valley Wine Trail, for those unfamiliar, is a group of small Chester County wineries located within a 50 mile radius, mostly clustered around Chadds Ford (where Chadds Ford Winery, the state’s largest, is located), and spanning up towards Gap to the northwest. The trail currently consists of seven wineries, with an eighth, Patone Cellars, opening in the fall of ’10, and another, Va La Vineyards, no longer officially on the trail, but still quite accessible within the region. For the most part, the climate in this part of the country affords winemakers good conditions for fruity, light wines intended to be consumed at a very young age. Even the grapes that traditionally make up some of the most robust, complex wines (Cabernet Franc & Sauvignon, for example), are light and fruity here. Though this might seem unappealing to Napa or Bordeaux lovers, fun, drinkable wines are plentiful.

Visiting all seven wineries on one afternoon seemed a bit presumptuous, so we eliminated a couple (Chadds Ford, being the Beringer of PA, and Paradocx, who did not have events on Friday), and mapped out a seemingly feasible circle of 4-5 to conquer. Our limo arrived promptly, and we began our journey towards Stargazers Vineyards. Unknowingly to us, the trip’s first leg would best represent colonial Chester County; our driver Dan was forced to maneuver a seemingly endless collection of narrow, windy roads that were clearly not built for the modern automobile (let alone a limo). Even so, the bucolic scenery and hair-raising curves heightened our sense of adventure and encouraged our growing thirst.

Announcement board outside Stargazers

Inside the airy, bright Stargazers tasting room, we were greeted immediately by owner Alice Weygandt, who took us through a tasting of 5 wines (our choice from 9, $5). Weygandt, along with her husband John, started the vineyard in the late 70s, primarily as growers who sold grapes to other winemakers (most notably Chadds Ford). In the mid 90s, they decided to start crafting their own wine. Sustainability is a key ingredient at Stargazers — they use nearly all solar power and natural fertilizers — and nowhere is this more evident than with the “Solar Celebration” Chardonnay, a “100% sun, 0% oak” wine that tastes extremely crisp and citrusy, unlike most American Chards (that are commonly aged in oak barrels). On the red side, a rare German varietal, Dornfelder, was described by Alice as a “red for white drinkers”. I like to call these “gateway reds” — light, fruity wines (similar to Beaujolais) that are easy drinking and perfect for summer patio sessions. The Cabernet Franc was also delightful — fruity, with hints of strawberry up front, but also very earthy and the best example of the local “terroir” that we encountered. It was much lighter than one might typically expect from a Cab Franc, but still complex and flavorful.

Not to forget the other half of our mission, we took some time to sample Moonlight Catering’s baby back ribs with a pineapple rum bbq sauce. We weren’t in Texas, but the sweet and spicy combination of seasonings on Chef Richard’s ribs was delicious (though I found the ribs to be a tad tougher than personal preference) and gave us the energy to continue our tour.

View of the Stargazers Vineyard

We piled back into the limo, this time with a bottle of Dornfelder in hand, and headed for the trail’s newest winery, Black Walnut. The Walnut is so new, it turns out, that their 200 year old barn is not entirely renovated, so, although it looks like it will be an excellent space, we were relegated to the back lawn.

Just 8 years ago, 4 friends got together to make wine one weekend, in the shade of some Black Walnut trees. 5 years later, it had become an annual tradition, and progressed from a hobby to something to take more seriously. After 3 years of renovation, their old Chester County barn is nearing completion, and a grand opening is planned later this summer. Like many wines, Black Walnut may benefit from a few years of aging; though their space shows great potential, and the owners are extremely friendly, the event felt like an unfinished product in many ways. We weren’t allowed near the building, the food vendor wasn’t set up (though it was already mid-afternoon – our quest for good BBQ would not be fulfilled at this location), the wine glasses were disposable plastic, and the facilities were of the portable variety. In fairness, however, this winery isn’t officially open yet, and the owners all still have full-time jobs. In time, this could become a must-stop on the trail.

The Black Walnut tasting, like Stargazers, included a choice of 5 out of 9 white and red options, this time for $6. It seemed that there was a disproportionate amount of sweet wines on offer here, however that style does tend to work well with local grapes. From the white selections, I liked the off-dry Pinot Gris, which contains a small amount of residual sugar, nicely cutting the acidic flavor of the grape. On the red side, another slightly sweet wine — the Bank Barn Red, a light, drinkable Cab Franc blend — like the Stargazers Dornfelder, would make for a nice summer session companion. I was less enamored with the 2007 Amethyst, a Bordeaux blend that was rather thin. The 2006 version, which was not officially part of the tasting but available with a little schmoozing, was far more interesting, however, with a complex, earthy finish. Did more time in the bottle help this, or was the harvest just better that year?

Though we had some unanswered questions, we were running behind schedule and wanted to fit in at least one more winery before the day was done. We signaled for Dan and headed south towards the next location. As we rolled up the driveway to Kreutz Creek Vineyards, we were greeted by several acres of healthy-looking vines, staring eyes of more than a few customers (we did roll up in a stretch limo), and the smooth jazz sounds of “Swing Set”. Surveying the scene — the dirt driveway, the vines, the cellar tasting room — it felt like a winery. Perfect! We were greeted by several enthusiastic KC employees in the tasting room. “We thought at least 20 people were going to jump out of that limo!”, one said. Sorry, just the few of us.

A barrel in the Kreutz Creek Cellar

The tasting at Kreutz Creek was the most expensive on the day – $7, but also probably the best value. The fee included a complimentary logo glass (which, of course, we forgot) that entitles the owner to free tastings in the future (doh!) and tastings of every wine the winery was offering that day – 12 in all! For the second time, we encountered Vidal Blanc, a popular grape in the northeast US (due to its ability to produce sugar in cold climates) but rare otherwise. Here it boasts citrusy, acidic flavors that are cut with just the right amount of sweetness. I enjoyed most of the Kreutz Creek reds, but found the “Proprietor’s Red”, a blend of the Charbourcin and Kordeaux (a Bordeaux Blend), to be the most interesting. The Chambourcin alone was jam-packed with berries, tasty but perhaps a bit overwhelming. When mixed with the drier Kordeaux, however, the sweetness was cut down to make for a very unique, drinkable wine. I’ve never been a port drinker, but must also note that the Ruby “K” Port, served with a chunk of dark chocolate, was quite tasty.

The food spread at Kreutz was less impressive, but serviceable. We indulged in a pedestrian cheese plate during our tasting, then grabbed some pulled pork, baked beans and mac & cheese out of the tasting room crock pots to enjoy on the patio.

Some Kreutz Creek vines

We’d hoped to visit more than 3 wineries that afternoon, but by this point we’d run out of time — it was 6pm and the event was coming to a close. All in all, it had been a great day; we found some enjoyable wines and had a blast. As for the food, well, when I reread the Texas article, I discovered that they didn’t look for barbecue at the wineries themselves — they went to barbecue joints for that, in between wine stops. Why didn’t we think of that?

The good news for everyone who missed this event, of course, is that you didn’t miss much from the food standpoint, and that you can certainly put together a wine tasting trip any other weekend this summer with good result, or perhaps even better result if you bring gourmet food (or stop somewhere else between tastings). Though you won’t find the great wines of California or Europe here, you will find accessible, fun wines and friendly people pouring them for you, all in your own backyard!

We’d like to thank Frank, Jill and Dan from Secrets Limo for sponsoring this trip. They were very professional, responsive and helpful throughout the process. If you’d like to put a similar tour together, I highly suggest finding a designated driver or hiring a company like Secrets to take you around. Though the tastings are certainly not aimed at getting people drunk, it is nice to not have to worry about how that one extra glass is going to affect your drive home on narrow, windy ChesCo roads.

Links of interest:

• Brandywine Valley Wine Trail (Harvest events this Fall)
• The Ryder Boys’ Texas Wine & BBQ Tour
• Secrets Limo