Barrels on the Brandywine, Part Two

It was under much different weather conditions that we set out for our second foray into Pennsylvania wine country. The sky was overcast and threatened rain; and the breezes were damp and cold. But our resolve was unshaken. We were determined to taste wine!

We were the first to arrive at the Penn's Woods Vineyard and Winery in Chadds Ford. It was off the main road and located among rolling hills and horse farms. We filed into the quaint converted farm house and took our places at the bar where we sampled Traminette, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and the "No Name" rose. I preferred the Traminette a fruity and playful wine and the rose. I don't usually prefer roses at all because they are too sweet, but the balance of sweetness of this rose tasted correct to me. It's a perfect summer wine for out on the porch.

We moved on to the reds and we sampled the Merlot and the Ameritage. I am less able to tolerate some of the heavy flavors of the reds these days, but the Ameritage worked for me. Note the lack of fancy wine lingo here, there's what tastes good to me and what does not.

There were vendors offering flavored olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars, but I am not a connoisseur of either of these things, so I passed. We wandered away with a few bottles of lovely wine and a complimentary tote bag.

Our next vineyard was Paradocx. According to our wine companions, they had built up the vineyard quite a bit since their last visit a few years ago. This event was one of the few we visited with a theme, "Cheeseburgers in Paradocx". Unfortunately, the weather did not lend itself to organic grilled hamburgers and sausages on the patio. However, Paradocx was kind enough to allow us to camp out in one of their tasting rooms and eat our picnic lunch in warmth and comfort.

At this winery, we enjoyed a barrel tasting of chardonnay and merlot. I must have an uncultured palate because on the whole, I most enjoy the wines from the barrel that are "not ready". I would love to understand this phenomenon. Perhaps my palate is hopelessly pedestrian…I enjoy cheese curls too.

Paradocx was the only winery we visited with a gimmick: wine in a paint can. They offered red and wine table style wines in a multi-bottle paint can arrangement instead of the box. I picked up the Whitewash wine in a paint can for anticipated family visits and a bottle of the 2006 Leverage, which I thought was the most superior of the wines I tasted that were already bottled.

Our next winery was pure fun. The Kreutz Creek vineyards are located on a family home site in West Grove. The vibe is basement converted into tasting room; it's no muss, no fuss and very relaxed. The family was working pouring the wines for tasting. I have to say, there were so many wines that I was feeling pretty happy by the time we got to the barrel tasting.

We tasted Vidal Blanc, Stainless Steel Aged Chardonnay and barrel aged chardonnay. The difference between the stainless aged wine and the wine aged in a barrel is that the one aged in steel should have a more "buttery" and less "oaky" flavor. I agree that the steel aged wines are less oaky, but for the most part, I think I just don't care for chardonnay. It does something in the back of my jaw that I simply don't like.

We moved on to the Proprietor's Red, the Wickerton Red, the Chamboursin, and the Cabernet Franc. I think these wines were simply too dry for my palate. But I think the crowning event of the tasting at this winery was the barrel tasting. In this tasting, we sampled three of the same wines at different stages. Even after all the wine I had consumed, I could absolutely taste the difference. We started with the Kordeaux, which was a little oaky for my taste. Then we moved on to the Kordeau Reserve, which I liked better because the berry flavor was more pronounced and the wine felt "lighter" on my palate. The final Kordeaux was right out of the barrel. This wine was definitely lighter and fruitier – truly my favorite, but alas not to be consumed this year. We were also able to sign the barrel. (Berger kitty, we miss you every day.)

The Kirkpatricks were not done with us yet. Where would we be without desert wine? We sampled Niagara, which was very grapey and reminiscent of Manichevitz and the Ruby K Port, which we sampled with dark chocolate. They had me at chocolate. I envisioned a very adult milkshake made with Ruby K Port and raw milk ice cream. In my opinion, this was the most fun of all the wineries. It was relaxed, unpretentious and I really got the sense that they wanted you to enjoy their wine. After all, life is short. We'll be back!

Our last stop was unplanned, but recommended by one of our fellow wine travelers from Penn's Woods. Patone Cellers in West Grove is not officially open yet, but they would have been remiss to lose out on this promotion opportunity. After circling West Grove farm country for 20 minutes, one of us had the bright idea to call. Sure enough, the address on our passport was wrong and we had practically passed the place twice. We finally arrived at what looked like a suburban ranch home fronted by a wine barrel with a hand written sign tacked to it. This must be the place! We wandered into a tasting room located in the garage. It felt very underground. But the place was pretty full and the folks at Patone welcomed us with barrel tastings and snacks. We sampled their 2009 oaked Chardonnay, a lovely 2008 La Fleur Blanc, and a 2008 Sauvignon Blanc. We sampled a Sangiovese from the barrel, which was not scheduled to be ready until 2014 – I could be anywhere by then, but really, it was delicious just as it was. We also sampled the Merlot and a Carmenere. I was too taken by the Sangiovese to really care about the last two wines. But this tasting was fun too, because we really felt as though we were in on the ground floor. You could buy wine, but it was cash only. If you wanted to make other arrangements, you could call Mario the wine maker. How cool is that? We were even treated to some local Philly gangland color. Some dude showed up in a stretch limo with his lieutenant and a Chiquita who clearly had some strange ideas about wine-tasting giddy-up. Sweetie, no one goes to wine tastings in Pennsylvania on Palm Sunday afternoon dressed in fur-trimmed leather. Dial-back on the comare vibe.

Currently the Patone Cellars does not have a vineyard. They are buying grapes from area vineyards and mixing their own. Reports are mixed as to whether or not they will buy their own land, but even if they do, they won't have produce from their own vineyards for years. Don't let that stop you, the wine is just fine.

And so that wraps up our first foray into wine tasting in Pennsylvania wine country. I had no idea we had such a rich wine heritage here. It was enlightening and a pleasure. See you next year at the Barrels on the Brandywine. I have some wine to get through between now and then…

Barrels on the Brandywine, Part One

A clear, sunny 70 degrees; nice enough to be in shirtsleeves, but not warm enough to need a fan, you couldn't have ordered up a nicer day! On this perfect day, Mr. DS, Dear Schoolmate, her Beloved, and I set out to sample the Brandywine Valley's grapey offerings.

Our first stop was Twin Brook Winery in Gap, PA. Nestled behind an historic farmhouse, the tasting house was at the top of a long flight of stairs. The wine bar was ready for us though. As the last tour wandered downstairs for a barrel tasting, we bellied up to the ornate bar and sampled the offerings. We started with whites and worked our way to the reds. Some where pretty good, others we just ok, but every drop was a new adventure.

Since we wanted a barrel tasting, we headed down to the cellar where Tim Jobe, the wine maker answered our questions and shared the upcoming reds. Most notable was the Merlot. The best way I can describe the taste is that I felt a smile happen at the back of my throat. We all agreed we wanted to be on the list when this Merlot was ready. Incidentally, Tim said that he lost his wine assistant, but unfortunately, he wasn't looking to replace him. Had anyone told me in high school that a chemistry degree could be used in wine making, I would have treated the whole affair with more seriousness. I rediscovered a love and affinity for chemistry when I was taking classes for nursing school. Alas, yet another career that shall never be.

We enjoyed a picnic lunch of Tim's homemade gumbo, and bread and cheese brought by Dear Schoolmate. We reminisced, shared stories, and laughed ourselves silly in the sun. Mr. DS took pictures of the vineyard, and then we headed off to the next stop.

Our next stop was Black Walnut Winery, located in a repurposed historic building on Business 30 in Coatesville. With its exposed beams and original hardwood floors, this building just cries out for an intimate reception or party. It's a wonderful space. We were provided with 7 tastings and again, we started with the whites and moved along to the reds. It should be noted that this winery does not grow its own grapes. They purchase from a grower and blend based on the quality of what's available. I walked away with a lovely half dry Pinot Gris. I'm looking forward to trying this wine with risotto.

Our last winery had the most surprising and winning environment. Located at the end of a residential block in Coatesville, the Stargazer's Vineyard featured sweeping landscapes and a repurposed building with a dramatic glass front. Here again, we were had 7 tastings and were given bottle cap "tokens" to keep track. For me, the star of this show was the sparkling brut. It was very crisp and dry with no oaky aftertaste at the back of the throat. I could have used all my tokens just tasting that wine, but there were other intriguing options. There was a Tinto, a red desert wine and a Pinot Noir that found their way home with me.

One of the unique features of the Stargazer's tasting was the inclusion of local producers. There was a cheese monger featuring raw milk cheeses and a vendor from Fat Spike Lavender. I went home with two cheeses and the most heavenly lavender spray that I can use on linens and skin. It really smells like you are walking through a field of lavender.

My car was transformed into a wine-mobile, and by the end of the day, the trunk was full of wine and cheese and loveliness. We were tired and sun-baked but absolutely stoked about all the glorious wine we tasted – all without having to buy a plane ticket!