Yesterday, Mid-Atlantic wine writer Paul Vigna, with the help of Gary Pavlis (Rutgers) and Joe Fiola (Western Maryland University) hosted a tasting of 25 wines from New York to Virginia. Assembled in the lush Lancaster, PA winery of Waltz Vineyards, hosted by Jan and Kim Waltz, winemakers from some of the best producers in the region, gathered to share and showcase their wines in a way few have ever seen. It was a veritable who's who of East Coast wines. It was an historic event!
Lisa Hinton, Old Westminster
Bob Deford, Boordy
Galen and Sarah Troxel of Galen Glen Vineyards
Roy Crow, Crow Vineyards
Stephen Bernard, Keswick Vineyards
David Falcheck, American Wine Society
Sean Cominos, Heritage Vineyards
Kareem Massoud, Paumanoak Vineyards
Kim Waltz of Waltz Vineyards and Ed Boyce of Black Ankle Vineyards
Media attendees included Dave McIntyre f the Washington Post, David Falchek of the American Wine Society and a journalist; Linda Jones McKee of Wines & Vines magazine, Paul Vigna of the Patriot-News (also the organizer), and others.
Gary Pavlis, Rutgers
One wine after another was tried. We started off with sparkling, then we tasted white, reds, and finished with a Pet Nat. Each winemaker had a few minutes to explain his or her wine. The questions were more geeky than the wine making explanations.
The Unionville Vineyard staff
Paul Vigna
Bill Heritage, Heritage Vineyards
Kim Waltz
Sean Caminos
Kathy and Galen
Dave McIntyre, Washington Post
Gino Razzi, Penns Woods Vineyards
Carl Helrich, Allegro Vineyards
Jan Waltz
Jose Real, Boordy Vineyards
Catrina North, Crow Vineyards
Ed Boyce
Jan Waltz
Lisa Hinton
center, Linda Jones McKee, Wines and Vines magazine
A Partial List of Wines tasted:
PA
Allegro
2010 Cadenza and 2013 Reserve Chardonnay
Galen Glen
2014 Gruner Veltliner Reserve, Stone Cellar RS = 0
2015 Riesling, Stone Cellar GJT Vineyard RS = 0.4%
Penns Woods
2015 Viognier Reserve and 2014 Cabernet Franc Reserve
Waltz
2013 Reserve Chardonnay and 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon
VA
Keswick
2014 Cab Franc and 2014 Cab Sauvignon
King Family
2014 Meritage and 2015 Chardonnay
NJ
Heritage
2013 Sparkling Brut and 2013 Norman's Vineyard Cab Franc
Unionville
2013 Pheasant Hill Vineyard Syrah and 2015 Home Vineyard Chardonnay.
LI
Paumanok
2010 Tuthills Lane Vineyard Merlot and 30th Anniversary blend (2010)
MD
Boordy
Chardonnay Reserve 2015 and Landmark Reserve 2012 (red blend)
Old Westminster
20113 Cabernet Franc
Pet Nat
Crow
2014 Sparkling Vidal and 2015 Barbera Rosé.
Black Ankle
2015 Syrah (barrel samples) and 2014 Slate (red blend, barrel samples)
REVIEWS TO COME!