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| I need a wine glass like the one on the right! |
One thing I do look forward to in March is Tour De Tanks. This event takes place every weekend of the month, and allows ticket-holding participants to visit 26 wineries for VIP treatment including tastings, tours, food and sampling of wines that are still in the tanks. This event definitely makes March look a lot better!
One of the cool things about visiting different wineries is to see the differences between each one - everything from the people, the culture, and of course the wine, is different. Many of the wineries served food that had been prepared with wine, so the snacks I had packed went untouched. The 10% discount I received on all of my wine purchases ensures that I will be doing some cooking with wine in the future as well!
One of the main focuses of Tour De Tanks is to sample wines that are still in the tanks to see how differently they taste when compared to the wines that are bottled. One of the stops even included fresh pressed apple juice that would eventually turn into hard cider. I found the unfinished wines to be, well, honestly, gross, but it was fun to compare them to the finished products (which definitely were not gross!).
For the most part, the wineries are located in small clusters. Living in Cumberland Valley has made it really easy for me to travel to all of the wineries - two weekends ago I went to Dauphin County, last weekend I went to Adams County and next weekend I plan to go to Perry County. I'm so thankful to have so many wineries in such a close proximity!
Is anyone else doing the Tour De Tanks tour or have a favorite winery in Central PA? Are there any other events you look forward to in March?
The Tour De Tanks event is nice because such a wide variety of wineries are included on the wine trail allowing wine lovers to visit based on convenient proximity and/or in order to visit wineries they had never been to before.
ReplyDeleteSome of the wineries included in this event are also on other wine trails such as the Susquehanna wine trail which also has events in March which seem to emphasize music on the weekends.
I personally did not enjoy the wine from the tanks that was not finished either, but it gave you an appreciation of all of the processes and equipment used that go into the wine making and is a unique way to share in the winery experience.
Are there a couple of wineries that had any stand out features that you would suggest checking out?
ReplyDeleteI love them all, but a few things I enjoyed...
ReplyDeleteAdams County Winery - This winery is really acclimated to having visitors so the overall experience was great. From the clearly marked directions, easy parking, friendly staff to production tour, everything was spot on. Plus, I loved their winery cat! He is featured on the label for "Stray Cat Strut."
Armstrong Valley Winery - This winery is really beautiful in the summer. It's out in the middle of nowhere, but the extensive wine selection is worth the drive! I love the Wild Berry...the employees told me the flavor was "like a marching band in your mouth."
Cullari Vineyards and Winery - This is a new find for me, and I love it! Their wines are awesome, I especially love the "Black on Black."
Hauser Estate Winery - Visit this winery for a 360-degree view from the top of the hill overlooking the grapes...PLUS, they have hard cider!
Hunters Valley Winery - I love picnicking at this winery! It overlooks the Susquehanna River and is just so pretty. Plus, I'm on the front of their brochure! That's love.
The Vineyard at Hershey - This is a newer winery that is building momentum fast. To pair with their great wines, they are introducing some great micro-brews this summer. They throw a killer party - a pond, catered food, music and bonfires!
This was just the short version of my favorites, but a longer version of all the wineries can be found here: http://www.visitcumberlandvalley.com/things-to-do/farms-markets-wineries/wineries/