Guten Tag! Grüβ Gott!
Fall 2024
It is the special season once again - Harvest! The picking lugs have been placed in the vineyard rows to receive the bounty and be taken to the winery. The heavily loaded trailers are pulled by the tractor to the crush pad. Before unloading, the overflowing contents of picking lugs are examined, gushed over, unloaded and then stacked.
What a year it has been! We were spared from any spring frosts, had a promising bud brake, the spring and summer months were kind to the plants, severe weather eluded us. The summer heat was well received by the vines; they thrived as their long tap roots found sustaining moisture way inside the protecting soils of our Shenandoah Valley region.
Our vineyards are truly magical: they produce bountifully; they are extremely beautiful, they are healing problems and soothing spirits, and finally reward our efforts with wonderful wine. When walking the vineyards during the growing season, it is always a pleasure watching our dogs and cats walk through the rows with us, examining different vines, and checking ground cover, and witnessing what we see as progress.
At the time of this writing, the Riesling, Chardonnay and Traminette grapes have been harvested. The absolutely gorgeous Vidal Blanc clusters are next. However, the Grüner Veltliner disappointed this year and will be looked at closely for next year’s growing season. Following the harvest of the white grape varietals, the Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and our Austrian Zweigelt will be harvested next, followed by the Petit Verdot. The fabulous clusters of Chambourcin will be last.
This is the 40th harvest for North Mountain Vineyards.
Dick McCormick, first owner at North Mountain Vineyards, had a bountiful first harvest: Vidal Blanc, Chardonnay, and Chambourcin.
This year marks Foster-Jackson’s 26th harvest. Congratulations to Brad, our late vineyard manager who helped establish the current vineyards, John our winemaker and also present vineyard manager, as well as our loyal vineyard crew of almost 20 years, Lupe and Angelica. A newer and younger crew member also important to our vineyard is Dennis – having been with us almost 3 years, and proving himself a valuable help as the “younger” generation.
Receiving the harvest in our cellar with winemaker John, is his assistant winemaker Andrew – who many of our customers know as the congenial source of valuable wine information in the Tasting Room. When a customer wants to know about the Shenandoah Valley, its history, hiking and fishing, ask Andrew.
A longtime member of our Tasting Room is Julie, always improving our Tasting Sheets, always knowledgeable about wine, always introducing new wine pairings, always busy. Newly added Tasting Room crew members are Shelly and Misty. As they are becoming familiar with North Mountain wines and the North Mountain customers, please come in and welcome them.
Thank You, Danke, and Gracias!
After a pause in production North Mountain is again bottling wine and stocking the Tasting Room. All favorites will be available shortly. Check our local outlets, the Woodstock Café, the Edinburg Mill Wine Shop, Shaffer’s BBQ Palace, you will be able to pick up your North Mountain favorites.
The Sonnenberg Wein Club Pick –Up Party will be on Saturday, October 19th, 3 – 5 pm, serving complimentary glasses of wine, fine little appetizers, talking to the winemakers and receiving the most recent information. Live music by Piper Hopkins. See you there!
Announcing special events and for the Fall 2024 season!
- Saturday, October 12th - Annual Oktober Wein Fest 11 - 5 pm
- Saturday, October 19th - Sonnenberg Wein Club Pick-Up Party 3 - 5 pm with Live Music by Piper Hopkins 2 -5pm
- Saturday, October 26th - Live Music by Ryan Jewel 2 -5 pm
- Saturday, November 9th - Smoking Jar-Head BBQ 12 - all gone and Live Music by David Elliot 2 - 5 pm
- Saturday, November 16th - Fondue served by Chef Christa Nahas of La Grange Farm, by reservation - We will honor Chef Keisha Sellers – former Chef at Blair House
- Saturday, November 23rd - Live Music by Bill Vaughan 2 - 5 pm
- November 29 and 30th - Bavarian Christkindl Markt; Friday and Saturday
- Saturday, November 30th - Live Music by Robbie Limon 2 - 5 pm
- Saturday, December 21st - Annual Winter Solstice Bonfire with Live Music
- Shane Click 2 - 5pm
- Ryan Jewel Saturday 5:30 - 8:30 pm
We thank all our friends for their love and support - Frohe Weihnachten!
News from the Vineyard: July 2023
News from the Vineyard
The Vineyard is where all wine begins. Our vineyards well-being is of the utmost importance. So far, 2023 looks promising! Now let’s mention a few notes and a few jobs completed over the past year in the vineyard…
Last year’s planting of Chardonnay was very successful, and again Thank You to all the volunteers and friends who helped plant. Our crew interplanted vines in the original 1982 Chardonnay rows, and planted five new rows on the adjacent sunny knoll. Almost all are now beautifully healthy plants up to the third wire.
The Cabernet Franc received extensions on their posts in order to lengthen the canopy for additional ripening. This is the block by our parking lot…take a look next time you visit.
Our Austrian varietals are doing well. The temperamental Zweigelt – our medal winner in Vienna, Austria - has resisted mildew so far this season (its thin skins make it susceptible to mildew…both powdery mildew and downy mildew the two primary culprits). Our Grüner Veltliner is abundant and vibrant as it always is. It is not nearly as temperamental as our Zweigelt. Our Riesling – now almost 20 years old, lost several plants this past winter but is healthy.
The vineyard manager is on constant look-out for the spotted lantern fly. So far our sustainable spray program seems to be successful.
The Sonnenberg Cabernet Sauvignon will receive fencing this year, last season the deer had an absolute field day and did not leave us any to harvest. They were very tasty grapes indeed.
News from the Cellar
Several beautiful and shiny new tanks and a must pump have been added to the cellar. The winemaker was very pleased.
News from the Tasting Room
Welcome Summer! The decks and grounds are delightful! Enjoy!
Our Tasting Room has received a fresh new look for tastings. Attractive display towers hold glasses for customers to choose a flight of 5 wines.
Customers can also choose to do a counter/guided tasting of our wines when we are not very busy, large groups please call for reservation - $ 20 per person.. And of course wine by the glass and by the bottle.
After a hearty greeting, our ladies at the Tasting Counter – Meredith and Julie - are always ready to discuss and pour all of our wines with a smile. And offer some food suggestions!
The famous North Mountain Cheese Platter with a freshly baked baguette is available again, as well as our signature Baked Brie with Baguette.
Check out our Salsa Station: North Mountain’s Montmorrency Tart Cherry Chipotle BBQ Sauce
West Oaks F.R.O.G. Jam and Peach Mango Salsa – great compliment to summer foods.
Exclusive to North Mountain is the Laconiko Olive Oil imported from Sparta, Greece, available in Regular, Rosemary, Greek Seasoning, and Garlic.
Fabulous Balsamic Vinegars to flavor your salads and food.
Food and Wine Pairing events held on select Saturdays for $27 per person.
Now that summer is here, our fabulous deck under the leaves of our trees offers an incredible repose from the average day to enjoy a fine glass of wine. The beautiful lawns, meticulous and colorful flower beds, and the views of the mountains will add to everyone’s special vineyard experience.
Sonnenberg Wein Club July 2023 Release Party
Saturday, July 22, 2023 3 – 5 pm
Live Music by Bill Foster & Don Crigler
A light snack buffet and a glass of wine welcomes our guests!
Welcome new Members:
Jon Alley, Bill Battaille & Janice Palleria, Beata Blaszcyk, Brandon Bischoff, Elizabeth Castro, Wendy Childress, Dana Christy-Shideler, Kim Emswiller, Margie Gilbert, Tammi Hopkins, Robert Isacson, Donald Lees, Linda Lindenburg, Marcos Gámez, Vernon Poff, Elizabeth Pullen, Katherine Regeimbal, Megan Strause, John Strider, Mindy & Jamie Symons, and Amanda Tangren.
Additional News from the Vineyard Manager:
The propagation project of new Vidal Blanc vines has been a success with nearly 90% of the cuttings surviving! They will be planted in the vineyard next spring.
We welcome our wine club members to tour the new plants located behind the winery near our pole barn.
4 pm: Gather in the Tasting Room and a tour guide will lead you through the cellar to the experiment vineyard.
The winemaker/vineyard manager or assistant winemaker will explain how the test plot was prepared, maintained and what we hope to glean from it.
They will sing the praises of the Vidal Blanc grape and the fine wine it produces.
Brad’s favorite! Brad was our first Vineyard Manager and he would be very proud of this project. Enjoy a glass with your snacks when you get back upstairs!
Looking forward to seeing you!
The crew at North Mountain & Sonnenberg Wein Club!
Jul 18, 2023 at 3:26 PM
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