Ok, admit it. In the past when you heard the words “wine” and “Pennsylvania” together in a sentence, you didn’t immediately think of our fine state as becoming the next Napa. But opinions are changing as the Commonwealth continues to develop a reputation for its many fine wineries. In the Lehigh Valley region of the state, we’re proud to boast nine family-owned and operated wineries that make up the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail. These hard-working folks produce wines that regularly win awards on local, national and even international levels.

Attending one of their six themed weekend events is a great way to experience the wine trail. My personal favorite is Harvest Weekend in September. It’s a great time of year to visit since the vines are full with fruit and the weather is warm but comfortable. The events usually include tours of the vineyards, tastings, food pairings and live musical entertainment. While the events are over for 2008, they’ll resume again in spring 2009 with the annual March Madness month-long passport event. Each winery also grows its own version of Chambourcin, which is the official wine grape of Lehigh Valley. It produces a light red wine that’s on the dry side. o check out the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail next time you’re on a road trip to the eastern part of the state. I’m sure you’ll be impressed with what you find and leave with a bottle or two… or maybe even a case.