The Vineyard and Brewery at Hershey (VAH) was one of 12 new wineries that took over a spot at Booth No. 1126 on Wednesday for the final four days of the Farm Show.
Free wine tasting will begin at 10 a.m. and continue until 9 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday. Full bottles will be available for purchase. Those sampling must be 21+ to participate in tastings. IDs will be checked.
Meanwhile, one of central Pennsylvania’s best-known wineries has several ribbons to show off at its Farm Show location and back in its tasting room in Londonderry Township. The winery won Best of Show dessert for its Daybreak Moscato, gold for its Dry Riesling, and Silver for its Crimson Fox in the Farm Show competition.
Lynn Day, the owner and president of the Dauphin County producer, told PennLive in an email that she and her staff are hard at work ensuring a constant stream of events and new beverages are available for all audiences in the area.
“We always stack the entire year with activities from family- friendly to adult-oriented, so everyone can feel welcome and invited,” she said.
With families across the region feeling the impact of an economy that hits hard on everyday expenses, Day said that offering free events, as shown on their calendar, allows families to come out with kids and pets alike to get out of the house and enjoy things such as live music or trivia nights.
“We always welcome people to bring in their own food if they like,” she said. “Over the winter, our event space is open to the public so you can still have your own picnic with the kids and dog while the music plays.”
Like many local businesses, Day is having to adjust operations to the small changes that occur from year to year. Day, alongside Christine McCarl, vintner and master brewer, is the duo of a woman-run business that creates an environment and experience that welcomes everyone.
Some things remain a staple at VAH, such as the Decked Out Live concert series, a Friday night show that takes place every Friday from May to September. Once there, concertgoers will get the chance to sample the PA Preferred beverages made on site at the vineyard while enjoying the view of the property, located at 598 Schoolhouse Road near Middletown.
“As a local business, it’s important to us that we support the Pennsylvania agriculture ecosystem,” said Day, who herself grew up on a beef farm in Washington, Pennsylvania, and is acutely aware of how local economies can be made or broken, dependent on how long money made within the region stays in the region.
For those who are looking for a more casual and quick vineyard experience, The Vineyard and Brewery at Hershey offers wine tastings in their tasting room. The options range from dry red wines like Roberge Red, a custom blend that honors Marc Roberge of O.A.R. fame, who continues to show up annually for an intimate setting outdoor acoustic show, to sweet wines such as Crimson Fox, a lambrusco style wine that is a favorite staple and best seller over the spring and summer.
The winery is open noon to 5 p.m. daily, with expanded hours from spring through fall. Wines range from dry to sweet.
Not to be outdone, the beer selection is growing as well. McCarl continues to create different flavor options that will be a departure from the commercial and mundane into the unique offerings of a craft brewing operation that has the latitude to create as they please.
“Describing the steps of brewing just the beers can sound easy when it’s listed out,” McCarl said. “But it’s actually very precise with not a lot of margin for error in order to produce not only the desired result, but repeatable results for the beers our customers enjoy every year.”
The vineyard also offers VIP tours of the property for both wine and beer options.
It allows guests to learn more about the more than 10-year history of the business and the property, in addition to offering a sampling at the end. More than just an opportunity to view and learn about the property, it gives people a blank canvas view of areas such as the event space, the lawns, and the patio, where anyone can reserve space.
Whether it’s a corporate meeting, a birthday, or a full-on wedding, the venue options are limited only to what anyone needs space for, Day said.