"Every year since 1950, when Tod's parents bought [the farm], somebody would stop by the front door to ask to buy an acre to build a house," Jean said. "They resisted their whole lives, and now we're going to do the same."
Most intriguingly for wine lovers, Chien says Briar Valley's early success shows the largely untapped potential for the growth of aromatic white grapes in the slate-rich rolling hills of Bedford County west of Harrisburg, as well as in the Lehigh Valley and Endless Mountains.
"Most of the wineries are in the eastern part of the state, and we don't have the benefit of a 'wine trail,' " says Jean. "We're the lost children of the Alleghenies."
Not so lost anymore, now that they've received national recognition. Such accolades have, indeed, come in years past to Jersey wineries such as Sharrott in Blue Anchor, whose cab franc took gold in last year's Chronicle competition. Alba Vineyard, near Milford in Hunterdon County, has also won Chronicle golds for its gewürztraminer and dry riesling. (This year, Alba won silvers for its chardonnay, gewürztraminer, and cabernet franc.)
"It had a tremendous impact," said Larry Sharrott Jr., recalling the buzz that followed news of the winery's Chronicle award. Of course, the winery's sales are still largely driven by local traffic - not visitors from California. But for small East Coast wineries trying to carve out a place in consumers' considerations, winning significant national competitions is still one way to deliver something just as important: "credibility in customer's eyes."
Contact restaurant critic Craig LaBan at 215-854-2682 or claban@phillynews.com.
