Fall colors and grape aromas are in the air at Presque Isle Wine Cellars.

Contributed by Dan Wolfe, Associate Winemaker.

This week in between grape pressings, we found time to install the replacement bladder in our wine press. This is a day long process that we usually only need to do once every few years. Unfortunately, the bladder didn’t come in until right before harvest started, not leaving us much of a window to replace it!

As the leaves are changing colors we are finally slowing down on pressing and crushing grapes fresh from the vineyards. In a few weeks, we will be pressing our Late harvest Vidal grapes for our customer favorite dessert wines: Eskimo Kisses and Hot Kisses. If you haven’t tried them yet- stop by our Isle House or order online!

If you do decide to visit us- take a few pictures and enter them into our fall photo contest for your chance to win a $50 Isle House gift certificate.

This week we look forward to the Italian Juice pails coming in for the winemakers who pre-ordered them (Pick up for Italian Juice pails is November 6th!).

Did you miss the pre-order deadline for Italian Juice pails? There may still be a very limited number of pails available- call us to inquire 814.725.1314.

Dan Wolfe joined PIWC in 2011 and is our Associate Winemaker. Dan started making wines from Wine kits in 2007 and the hobby quickly became an obsession. His habit then escalated to buying Fresh Grape Juice at harvest time, and he started experimenting with blending different wines. Dan has entered his wines in many local and out of town competitions, bringing home Gold medals and best of show in places like California. He is a member of the American Wine Society and judges wine competitions locally and around the state.

Contributed by Dan Wolfe, Associate Winemaker.

Blending Our Pink Catawba Wine.

This past week we were pressing Catawba, Riesling, Concord and a variety of red wines that we crushed the week prior. We are continuing the fermentation of many of the wines, and then racking and filtering them.

In addition to all of that, we are busy working on new and interesting blends, along with making new batches of existing wines we sell and produce. All blends start out in the lab doing bench trials- this is where the winemaker combines chemistry and art in creating the perfect blend.

We are blending our Pink Catawba, our wine of the month, this week. Consider purchasing a bottle- with each bottle sold we donate a portion of the proceeds to help fund vital research being accomplished in the fight against Breast Cancer. Learn More.

Not only are we harvesting grapes, our peppers were also harvested for this coming years’ Hot Kisses- a dessert wine that has a kick to it, and is a favorite among our customers!

Purchase all our wine online or at our Isle House!

Dan Wolfe joined PIWC in 2011 and is our Associate Winemaker. Dan started making wines from Wine kits in 2007 and the hobby quickly became an obsession. His habit then escalated to buying Fresh Grape Juice at harvest time, and he started experimenting with blending different wines. Dan has entered his wines in many local and out of town competitions, bringing home Gold medals and best of show in places like California. He is a member of the American Wine Society and judges wine competitions locally and around the state.

Contributed by Dan Wolfe, Associate Winemaker.

Harvest is still in full swing with grapes coming in from coast to coast, along with our own local grapes being harvested. The Chardonnay has gone through a full fermentation in oak barrels and is now going through Malolactic fermentation. We’ve been pressing and crushing Fredonia, Vignoles, Valvin Muscat, Pinot Noir, Cab Sauv, Steuben, Touriga and Chambourcin along with a few other I’m sure I forgot. Along with crushing and pressing, we are busy with fermentations, rackings and filtering of the wine after fermentation.

It’s a wonderful thing coming into work in the morning with the stars are still out; actually smelling the grape aroma in the air here in North East. I usually see at least three harvesters out in the vineyards with their lights on picking Concord Grapes before daylight.

This week we’ll be looking at getting Vidal and Catawba grapes in. Additionally this week, we’ll be having some of our wine distilled into neutral spirits to fortify our awesome tasting Touriga Port. Our port is made from 100% grapes, unlike some that are made with Grain Alcohol. Be sure to check out, learn more about, and purchase our Touriga Port on our online wine store.

Winemakers, we still have west coast, regional, and local juices and young wine available for order and pre-order! Click here to see what is still available. Our Italian Juice sale is also underway-order Italian Juice now.

Order Your Juices           Order Your Young Wine

Dan Wolfe joined PIWC in 2011 and is our Associate Winemaker. Dan started making wines from Wine kits in 2007 and the hobby quickly became an obsession. His habit then escalated to buying Fresh Grape Juice at harvest time, and he started experimenting with blending different wines. Dan has entered his wines in many local and out of town competitions, bringing home Gold medals and best of show in places like California. He is a member of the American Wine Society and judges wine competitions locally and around the state.