harvest is almost over & i'm pooped

It’s been a busy few weeks! Harvest is almost officially over. We are picking the last of the grapes tomorrow at our Leaser Lake Vineyard in Kempton, PA. It was a lot of hard work for me laying around out there in the hot sun and rainy days! But somebody has to provide the moral support and a cute guy like me is good at that job. I’m sure I’m not as tired as those who were actually harvesting the grapes, though. The grapes look good and Dad (Joe, winemaker) is pleased with the results.
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Oh, and I’m happy to report that my health has significantly improved! Thank you to everyone for all the good vibes and healing energy. It’s really helped and meant a lot to all of us. My family was pretty shook up over the whole ordeal. Me, too! My back legs still get the better of me sometimes, especially on stairs, and if I play too rough, but overall, I’m quite happy and healthy. I have to stay on medication most likely for the rest of my life, but that’s a small price to pay to be able to still enjoy everyone’s company and yummy treats.  I’m a sucker for a good belly rub and a dog bone.

The leaves are changing, the weather is cooler, but the deck is still open to view the beautiful fall foliage. It’s the perfect time to bring a picnic, have a glass of wine, and lounge on the deck taking in the view. Most likely I’ll lounge with you, too, especially if you have food (that I’m not supposed to have, but who will tell? Not me!).

I have to tell you some fun news! We have a new tasting option at the winery! Our normal tasting is $5.00 per person for 5 tastes of wine of your choice and the $5.00 is credited towards a wine bottle purchase. Now, you can opt to pay $7.50 per person for 5 tastes of wine of your choice, AND receive a full-size stemless BMV logo souvenir glass to keep, plus you still get $5.00 credited towards a wine bottle purchase. Pretty cool, huh?

I’m excited to welcome two new sales staff, Rob Jacobus and Tacy Schuler to BMV full-time! I adore them, and I hope you do, too! Make sure to say hi if you see them. Rob is often at Rittenhouse Square Farmer’s Market on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tacy is frequently at the winery on the weekends, but you will see her out and about more soon!

Let’s see…what else should I tell you about at BMV? Kat Collins, our Social Media & Office Manager, was recently interviewed by the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail for their blog. Check it out here!

We have several more festivals to go before the end of the year…Bear Creek Harvest Festival, Montage Mountain Festival, Cider & Wine Festival at Coca-Cola Park, and more! Say hi to Virgil Cardamone if you see him at the festivals. He’s always rockin’ it out there for us and much beloved by our customers and me.

I also should tell you the October is International Merlot Month! As you know, we at BMV LOVE Merlot. It’s one one of the first 5 types of grapes that we planted when we started in 1986 and now one of our signature wines. Our current vintage, the 2011 Merlot, is an elegant, Old World style merlot that has rich black cherry notes, earthy, and spicy aromas and flavors with a long, supple finish. Dad says it’s complex, but approachable. Got a juicy steak or cheesesteak? You’ll want this wine. Celebrate Merlot with us! Post your pictures of our BMV Merlot and tag us in them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram! Use the hashtags #MerlotMe and #bmvlove.

Well, I could ramble forever…I’ll save some stuff for my next post. I hope to see all of you at BMV soon! Don’t forget to bring me a dog treat. I’ll be your friend for life. Okay…I’ll be your friend regardless, but the dog treats help. 

Happy sipping!
Vidal

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