Harvest Celebration

       These last two weekends we are hosting the Hershey/Harrisburg Wine Trail's Cornucopia Quest.  We have so much to celebrate because this season's harvest has been such a memorable event.  Now, we have the chance to showcase our beautiful vineyard, tasting room and employees to everyone who stops in.  The first weekend we were pleasantly surprised to receive so many out-of-state visitors and visitors who were not part of the wine trail's Cornucopia Quest. It was such a rewarding day with so many smiles and kind words.  The first week was a blast and we hope the upcoming weekend is just as much fun.  If you were not able to visit, stop by this weekend even if you are not part of the Cornucopia Quest.  We would love to show you are place.

PA Farm Show Entries

     A sure sign of the changing seasons was my entering our wines into the PA Farm Show today.  The weather is changing as the temperature drops.   Now it's time to take the winery work inside where we will be transferring and bottling our wines for next Springs grand opening.  There is so much to look forward to as the holidays approach and we celebrate with family and friends.  Then, as if on cue at a time when the calendar has nothing else important, the PA State Farm Show gives us a week to showcase the work we do as an agricultural industry here in PA.  The wine industry wouldn't be anything if it were not for the great grapes that are grown in our and many other local vineyards.  So think about where your wine comes from and look forward to celebrating its genesis when the 2nd week of January rolls around.  Who knows this may be the year we win BIG at the PA State Farm Show!

Sweet Late Harvest

     Here is our late harvest Vidal Blanc.  They are coming along slowly but surely.  We hope to be able to harvest around 30 Brix.  The weather has been very nice up until now and everything has been harvested right on schedule.  We are planning to pick these grapes in 3 weeks but I don't know if that is going to work out. We will see and keep you posted.  Hope to make a very interesting dessert wine. Just taking it one week at a time.

Cassel Vineyards Niche

In just 5 years Cassel Vineyards has established their niche in the wine industry.  We have indentified ourselves as an Estate Winery that grows and produces our very own artisan wines on our property.  At Cassel Vineyards we take great pride in producing our products from start to finish with our hands, from our soil, into your glass.  The vineyard component of our winery is managed entirely by our family and friends.  In the wine cellar, all of our wines are vinted by Greg Etnoyer and brother’sChris and Craig Cassel who worked together since the first bottle was produced.  We have established our style of wine making over the past 20 years.  Our wines are appealing to all palates from the sophisticated to the novice.  We go to great lengths producing very fine wines that are pleasantly drinkable.  Our white wines are vinted in 100% stainless steel that produces a style of wine that is refreshingly crisp, clean and fruit forward.  Our dry red wines are lightly oaked using real French oak barrels, they are well balanced and fruity with a clean finish.  Our Chocolate Ruby Royale is one of our Signature Port style wines.  Cassel Vineyards is proud to be the first winery in the Hershey area to produce a Chocolate Port style wine.  Our sweet wines also carry our distinct style of refreshingly fruity with fruity aromas and clean finishes.  Our winery has identified itself in its own unique niche.  This niche starts with the beautiful location of our vineyard and tasting room in a totally pristine rural setting away from the busy highways.  Our friends and family all play a major role in the creation of our product from pruning and harvesting through venting, cellaring and bottling.  Our wines are the final product from our soil, our labor, and our knowledge, patiently created, developed and aged for your enjoyment.

We hope you enjoy them.

Thank you for your support.

Chris Cassel

Celebration of Fall

     A curious phenomenon of the fall harvest has appeared in our Cabernet Franc vines.  Most of our vines stay green up until the first frost.  However, we picked the grapes 2 weeks ago and right after we picked, this vine found another way to celebrate the fall harvest.  It is such a beautiful sight. What a beautiful sight on a cool fall evening.  Love the vineyard in the fall after the grapes are harvested and the wine is pressed.  Now the work goes inside and we need to work on crafting the wines from the fruit the earth has given us. 

2013 Harvest Is Done and In The Tanks

     We did not expect to have this much help picking our grapes today.  We actually planned to pick our Chambourcin next weekend.  However, with the possibility of rain this Monday and our tests on the grapes being almost perfect we decided to pick today.  The weather was hot and humid and the grapes indicating they were already ripe,  The grapes were so ripe they were nearly wine before we crushed them.  

      We had nearly 30 volunteers and all the usual workers.  It was an amazing crew.  Everyone worked so hard that we were done by 2:00!  We are so blessed by our friends and family here at Cassel Vineyards.  After picking, we had a wonderful dinner provided by Blazing Swine BBQ.  We also did a blind tasting of our Cabernet Franc against some great wines from NY and MD.  It was so much fun and the food, friends and wine reassured us that what we are doing is making a difference in to many people in many ways.  All I can say is thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who has helped us by working in the vineyard to pick our grape this year.  We could not have done it without you.

Crush and Press

  Today we will be pressing the must from last week when we picked and crushed our Cabernet Franc.  This year the weather has cooperated very nicely with our grape picking schedule.  As a result, our 2013 vintage is looking very good.  It may take two or even three years until today's Cab Franc. begins to reach its full potential.  But when it does, look out.