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Presque Isle Wine Cellars shares with nearby Penn Shore Vineyards the distinction of being the first wineries to obtain Pennsylvania winery licenses following enactment of the Limited Winery (Farm Winery) Act in 1968. We and others began research on the practicality of restarting a wine industry in the state, which had begun in the 1820’s , but which had died out because of disease problems and the rise of Prohibition sentiment. A legislative effort was begun in 1968 and because of very fortuitous circumstances a Farm Winery Bill was passed in that same year. The Pennsylvania industry has grown to 173 licensees as of June 2010 with at least 125 of them reporting sales. We introduced the growing of Vitis vinifera (European) grapes to the Lake Erie Region in the late 1950’s and we were key participants in the successful effort to establish the LAKE ERIE American Viticultural Appellation in the early 1980’s.
The Lake Erie Viticultural Appellation was the first multi state Appellation to be approved and covers the region along the south shore of the lake from Toledo, Ohio to Buffalo, NY on lands affected climatically by Lake Erie. Virtually every existing vineyard lies in the narrow band below the first ridge south of the lakeshore which is known locally by the French term 'escarpment'. This arrangement provides a unique microclimate where the large mass of lake water holds heat from the summer and moderates local temperatures and provides warm breezes through autumn to delay typical first frost into November and conversely the lake moderates winter low temperatures but keeps the area cooler into the spring, delaying first budding until past the typical last frost date. The steep terrain below the escarpment also provides good cold air drainage. This is a somewhat similar situation to that of the Finger Lakes Region of New York state. In Erie County, where we are located, the escarpment lies closer to the Lake and is at its highest elevation of about 1500 ft which is a rise of over 900 ft from the average Lake Erie elevation of 573 ft. As one goes either east or west the elevation of the escarpment is lower and farther from the lake and the frost free season is shorter and winter minimums can be lower. The only other portion of the Appellation with as long a growing season is the Lake Erie Islands (North Bass, Middle Bass, Kelley's) in Ohio. We have the greatest concentration of vineyards (acres per square mile) in the country after the Central Valley of California, albeit a long way below that region in acreage quantity, since California produces over 90% of the wine produced in the US. We have a 194 day average frost free season, and in the majority of winters don’t have sub-zero temperatures. We are relatively cool with average temperatures of 71°F in July and August. We have fewer problems with many of the fungal diseases because of the almost continuous winds off the Lake. White wines greatly outnumber reds in the region. Good ripeness can be reached by avoiding overcropping and pH levels are low which is a real plus in regard to longevity of the wines. Acidity can be high in poorer years (translation—less sunlight, more rain and colder weather). Most wines show good varietal fruit character and have fairly light tannins. Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and French hybrids like Vidal and Vignoles are whites that generally show well in the region as do Blaufrankisch (Lemberger), Dornfelder, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and French hybrids Noiret (NY 73) and Chambourcin as reds. Regionally such native Vitis labrusca grapes as Catawba, Niagara, Steuben and Delaware are used for whites and Fredonia and Concord for reds. These wines are typically very grapey, with strong fruit character carrying through, are usually finished sweet with 4 to 8 percent residual sugar.
Presque Isle Wine Cellars produces and offers a wide array of wine varieties and styles to suit customer tastes. We care greatly about producing the finest quality wines possible. Under the leadership of Doug Moorhead and our Winemaker, Kris Kane, we have consistently produced many award winning wines and the Presque Isle brand is recognized as a quality leader in the region. Starting with the knowledge that great wine must start with great grapes, we have established long relationships with and buy our fruit only from the best regional growers who have committed to best practices and to our quality standards. Under the watchful eye of our Winemaker, our high quality grapes are given equal care and scientific rigor through the crushing, fermentation, racking, aging, and bottling stages in their transformation into high quality wine. For complete information on our wines click the links below. Dry Red Wines Semi-Dry Reds Sweet Reds Dry White Wines Semi-Dry Whites Sweet Whites Blush Wines Sparkling Wines Specialty Wines
Our wines are available for purchase from our tasting room at the winery, at PLCB State Stores, at Country Wines in Pittsburgh, PA, at multiple retail outlets in Western New York state (see list of retailers) and at several area restaurants (see list of restaurants). If you don't see our wines at your favorite retailer or restaurant, please let the manager or propritetor know what they are missing. We also offer sale of bulk wines by the gallon at any time to both commercial and home winemakers by request and at our Annual Tap The Barrel event. Contact us for details and pricing if you are interested in purchasing bulk wine. We are also able to accept online orders for pick-up at the winery or for shipment within Pennsylvania and to certain states. See the Online Wine Catalog section below for more information.
We are able to accept online orders for pick-up at the winery or for shipment within Pennsylvania and to the following states: ALASKA FLORIDA IDAHO LOUISIANA MINNESOTA MISSOURI NEBRASKA NEW HAMPSHIRE NEW MEXICO NEVADA NORTH DAKOTA OHIO OREGON VIRGINIA DISTRICT of COLUMBIA WEST VIRGINIA WYOMING We are hoping to expand the states to which we can ship but unfortunately at this time we can only process orders and ship to the above states. Please call or e-mail us if you would like more information about having wine shipped to you. Adult signature (21yrs or older) is required to receive delivery of all shipped wine orders. To enter our online wine catalog you should be 21 years of age or older and must acknowledge reading an “Underage Warning Statement.” Click on the link below if you wish to proceed:
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