Pocono Libations: Blue Ridge Winery Review

During the strict lockdowns in the spring of 2020, I ordered wine from the Blue Ridge Winery, which I knew from a few visits to their tasting room. It provided great relief through the stress at the height of the Coronavirus panic.

I consider them among some of the best Northeast USA wines, and most of them are reasonable priced. Next there are some comments on the wines I tried (I updated the spring 2020 delivery with more wines I tasted at the winery in fall 2020).

Whites:

• Inspiration – My favorite Blue Ridge sweet white. It also comes in multi-colored “glitter” versions.
• Sweet Breeze – Sweet and easy to drink, with Niagara grapes which make great Northeast US wines.
• Tiffany – A Chambourcin sweet white with nice tropical aromas.
• Pink Catawba – Blush sweet wine with a mix of tropical fruit flavors.
• Chardonnay – A crisp, dry wine but with nice fruity aromas.

Reds:

• Renegade – My favorite Blue Ridge red, an affordable wine made with Concord and Merlot grapes.
• Godfather – Their flagship wine, made in small batches, a full bodied red that’s worth trying.
• Godmother – A bit sweeter than Godfather, still a very good wine.
• Cabernet Sauvignon – This classic wine feels very smooth and flavorful.
• Sunshine Red – Made with Concord grapes, it’s my favorite sweet red.
• Tequila Barrel Aged Merlot – Very good wine, a bit dryer than usual, with some soft tequila flavor.
• Terroir Red – Another outstanding wine made with Marquette grapes grown on the vineyard, dry and flavorful. It gives a good taste of the Blue Ridge “terroir”.

As I said before, I had visited the tasting room at the Crossing Outlets several times. That’s a great location when you’re driving through the Poconos… Probably meant for a relaxing visit while shopping, but I was never there for shopping, just simply driving by, or coming back from skiing at Camelback. It’s very cozy with friendly staff, and if you buy some bottles the tasting is free.

In September 2020 I finally made it to the Blue Ridge Vineyards, which are in Saylorsburg PA. There’s a log winding road to get there, making it seem quite remote, but once you get there you find an amazing location. Somehow hundreds of people found it as well, but they assured me there’s room for 1,000 people. It’s a huge expanse, with decks, a huge patio with comfy couches and fire pits, several bars, and lots of room on the grass, under tents, or simply in between the vines. There were several food options from food trucks around the winery, and it’s recommended to bring your own chairs and blanket so you can sit wherever you want.

Anyway, it’s one of the most epic wineries I’ve visited, and I’m planning to come back here often. The staff was extremely friendly and despite the hundreds of people the lines weren’t that bad.

If you order online, you can get it in neighboring states (like NJ) in no more than 2 days, and make sure you talk to them in case you’re not getting a case discount.