Wanna peek? Take a look at what’s happening INSIDE the Toughkenamon tasting room this week! Catch a glimpse of the tasting bar (it is over 40 feet long!) and the corner window. Now that construction is moving, it is really moving. Expect to see more frequent updates and pictures as things are changing daily.
Note: We’ll be launching a wine club for our PA patrons. Soon you’ll be able to sign up for that online. Stay tuned for more information on that.
Progress! Our building permits came through so we are excited to say that we anticipate things moving more quickly now. The floors in the tasting room are now complete. Floors are important! And work on the sidewalk and the outside of the building began this week.
Here is a teaser. Can you guess what this is or what it might be for? 
Get you first look inside what will be the NEW Harvest Ridge Winery tasting room and event space in Pennsylvania. Demo has begun. Look at it now, continue to follow the blog for updated construction pictures as we go, and get excited for news about our opening soon!
Before the corks are popped, before toasts are made, and before the wine begins to flow, there is a LOT that has to happen to open a new tasting room. We went through much of the process when we opened the winery in Delaware. As we prepare to open a tasting room in Pennsylvania, we have to do many of the same things (e.g. fill out lots and lots of paperwork), but also do some other things because it is a tasting room vs. a winery and it is in a different state (i.e. different laws). As you continue to follow updates about the progress of the Toughkenamon tasting room, we will include updates of the exciting things like opening dates (cheers and excitement, yay!) and more mundane but necessary things like permit applications (sad trombone noise, wah-wah). That way you can be in on all of it along with us: the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Here’s a list of what we have been doing so far. In no particular order:
All of these tasks are part of an ever growing checklist that we continue to tweak, revisit, and revise as we get excited to actually OPEN! We look forward to opening this new location, sharing our wine and tasting room experience with another part of our wine region, and working with the people and businesses of Chester County to become an integral part of that community.
Thanks for being part of our journey.
If you haven’t heard, we have some pretty big news. We are thrilled to announce we are expanding and will be opening a tasting room in Toughkenamon, Pennsylvania (in between West Grove and Kennett Square). The township has officially approved this and now we are working on the building permits. While we don’t have a definitive opening date (YET), we anticipate opening our doors before the end of this year.
To kick off the updates, here is a link to the Chester County Press story – the first to report it.
Continue to check back weekly for updates on our progress as we share pictures, news, and other information.
All the news that’s fit to print… and that can’t be crammed into our already bursting newsletter!
Harvest Ridge Staff Updates
From our owner, Chuck Nunan: The vineyard is a quiet place at the present time and the grapes are almost ready to be harvested. Soon the vineyard will be alive with people picking the grapes then moving them to the winery to start the journey from grapes to some of the finest wines our region has to offer. Despite the harsh winter, we had a good growing season and the Barbera, Cabernet Franc, and Chambourcin have grown extremely well. Actually, some of the grapes have been picked and are in the production facility– which smells divine. This year, for the first time, we will be harvesting Aromella. We will have a small specialty vintage made and we are excited about the floral taste of the grapes. This week we will be harvesting our Landot Noir. We are enjoying the current peace but are looking forward to the hustle and bustle that the full harvest season brings.
From our video intern, Kaitlin: September 1 was the premiere episode of Harvest Ridge’s very own TV show, Harvest Ridge Uncorked. It showcases recent events and some behind the scenes footage here at the winery. The show will run until December, so make sure to be on the lookout for episode release dates. You can view the video of the first episode on our YouTube channel.
Wine Club
Have you heard about the Harvest Ridge Wine Club but have questions prior to signing up? Click here to read some frequently asked questions and get some answers!
USDA Grant
Back in February we applied for a grant for a USDA grant that would give us funds that we could use for several things, primarily focusing on marketing our winery. We received word late in August that we would receive the full amount for which we applied. We will be receiving just under $50,000 which is (as you can imagine, for a new business) a very exciting thing!
Military Mondays
So despite what you may have heard (there was a tiny mix up as we figured out legalities of it all), we will now be having Military Mondays! Any currently-serving member can present their military ID on Mondays at the winery for a $1 glass of wine. We thank you for all you do!
Other Current Specials…
Our wine of the month for September is…….. PEACH! All month long, enjoy our peach wine with special pricing: 10% off 3 bottles 15% off 6 bottles 20% off a full case (wine club members, an extra 5%off). Made from local peaches, it is a perfect wine to enjoy during these final days of summer!
Part-Time Tasting Room Employment Opportunities!
Wanted: Part Time Tasting Room Team Member!
Duties: Pour and educate tasters, give tours, attend festivals and work parties.
Must have weekend availability, and enjoy wine & people!
Contact: hr@harvestridgewinery.com
Events
Have you been appointed to plan your high school reunion? Or maybe you are in charge of organizing your office holiday party? Maybe your daughter is getting married? If you are looking for information on hosting a private event at Harvest Ridge Winery, contact our event planner, Kim, to get more information on pricing, availability, etc. You can reach her via email at kim@harvestridgewinery.com or call the tasting room at 302.343.9437.
All the news that’s fit to print… and that can’t be crammed into our already bursting newsletter!
Harvest Ridge Staff Updates
From our owner, Chuck Nunan: At Harvest Ridge, this is a busy time of the year. Many exciting things are going on in the vineyard and elsewhere on the property. This year’s plantings, Barbera and Chambourcin are doing remarkably well. We can’t wait as the vines continue to mature. In the production facility we are wrapping up bottling our 2013 reds this month and are preparing for harvest — which will be in full swing next month. The winery has had an excellent summer season with our Food and Music events! We all have enjoyed the variety of food vendors that have participated as well as the varied musical performers who have come out and helped to make these events a success. We have been able to enjoy these outdoor events even more with the completion of our outdoor seating area, complete with overhead fans, a pergola, and the gazebo (which is especially great for weddings). If you haven’t been by recently, come out and see what a pleasure it is to sit outside and enjoy a glass (or two) of wine. Speaking of weddings, Harvest Ridge hosted its first wedding in July. It was outstanding and we were proud to host this important event in the life of the couple! We have many more on the schedule for the upcoming year. If you are interested in our event space for a wedding, reception, or other gathering, please contact our event planner, Kim at kim.harvestridgewinery.com or at 302.343.9437. And lastly, we would like to thank all of our customers — the regulars as well as the newcomers — for their patronage and support. It means the world to us.
From our video intern, Kaitlin: July marks the second month I have been with Harvest Ridge. I really took my first two months here at the winery to get into the swing of things and get to know how the winery works. Now that I have attended and filmed a few events, I recently took the steps to make an action plan to really kick my project into full gear. At the end of July I spent time editing some event footage for the winery. Be on the lookout for highlights from the Wine In The Park event in Ocean City, MD which you can find on the Harvest Ridge Winery YouTube Channel. I also began to put together the recurring segments for the upcoming Harvest Ridge TV that will premiere this Labor Day! Harvest Ridge TV will feature wines of the month, fun wine facts, etc. As we kick off Harvest Ridge TV at the end of August, I will be filming and editing specials that will air on the TVs throughout the property. These specials will include my interviews of Harvest Ridge staff for behind-the-scenes segments. I am very excited to take the audience behind the scenes at Harvest Ridge to see what it is really like to run a winery.
Wine Club
Have you heard about the Harvest Ridge Wine Club but have questions prior to signing up? Click here to read some frequently asked questions and get some answers!
Blog Write Up
Doug Zimmerman, author of the wine blog “Uncorked Remarks,” stopped into the winery recently. He came on Sangria Saturday so it was hot and busy (though some might argue that a hot day = perfect sangria weather). You can read about his experience at the winery here. A big thank you to him for his visit and kind words!
STOMP!
As we get closer to September 27, you will hear more and more about our Stomp Out Children’s Cancer event! Make sure to save the date because it will be an event you won’t want to miss. Pay the $10 donation to enter the event (the fee gets you a limited edition wine glass, a wine tasting OR a glass of wine, and access to food and music inside event). For $125, you and 2 friends can enter the event, compete for bragging rights in the grape stomp, and earn your “I STOMPED” tshirt! Bring the whole family as there will also be a moon bounce, face painting and a FREE grape stomp for the kids! **50% of entrance fees go to benefit Nemours/Alfred I. DuPont Hostpital for Children Oncology Program**
In theory, summer is supposed to be a relaxing time, but it is busier than ever for us at the winery!
We have a new addition to the winery grounds: A beautiful gazebo! That, added to our lovely patio with fans, allows us to provide a more complete and comfortable experience to our customers. The gazebo will be a great stage for musical guests providing entertainment at events as well as a pretty location for weddings held at the winery.
Another new addition to the winery is our video intern, Kaitlin. You may see her around the grounds behind the camera. She comes to us from Wilmington University and is helping us to establish programming that will promote the winery beyond our property as well as inform our customers while visiting the winery. For more information on Kaitlin, you can read her introductory blog post here.
We are currently at 68 wine club members. Last month Harvest Ridge owner, Chuck Nunan, promised a surprise for the first 100 people to sign up to be a wine club member. Wine club members get access to member-only events at the winery, special discounts, and first crack at tickets for winery events. If you want to be part of that group, contact the winery at 302.343.9437. We are preparing for our second pick up party on August 9 and you won’t want to miss it! (Current wine club members will be receiving their email invitations shortly. Watch your inbox!)
Mark you calendar now for the Delaware Wine and Beer Festival! DWB14 is scheduled for October 11. On October 12, there will be a brunch associated with the festival held at Harvest Ridge Winery. The brunch is sponsored by the Delaware Wineries Association and will have drinks provided by the Association members including Harvest Ridge, Fenwick Wine Cellars, and Painted Stave. For festival information, read here.
Are you ready to STOMP??!! Our biggest event yet takes place on September 27. Join Harvest Ridge Winery as we STOMP out Children’s Cancer! Proceeds of this event to go to A.I. DuPont Children’s Hospital. Next month’s newsletter and blog post will have full details of this event that will be fun for the whole family. If you would like to learn more about getting involved in what will be an exciting, fun, and inspiring day, contact the winery at tastingroom@harvestridgewinery.com for sponsorship opportunities.
Are you all ready??? We are! After years of planning, months of construction, weeks and days of anticipation, the day has arrived! As of Friday, November 1, we will be open for business. Come see us for a tour of the place and (of course) to taste our wines!
We will be open daily 12PM-5PM.
Tastings will be $5 and will allow you to taste all 5 of our currently bottled wines and you will get to keep the logo glass in which they are served.
Questions? Call us at 302.343.9437 or email us at tastingroom@harvestridgewinery.com
See you at the winery!
Harvest is a beautiful (and busy!) time at a winery. We were fortunate to have WBOC come out and spend time with us during one of our busy days. They were able to see several aspects of the harvest and pressing process. We were the lead off story at their 4PM airing on Tuesday, September 24. Watch it here if you missed it!
Wednesday, September 25, delawareonline.com featured us in a story which you can see here: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20130926/NEWS/309260044/Nunan-family-bets-fledgling-winery-western-Kent-County Thanks to Doug Denison for such a great piece!
Two recent noteworthy items that affect wine, beer, and spirits producers in Delaware–
1) The Delaware Wineries Association made an appearance at the Delaware State fair in July. Several members of the association (including Harvest Ridge Winery owner Chuck, and manager Chip) were on hand to meet and greet Delaware 
residents at the fair. It was a great chance to let people know what is going on with wines, spirits, etc. in our state! Governor Markell was also on hand and stopped by the DWA booth. You can read more about the day here and Governor Markell’s visit here: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20130726/NEWS/307260033/Delaware-State-Fair-neutral-territory-Gov-Markell
2) Speaking of Governor Markell, on August 5, he signed HB 190. This bill made changes to existing laws to make it easier to wineries, breweries, and distilleries in the state to grow and thrive. We like that! Read more on the bill here: http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20130726/NEWS/307260033/Delaware-State-Fair-neutral-territory-Gov-Markell
So, finding and hiring a winemaker for the Harvest Ridge Winery team was a very important step in the whole process as we get closer to opening. As it turns out, winemakers are kind of important when you are looking to make wine. (Sure, you could wing it without one, but who knows what kind of wines you would get! No thank you.)
After a search that brought forth applicants from all over the world (and I mean ALL over the world), we found Milan Mladjan. Milan comes to us from Ontario, having worked most recently at Frogpond Farm Organic Winery. While there, Milan honed his skills developing terroir-driven wines based on organic and biodynamic principles.
Milan is passionate about history, so much so that he majored in History and Anthropology in college. After that, he went on to receive his degree in Wine and Viticulture studies from Niagara College with diplomas in Winemaking, Winery Marketing and Management, and Master Taster and Sommelier. He sees a bottle of wine as a time capsule, revealing the story of the vintage through geography and climate, as well as telling us a great deal about the individuals who made the wine, through the winemakers’ imprint on technique and profile. He believes the resulting style of a particular vintage is a direct reflection of current social trends and preferences. Both Milan’s parents came from families where viticulture and wine were an integral part of their everyday lives. He sees wine as a means by which he can connect with that long family history.
Milan is excited to relocate to Delaware, looks forward to living in the beautiful countryside, and is excited to be moving to a state that poised to become a major destination for tourism (wine and otherwise).
Milan will have an active hand in many aspects of the winery; expect to see him in the tasting room as well as winery-related events.
We are excited for what he brings to the team and are looking forward to working with him!
P.S. He also speaks French. 