One of the joy’s of being innkeepers is meeting people with unique and unusual jobs. Cindy and John Moorhead along with their son, Mike, fall right in that category.
The Moorhead’s own a vineyard in Erie, Pa. They do not make the wine, they grow the grapes that get sold to winery’s mainly in Pa. and N.Y. The Moorhead Farms actually grow twenty-two separate varieties of wine grapes: Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Vidal Blanc, Cayuga, Pinot Gris, Traminette, Pinot Blanc, Dornfelder, Valvin Muscat, Corot Noir, Noiret, Baccus, Merlot, Chardonnay, Viognier, Chambourcin, Vignoles, Niagara, Steuben, Carmine and Concords. Some of them are white and some are dark blue and they all taste divine. We were spoiled to the point that it will now be difficult to buy grapes from the market.
We know the grapes are wonderful because we were invited to see their operation during harvest. We toured their acres of grapes and did a complete “grape tasting”. Each and every variety had a distinct and aromatic flavor. We found this so much more fun than a wine tasting, and we knew we were being treated very special. Even though the day we chose to visit was cold and raining grape harvesting continued. Both Bill and I enjoyed riding the harvester. This huge machine traverses the vines, shakes the grapes loose allowing them to move up the conveyor belt where someone hand picks out the larger stems and branches. They are then dumped into a cart traveling right beside the harvester. It’s amazing how smoothly the operation runs.
After a few hours Cindy served us a wonderful hot meal with a bottle of wine (their grapes) and an absolutely delicious grape pie made from their more than a dozen table varieties of grapes. Her pie could without a doubt win a blue ribbon. John and Mike were still harvesting into the night because a truck was ready to drive the grapes to a New York Winery.
We had a great day and wonderful memories of our time spent with friends we met at our bed and breakfast. We left with several baskets of grapes and when we arrived home Bill made several jars of grape preserves.
We arrived later in the evening at The Bootby Inn, fellow Select Registry innkeepers. I highly recommend their Inn when traveling through Erie, Pa. The night before we stayed at the Buhl Mansion, another Select Registry Inn located in Sharon, Pa. Another Inn I would highly recommend. We had a good night’s sleep, nice conversation and a lovely breakfast served to us at both places.
Well after all this wine talk I think I’ll open a bottle of ‘Traminette’ wine from Mazza Vineyards in North East, Pa. Yes, grapes from the Moorhead farm. Do you think I can get Bill to take a break? For sure if I add some cheese and crackers.
Have you had the opportunity to go on a private tour of a vineyard? Would love to hear about your experience. Send me a comment to share with my readers.
Hope to see you soon,
Linda
Whispering Pines Bed & Breakfast
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