Kog Hill Winery Review
Address: 105 Twin County Rd. Morgantown,Pennsylvania 19543.
Phone Number: 610-913-6609
Tasting Hours: Thurs, Fri, Sun 12:00-6:00, Sat 10:00-6:00 and by appt.
Region: Lancaster Valley AVA, Pennsylvania
Reviewer: Jen Fromal
Review Date: 5/13/2012
Reviewer: Jen Fromal
Rating: 4
The Review
Part of the Berks County Wine Trail, a small winery, tasting room and Windmill Restaurant sit at the edge of Amish Country in Morgantown, PA and make up the Kog Hill Winery family operations.
The Place: Located off of a main road, the Kog Hill Winery doesnt have many of the extra frills or niceties that one might imagine when picturing a Southeastern Pennsylvania winery. Kog Hill gets its grapes from Erie, Pennsylvania and produces a number of reds, whites and sweet wines on the property. Across the street, the Windmill Restaurant, owned by the same family as the winery, is a noticeably busier place than the tasting room.
The Experience: Though the winery itself isnt huge, Kog Hills tasting room is quite impressive for the operations small size. Greeted by a friendly and knowledgeable employee who was talkative but not overbearing, I settled in for a leisurely Sunday afternoon tasting. For $5, guests can taste as few or as many of the wines offered and keep the tasting glass.
Being the only one in the tasting room for the majority of the tasting, I had the full attention of the tasting room attendant. He thoughtfully explained the differences between grapes and fermentation processes for the wide variety of wines that the winery makes. Overall, I learned more at this tasting than at most previous tastings while still enjoying the casual and family-oriented atmosphere of Kog Hill.
The Wines: Sourcing their grapes from 100% Pennsylvania vineyards, the Kog Hill Winery has produced several award-winning wines spanning the reds, whites, fruits and dessert categories. The tasting sheet was seperated into the respective categories, with each category moving from dry to sweet as you work your way down. Ambitious tasters could sample each of the 26 wines offered at Kog Hill.
Of the whites, the Vidal Blanc stole the show. A clean, crisp finish with a nice bouquet greets the senses, and the flavors only become more intense when left on the palette. The Chardonnay and Kog Hill White also had good character and body, but lacked the pleasant finish of the Vidal Blanc. Moving to the reds, the Pinot Noir offered a big flavor with definite hints of cranberry and raisin. The Harmony, a sweet blend that can be served mulled or chilled, would be the perfect addition to a chilly fall evening. Bottles are reasonably priced at $10-$19.
Insiders Tip: Take your time at Kog Hill and take advantage of the knowledgeable and patient staff by asking questions about the wines and the winery. While tasting all 26 wines might not be feasible, a nice selection of ten to twelve wines will give you a good sampling of what this small yet seasoned winery has to offer.