“
Shady Lady” has entered Starr Hill Winery. This new semi-sweet wine, blended and named by Jen Moore and Sue Danko, is a delicious blend of zinfandel and Catawba.
Jen and Sue won the right to be part of this unique process by being the highest bidders at last fall’s Anne S. Thacik Charity Auction, an auction that is named in memory of Jen’s grandmother. The win empowered them to select the juices used, design the label for the wine, make the final decision in the blending process and participate in the bottling activities last month.
Taste tests occurred at several points during the fermentation process, and toward the end of the process, several chemical tests were run to measure acidity and alcohol content. Everything must be approved by the PA Liquor Control Board.
Jen and Sue, with help of friends and family, had a wonderful time as they aided winery staff in bottling their creation. Together they hand bottled, corked, capped, labeled, and packed about 500 bottles of wine. The wine made its debut at the Groundhog Trail Wine Festival held in February and is now available at all Starr Hill Winery locations.
Kenn Starr of Starr Hill Winery provided the duo with multiple images for the label. Jen and Sue were drawn to the vintage look of one photo and thought it depicted their “Shady Lady.” Kenn stated, “It is always a pleasure working with folks who have the opportunity to create their own wine. We promote the agency throughout Pennsylvania and people are always looking forward to the new blend. Starr Hill Winery has been a proud sponsor of the auction for many years and the opportunity to blend, bottle, and name your own wine has always been one of the highest bid items.”
The public is invited to stop by any of the Starr Hill outlets to sample and purchase “Shady Lady.” Part of the proceeds from the sale of this wine will be donated to the Friends of the Area Agency on Aging Auxiliary to support their programs and services. Starr Hill will offer the same privilege (to create, name, and bottle your own wine) at the next Anne S. Thacik Charity Auction scheduled for Oct 10.