Rogue Sommelier

Rogue Sommelier Gone Fish'n

Written by The Rogue

Thursday, 16 July 2009 12:39

Long Trout Winery Recently, while traveling with some friends, it was suggested that perhaps we should visit Long Trout Disc Golf Course. While I do occasionally enjoy a game of disc golf with my good friend, I wasn’t really feeling much like going out of my way to play a game. Then our friends said the magic phrase “It’s a winery too!”. Well, how then could I possibly resist checking out a winery that is also a disc golf course? A combination that I just had to see for myself. Long Trout is nestled on a backcountry road at 84 Fork Mountain Road in Auburn PA. Just off of Rt 61, and north of Rt 22. From the road all one can see is the Long Trout sign and an entrance to the parking lot. We then took a short walk down a staircase through the woods to a quaint cabin style house overlooking a pond. It was all quite serene. I noted that I’d seen no vines growing in the area and surmised that this was a true winery that sourced it fruit from elsewhere. Upon entering the tasting room/retail shop one is treated to a dizzying feast for the eyes. The walls and shelves are covered with every conceivable type of 60’s memorabilia from pictures and dolls of the Beatles to a replica of the Starship Enterprise (the original of course). I even saw a Sean Connery James Bond doll from the movie Dr. No. A giant tie-dyed peace sign adorned the ceiling of the shop, and were greeted by the tie-dyed clad owner of the winery. Of Course there was lots of tie-dye, after all, their motto is “Where the wine is cool and hippie chicks rule”. After perusing Long Trout’s wine list I found it to be dominated by blends, fruit wines, and desert wines. I started my tasting in the traditional manner starting with driest wines first. The Chambourcin and the Seyval I found to be a bit thin for my liking, so I abandoned my usual plan of attack and jumped head first into the rest of the list, and let my taste buds fire at will. Hitting the high notes for the readers of this article the following are some of the wines that found interesting and off the wall. *Omnipular is an un-oaked Cabernet, and of the dry wines that I sampled it falls on the good side of decent. *The German Helmut Riesling was a super sweet offering that in the mouth seemed more like a desert wine… Slightly oppressive. *Afternoon Delight was a wildly floral composition of the Traminette grape with definite tones of Elder Flower *Old Man Elderberry seemed a bit drier than many of the Elderberry wines that I've sampled over the years. It was a welcome change. Note: One of 2 bottles that I bought at the end of the day. *Lus-T-Berry… Never had I encountered a Teaberry Wine, and like you might think it tastes just like chewing a stick of Clark’s Teaberry Gum. The 2nd Bottle that I purchased. Long Trout has a 5 wine lineup of Chocolate wines with names like Heavy Breather and The Instant O. These Chocolate and Fruit infused concoctions are pure fun, and Great for pairing with desserts. Perhaps the most interesting wines I encountered were The Old One Eye a vegetable wine that tasted like a mild salsa. I can picture it with a Bloody Mary or Strong Cheese. Also check out a wine called Yellow Snow… yes I said Yellow Snow, and it is a hot pepper wine. Although I can’t quite fathom drinking it by the glass it would make a wonderful addition to favorite culinary delights. Don’t go to this winery expecting to find the highly refined atmosphere of the wine culture elite, or to find a super complex Cabernet with just the right amount of minerals on the nose. Long Trout seems to revel in being part of the wine counter culture. Do, however, expect to have a good time. In summation Long Trout is one part Winery, one part 60’s novelty shop, one part disc golf course, and this trailblazing highwayman says it is an experience that one has to have first hand.

Last Updated ( Tuesday, 13 October 2009 12:35 )