WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. – A popular local winery is blossoming with a new satellite location in Lehigh County.
Blue Ridge Estate Vineyard & Winery, offering specialty wines and scenic views at 239 Blue Ridge Road in Saylorsburg, on Friday opened a new location at the Lehigh Valley Mall’s outdoor lifestyle center in Whitehall Township, co-owner and winemaker Randy Detrick told 69 News.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at noon Saturday, and individuals (ages 21 and older) who comes to mark the occasion will receive a free glass of wine, Detrick said.
Blue Ridge Estate Vineyard & Winery has opened a location at the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township.
The Whitehall venue supplements Blue Ridge’s primary location in Saylorsburg, along with a satellite store at 1937 Sullivan Trail in Tannersville.
Detrick and his wife, Tiffany, have operated Blue Ridge for the past 10 years and are looking forward to serving even more individuals in the Lehigh Valley.
“We’re super excited,” Randy told 69 News.
“There are so many people who travel from the Lehigh Valley up to Blue Ridge, and it’s nice that we’ll be even more local to that community. I grew up in Wind Gap, and so the Lehigh Valley is home to me.”
At Blue Ridge’s new Whitehall location, guests are able to enjoy Blue Ridge’s full lineup of wines, including varieties such as riesling, pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, pink catawba, white and red sangrias, bourbon barrel-aged merlot, scotch barrel-aged chardonnay and American oak barrel cabernet sauvignon.
Customer favorites include Inspiration, Blue Ridge’s most popular off dry white wine with apricot upfront and a “long flavorful finish”; and The Godfather, a world-renowned red wine uniquely aged in whiskey/bourbon barrels to take on a vanilla, maple-oak aroma and featuring full-bodied, round tannins that leave a “long lingering buttery finish.”
“We also have a wine called Conscious that’s very popular,” Randy said. “It’s a white wine made from Symphony grapes.”
Guests can enjoy wine tastings along with wines by the glass and bottle at a rectangular bar and several surrounding tables.
Outdoor seating on an adjacent patio should be available in about a week, Randy said.
Like the Saylorsburg location, the Whitehall location offers beer, soda and specialty, brick-oven pizzas, including cheese, pepperoni and peppers and onions.
A new offering is margherita, featuring fresh basil, tomatoes and mozzarella.
Anyone who orders a wine flight receives a complimentary slice of pizza, Randy said.
“We’re going to offer authentic, Italian brick-oven pizzas,” Randy said. “They’ll be made quickly in an oven from Italy, heating up the pizza around 900 degrees.”
The origins of Blue Ridge took root in 2010 with a trip to the West Coast, where the Detricks’ hearts were captured by the beauty of sprawling vineyards and magnificent wineries.
In opening Blue Ridge, their vision was to create an elegant yet informal, relaxing experience where hand-crafted, small-batch wines are enjoyed.
Blue Ridge is nestled in the countryside of Saylorsburg, overlooking the vineyards, with a beautiful valley view of a Christmas tree farm.
The winery and vineyards span 80 acres, and the 17,000-square-foot wine tasting facility features a wrap-around deck and 36-foot wine bar.
“The mission of Blue Ridge Winery is to simply add value to others,” a message on the business’ website reads. “We strive to accomplish this by creating world class wines, served in the most pristine and comfortable setting.”
Blue Ridge Estate Vineyard & Winery has opened a location at the Lehigh Valley Mall in Whitehall Township.
The Detricks have created a similar welcoming environment in Whitehall, where individuals can gather with friends and family to enjoy fresh eats and drinks.
The new location features ample natural, and overhead string lights add to the cozy atmosphere.
The Detricks also hope it becomes a “great date night spot” for couples, Randy said.
“We’re going to have delicious food and drinks in a really nice setting,” Randy said. “So, you’ll be able to enjoy a glass of wine, pizza and time together in a beautiful atmosphere.”
Blue Ridge’s new Whitehall location fills the space previously occupied by Pocono Brewery Company’s Lehigh Valley taproom, which closed in February.
The Lehigh Valley taproom opened in early 2019 at the former Ann Taylor space and supplemented Pocono Brewery Company’s flagship location, which continues to operate at 2092 Route 611 in the Swiftwater section of Pocono Township, Monroe County.
Blue Ridge’s new Whitehall location, open during regular mall hours, also offers to-go bottle sales.
For the latest Blue Ridge Estate Vineyard & Winery updates, follow the business’ pages on Facebook and Instagram. Info: blueridgeestatewinery.com.
