Starr Hill Unveils Summer Time, Wine Blended by Clearfield Couple

CURWENSVILLE - Summer Time is here - the wine called Summer Time, that is. Starr Hill Winery recently announced their newest wine, blended and bottled by Herb and Kathy Wilson of Clearfield, is ready for public consumption. The Wilson’s won the right to be part of this unique process by being the highest bidders at last fall’s Anne S. Thacik Charity Auction. Their 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 a few weekends ago.

Kathy and Herb knew early on that they wanted a red wine. The couple selected juices from the Fredonia, Catawba, and DeChaunac grapes, and Starr Hill’s vintner, Joseph McKendrick, began the blending process. 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.

The label features a beach scene in bright yellows; the wine is a deep but clear garnet red; the taste is medium sweet with a subdued grape aroma.

Herb said, “Every time I’d do a wine tasting anywhere, I would always be looking for a semi sweet red wine. Nothing ever quite met my expectations.”

Of course Summer Time has put an end to his quest.

“When you drink it, you can feel the sand between your toes and the breeze around your shoulders,” he mused. His wife, on the other hand, says she thinks Summer Time “is perfect for sitting on the patio and sipping.”

The Wilsons invited family, Terry and Mike Catalano, and friends, Vicki and Bill Myers, to assist on the day of the bottling at Starr Hill Winery. Together they hand bottled, corked, capped, labeled, and packed about 600 bottles of wine. Owner and senior vintner, Ken Starr, had just purchased an automated bottling machine for his establishment, but the Summer Time crew bottled their product the old fashioned way. About mid-morning, a break was called to sample the wine, along with crackers and cheeses. Their strength renewed, the team rallied to finish the task.

The public is invited to stop by any of the Starr Hill outlets to sample and purchase Summer Time. Part of the proceeds from the sale of the Wilson’s 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. 15.