Mountain Wine Festival Wineries Make Donation to NCC

Carpe Vinum!

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BETHLEHEM, PA (12/20/2018) Pennsylvania vineyards are not only family owned and operated while preserving beautiful green spaces in the Lehigh Valley, but they are also helping fund the next generation of enologists (wine production experts) and viticulturists (grape growing specialists) at Northampton Community College (NCC)!

Local wineries who participate in the Mountain Wine Festival, Black River Farms, Blue Mountain Vineyards, Franklin Hill Vineyards, Galen Glen Winery, Tolino Vineyards, and Vynecrest Vineyard and Winery, made a $5,000 donation to NCC's Foundation for students interested in the art of making wine and growing grapes.

Andrew Warner, proprietor of Black River Farms, teaches NCC's "From Vine to Wine" course, a certificate program designed to deepen knowledge of growing grapes and producing wine.

"We wanted to keep the money in our community and help people pay for those courses and related courses in the culinary and hospitality programs," Warner said. "I have hired five people who have taken the NCC class I teach to work at the vineyard."

Elaine Pivinski, owner of Franklin Hill Vineyards, said "We love our community, and we love the college [NCC]. We also want this industry to continue in the Lehigh Valley. It's the best return on money per acre, and a way to preserve farmland."

"We grow unbelievable fruit in the Lehigh Valley and we are making really good wine. While it's really hard work, it's so gratifying every single day. We're excited to share that experience with NCC students," said Warner.

The Mountain Wine Festival will take place the third weekend of July 2019 at Penn's Peak. The next "From Vine to Wine" course will begin in Fall 2019. For more information, call 610-861-4175.

Photo attached: Andrew Warner of Black River Farms, Sharon Beales, vice president of Institutional Advancement at NCC, and Elaine Pivinski of Franklin Hill Vineyards.

About Northampton Community College

With an enduring commitment to the regional community it serves and a focus on student success, Northampton Community College has developed a reputation as an institution of extraordinary distinction, earning accolades at the state and national levels for innovative programs, outstanding faculty and impressive student achievements. It counts among its successful alumni a four-time Pulitzer Prize winner and an Academy Award winning director as well as a host of CEOs, presidents, and leaders of business and industry. Today, Northampton Community College has locations in Bethlehem, Southside Bethlehem, Easton, and Monroe County, serving 30,000 students each year from 53 counties, 42 countries and 25 states. For more information, or to apply, please visit www.northampton.edu.