Photos by Richard L. Gaw        Hundreds of attendees gathered along the 100 block of South Broad Street in June 11 for the second annual Kennett Summerfest Wine & Spirits Festival that attracted some of the region’s leading wineries and distilleries.

 

By Richard L. Gaw, Staff Writer

For the entirety of the second annual Kennett Summerfest Wine & Spirits Festival on June 11 – one that attracted several hundred admirers of everything from Cabernet Sauvignon to distilled whiskey -- it was a four-hour pour-and-adore, flavor-and-savor fest, presented by the makers of some of the finest wine and spirits being made in southeastern Pennsylvania.

The festival’s key purpose may have been to introduce those in attendance to the fermented fruits being grown and cultivated throughout the Chester County region, but on a larger scale, the event also served as a celebration of sorts for a region that has for the past several years defied the odds and created a thriving local industry out of the rocky soils and four seasons of southeastern Pennsylvania.

All along the 100 block of South Broad Street, the curious and the thirsty sipped from the varietals offered by wineries who have long been entrenched in the local wine scene, as well as a growing roster of entrepreneurs who have opened vineyards and tasting rooms – or soon will be -- throughout southern Chester County. Combined, they are major players in elevating Pennsylvania wines to becoming among the top five wine producers by state in the U.S., according to several websites.

Kennett Borough Council President Doug Doerfler said that the festival acknowledges an often overlooked component of the area’s burgeoning wine culture.

“Even aside from the social activity aspect of this festival, this is about celebrating the agricultural business in southern Chester County,” Doerfler said. “You’ve got the winemakers, and then you have the farmers. When you hear people come to any of our wineries, they are thinking of the vintages and the tastes, but traditionally, the emphasis is rarely on the growers behind all of those varietals.

“That’s what has started to change in Chester County – the placing of more focus on and appreciation for the agricultural industry, which is what this festival does so well.”

“Everybody looks happy and that’s how I measure the success of the event – by the smiles on everyone’s faces,” said Daniel Embree, the executive director of Kennett Collaborative, who sponsored the event. “I have been exploring the wine culture in Chester County and the Brandywine Valley over the past few years, and what’s magical about this festival is that people can do all of that exploring in one day.

“Kennett Collaborative is partnering with the Brandywine Artisan Wine Trail, which has been experiencing a resurgence of popularity lately, because the quality of the wine speaks for itself and the people are noticing that growing quality. As a result, the wine industry in southeastern Pennsylvania and the Brandywine Valley is really taking off.”

To learn more about upcoming Kennett Collaborative events, visit www.kennettcollaborative.org.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].