Galen Glen takes ‘Best of Pennsylvania’ for Riesling

Galen Glen Winery in Andreas has a lot to celebrate in 2019, and a lot to look forward to in 2020 – its 25th anniversary.

In October, the winery won “Best in Pennsylvania” for its Riesling Fossil Vineyard 2018, Vinology at the Pennsylvania Sommelier Judgment. The event was organized by the Pennsylvania Wine Association.

“I was actually speechless,” said Sarah Troxell, owner of the vineyard with her husband, Galen, about the win.

Troxell said she entered the competition because a friend encouraged her to do it. She did, just to appease her friend.

“That wine competition draws a lot of entries,” she said.

Troxell said there are about 300 wineries in the state, and many of them enter the competition.

“Everyone’s been really excited for us,” she said about her family and staff, who she calls her winery family. “It’s an honor and it’s very humbling to be recognized by our peers in the wine industry.”

In addition to the Riesling, the winery’s 2018 Cabernet Franc placed in the association’s top 10 wines, and its 2017 Grüner Veltliner received an honorable mention.

For the award, the association gives out an engraved saber. Troxell said the story behind the saber is that Napoleon would open a bottle of wine on the battlefield with a strike of a saber. He would strike downward across the tip of the bottle, slashing off the corked opening. This is known as Champagne sabering.

The sword she received now sits prominently above the wine racks in the tasting room.

The farmland has been in her husband’s family for 200 years. Troxell said they chose “the aromatic white wines of Germanic wines” because it his heritage.

“Riesling is king of the wine grapes in Germany,” she said.

But also because Riesling goes with a lot of the foods they like to eat.

“If you like wine, you like food, and it’s always fun how they pair together,” she said.

The Riesling Fossil Vineyard 2018 is a dry wine. It has a cool, crisp but smooth flavor.

Troxell said their wines are 100% from grapes. No added flavors, except for the Raspberry 2018 that has some raspberry flavor added. The descriptions of the wines at the taste room are a guide to help people pick a flavor.

For instance, the Grüner Veltliner 2018 has a citrus flavor.

“The grapefruit is characteristic in Grüner,” she said.

Grapefruit juice isn’t added to the wine. The grape naturally has a citrus flavor, she said.

“We have the second oldest planting of Grüner Veltliner on the East Coast,” she said “It’s commonly planted in Austria.”

In addition to Riesling and Grüner Veltliner, Galen Glen also grows Gewürztraminer grapes, which is also a dry wine.

Including those mentioned, the vineyard has grown several varieties of grapes: Vidal, Cayuga, merlot, Niagara and Chambourcin, Troxell said. They also have two bubbly wines. Quartz made from Vidal grapes and Bubble Rose made from a blend of grapes.

“It’s an aromatic blend and a little sweeter,” she said.