Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/111102
ist-turned-winemaker, have been gaining attention for their grüner veltliners – one of the first, if not the first, domestic grüners. This has spawned plantings of the variety throughout the East, and with a production of just 4,500 cases, Galen Glen has emerged as a leader in the Pennsylvania industry. Penn State extension enologist Denise Gardner said she pours Galen Glen wines alongside Austrian versions, confounding tasters. "It shows that they are making those wines true to style," she said. Often, the Troxells are also the first to tackle new processes or equipment. INHERIT THE BOWL The Galen Glen tasting room, along with the Troxells' home, sits on a formation that looks like an upturned bowl sitting inside another bowl. The view is panoramic. Very few homes dot this sparsely populated part of eastern Pennsylvania about 90 miles north of Philadelphia, near the town of Andreas. All are occupied by Troxells, descended from the family that originally settled the region six generations ago. ered flat. Vines are planted down the side of the bowl, fanning out from the tasting room. Soaring to the north beyond a V-shaped glen is the sweet spot, the south-facing, convex Big Hillside vineyard, planted with merlot, cabernet franc, zweigelt and riesling. Facing Big Hillside is the Northface vineyard, planted to gewürztraminer and grüner veltliner. The soil is predominantly Berks silty loam, which is glacially deposited and usually topped by loess. "The glacial soils are very open and allow for deep rooting of grapevines, minimizing the potential for drought stress," Sarah explained. At the bottom of the glen is the winery, built by Galen and friends with heavy equipment. The air drainage is ideal and a strong wind, "the mistral of Galen Glen" as the Troxells call it, sweeps down the glen to prevent late-frost damage. Toolmaker-turned-viticulturist Galen Troxell enthusiastically conducts a winery tour. AT A GLANCE + Galen Troxell went back to the farm – and saved it – by converting it into a vineyard. + Troxell and his wife, Sarah, created a niche with grüner veltliner, establishing one of the first commercial plantings of it in the nation in 2003. + "Do more in the vineyard, less in the cellar" has been their philosophy. + In the German/Austrian tra- dition, they view themselves as a white-wine house. w w w. v w m media.com Galen Glen's Northface vineyard is planted to gewürztraminer and grüner veltliner. Through the years, the land was divided up between heirs, with the family patriarch alleged to have said he wanted to makes sure no son got stuck with all the hills. This would amuse anyone familiar with the Galen Glen property; there is not much land that could be consid- The rest of the bowl is planted with Cayuga, vidal and chambourcin. EUROPEAN INSPIRATION A visitor has to be dedicated to find Galen Glen, taking winding rural roads, past empty corn cribs M a r - A p r 2 0 13 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 47