Every quarter when I return to present at The Lodge at Woodloch, a destination spa, I pass by Three Hammers Winery. For years my mom and I have been saying, “we should visit one day”, while on our way to the spa. We made it out to the winery this February and it was a wonderful experience; a truly unforgettable one!

Rob Kobrzynski and Christine Pucciarello are the owners of this wonderful little winery. They are a dynamic duo when it comes to creativity and finance and have really done a lot with Three Hammers to make it such a success. They have added a new Barrel and Table experience with one of my favorite chef’s, Chef Josh Tomson, who offers incredible food and wine pairings at this winery. I had the opportunity to do both dining and tasting experiences and they’re both great!

The Bites & Flight experience is really a perfect tasting to do before the Barrel and Table one outside, or even before you head elsewhere for the evening. This tasting consists of three wines and three “mini courses” which is ideal for those who want to experience the food and wine, without a full coursed out lunch or dinner. The tasting began with a Beet and Goat Cheese course topped with Pepitas and paired with Viognier. It was really fantastic and the Viognier was bright and refreshing.

Three Hammers has a fantastic winemaker, Hillary Gary who walked us through her wines. She makes really wonderful and dynamic old world style wines with new world grapes. She is always experimenting and perfecting her wines, and has produced some really stunning ones for Three Hammers Winery. I was wildly impressed with the Viognier as well as the Grüner Veltliner which were both layered and complex. The Gruner would go nicely with the Bites and Flights Delacotta Squash with local blue cheese which was one of my favorite courses. The final bite course however became my favorite, and was Whipped Prosciutto, with Truffle Buratta and Fig paired with a seductive Cuvée 2020 which is a blend of Barbera, Cabernet, Syrah, and Petit Verdot.

After a delicious flight we stepped outside to a heated tent to enjoy the winter day and wonderful menu Chef Josh had prepared. The Barrel and Table menu is seasonal, fresh, and a fun full five courses with wine pairings; so essentially it’s the perfect lunch or dinner date for all! We began with the house made Blood Orange and Rosemary infused Sangria paired with a Cedar Baked Cheese Board. The board was absolutely fabulous full of delicious baked cheeses and was perfect with the sweeter sangria.

The second course was paired with the 2021 Viognier, which we loved inside and knew we would really enjoy with Niman Ranch Lamb Belly Bao Buns! They were out of this world and bursting with flavor, and really complimented the jasmine and white pepper notes in the wine. For our third course we enjoyed the 2021 Grüner Veltliner with an incredible spin on a Panzanella salad. Chef Josh wowed us with a Row 7 Badger Flame Beet Panzanella Salad with fresh mozzarella and Fennell; it was outstanding!

Up fourth we enjoyed one of my favorite dishes Chef Josh makes which are the 30 Hour Braised Short Ribs with potato puree and a vegetable hash. Paired alongside was the 2021 Merlot, which I loved… but then again I love Merlot, especially this one. The Merlot is juicy and bold and really complimented the savory, soft short ribs and flavorful vegetable hash. For a sweet ending the final course was really such a treat paired with the 2021 Tempranillo. The dessert was a Moka Origins Dark Chocolate Cremeaux which is silky, sweet, and so perfect with dry red wine.

If you’re in PA near the Poconos, you’ll want to make Three Hammers Winery a must stop in your itinerary. It’s such a wonderful winery with a really friendly and knowledgeable team, delicious food, and an inviting atmosphere. I will absolutely be back again to visit, it’s a fantastic experience!

Always remember, eat what you like and drink what you love. Please pair responsibly.