FOUR SEASONS: Perfect pairings: North East wineries offer summer full of food, music, fun

You’ve probably heard of the expression “Make hay while the sun shines.”

Around northwestern Pennsylvania, taking advantage of all summer has to offer wouldn’t be complete without a trip to wine country.

North East offers more than a dozen local wineries — and each is ready to offer you plenty to enjoy. From new varieties of wine, beer and cider to food made in house or by local food trucks and lots of live music.

Here’s a look at what each winery has in store for summer.

• Arrowhead Wine Cellars, 12073 E. Main Road, has been producing award-winning wines for three generations. But did you know they also produce hard cider, grape, cherry and apple juice, along with root beer that comes from a family recipe?

• Arundel Cellars and Brewing Co., 11727 East Main Road, continues its popular Summer Sundays Series with live indoor music from 1 to 4 p.m. weekly in June, July and August. The tasting room and kitchen are adjacent to the performance area, so you won’t go hungry or miss a beat. Fun Fridays, with live music in an outdoor pavilion from 6 to 9 p.m., is a great way to kick off the weekend. Pair it with a pina colada hard cider or another flavor of summer.

• Burch Farm Country Market and Winery, 9210 Sidehill Road, is celebrating the fruits of the season this summer. Strawberry celebration weekend will be June 16-18 and include a special Father’s Day luncheon on Sunday. Everything’s just peachy during August during Peachie Days at the Farm, Aug. 18-20. Be sure to check out the desserts along with peach wine and slushies. Finally, don’t miss the annual Corn & Pig Roast with live country music July 23.

• Cellar ’54, 9368 W. Law Road, offers its music series, Cellar Jams, weekly in June, July and August. Enjoy live music and area food trucks from 6 to 9 p.m.

• Courtyard Winery, 10021 W. Main Road, invites you to Picnic in the Vineyard, a private excursion out into the vineyard for a meal by the creek. It includes a handcrafted lunch for two, handmade tablecloth, picnic basket made by local artisans, two wine glasses and a bottle of wine.

• Driftwood Wine Cellars, 20 E. Main St., appeals to your sweet tooth with milkshakes and slooshies made with wine and boba. Don’t miss the release of their new wine and cider – with names like Hot Mess and Someone’s Always Naked, the new monikers never disappoint.

• Heritage Wine Cellars, 12160 E. Main St., has reopened its kitchen with a brand new menu including breads, platters & boards, chips & dip, sandwiches, salads and desserts.

• Lakeview Wine Cellars, 8440 Singer Road, is a small boutique winery with an amazing view of Lake Erie and wine country from its perch atop the glacial moraine. Enjoy oak aged wine outdoors on the patio, near the wine bottle shaped pond or in the surrounding vineyards.

• Mazza Vineyards, 11815 E. Lake Road, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and debuted a new hard cider in a can. This year, their sister location Five & 20 Spirits and Brewing celebrates its 20th year in Westfield, NY. Stop by for the popular Sunday Sesh music series for a relaxing afternoon on the patio and food from local food trucks. Or visit the cavern at South Shore Wine Co., 1120 Freeport Road, for light and bubbly mimosa flights in the regions oldest winery dating back to the 1800s.

• Penn Shore Winery and Vineyards, 10225 E. Lake Road, has announced its popular outdoor Summer Concert Series is back with nine concerts planned for Saturdays in July and August, from 5 to 9 p.m. including Abbey Road July 8, Tennessee Backporch Aug. 5 and the Duke Sherman Blues Band Aug. 26. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy an evening outdoors in the vineyard.

• Presque Isle Wine Cellars, 9440 W. Main Road, brings back its Creekside Music Series with nine concerts in June, July, August and September. Don’t miss their Wine Down Music Festival July 14-15 with live music, artisans and more. Then cruise on in July 29 from noon to 6 p.m. for a car cruise.

• Skål Meadery, 15 W. Main St., makes a variety of meadtails (think cocktails). These drinks are a great way to try mead, which is made with fermented honey.

• Yori Wine Cellars, 18 S. Lake St., already offers a great selection, with more than 30 varieties of wine and a full menu made by their sister business Michael’s Pizzeria, 20 S. Lake St. New this year: beer! Choose from a dozen rotating selections from light to dark. Take your wine or pint and enjoy it al fresco on the new outdoor patio.