Yori Wine Cellars
by
Kathy Sullivan
Summary: Yori Wine Cellars is a small winery located adjacent to a restaurant both of which are owned by Michael and Lynn Yori in North East. The couple produces small batches of a variety of red and white wines including dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet and sweet.
Yori Wine Cellars is owned by Michael and Lynn Yori. The couple owns Michael's Restaurant & Pizzeria next to the Yori wine tasting room. People will frequently stop for a pizza and pick up a bottle of wine to enjoy with their pizza. A small tasting counter overlooks South Lake Street.
In an earlier life Michael worked on the farm of the man who would become his father-in-law. Michael exclaimed that he and Lynn grew up with family members making wine over many decades.
. Later, in 2003 a friend asked Michael to help him make wine. By 2004 Michael was planting grapevines. Twelve years later, in 2016, Michael and Lynn began the process of starting a winery. By 2017, the winery was created. Michael and Lynn Yori have operated Michael’s Restaurant since 1987 and moved into our current location in year 2000.
The Yoris were able to add a wine tasting location adjacent to the restaurant. The couple pointed out that when they started, they knew they did not want to go into debt.
The building was originally built in 1884 but unfortunately burned down soon afterward. After rebuilding, the site once housed a department store, then an auto parts store and finally a book store. When Michael and Lynn took over the spot, they removed the plaster that was covering the red brick wall, adding ambiance to the tasting room. Lynn commented, that they “Love this location” and that they “have a niche” here in North East.
Michael considers himself to be a self-taught winemaker. He also went to Presque Isle Wine Cellars where he learned ample information about winemaking. The Yori wines are pressed offsite from the tasting room. Fermentation, bottling and storage take place on the second floor above the tasting room. Before adding some of the heavy winemaking equipment to the second floor, a structural engineer checked the second floor for strength.
The Yori vineyards consist of eight acres of vinifera, French hybrids and American grapes. Grape varieties growing in the vineyards include: Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay Chambourcin, Isabellla, Cayuga White, Baco Noir, St. Croix andFredonia. The Yoris have also planted grapevines on Lynn’s father’s farm.
Winemaking
During the winemaking process, Michael prefers using oak chips for most of his red wines. He noted that he produces a lot of small batches of wine. Michael expects to produce 3,400 gallons of wine in 2019.
Michael's and Lynn’s daughters, Kariann, Alliso and Mikaela, grew up helping make wine for home use for many years. Now Kariann is enrolled in the Penn State University Wine Making Course.
Wines
The 2017 dry Riesling had 12% alcohol. The yellow colored wine offered a floral aroma. The mouthfeel was silky. The wine had notes of white roses, a hint of honeysuckle and mineral with some white peach notes. The finish was crisp with layers of flavors.
Rosé 2017 was also 12% alcohol. This wine was produced with 100% Chambourcin. The wine was a salmon color. The aroma was of light red berry fruits. The mouthfeel was velvety. The wine taste was reminiscent of raspberry with a hint of strawberry. The finish was crisp and fruity.
Cabernet Franc 2017 had 12% alcohol. The wine was a translucent ruby color with a pink hue. The aroma was of dark fruits. The mouthfeel was velvety. The wine offered notes of blackberries, blueberries with some plum and spices. The wine was medium bodied and had medium tannins. The finish was fruity with spices.
Beach Glass White had 12% alcohol. The residual sugar was 40 g/L. This wine was a blend of Viognoles, Vidal and Traminette. The wine was a light yellow color. The aroma was of flowers and yellow stone fruit. The mouthfeel was velvety and the wine had notes of daisies, honeysuckle, peaches and mineral. The finish was floral and fruity yielding to mineral. The wine seemed drier than what one might expect with the residual sugar of 40 g/L.
Famiglia Red 2017, with 12% alcohol, was a blend of Fredonia and Concord. The residual sugar was 50 g/L. The wine color was a red with a dark pink hue. The aroma was grapey. The mouthfeel was velvety and the taste was also grapey. The finish reminds one of Welch’s grape juice for adults.
Beach Glass Red with 12% alcohol had 80 g/l of residual sugar. This was a blend of Isabella, Catawba and Steuben. The wine was an orange/red color. The aroma was of red raspberries and the taste reminds one of red raspberry jam. The mouthfeel was velvety. The finish was fruity then the sweetness became drying on the aftertaste.
Corot Noir was an opaque dark ruby to black color with a dark red hue. The wine offered notes of cherry with mild tannins. The wine was medium bodied with a silky mouthfeel. The wine finish lingered with notes of cherry,
While in North East, Pennsylvania and looking for a a bite to eat, stop by Michael and Lynn’s restaurant for pizza and stop by the wine tasting room for a bottle of Yori wine to pair with the food. There is on-street parking and a parking area to the rear of the building.
Yori Wine Cellars
18 South Lake Street
North East Township, Pennsylvania 16428
Article written May 2019.
