Table of Contents
Acknowledgements 7
Introduction 9
1 Pennsylvania: Wine Land? 15
2 Vinous Origins in Berks: The Stubborn Will of the Teuton 21
3 Wine Industry Growth: 1860s-1880s 28
4 Virtual Tasting 35
5 The Hermit of Mount Penn 46
6 Prose and Poetry 66
7 Tourists Arrive, via Gravity 89
8 Resort Town 108
9 Passing the Torch 138
10 The New Roost 149
11 End of the Line 158
12 Lingering Ghosts 172
Appendix A Christopher Shearer on How Wine Is Made 175
Appendix B German and Pennsylvania German Poems from Mountain Log Book 179
Appendix C German Poetry Penned by Kuechler 185
Appendix D Menus from Pleasant View Hotel 189
Appendix E "New" Roost Menu and Wine List 191
Appendix E Mount Penn Summit Hotel, Supper Menu 195
Appendix G Recipes 197
Appendix H The Mountain Railroads of Reading, Pennsylvania 199
Appendix I Such a Fun Time, by Miss Gushie Gurgle 205
Appendix J List of Names on the Roost Stamtisch Table 207
Notes 209
Index 219
About the Author 223