Vintner Extraordinaire

Lehigh Valley Voice - June 01, 2022

A vintner extraordinaire guides majestic vines into fine wines

By Deb Lehman

“Believe in yourself – That is always a homerun. That would be the name of my wine.” Elaine Pivinski

Elaine Pivinski, the owner of Franklin Hill Vineyards, was among Pennsylvania’s first wine makers and owners. In 1975, she began her vineyard in Bangor, P.A, with a dream and a promise: farm the earth to provide for her family and for future generations.

“Some say life is a journey,” she says. “A path that leads you through joy and sorrow. My path has been here, among the vines. I planted them, I nurtured them, and I watched them flourish. As they have grown, so have I…and with each season that passes, I grow stronger in my purpose…Cultivating life’s balance and giving back to the soil hasn’t been easy.”

Elaine has weathered many storms, both literal and figurative. She went through a difficult divorce in 1985 and worked even harder to support her family. As luck would have it, she hired an exceptional woman named Bonnie in 1979 who ultimately became Franklin Hill Vineyard’s head winemaker. By 1981, the vineyard was growing strong.

But the two of them faced continuous challenges from Mother Nature and the obsolete laws which favored husbands over wives. Elaine and Bonnie were about to pack it in, when they entered their wines into a competition and won 3 medals.

“This is what changed my life,” said Elaine.

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