—
It’s all, well, rather intoxicating.
Just over a week ago, two local entrepreneurs had the official opening of the first-ever winery in the Cambria City neighborhood of Johnstown.
Last week, an area delegation of businessmen and women held a press conference to share potentially good jobs news from an excursion to Argentina’s wine fields.
While our region has never been known as wine country – that is unless you’re talking about drinking the crushed berries – that’s apparently changing.
The 15-member delegation led by Cambria County President Commissioner Douglas Lengenfelder spent five days on a mission to the South American country. The fruits of their labor, Lengenfelder reported, include a bottling operation involving Argentine wine. The business, initially involving only a handful of workers, is expected to start within a few months.
“We could not have asked for anything stronger coming from the Argentines,” Lengenfelder said.
While the initial bottling will take place in a building owned by W.C. McQuaide Inc. trucking on Vo-Tech Drive in Richland Township, the venture is part of a bigger plan to establish a foreign trade zone at John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport. That idea is the brainchild of Lengenfelder, who also put together last month’s trip.
It’s expected the bottling company will serve as a model for more foreign business ventures here.
We hope the excitement continues to grow with further business development sprouting in the near future. Our economy badly needs a shot in the arm. We commend those who are leading the way to hopefully better days.
What some folks might not realize is that while wine-production talk might be low-key in our region, a lot of expertise on the subject exists in the Keystone State. According to the Pennsylvania Winery Association website, our state has more than 150 wineries.
Who knows? Perhaps in the not-too-distant future Johnstown will show up in the winery association’s brochures as one of its suggested tour destinations.
How sweet would that be?
Click here to subscribe to The Tribune-Democrat print edition.
Click here to subscribe to The Tribune-Democrat e-edition.
Mayor: Person Killed in San Antonio Flooding
Raw: Apple 1 Computer Sells for More Than $650k
Hagel Urges Cadets to End Scourge of Sex Assault
Raw: Gay Rights Activists March in Ukraine
Bus Fire Kills 16 Children, Teacher in Pakistan
Raw: Pakistan Election Results Protested
Raw: Trucker Bumps I-5 Bridge Before Collapse
Raw: Texas Deputy Shot by Colo. Suspect Honored
Major Detours Following Wash. Bridge Collapse
American Held in Grisly Czech Murders
Raw: Jersey Shore Reopens for Summer
UK-bound Pakistan Plane Diverted, 2 Men Arrested
Officials: Tsarnaev Friend Linked to Slaying
Obama:Sexual Assault Threatens Trust in Military
Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day'
Jersey Shore Open for Business
Raw: Memorial Day Flags Placed at Arlington
New Wheelchair Lift Promises More Access
First Person: Mom Discusses Famous Tornado Photo
Raw Video: Washington State Bridge Collapse
