FACES & PLACES LOCAL COLOR MAY 2009   Sand Castle Winery by Marilyn Bullock and Joe Maxian Did you know there is a castle in Bucks County? Just up the river in Erwinna, PA is a beautiful European-style winery that looks like a real castle. I drove up there one day shortly after the Winter Festival's Twin Town Tasting. At the tasting I met Joe Maxian, part owner of Sand Castle Winery. He was proferring this awesome sweet spicy warm wine - Alpine Spice. I loved the taste of the wine and decided to visit the wiinery so I could buy a bottle. While there I got a full wine tasting and had the opportunity to try about seven or so different wines. Mmmmm. Sand Castle Winery is the purveyor of fine wines of a long and noble heritage.  It's founders, the brothers Joseph and Paul Maxian, were born and raised in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, a region renowned for viticulture even before Celtic tribes roamed its hillsides or the Romans began to rule the world.  The Maxians clamied their birthright-a centuries-old winemaking art-and are proud to introduce in America superior quality, classic wines descended from the finest European winemaking traditions.  The brothers Maxian came to the United States in 1969 and were drawn to the land named in honor of the late Sir William Penn.  Centuries earlier, Sir William forsaw that this land held great promise for fine winemaking; he established his personal vineyard on the banks of the Schuylkill River and ordained that the tree and vine be components of the seal of Bucks County.  Tragically, Sir William died before his vision became a reality.  Upon emigrating to America, Joe and Pual made Sir William's dream their own; to combine the great European and American traditions and create world-classpremium estate bottled, vinfera wines. Ten years of soil preparation included burning of the brush, 80 tons of manure on each acre, ripping the rock to the depth of 3 feet, placing 15,000 feet of drainage pipes, several  years of cover crop plowed in the grounds to improve the organics of the soil.  Additional work included miles of the deer fence, two miles of farm roads, and the planting of first 20,000 plants by hand, one by one.  This continued for two more years to the final count of 59,000 plants.  During the second year, the plants get a trellis. Finally, by the 3rd, 4th or 5th year the first fruit appears Sand Castle Winery is totally dependent on their own grapes, so the production varries according to a harvest. Typically, they get between 7,000 to 15,000 cases each year (17,000 - 35,000 gallons). Johannisberg Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Gewurtztraminer are the types of wine produced. Sand Castle Winery has won numerous awards in US and abroad, including: Associated Press Award for most popular winery, Great Taste of Internet Ballot, Great Wine Award and Dining Around TV Food Network.  Visitors can taste the wines with many different foods, take a tour of the Castle and underground wine cellar, listen to the wine songs of different parts of the world and enjoy the 15 miles view of the picturesque' Delaware Valley. Sand Castle Winery 755 River Rd Erwinna, PA 18920  1 800 722 9463  www.sandcastlewinery.com