< PreviousYour SchoolsYour SchoolsNScience Week St. Philip grades one and two had the opportunity to take a fantastic trip to Science Week at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The student and teacher workshops were part of the The Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, referred to as Pittcon. A nonprofit educational organization based in Pennsylvania, Pittcon organizes an annual conference and exposition on laboratory science. Teachers won the trips in a lottery and admission was free, including t-shirts, bracelets and chemistry booklets. Students participated in six workshops: building liquid density tubes, frog adaptations, magnet and circuit exploration, bird beak differences, polymer play, and sky lab planetarium show. All sessions were conducted by professionals in their respective fields of science from various parts of the country. Because of their participation in the weekend workshops, six St. Philip teachers earned $1,750 in grants to purchase science equipment for the school. Eighth-grader Grace Ravenstahl won second place in the Birthright Respect Life Poster contest. Sixth-graders Natalie Kirsch and Addison Hazuda took third place and honorable mention, respectively. The girls’ posters were displayed at the Birthright Art Show at this year’s luncheon fundraiser.Dictionary Week Third-graders were the proud recipients of their very own dictionaries as part of a special project sponsored by the Crafton-Ingram Rotary. Through the Dictionary Project, over 31 million children have received a dictionary thanks to the generosity of sponsors who have participated in the Dictionary Project. The goal of the program is to assist all students in completing the school year as good writers, active readers and creative thinkers by providing them with their own personal dictionary. The dictionaries are a gift to each student to use at school and at home for years to come. The Crafton-Ingram Rotary, an organization of business and community leaders in the area, is the local sponsor of the Dictionary Project and members personally came to St. Philip School to present the dictionaries and encourage children to develop good reading and writing habits. Educators see third grade as the dividing line between learning to read and reading to learn, so the dictionary project encourages its sponsors to give dictionaries each year to children in the third grade.“Horne’s in Gingerbread” wins second Fine arts teacher Janet Bartlett and her “elves” received a second place award at the PPG Wintergarden Gingerbread House competition. They produced a nostalgic replica of the Joseph Horne department store sporting its iconic Christmas tree. The gingerbread “store” also depicts Christmas scene windows and Santa on the rooftop. St. Philip third-graders Ava Lenigan and Ella Price enjoy their new dictionaries from the Crafton-Ingram RotarySt. Philip SchoolSTORIES AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ST. PHILIP SCHOOLGrace Ravenstahl, Addison Hazuda and Natalie Kirsch display their winning posters. Eva Lowder, Addison Hazuda, Violet Chabala, Victoria Pendzich, Lillianna Peterson, Katarina Komoroski, Danica DeOrio, Rachel McDevitt, Rachel Boehm and Lauren Kirsch helped fine arts teacher Janet Bartlett create a gingerbread house for this year’s PPG Wintergarden Gingerbread House competition.20 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2019NYour SchoolsYour SchoolsCelebrating the Christmas season St. Malachy students celebrated this past season of Advent by giving to those in need, participating in fun activities and sharing their musical talents. On Dec. 12, the band and hand bell choir hosted family and friends for an afternoon filled with music. Students filled the church with music by singing classic Christmas songs and a few new renditions, including the “Reindeer Boogie.” Fourth-graders also teamed up with kindergarteners through a “buddy” system to make Christmas tree treats. Throughout the year, the older students mentor their younger “buddies” through various activities. St. Malachy families also donated 190 pairs of pajamas to Scholastic’s Great Bedtime Story Pajama Drive. Students were rewarded for their work with a pajama and movie day before Christmas break. They also generously donated over $200 to St. Vincent de Paul to help locals in need.Park rangers visit St. Malachy Park rangers from Allegheny County Parks came to visit grades K through eight. While they taught grades K through four about local birds and their nests, grades five through eight learned about nocturnal animals and owls. The rangers brought examples of nests, eggs and beautiful stuffed owls. They had the children up and moving with an interactive game and the children learned what to look for when they visit county parks.Students learn through STEM activities Students participated in a number of hands-on STEM activities recently that encouraged learning about science, technology, engineering and math. During the holidays, students were challenged with building a holiday table for their meals out of popsicle sticks and dice. They tried many shapes and sizes to create the best table. Fourth-graders then bobbed for apples using a device made out of pipe cleaners, sticks, straws, string and paper clips. Team Apple Cider (Maddy, Alexis, Miya, Tommy) won by collecting 12 apples in one minute. Fifth-graders, meanwhile, created and raced their own race cars. Students learned about the parts of constructing the cars as well as aerodynamics, incline and drag. Hailie M.’s car traveled the furthest distance both with and without drag, thus earning her the title of STEM Challenge Champion. Students also complete many activities using “drag and drop” code in the computer room. They use programming skills for the Code & Go Robot Mouse sets, where they program mice around a maze to get to the cheese. They also learn about electricity using Snap Circuits sets. They can create music and make propellers fly into the air. Many of the students aspire to be engineers and enjoy these hands-on and thought-provoking activities.Students perform for friends and family at St. Malachy Catholic Church. St. Malachy students concocted inventions to help them bob for apples in a STEM exercise. St. MalachySTORIES AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY ST. MALACHY CATHOLIC SCHOOLJanuary/February 2019 • www.awmagazine.com • 21NYour SchoolsYour Schools Faculty, staff and students at Pittsburgh Technical College once again donated their time, money and talents to make the holiday season a little brighter for families and children in need in the area this past December. On Dec. 12, their efforts culminated in a daylong gift wrapping and sorting operation that resulted in the donation of gifts to 25 local families. As well, 50 homeless bags were distributed through the Salvation Army and stockings stuffed with presents were donated to children at the Bradley Center. Mark Bellemare, PTC hospitality faculty member and community service coordinator, says that students from healthcare, justice, hospitality, business and a number of other tracks lent their time to the effort. He says students also did much of the shopping. Faculty, meanwhile, raised funds by purchasing ornaments on a “giving tree” and by donating during “jean days.” He says PTC generously matched all funds donated to bring the effort to fruition. While serving the local community, Bellemare says that the two-decade-old effort also serves as a personal learning experience for students. Generally, he says, those students can be broken down into two categories. “There are students that had no idea that there was a need for this,” says Bellemare about one of those groups. “They came from a two-parent family, celebrated the holidays, Christmas, and had Christmas [presents] under the tree. Then we have students who were on the other end of things and had to rely on the goodness of other people to participate in something like this.” He says one student this year broke down in tears because she had benefitted from a similar charitable effort as a child. “So she was very happy to be on this side of it and helping out other families,” he says. Some students said they weren’t aware that an organization like the Bradley Center existed in the area before they got involved. The center provides treatment services for children who are experiencing emotional, developmental and behavioral health problems. “It’s something that especially around the holidays makes them feel pretty good about themselves,” says Bellemare about the students helping the center. He admits, though, that it also looks great on a resume. Brandon Westman and Sarah Esposito, two of Bellemare’s students who helped coordinate the gift-wrapping day, say they were impressed with the response from students and the amount of gifts donated. This was their first year helping with it. In all, 89 students, faculty and staff helped wrap gifts for just under 400 people.STORY AND PHOTOS BY DOUG HUGHEYAnnual philanthropic effort again nets gifts for local families in need ABOVE: Health care students Phylicia Strickland, Nicoal Smith and Stacy Suder lent some of their free time in December to an initiative at Pittsburgh Technical College aimed at donating gifts to families in the area in need. BELOW: Hospitality student Brandon Westman directs stocking-stuffing efforts. Pittsburgh Technical CollegeBELOW: Students wrapped throughout the day on Dec. 12 and piled up gifts on a long table. 22 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2019 When Samantha Perrone graduates from Moon Area High School this spring, she’ll have a number of options in front her. Not only will she have the experience neccesary to enter directly into the workforce, but she’ll also be prepared to pursue her post-secondary education in the culinary arts, thanks to her education at Parkway West Career and Technology Center. Perrone stated, “Parkway West CTC allows me to explore the culinary arts field prior to my high school graduation. I am excited to pursue a career in this industry that I love.” Perrone is one of many students in grades nine through 12 studying at PWCTC. In all, PWCTC provides education and training that allows students to be college- and career-ready in 15 different career pathways. These pathways include: auto body technology, automotive technology, building construction technology, cosmetology, culinary arts, diesel technology, digital multimedia, electrical systems technology, health assistant, HVAC/R, information technology essentials, public safety technology, sports medicine and rehabilitation therapy technology, veterinary assistant technology, and welding technology. PWCTC students who complete their program requirements have the opportunity to earn industry credentials that will allow them to enter directly into the workforce after high school or pursue further training at a post-secondary institution. Graduating students enter into this post-graduation stage with four years of free career education. This sets PWCTC students at a clear career and post-secondary advantage over other students. They graduate equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in their area of study due to the extensive training he/she received. With continual technological advances in society, PWCTC is constantly striving to improve program delivery through upgrades in the equipment and technology used to train and prepare students to become members of tomorrow’s workforce. The demand for skilled workers has dramatically increased over the past 10 years. By 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics predicts a marked increase in the need for healthcare, construction, automotive and information technology professionals. The free, four-year training that students receive at PWCTC allows them to fill this labor need. Students who choose to pursue a post-secondary degree after graduation will be at a distinct financial advantage over other students, as many of their prerequisite course requirements will have already been met thanks to their training at PWCTC. At PWCTC, students prepare for future success through 15 career-related programs that provide them with the technical abilities to be successful in a career or post-secondary path. NYour SchoolsYour SchoolsSTORY AND PHOTO SUBMITTED BY PWCTCSamantha Perrone is a senior at Moon Area High School studying culinary arts at Parkway West Career and Technology Center. Upon graduation in the spring, she’ll be able to enter directly into the workforce and, if she wishes, pursue her post-secondary education. Parkway West Career and Technology CenterTuesday, March 5th Auto Body Repair/ Automotive Technology/ Building Construction Technology/ Cosmetology/ Culinary Arts/ Diesel Technology/ Digital Multimedia/ Electrical Systems Technology/ Health Assistant/ HVAC/R/ Information Technology Essentials/ Public Safety Technology/ SMARTT/ Veterinary Assistant/Welding Technology 15 Career Majors Join us for an evening of demonstrations at Parkway West CTC. You will learn how Parkway West CTC can prepare you for a successful future, by training you to be college and career ready! Www.parkwaywest.org January/February 2019 • www.awmagazine.com • 23Moon Area School DistrictNYour SchoolsYour Schools Allard Elementary’s fourth grade student council members raised a total of $641 for Children’s Hospital as part of their Kindness Campaign. The Kindness Campaign coincides with the district’s school-wide positive behavior program and Choose Kind initiative. The student council members sold red beads and bracelets during Red Ribbon Week in October to help raise money. Members also sold gift basket raffle tickets during lunch and recess in November to continue contributing to the cause.Allard students held a fundraising campaign to purchase these items for children at Children’s Hospital. Bon Meade Elementary School hosted a toy drive this holiday season to support their mission of spreading kindness. This project was chosen as a student council kindness initiative and was inspired by two Bon Meade families that had children undergoing cancer treatment in Children’s Hospital a few years ago. These families were fortunate to experience kindness of gifts donated by Bon Meade during their time in the hospital and wanted to extend their positive experience to other children who are undergoing similar treatment this year. Bon Meade student council donated 11 boxes of toys and gift cards. Kindergartener Kadence Phillips also took it upon herself to sell crafts made from melted, broken and used crayons. She raised $300 and used the money to buy toys for children in the oncology/hematology unit at Children’s Hospital.Bon Meade students collected these gifts for children at Children’s Hospital. Brooks partners with United Way to donate to families in need Brooks Elementary School’s student council continued their Kindness Campaign during the holidays by partnering with United Way’s Holiday Hope Drive to raise donations for families in need. Brooks students generously brought in school supplies, small toys, backpacks and more to show the spirit of giving during the holidays. “The focus was to teach empathy and show kindness during the holiday season,” said student council sponsor and Brooks library media specialist Jessica Huzzard. Elected student council executive members Ellie Carothers, Clayton Foster, Vaughn Hollowood, Natalie Muhanna, Nevaeh Novak and Brody Stout led the school-wide drive and showed leadership to the other students by organizing, counting and packing all of the donations. At the close of the drive on Dec. 14, Brooks families sent over 25 boxes of donations to United Way for the Holiday Hope Drive.Allard student council donates to Children’s HospitalBon Meade hosts toy drive to benefit Children’s Hospital24 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2019STORIES AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY MOON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICTNYour SchoolsYour Schools Ms. Tolliver-Lehman’s seventh and eighth grade students learned about cultural celebrations as they enjoyed their Holidays Around the World Book Tasting last week. The classroom was organized into stations that featured books focused on five different holidays: Christmas, New Year’s, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and Thanksgiving. Students were able to browse the variety of books at each station and wrote down interesting facts about the holidays. Students enjoyed snacks during their classroom activity, which was provided by Mrs. Blodis, Mrs. Kuklish and Mrs. Taylor.Students gained a global perspective on holiday traditions through a unique exercise. On Dec. 21, middle school seventh grade Bear Team students completed a Rachel’s Challenge activity to continue spreading a chain reaction of kindness this holiday season. Each student was given 20 strips of paper, one for each of the kids in another class. On each piece of paper, students wrote a kind message or compliment for another student. Before leaving for winter break, each student also received an ornament filled with kind words and thoughts from their classmates. “It was a great way for their peers to recognize the qualities and traits that stand out about them and what ‘gifts’ they bring to the middle school,” said seventh grade teacher Barbara Lonnett.Students write positive messages to each other. Lesson centers on global holiday traditions Students share positive messages through Rachel’s Challenge On Dec. 7, Brooks Elementary, Bon Meade Elementary and Moon Area Middle School students worked together on a Kits for Kindness project. Ms. Archer and Ms. Kamicker’s classes from Brooks Elementary, along Mrs. Bukowski’s classes from Bon Meade, collaborated with Ms. Schulmeister and Mrs. Foust’s middle school classes to assemble hygiene kits for those in need. “The students worked hard to assemble these kits, and enjoyed spending some time together for the holiday season,” said Mrs. Foust. Students also enjoyed muffins made by the middle school food and consumer science students.Elementary students help assemble hygiene kits for those in need. Elementary and middle school students team up to create Kits for Kindness K-5 Challenge Program students went caroling on Dec. 5 with the seventh and eighth grade Girls Chamber Choir at in the community to help raise $701 for the KDKA Children’s Hospital Free Care Fund. The K-5 Challenge Program raised a total of $412 while the choir raised $289. Students presented the funds to KDKA on Dec. 12 and were able to sing a few carols on KDKA Radio. After presenting the donation to KDKA, students toured various locations downtown to view architectural design of the Omni William Penn, the PPG Place Wintergarden and a replica of the world’s largest creche at Steel Plaza.Challenge students and girls chamber choir raise $701 for KDKA Children’s Hospital Free Care FundStudents at the PPG Place Wintergarden.January/February 2019 • www.awmagazine.com • 25NYour SchoolsYour SchoolsUp-to-date MASD news atwww.moonarea.netMoon Area School District On Dec. 7, two Moon Area High School teams competed in the 18th Annual Chain Reaction Contraption Contest at the Carnegie Science Center. Students were tasked with building a machine that could tie a knot. The competition is held during National Engineers Week. This year, over 50 teams representing over 35 local school districts participated in the day-long event. Moon Area’s team, Tying Up Loose Ends, was comprised of seniors Zach Gribben, Arya Kothar, Nick Magnelli and Gautam Pulivarthi. Team Knot-ical was comprised of seniors Lillian Beckwith, Rose Broderick, Claire Daugherty, Isabella Gayoso, Nikki Konley, Stephanie Manasterski and Daniela Schmitz. Team Tying Up Loose Ends received a special award for Most Green project. For their project, the team reused and repurposed materials ranging from Frisbee pieces and Pop-Tart boxes, to Matchbox cars and wooden skewers. Team Knot-ical went with a pirate theme and used materials such as marbles, popsicle sticks and shells. “Both teams represented Moon Area High School with excellence and enjoyed a great hands-on experience that will transition into their future STEM careers,” said sponsor Steve Palumbo.Two teams represent MAHS at chain reaction contraption competitionHigh school students once again participated in the Chain Reaction Contraption Competition at The Carnegie Science Center this year. Moon Area rugby players Sofia Mancini and Bella Sinatra were recently selected to train with the Girls High School All-American Rugby Team. Junior Sofia Mancini and senior Bella Sinatra will both travel to in Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center in Chula Vista, California, in late December 2018. Mancini and Sinatra will join 100 other student athletes at the Olympic training center with the hopes of representing the USA women’s U18 and/or U19 national teams. Participants on the USA teams travel internationally to compete against other national teams from countries such as England, France and Germany. The high school Positive Living Club, Peer-to-Peer group and Global Minds Club all put forth a generous effort in December to ensure that their peers had winter clothing. While the Positive Living Club organized a clothing drive that brought in multiple boxes of gently used clothing, the Peer-to-Peer group organized a mitten tree that filled a table with hats, scarves, mittens and gloves. The Global Minds Club donated “treat bags” filled with school supplies, candy, cosmetic/personal care items, and a simple message: “You are important!” The generous donations provided by Moon Area students and their families filled an entire classroom. Positive Living Club members stayed late after school on Dec. 17, the final day before the winter break, in order to organize all of the donations and set up a free store, complete with lights and labels. Teachers were present throughout the day to guide students through a personalized no-cost “shopping spree,” where they got to hand-pick items that met their individual needs. There were even enough items for students to take things for their younger siblings who attend other Moon Area schools. The remaining new and very gently used items will be saved and stored in the Peer-to-Peer resource closet. All other remaining items will be donated. Some students who received items through the clothing drive were so inspired by the generosity that they said they, too, were thinking of ways to give back to their community.High school clubs host clothing drive for peers in needA number of high school clubs collected donations of winter clothing in December. Two MAHS rugby players invited to national development and selection camp26 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2019STORIES AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY MOON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT The Moon Area High School Drama Club welcomed professional Broadway actor Chris Peluso, who hosted a master class session for students in November. Peluso spent about 20 minutes answering students’ questions regarding his work as a professional actor on Broadway and in London, and specifically with his role as Sky in “Mamma Mia!,” which is the club’s spring musical. Peluso did a quick vocal warm up with the group and then students took turns performing their audition song and scene from “Mamma Mia!” Peluso also gave individual feedback to each student who performed. Peluso’s fiancé, Jess Gomez-Ng, also provided critique and feedback on the performances. Gomez-Ng, who graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in musical theater from the University of Michigan, brought a fresh and contemporary view of auditioning for a show. Peluso spoke at length about the year he spent on Broadway in “Mamma Mia!” He reiterated the importance having fun on stage while also telling this joyful story with heart and imagination. He said that “Mamma Mia!” is a show that can easily become very goofy very quickly, but with hard work, dedication and stamina, it can become a masterpiece. “This is an experience that is very unique to Moon Area as many high schools do not get the opportunity to work directly with an actor who performed the show on Broadway,” said drama club sponsor Rob Michael. The Moon Area High School Drama Club hosted Chris Peluso for a master class in November. MAHS drama club welcomes Chris Peluso for master class sessionJanuary/February 2019 • www.awmagazine.com • 27Dog moved into the 19th century home last June and has already hosted numerous private and public events there, including regular live music events. A large caterer’s kitchen, spacious rooms and an L-shaped, light-filled sun porch that can seat 50 have made the winery a desirable party venue. Even more interesting is the cozy, wood-paneled rathskeller, a basement pub believed to have been used as a speakeasy during Prohibition. Designed by John Hankey, a German descendant and former owner of the Hankey Baking Company, the room features raised plaster friezes that convey the history of bread making. A private speakeasy party held last fall at Black Dog sold out almost immediately. Three weekends of parties leading up to Halloween sold out as well. Rozum hired a local ghost hunter known for several television shows to lead a “Spirits with the Spirits” event. Guests, with drinks in hand, wandered around the mansion hoping to connect with ghosts. Rozum acquires all of his grapes from the Erie area, as well as fruits and pumpkins from local farms such as Janoski’s, Trax and Soergel’s. He has increased his production from 700 cases in 2016 to 3,000 cases in 2018, which amounts to 36,000 bottles. All of the wine is made on-site. Rozum said that he doesn’t intend to produce more than 5,000 cases so that Black Dog’s high product standards can be maintained. The winery employs 17 people, most of them part-time, at its three venues. Black Dog offers a range of wines, from dry reds to sweet whites. Beer drinkers can also choose from several varieties of Pennsylvania craft beers. Rozum says he’s proud of the accolades he has already received By Jill BordoABOVE: Last year, Black Dog took up residence in the Hankey House and now operates its flagship location out of the historic residence along Steubenville Pike in North Fayette Township. ABOVE RIGHT: The wood-paneled rathskellar in the Hankey House is believed to have once been a Prohibition-era speakeasy. Today, Black Dog utilizes the space for special events.Dionysus, the Greek god of winemaking, is smiling down on the Allegheny West readership area. In less than 10 years, numerous wineries have popped up in the surrounding communities, with more than half of them opening in the last two years. From the availability of large event spaces, to proximity to bike and walking trails, to the debut of the first vineyard in Allegheny County, each one has a unique draw in addition to their wine production.Black Dog Wine Co. Black Dog Wine Company in Hankey Farms is housed in the largest, most historic building of all of the wineries profiled, and is the only one with multiple locations. Mark Rozum had been making wine at home for years, but became more serious about it when he lost his job as a software engineer in 2015. He says he used the time to “go pro” and acquired the licensing and equipment to turn winemaking into a business. Rozum sold his products at local markets and festivals and the wines were well-received. Though he had returned to a full-time job, the challenge of keeping up with inventory demand for Black Dog eventually led Rozum to give that up. Along with his wife, Amy, Rozum owns three locations. Their North Fayette operation is the largest, with the other two locations in Grove City and Penn Hills. A fourth location is in the works for early 2019. The winery’s flagship location operates out of the historic Hankey House farmhouse mansion along Steubenville Pike. Black 7425 Steubenville Pike, N. FayetteHours:Sunday: 12-6 p.m.Tuesday–Thursday: 12-7 p.m.Friday-Saturday: 12–10 p.m.Live music and special events schedule at: www.blackdogwinecompany.com28 • Allegheny West Magazine • January/February 2019Michael Stephen Kavic Winery Michael Stephen Kavic Winery, owned by Michael and Patricia Kavic, was the first official winery and tasting room to open in the western suburbs of Pittsburgh. Both Michael and Patricia had been making wine at home since childhood. It was a skill they learned from their immigrant grandparents who came from Italy and Serbia. While on a trip to Italy in 2005, Patricia saw an article in USA Today about the rise of urban wineries in the U.S. The Kavics owned a building on Campbells Run Road that was built by Patricia’s father as a medical office for Michael’s surgery practice. When Michael was recruited by a hospital in Ohio, the couple moved their family to Youngstown and the building sat empty for years. After reading the urban winery article, Patricia said she knew how they could put the building to use. Michael was a bit more skeptical. At that time, other than a few in California, wineries that were not located in vineyards were fairly uncommon. Along with Patricia’s brother, Patrick Fleck, who now acts as the winery’s operations manager, and his wife, Amy, the couple transformed the medical building into a small but cozy four-room winery complete with a “library” for conducting wine education.Kavic Winery opened to the public in 2009. Now, Michael and Patricia return from Ohio each weekend to run the operation. They use only Pennsylvania-grown grapes for their wines. The winery’s semi-sweet, full-bodied “Lafayette” is one of their most popular reds, while the Blaufrankisch, called the “pinot noir of Eastern Europe,” won them their first award almost immediately after they opened. In the next phase of the winery’s development, the Kavics will serve as local pioneers in 2019 by harvesting grapes from their own vineyard, which has been designated the first commercial vineyard in Allegheny County. The first vines were planted five years ago in the lower of two vineyards on the Fleck and Kavic family property in North Fayette. Incidentally, vines were planted around the goalpost constructed over a decade ago for Pat and Amy’s son, Aaron, a kicker for championship football teams at West Allegheny High School and Duquesne University. In addition to the engineering principles he used to lay out and plant the vineyards, Pat Fleck’s assistance with construction and operational design at the facility has been paramount to the winery’s success, according to Patricia and Michael. “None of this could have happened without Pat,” said Patricia. The Kavics researched and chose a disease-resistant and cold-hardy grape developed in Minnesota for their first endeavor. The Marquette, a red hybrid grape typically compared to zinfandel and cabernet, will be the only one ready for harvest next year. The second vineyard will produce vidal blanc grapes. Most commonly used for ice wines, the Kavics intend to use it for a pleasant, semi-sweet white wine. With state-of-the-art harvesting equipment from Italy and a “perfectly neutral” soil test result from the Penn State agricultural department, the Kavics are prepared for their new business venture. Michael even spent time working in the vineyards at Presque Isle to learn as much as possible about the process. The Kavics were surprised last August by how quickly their grapes reached optimal sugar levels, a development which unfortunately resulted in a harvest missed by one week. However, the experience prompted Patricia to state that “I am confident that we will have a very good harvest this year.” Michael Kavic (left) and Patrick Fleck (right) are pictured at their North Fayette vineyard.Patricia Kavic is pictured with her brother, Patrick Fleck, at the Michael Stephen Kavic Winery tasting room in Carnegie.as a new commercial wine maker. He commented that most of his wines have won at least a silver medal at national wine competitions in places such as Denver, San Francisco and the Finger Lakes area of New York. In 2017, Rozum attended the Denver International Wine Competition and received a double gold medal for his “Keelboat” wine, a dry red made from DeChaunac grapes. He says that, in a room full of California cabernets and Washington rieslings, attendees commented to him that they didn’t even know wines were made in Pennsylvania. More exciting, and what Rozum calls “one of the coolest experiences of my life,” was winning the award for best sweet wine in Pennsylvania for 2018 for his “Trophy Wife” product. With Black Dog’s location on a main road as well as the bus line, Rozum would like to see the formation of an organized wine trail that would incorporate some 15 wineries that are within a 20-mile radius of Pittsburgh.1013 Campbells Run Road, CarnegieHours: Saturday: 12-5 p.m. Sunday: 12-4 p.m. www.kavicwinery.netBlack Dog Wine Company is operated by Mark and Amy Rozum of North Fayette Township. January/February 2019 • www.awmagazine.com • 29Next >