South Jersey Wineries
If the most important tool in your kitchen is a corkscrew,
you're gonna love South Jersey. Surprised? Whether it's the
soil, the climate or a combination of both, New Jersey is
the nation's fifth largest producer of grapes and wine
making is a growing industry.
At the heart of this wine boom are several regional
standouts.
Valenzano Winery in Shamong has been making a big splash
among oenophiles. Their 2001 Cynthiana wine walked off with
no less than 4 prestigious gold medal awards, including the
2004 Governor's Cup. Stop by their elegant new wine tasting
room to sample reds, whites and even a few fruit wines –
blueberry, strawberry, cranberry -- that celebrate their
Pine Barrens heritage.
Using the secrets of winemaking that his grandfather brought
from the "old country," the founder of
Amalthea Cellars in Atco thinks of wine as a work of
art. As an artist blends colors, the Amalthea vintners blend
grapes to achieve the finest quality, richest tasting winds.
In nearby Richwood, the
Heritage Station vineyards does it all themselves. They
grow the grapes, they age, process and bottle all on the
grounds where you can stop by for wine tastings or make a
reservation for the scheduled wine and cheese events.
Heritage Station rounds out the traditional selections of
Merlot, Cabernet and Chardonnays, with fruit wines from
their peach, sour cherry, sugar plum and cherry orchards.
It's one of the newest wineries in the region, but with
three generations of Tuscan winemakers in their family
trees, the folks at
Hopewell Valley Vineyards have learned a thing or two
about old-world, high quality winemaking. And they've
learned quickly. In only a few years, the fledgling winery
has already caught the attention of people who know about
these things, earning Bronze Medals for their Merlot, Rosso
dell Valle and Stony Brook Blush in the New Jersey Wine
Competition.
Visit the
Garden State Wine Growers Association site for
up-to-date information on the region's wine-related
activities and events.
Pictured: Heritage Station, Richwood
Credit: Thomas E. Briglia - Photographics
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