If you didn’t know New Jersey made wine, you wouldn’t be alone. Every time I mentioned I was headed to the Garden State for a wine tour, all I heard was: “I didn’t know there are wineries in New Jersey!” To be honest, I hadn’t heard much about New Jersey wine myself. So I jumped at the opportunity to learn more when I was invited by the Garden State Wine Growers Association to join a very small socially-distant press wine tour back in October.
Apples, peaches, and grapes have been a part of New Jersey’s agriculture for centuries, but it wasn’t until 1981 after the New Jersey Farm Winery Act was signed into law that more farmers were allowed to produce and sell Jersey-grown wine grapes. That was a game changer for the Garden State. Many farmers started planting European grape varieties (vitis vinifera) like Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay. New Jersey has also been extremely successful at farming hybrid varieties. A hybrid variety is the product of crossing two or more grape species. Chambourcin and Vidal Blanc are examples of two hybrid varieties you will find a lot of in the state.
Currently, New Jersey has 64 wineries and four officially recognized American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). They include Warren Hills, Central Delaware Valley, Outer Coastal Plain, and a sub-AVA, Cape May Peninsula. New Jersey is ranked seventh in the nation for wine production.
The state’s terroir (climate and soil) make it an optimal region for viticulture. For example, the Outer Coastal Plain AVA has mostly sandy soil, which is great for growing varieties because it allows excellent water drainage when it rains. In addition to water drainage, sandy soil also helps the vines retain heat during cooler periods. Unfortunately, the climate in NJ makes it extremely challenging for winemakers to produce organic wines and even more difficult to produce biodynamic wines. Nonetheless, there are some really great organic wines being produced within the state. While organic farming can be a real hurdle in Jersey, many producers are focused on sustainability in farming and production.
Along the trip, I met some passionate winemakers, enjoyed delicious local, farm-to-table cuisine, and tasted some diverse and impressive wines. Here are a few of my favorite wineries that are producing high-quality wines in New Jersey that I think you should know.
William Heritage Winery
William Heritage Winery is located in Mullica Hill, which is the heart of the Outer Coastal Plain AVA. Seeing the potential to produce wine in New Jersey, Bill and Penni Heritage converted their 150-acre peach and apple orchards to wine vineyards in 1998. Producing 15,000 cases of wine a year, they are certainly one the largest producers in New Jersey. William Heritage produces a wide array of wines, including their popular Bordeaux-style wine they call BDX. However, many sparkling and natural wine enthusiasts are seeking out their natural sparkling wines called pet-nats and piquettes, which you don’t see a lot of in New Jersey. If you’re looking for more traditional sparkling in NJ, check out their 2016 Vintage Brut that scored 90 points by Wine Enthusiast.
Sharrott Winery
Once an apple orchard, Sharrott Winery first opened its doors to the public in 2008. Located in Camden county, the beautiful winery overlooks its sprawling vineyards and has a state-of-the-art kitchen to create amazing dishes to pair with their wines. Sharrott has quite a wine portfolio, but my highlight was their award-winning Tango, which is their Chambourcin blend. It’s a robust red wine with 65% Chambourcin rounded out with 36% Cabernet Franc. I can see this pairing well with grilled steak or rack of lamb.
Auburn Road Vineyard & Winery
If you’re looking for good karma, then Auburn Road Vineyard & Winery is a must stop in South Jersey. Here’s a fun fact: winemaker and co-owner, Julianne Donnini actually practiced law before she taught herself how to make wine. Auburn Road features a European-style bar inside, along with outdoor seating with fire pits overlooking their beautiful vineyards. With wine names like Peaceful Warrior and Good Karma, you know you’re about to embark on something wonderful. The names of the wine aren’t the only thing special about Auburn Road. Their wines taste amazing, as well! Good Karma, my absolute favorite, is one of their dry red wines. It’s a blend of Merlot and Pinot Noir. I found it really well balanced with subtle raspberry and dark cherry flavors. I’m also going to pretend I found some good karma while enjoying it. 😉
Unionville Vineyards
Nestled in Hunterdon County sits Unionville Vineyards. The winery’s diverse portfolio consists of Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and their elegant Rhône-style blends. Their Pinot Noir was the first in New Jersey to break 90 points in the Wine Advocate. Impressive, right? However, it was Unionville’s Pheasant Hill Chardonnay that left a major impression on me. Located just a few miles from the winery sits Pheasant Hill Vineyard, which is owned and managed by Unionville. Pheasant Hills comprises 15 acres, which is divided into two plots — one of which is Chardonnay from which they produce their flagship Chardonnay. The mineral characteristic is quite lovely. I tend to like my Chardonnay richer with quite a bit of oak, but I really enjoyed the Pheasant Hill’s just-a-touch-of-oak approach. It’s bright, aromatic, and crisp on the palate.
Beneduce Vineyards
Opened to the public in 2012, Beneduce Vineyards is located in Pittstown in Hunterdon County. The winery has a beautiful outdoor tasting lounge with ample seating. With a strong focus on sustainability, the family-owned winery produces some spectacular wines, including Cabernet Franc, Riesling, Syrah, and Blaufränkisch. One wine to highlight from Beneduce is their signature estate-grown wine called Blue 2. It’s produced with Blaufränkisch, which is an Austrian variety of grape that is very food-friendly. Blue 2 is expressive, nuanced, and all around just a lovely wine. We also got to sample a few of their pet nets. A couple that wowed the group was their Gewurztraminer and rosé of Blaufränkisch. Both are bright, fresh and soft on the palate.
Alba Vineyard
Situated in the rolling hills of Warren County, Alba Vineyard has some of the most beautiful vineyards in New Jersey. Part of the Warren Hills AVA, Alba’s award-winning wine portfolio includes Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Chambourcin, and Riesling. Founded in 1982, Alba started sustainable farming in the vineyards in 1997. The family-owned winery is owned by Tom and Dorothy, along with their sons Nick and Tom Sharko, who handle the day-to-day operations. Their Heritage Cabernet Franc is a big standout for me. It paired beautifully with a pepperoni and sausage artisan pizza they served the group.
Winemaker’s Co-Op
Founded in 2015, the Winemaker’s Co-op’s mission is to produce high-quality and authentic wines throughout the state of New Jersey. So how are they achieving this? Well, all participating wineries are held to strictly enforced standards, which includes keeping their crop majority vinifera (European varieties). Currently, the co-op is made up of William Heritage Winery, Unionville Vineyards, Working Dog Winery, Beneduce Vineyards, and Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery. Part of their “open source” wine experiment, each year winery members pool together their Chardonnay crop. The grapes are then crushed at one location and each member takes an equal share of the juice to create their individual wine expressions. The result is five elegant and unique expressions of fine New Jersey wine.
