New Jersey Wine Tour-Round One

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I must admit, we’ve had a bit of a prejudice against New Jersey wines. We have always appreciated New Jersey’s fruit wines, particularly its blueberry and peach wines, but we’ve never been dazzled by any of the grape varieties. With more and more wineries popping up, and without unlimited resources to jet off to California, or South Africa, or Italy whenever we want, we decided to give New Jersey wineries another try.

Sharrot Winery- Hammonton

Though the tasting room is small, Sharrott Winery’s wines pack a big taste punch.

The staff was knowledgeable, friendly, and engaging.

The other patrons were lively, and we had a nice chat about good Mexican restaurants in the area.

Out of the three wineries we visited, we liked the most wines at Sharrott. Deciding which bottles to bring home was a daunting task.

The Vignoles tasted like sitting in your backyard on a summer night, so we bought a bottle to take to the first backyard bbq our friends have this year. We also came home with a bottle of the Vidal Blanc. Their Port was also really good, and Shannon regretted not getting a bottle when we were there, but it’s okay. Starting in April, Sharrott has live music and food trucks on the weekend, so I’m looking forward to another visit.

Hawk Haven WineryRio Grande

 

There were plenty of people making use of the warm March day on the grounds of Hawk Haven Winery.

I was excited because it was the first winery I’ve found with a swing.

In March and April, on the weekends, they offer a special tasting of their premium wines. Since it’s only offered for a limited time, we decided to go for it.

This was another place that had friendly, enthusiastic staff. You could really feel their passion for their wines.

We came home with a bottle of the Gewürztraminer and the Tempranillo. The neat part about getting their premium bottles is that it’s a limited bottling, so the bottles you get are numbered.

One of the best parts about Hawk Haven Winery is its location. If you’re heading to the Southern Jersey Shore, you can swing by for a tasting, before heading to one of the many beaches.

During the summer, Hawk Haven hosts Sangria Sundays with two types of sangria and a larger variety of food that can be ordered and enjoyed on their patio.

White Horse Winery-Hammonton

 

White Horse Winery had our favorite indoor atmosphere out of the three wineries we visited thus far. It feels more like a coffee café that serves wine instead of cappuccinos. It’s a place where you can meet and hang out with friends. Several of the tables contain board games.

We found that they had the most generous pours for their tasting, so you get a decent amount of wine.

Our favorite wine was the Nebbilio. Not that the rest of the wines were bad, but I think what we loved the most, were the boards.

When we laid eyes on the cheese board being delivered to another patron, we knew we had to get one.

Much to my delight, the board came with a substantial portion of blue cheese, one of my favorites. It definitely ranked as one of my favorite cheese boards I’ve had.

We also sampled the bruschetta board. It was tasty too, especially the honeyed goat cheese.

White Horse Winery will also have a Food Truck night on Fridays starting in May. Since they have ample indoor space, they have music all year round on Saturdays and Sundays.

Again, it’s a great option if you are over the bar scene, and want a cozy, fun place to spend a few hours sipping some wine, and eating some cheese with friends.

After visiting our first three wineries, we were impressed. New Jersey has really stepped up its wine game. We’re looking forward to continuing our tour.

 

 

 

 

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  1. Kirsty - What Kirsty did next

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    I had no idea New Jersey had their own wines. You’re really lucky to have so many wineries near you! I love a good wine tasting with a delicious cheese platter.

  2. Sheena

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    This is such a great post!

  3. Gemma

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    Had no idea New Jersey had a wine region! Those wine pours do look pretty generous….I also love that you can visit the coast while on a wine tour in the area.

  4. Victoria

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    Great information here, Sarah! As always, I love the photos you provide along with your commentary. I would be drawn to the swing, too! I’ve shared this post online. Can’t wait to read Round Two.

  5. Jess

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    This post is so helpful! Mike and I travel all over the state to breweries, but I’d love to get to more wineries. This is a helpful guide. Thank you! (I love blue cheese too)

  6. sarah

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    Who knew Jersey had wineries?! I love wine travel 🙂

  7. Toni

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    Great post. I don’t drink but might have to give winery tours a go.

  8. Andrea on Vacation

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    Wine tastings before the beach seems reasonable to me! Those cheeseboards do look fantastic- I’m a big fan of bleu as well.

  9. Laura (48 No Interstate)

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    I didn’t know this about New Jersey! We have just discovered the wine industry in Texas, so it looks like there are all kinds of options popping up across the country. Thanks for sharing!

  10. Erin Klema | The Epicurean Traveler

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    I wouldn’t have thought of New Jersey for wines, but it seems every state has a wine trail these days. It is awesome that you found some wines you really liked at Sharrot. It’s always nice to find local gems where you can do a day trip, and with the live music and food trucks that would be a fun afternoon hangout. I’d also want to hit up White Horse if I’m ever in the area. Those cheese and bruschetta boards look downright mouthwatering. #WeekendWanderlust

  11. Rob+Ann @TravelLatte(.net)

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    Somehow, we’ve never put New Jersey and Wine together. But hey, we don’t judge – we’ll try almost any wine! 🙂

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