Located in the Village of Finesville in Milford, Alba Vineyard is one of the oldest and largest wineries in the state. The tasting room is a converted barn built in 1805. Much care and a great deal of skill and craftsmanship went into converting this antique barn into a modern facility for making, tasting and selling wine. It is a unique and charming marriage of the old and the new. In addition to the beautiful tasting room, they have a spacious area outside with picnic tables and a stage for their live music. The outdoor seating area is partially covered and overlooks the winery and the vineyard. During the current re-visit we were told that the musical events have been moved to a nearby site on the property.
Alba Vineyard offers the following white wines: Chardonnay; Mainsail White (a blend of Chardonnay, Traminette, Gewürztraminer and Riesling); Dry Riesling; Riesling; and Gewurztraminer. They offer two Roses: Chelsea Dry Rose and Rosa Semi-Sweet. Their reds include Barbera; Cabernet Sauvignon; Chambourcin; Heritage (Cabernet Franc); Merlot; Old Mill Red (a blend of reds stored in French oak); Pinot Noir; and Syrah. Dessert wines include Blueberry, Red Raspberry and Vintage Port.
In addition to the wines made from their estate-grown grapes, Alba produces wine with another label (Chelsea Cellars Wines), which showcases grapes sourced from Washington State and produced at Alba. These consist of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.
Alba wines have won numerous awards from state, national and international competitions. At the 2017 Great American International Wine Competition Alba took a Silver Medal for their 2015 Chardonnay and 2015 Riesling. At the same competition they won Bronze Medals for their 2013 Heritage Cab Franc and 2014 Pinot Noir. At the New Jersey Wine Competition in 2016 Alba won a Gold Medal for their 2013 Cabernet Franc and Silver Medals for their 2013 Pinot Noir, NV Old Mill Red and 2015 Chelsea Dry Rose. They also took Bronze Medals for their 2011 Port, 2013 Chambourcin, 2013 Barbera, 2014 Chardonnay Estate Reserve, 2014 Riesling, NV Blueberry and NV Mainsail White. At the 2016 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, Alba won a Gold Medal for their 2013 Estate Pinot Noir, Silver Medals for their 2013 Barbera and 2014 Dry Riesling, and Bronze Medals for their 2014 Estate Reserve Chardonnay and Semi-Sweet 2014 Riesling. Alba took Best of Show and a Gold Medal for their 2013 Pinot Noir at the 2016 Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition. They also garnered a Silver Medal for their 2103 Cab Franc at that competition.
The tasting room is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Saturday from 11 a.m.–6 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m.-5 p.m. As always, check their website for more specifics and the most up-to-date information.
My favorite white wine is still their Main Sail White. I was also impressed with their Chardonnay and their Riesling (dry). My new favorite red is Alba’s Pinot Noir. Their Chambourcin, Cab Franc, and Syrah are also stand-outs, while the Old Mill Red is still a great every-day red, at an affordable price.
Alba Vineyard continues to host musical events, though as mentioned above, the venue has moved to a different nearby location on the property. Check out their events line-up.
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Cheers!
