Beneduce Vineyards is located in Pittstown (in Hunterdon County). It has only been open to the public since 2012. Despite that short history, it has won a host of awards and accolades (including being named one of the top 25 vineyards in the country by Travel & Leisure Magazine). Though I have previously written about Beneduce Vineyards, we were in the area (central to northwestern New Jersey) last week so my wife and I decided to revisit this superb winery. Our long drive from South Jersey was immediately rewarded with a warm greeting by our server, Penny, and her colleague (whose name, unfortunately eludes me). We were a little hungry and in need of a snack to go along with our tasting. We opted for a wonderful deluxe tasting that included an artisanal cheese and meat plate that fit the bill.
Our wine tasting consisted of:
- Three Windows White (a dry Riesling, named for their three beautiful windows adorning the wall facing their vineyards)
- Barrel Fermented Chardonnay – In a state which produces some fine Chardonnays, this is one of the better ones. As they describe this one, it is a compromise between the unoaked versions and the more heavily oaked bottles; this one is right down the middle.
- Rows End – a lovely dry Rose
- Blue2 Blaufrankish – (an Austrian grape gaining popularity in the state) Again, this is definitely one of the best.
- Centerfold Pinot Noir – As described on their tasting menu, “a very ripe style of Pinot Noir” (think California Pinot Noir, as opposed to a Burgundy or many Oregon Pinot Noirs). Delicious!
- Cabernet Franc – A great version of this wonderful grape that would do any barbecue proud.
Note: While I could not taste their Mangione (a Super Tuscan-style red) we decided to take a bottle of this one home, as we have been tempted on previous visits, but come home without one. Suffice it to say, it was worth the wait and the price. Save one of these for a very special meal at your favorite upscale Italian restaurant.
I really want to come back when there is live music and totally soak in the beautiful environs and special ambience. While this will require staying overnight, fortunately there are a number of great Bed and Breakfasts in the area. So at some point, we will definitely do this.
A glimpse of the beauty is shown in the picture below (including my beautiful wife).
Beneduce Vineyards is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 12-6; Fridays and Saturdays from 12-8; and Sundays from 12-6.
Beneduce Vineyards is one of the five wineries in the state comprising the Winemakers Co-Op, an organization which is dedicated to producing and promoting dry vinifera grapes that are estate grown. The other members are: Unionville Vineyards, Working Dog Winery, William Heritage Winery, and Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery (the most recent addition to this group). I hasten to add that the Winemakers Co-Op will be having their bi-annual portfolio tasting event at Unionville (it rotates among the winery sites) on October 14 from 2:00-6:00 PM. This is a must event for any wine lover in the state and beyond.
Cheers!
Coming Attractions
- A Tale of Two Wine Festivals
- Cape May Wine and Music Festival
- The Co-Op Event at Unionville Vineyards
- My Interview with Seferino Cotzojay, Winemaker at White Horse Winery
- Monroeville Vineyard & Winery Revisit
- Cedarvale Winery Revisit
Addendum to original post: Here is the coupon for $2 off my book, New Jersey Uncorked: A Snob-Free Taste of NJ Wine — Fall18. This coupon is good for the print copy only at: store.bookbaby.com/book/New-Jersey-Uncorked Be sure to enter the Fall18 coupon after you proceed to checkout. The coupon is good until October 31, 2018. The ebook is still available at $12.99 via the Apple iBook App.
Before I go, a quick correction to my post last week about Alba Vineyards. I mentioned that Alba does not have an AVA (American Viticultural Area). It does (Warren Hills AVA). Beneduce does not (nor does Unionville or a couple of other terrific wineries nearby). I just wanted to underscore that the absence of a designated AVA does not detract from the quality of the wines produced there. Unfortunately, in this post I chose the wrong winery to make my point. My apologies for this error.
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