Revisiting Valenzano Winery

It’s been more than two years since I last wrote about Valenzano Winery on these pages so it is definitely time for Revisiting Valenzano Winery. They have a beautiful tasting room located in Shamong. Valenzano was one of the first wineries I visited in the state, opening in 1997. I wrote about their growth in my post here: https://wp.me/p74VSa-3H. I have also written about their great Thursday night dinners for Jersey Bites at jerseybites.com (September 6, 2017).

Today I’d like to focus on their wines (and meads). Valenzano’s wines are reasonably priced ($9-$20) and varied (dry whites and reds to sweet whites and reds). Valenzano even has married the two categories with what they call Harmony wines (BlackberrySyrah, Raspberry Riesling and Peach Pinot Grigio).

Valenzano’s other categories for their wines include “Traditions” (dry reds and whites that are made with estate grown grapes). These include:

• Cabernet Merlot (blend)
• Chambourcin (they were out of this one)
• Cynthiana (also known as Norton; one of my favorites here). Cynthiana is a very interesting and often overlooked 100% American grape.
• Old Indian Mills Blend (a red blend favorite among patrons for many years)
• Chardonnay
• Vidal Blanc

I passed on their sweet wines this time around, as you are limited to eight choices and my palate remains partial to dry wines. However, I do recall enjoying their Peach Pinot Grigio (in the Harmony category).

The other dry wines are in the “Destinations” Category. These wines utilize grapes that come primarily from the West Coast. They include:

• Malbec-somewhat lighter, not as juicy, fruity as many I have tasted
• Zinfandel-Probably my favorite wine tasted. More full-bodied than any of their other wines, with a 16.1% ABV contributing greatly to the body.
• Sangiovese-a decent, traditionally light wine
• Carmenere-with grapes sourced from Chile, a pretty good red, with the aroma and taste of pepper right out of the gate
• Sauvignon Blanc-My favorite white tasted (with the generosity of my wife sharing hers to make this possible)

Three Specialty Wines are also produced:

Jersey Devil Port, Red, White and Blue Sangria and White Sangria. Though I did not taste any of these on this visit, I have had their Jersey Devil Port (and have a bottle in my cellar). It is a full-bodied, tasty dessert wine or can be enjoyed a cappella.

Finally, Valenzano currently has three Jersey Devil Meads: Golden Lore, Pale Moonlight and Night Fall. I got to taste the Pale Moonlight, with notes of vanilla and the delicious influence imparted by the bourbon barrels in which it was fermented. But I loved Night Fall, which is a later iteration of one of my all-time favorites here at Valenzano. It is a fantastic coffee and espresso-infused mead that is lighter in color than its previous version, but just as intensely aromatic and flavorful. This was so good that I brought home two bottles of it.

We were fortunate to have had a very nice and knowledgable server. He helped make the experience even more enjoyable. While I much preferred the red wines tasted here, my wife and I enjoyed our tasting and plan on returning in the spring for one of their Thursday Night Dinners. One last positive note: When you buy a bottle of wine your tasting is free! Life is good!

Cheers!

I hope you had a great Valentine’s Day. While it is too late to save $2 on your copy of my ebook, New Jersey Uncorked: A Snob-Free Taste of NJ Wine, you can still download it for $12.99 via the Apple iBook app or you can order the paperback, which is still on sale at store.bookbaby.com/book/New-Jersey-Uncorked. Use the $5 off coupon code: 2019Special.

You can also save by buying directly from me. I will be giving a talk about my experience with New Jersey wine and wineries on Thursday, February 21 at 7:00 PM at the Gloucester County Library in Mullica Hill. I would be happy to sign and personalize your copy. Already purchased a copy? Bring it with you and I will sign and personalize it for you. I will only be able to accept cash or checks. You can find more information at the library website and register for this event at www.gcls.org. The talk is free. Click on Classes/Events and then Mullica Hill Branch. Then scroll down to 7 PM on 2/21/19. Their address is 389 Wolfert Station Road, Mullica Hill, NJ 08062. Their phone number is 856-223-6000.

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