Hopewell Valley Vineyards is a wonderful winery located in Pennington. They have beautiful grounds, often the site for weddings and a large tasting room that exudes character and old world charm. When you combine the beauty and charm with consistently high quality wines the question arises: Why haven’t I written about Hopewell Valley Vineyards for so long? I am righting that wrong today with my Revisiting Hopewell Valley Vineyards.
The wines here are predominantly red, with an Italian accent. Not surprisingly the winemaker and owner, Sergio Neri, is of Italian descent. His wife, Violetta, is of Greek heritage and also comes from a winemaking family.
With your tasting fee of $8 you get to sample six wines of your choice from their menu and includes an etched HVV glass. As usual I was able to extend my tasting, with the generous sharing of my wife, Carol.
My tasting included:
- I hadn’t planned on sampling a sparkling wine, as this is not a “go to” for me, but there are three on the menu and our server (Tammra) gently insisted we try one. I am so appreciative of her guidance, as our Spumante Secco was exceptional. Labeled as off-dry, but refreshingly clean and crisp. I should have had a bottle of this to celebrate the first day of spring. If I can wait that long, perhaps the first day of summer…
- Pinot Grigio-described as “off dry,” but still light and crisp. I want to highlight that proceeds from this wine benefit autism intervention, research and services. Having spent much of my previous career as a School Psychologist, working with this population I would have purchased a bottle of this to support the cause anyway. However, it is an enjoyable light, warm weather wine.
- Chardonnay-This wine is estate grown, with a dry, smooth finish with an accent on the acidity. Perhaps even better as an accompaniment than on its own.
- Chambourcin-Estate Grown a little less dry than many of the NJ Chambourcins I have tasted, but with the usual color and hints of cherry.
- Barbera-One of my favorites at this tasting; a wonderful oaked, well-balanced red with a bit of spice and a super smooth finish.
- Merlot-Estate-fermented. Medium-bodied, oak-aged and very smooth.
- Cabernet Sauvignon-A delicious wine sourced from Lodi grapes; full-bodied with smooth tannins.
- Basia-A wonderful, full-bodied red wine; the Sangiovese grapes were sourced
- V-Another luscious red that is “Estate fermented, but sourced with Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Barbera from elsewhere. The “V” is for Violetta, the co-owner and winemaker.
- Last, but definitely not least, I sampled their Chocolate Porto Rosso-a sweet red port-style wine with a mouth-watering blend of black cherry and chocolate combining with a bit of caramel to this full-bodied decadent treat.
We purchased four of their bottles shown below (from left to right):Pinot Grigio New Jersey, Villa Neri Spumante Secco, 2016 Barbera New Jersey and 2009 Villa Neri Basia
We decided to open the Barbera to accompany a large cheese plate, with salami and crackers. A wonderful light lunch with the perfect pairing. We enjoyed our visit immensely and vowed not to wait so long for a revisit.
If you are considering a visit here, I strongly recommend you do so when you can take in some great live music while enjoying a super brick oven thin crust pizza and a wonderful red wine. Classic reds and blues. By the way, Sergio (owner and winemaker) is part of a talented jazz group that plays here most Friday evenings. Check out their website for other interesting happenings.
Cheers!
Pick up your copy of New Jersey Uncorked: A Snob-Free Taste of NJ Wine at store.bookbaby.com/book/New-Jersey-Uncorked or at Amazon.com. You can also still purchase the e-book at the Apple store via their iBook App.
Coming Attractions
- Unionville Vineyards, April 2019
- Bellview Winery Revisited.
Tried a New Jersey wine lately? Visited a NJ winery recently? Why not share your experience here? Like what you read and see here? Consider subscribing and getting your weekly pour of NJ wine right in your inbox. No spills, no mess.
