Coda Rossa Winery
Coda Rossa Winery is a small vineyard in Franklinville. I recently did a solo tasting there, focusing strictly on their red wines. Their Chardonnay was in very limited supply and Coda Rossa’s reds are really the strength in their lineup (in my opinion). They generally only make three white wines (counting Bianca, their lightly oaked Chardonnay). While most of their wines are made with grapes from around the world, their 1526 Blend, Coeur d’Est, and Merlot are all Outer Coastal Plain sourced grapes.
Since my last post about Coda Rossa in February, 2020 (here: http://codarossa.com) much has changed. Unfortunately, their tasting room next to the Pitman Theatre and their press and winemaking location in Cherry Hill have both closed their doors to the public. They were both the victim of COVID-19 and its ongoing impact on small businesses around the country. While these events are sad and extremely unfortunate, Coda Rossa continues to make some very good wines. They include. among others, the three I took home with me and are pictured above and described below.
Their 2016 C’oeur d’Est won Best Red Wine Hybrid in 2019 with a score of 93 points! Their 2018 C’oeur d’Est is a very good blend of Cab Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chambourcin. The Meritage was my previous favorite from this winery and is still a very good blend of Cabernet, Cab Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. It is a smooth, full-bodied red blend. Their Super Tuscan is a blend of 65% Sangiovese, Cabernet, and Merlot. Their newest addition to the lineup is their Tukulu, which is also worth noting here. It is a blend of Pinotage, Cabernet, and Syrah. It is a tasty dark wine with spice and a little smoke.
William Heritage Winery
William Heritage Winery is located in Mullica Hill, with another tasting room in Haddonfield. My wife and I recently made a reservation for a nice sunny afternoon in Mullica Hill.
“Ain’t nobody here but us chickens.” Or so it may appear from my photo above. Turned out, we were all just socially distanced. The chickens were looking for food, but they were clucking up the wrong table. We only had our wine. No chicken feed.
I enjoyed my tasting of a few of their wines, including my personal highlight, their Syrah, which was a tasty medium-bodied red with notes of blackberries, with a little spice, and quite smooth. At our table outside, we also enjoyed our complimentary glasses of wine. My wife chose their Estate Chardonnay, while I had a glass of their Chambourcin Burn Pile. We enjoyed our wines, the friendly chickens, and the lovely ambience. Then it was time to go, but before we did, we brought home an old friend-Pumpkin Hill Chardonnay.
Dinner at Chez Mullen
I decided it was time to surprise my wife with a trip to the grocery store and a nice seafood dinner. The results are shown below.
Appetizer
Delicious portobello mushrooms stuffed with crabmeat and seasonings.
The Entree
I baked the fresh cod, seasoned with lemon, paprika, and parsley, and a little drizzled olive oil, served over arugula and grape tomatoes, dressed with an apple cider vinegar and olive oil, and a baked potato.
The Wine
I chose an exceptional Chardonnay from Hawk Haven Vineyards to pair with our dinner. The 2019 Reserve Chardonnay Clones 76 & 95 is an excellent Chard with apple and buttery notes and a creamy mouthfeel. It was great with our seafood (and great on its own).
Cheers!
Tried a New Jersey wine lately? Visited a NJ winery recently? Please share your experience here. Like what you read and see here? It couldn’t be easier to subscribe below and get your weekly pour of NJ wine right in your inbox. No spills. No mess.
