White Horse Winery is located in Hammonton, home to a number of good wineries. Picking up my club allocation at White Horse Winery this past week, I couldn’t help, but reflect on how far they have come since opening in 2016. They now make most of their wines from their estate grown grapes. They have expanded their beautiful grounds for patrons to enjoy their outdoor facilities all year round (with tables, umbrellas, portable heaters, etc.). Live music and food trucks are a big part of their weekend scene, while a Farm House, with six bedrooms and breakfasts included, was built for visitors from afar. It is presently closed, but will hopefully be re-opening soon.
Personal Highlights from the Past
One of my fondest memories at White Horse was receiving an invitation to do a barrel tasting. I got to taste with owners Brock Vinton and his son, B.J Vinton; Seferino Cotzojay (the winemaker); Paul Tonacci (wine judge); Dr. Gary Pavlis (Rutgers professor and agricultural agent and consultant; Dr.John Mahoney (author and Chair of the North American Dionysian Society); and Robin Shreeves (wine writer). It was a great experience sharing tasting notes and observations with this group. You can read more about this experience here:
White Horse Winery has won numerous awards for their wines from their very first year until their most recent honors. In my current allocation, I brought home a few medal winners, including their 2018 Cabernet Franc, which also received a 94 Point Score from Tastings.com.
Additional recent Gold Medal awards were received from the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for White Horse Winery’s 2020 Estate Albarino, 2021 Estate Chardonnay, and 2018 Cabernet Franc Reserve. Their 2018 Chambourcin was also touted by Philadelphia Magazine as “The Best Local Red” in the Philly Suburbs. I’ll have more to say about Chambourcin below.
I love White Horse Winery wines and their beautiful facilities and I look forward to coming back again and again to enjoy some of my favorite wines, while wondering what is yet to come.
Our Takeaways From Our Recent Visit
From left to right and front to back above: 2021 Painted Rose, 2021 Estate Reserve Chardonnay, 2018 Cabernet Franc Reserve, and Vintner’s Red Blend. The Chardonnay was not in our allocation. It was chosen to replace the Estate Sweet Traminette due to my preference for drier wines. My wife and I especially like this Chardonnay.
Cheers!
Chambourcin: The Grape and the Wine
In my opinion, Chambourcin is an underrated grape and (in the hands of the right winemakers) it makes a very nice wine. The underrating is likely due to it being a hybrid (of French-American origin). It was developed in France and only available since 1963. It is not a member of the vaunted “noble grapes”-Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling. The name “noble grapes” came about due to the vast popularity of these grapes. While they remain the most popular and widely planted varietals in the world, the concept of “noble grapes” is fading. More and more people are eager to expand their wine horizons and climate change is likely to increase the number of hybrids. Two of my favorites are pictured below (White Horse and Cedar Rose). Autumn Lake Winery and Bellview Winery also make excellent examples (unfortunately, they are not in my cellar).
New Jersey Uncorked: A Snob-Free Taste of NJ Wine
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Coming Attractions
- New Jersey’s Newest Winery: Stokelan Winery, in Medford
- Beneduce Vineyards, Summer 2022
- Sharrott Winery: Wine, Food, & More
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