Sharrott Winery is located in that hotbed of South Jersey wineries-Hammonton. I have visited Sharrott Winery many times and have written about it several times in the past. However, since the last time I wrote about them, there have been a number of changes. First, a number of new wines are now being offered by their new winemaker, Nichole Bambacigno. Second, their kitchen continues to expand their repertoire of tasty foods. Third, their tradition of offering live music has expanded. They are now featuring live music four nights a week (Thursday to Sunday and twice on Saturday).
Nichole Bambacigno. joined the Sharrott team in 2020. The addition of Ms. Bambacigno at Sharrott Winery has brought some changes in the wine offerings. For example, in the past, Sharrott has always offered two styles of Chardonnay: Unoaked Chardonnay and Barrel Reserve Chardonnay. On Thursday there were four* Chardonnays on the menu. They still have the unoaked and Barrel Reserve versions, but now there is a Piquette Chardonnay (a light sparking Chardonnay) and One Earth Chardonnay (a gently oaked version). The One Earth Chardonnay is part of their One Earth Series. Their One Earth Red Blend was not available at our recent visit. They also have a Piquette Blaufrankisch (“unique and fizzy” with low alcohol) and a white they call Soleil (“nutty and tangy”).
Piquettes are fairly new and trendy beverages. Technically they are not wine. They are not made from fermented wine, but by adding water to grape pomace and fermenting the remaining sugar. The result is a lower alcohol beverage. It is lighter and carbonated.
Finally, two Pet Nats have been added to their offerings since my last visit. They have a Pet Nat Rose and a *Pet Nat Chardonnay. Pet Nats, unlike Piquettes, are wines that are “naturally sparkling. It is the oldest known way of producing sparkling wine.
*I did not see the Pet Nat Chardonnay on our wine menu, but if available, it would be a fifth Chardonnay!
So what wines did I try? These two:
- 2019 One Earth Chardonnay-A light refreshing, unoaked Chardonnay with a hint of green apple on the palate and lively acidity. It was tasty with our guacamole and chips appetizer. I love that the One Earth wines are engaged in giving back through sales to the agricultural community.
- 2020 Chambourcin-I love this underrated grape. It makes such a dark, rich, flavorful wine. If I had enjoyed this before my last post, I would have added the Sharrott Winery Chambourcin to my list of those I recommended.
The Kitchen
My photos didn’t do justice so I will just share what we enjoyed along with our wine and the music. We started with a simple, but plentiful serving of guacamole and chips. Initially we thought we would order two more items to share, but I forgot how large the Flatbreads are. I chose an old favorite, which I was glad they still make: Mushroom Truffle Flatbread. Delicious. Next time we will try a couple of their new items. Their chicken gyros and petite crab cakes sound great, or perhaps we’ll come back earlier in the day and choose from their Brunch Menu (maybe their Bananas Foster Waffles).
The Music
We were treated to the music of Mike Chet Beck, who we have seen before and enjoyed. He plays great covers of popular songs that stand the decades-from Clapton to Buffalo Springfield and from Jimmy Buffet to Hall and Oates. He has a very good vocal range and his electronics and guitar playing often sounded like a three or four-piece band. Beck clearly enjoys what he does and we really enjoyed listening to him.
A very nice evening! Cheers!
Coming Attractions
- Stokelan Winery-Our newest NJ winery in Medford
- Wining and Dining to the North
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