My Top 21 NJ Wines of the Year

Happy Holidays! This is always a fun, but difficult task that I attempt almost every year. At the end of a very challenging year in our home, it is nice to reflect on some of the fun things that helped us get through a difficult year. Wine tends to be one of them. A few of the reds are pictured above. Why 21? I started with 10 and couldn’t help myself, but I did finally have to draw the line…

My Criteria

My criteria for choosing wines for this list include: The wine must have been consumed this year (regardless of the vintage year) and it must be a New Jersey wine. It is impossible for me to rank order these wines, so they are arranged in alphabetical order by winery. I did want to make sure I chose a few white wines, red wines, and rose wines. That said, there appeared to be more red wines available on tasting menus, and more of them that were truly exceptional. I tried to be somewhat inclusive with the varieties on my list (within my acknowledged personal bias for some varieties). There are also more wineries represented from South Jersey than from the northern section of the state, but there are significantly more wineries in the south (and I happen to live in southern New Jersey). We have over 50 wineries in New Jersey and it is impossible to include all of my favorites or my favorites from each winery.

My Top 21 (in alphabetical order)

1. Amalthea Cellars Legends Edition 2019 Europa I
2. Auburn Road Vineyards 2021 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
3. Autumn Lake Winery 2021 Albarino
4. Bellview Winery 2020 Traminette
5. Beneduce Vineyards 2018 Blaufrankisch
6. Beneduce Vineyards 2021 Dry Riesling
7. Cape May Winery 2018 CM3
8. Cedar Rose Vineyards Norton
9. Hawk Haven Vineyards 2018 Q
10. Hawk Haven Vineyards 2021 Reserve Chardonnay Clone 76 & 95
11. Old York Cellars 2021 Pinot Gris
12. Turdo Vineyards Etichetta 2016 Sangiovese
13. Turdo Vineyards Etichetta 2018 Nebbiolo
14. Unionville Vineyards Hunterdon 2019 Mistral Rouge
15. Unionville Vineyards Hunterdon 2020 Mistral Rose
16. White Horse Winery 2018 Cabernet Franc
17. White Horse Winery 2020 Painted Rose
18. William Heritage Winery BDX 2015 (Red blend)
19. William Heritage 2021 Rose
20. Working Dog Winery New Jersey Chardonnay 2020
21. Working Dog Winery 2019 Cab Franc

The Red Wines

• Amalthea Cellars Legends Edition-2019 Europa I -A great Bordeaux-style blend, which has always been my favorite in this excellent series (Europa Series I-VII). This one is 75% Cab, 20% Merlot, and 5% Cab Franc.
• Beneduce Vineyards 2018 Blaufrankisch-Their estate-grown and produced Blaufrankisch is probably my favorite made in NJ. It is a full-bodied red, with bold red fruit that will enhance nearly any grilled meat.
• Cape May Winery 2018 CM3-A terrific full-bodied red blend of Cab, Merlot, and Syrah, aged two years in oak and one year in the bottle.
• Cedar Rose Vineyards Norton-Why did I choose their Norton? They make a lot of excellent wines, but this wine is unique and exceptional; a bold and earthy red. Unfortunately they only make a very limited number of cases.
• Hawk Haven Vineyards 2018 Q-Full bodied,Bordeaux style blend. Bold and complex with a hint of chocolate notes on the palate.
• Turdo Vineyards 2016 Etichetta D’Oro Sangiovese-Their Sangiovese is my favorite in NJ (and nearly anywhere else ). This one is aged and oaked in accordance with the specifications required of a Brunello.
• Turdo Vineyards 2018 Etichetta D’Oro Nebbiolo-I believe this is the best Nebbiolo in the state (and one of the best I’ve ever had)! This one is aged and oaked in accordance with those required of a Barolo.
• Unionville Vineyards Hunterdon 2019 Mistral Rouge-A delicious medium-bodied red blend of Counoise, Syrah, and Viognier.
• White Horse Winery 2018 Cabernet Franc-Consistently one of the best Cab Francs in the state. Dark, bold flavor.
• William Heritage Winery 2015 BDX(Red blend)-This was my favorite BDX of all those I have tasted from William Heritage Winery. It is a delicious full-bodied Bordeaux-style blend that I thought was as good as (or even a little better than) a 2010 Chateau Garraud Lalande de Pomerol that I tried on the same day (Christmas Day).
• Working Dog Winery 2019 Cabernet Franc-This is their signature red wine and for good reason. The 2019 was exceptional with a little more body and bolder flavor than a few other years.

The White Wines

• Auburn Road Vineyards 2021 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay-I finally got to try this one (thankfully). It was one of the best Chardonnays I tasted all year. Tasty apple notes and a creamy mouthfeel and finish.
• Autumn Lake Winery 2021 Albarino-A great version; probably my favorite Albarino in NJ (and still very reasonably priced).
• Bellview Winery 2020 Traminette-A recent tasting reinforced my memory of how much I liked this popular hybrid.
• Beneduce Vineyards 2021 Dry Riesling-The best NJ Riesling I tasted all year. Very crisp and refreshing, with a minerality reminding me of some of the best Finger Lakes Rieslings that I love.
• Hawk Haven Vineyards 2021 Reserve Chardonnay-This is an excellent Chard that is subtly oaked, with apple notes on the palate. I just ordered a few more and was pleased they were still available. Great with dishes with a creamy sauce!
• Old York Cellars 2021 Pinot Gris-Still my favorite NJ Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio. It is made in the French style, with a little more body and a little less acidity.
• Working Dog Winery 2020 New Jersey Chardonnay-Recently enjoyed, this is a wine with a wonderful creamy quality that was aged in new oak and marries the fruit and oak beautifully.

                                 

The Rose Wines

• Unionville Vineyards Hunterdon Mistral Rose-Consistently great and one of my perennial favorites, with ripe strawberry and a hint of lime on the palate.
• White Horse Winery 2020 Painted Rose-As delicious as the bottle is beautiful.
• William Heritage 2021 Rose-An excellent Rose with a soft mouthfeel and a hint of strawberry on the palate.

Two of these are pictured below.

             

Self Gifting?

You can still reward yourself by ‘self-gifting.” We all do it. Download a copy of my ebook, New Jersey Uncorked: A Snob-Free Taste of NJ Wine at the iBooks app only available at Apple. You CANNOT get the ebook at Amazon (Kindle) or anywhere else. Use the coupon code Winter2022 and get it for ONLY $7.99!

Coming Attractions

• My 2022 NJ Wine Highlights
• My NJ Wine Bargains-I name names and prices
• Back to my weekly NJ Wine of the Week picks

Tried a New Jersey wine lately? Visited a NJ winery recently? Please share your experience here in the Comment Section below. Like what you read and see here, again I welcome your comments below. Want to make sure you get each post the day it is available? It couldn’t be easier to scroll down, hit the “Subscribe” button and get your weekly pour of NJ wine right in your inbox. No spills. No mess. No spam.