Note: My apologies for not posting last week. Unfortunately my site was hacked. Hopefully things will be back to normal going forward.
It was a beautiful day and my wife and I were in the mood for soaking up some sunshine, listening to some music, and enjoying some good wine. Since Bellview Winery had all three going on and they are a mere 20 minutes from our home, it was a no brainer. Bellview Winery is located in Landisville. They have been open since 2001. Bellview grows a great variety of grapes and they make a wide array of wines from dry to sweet and everything in between. One of their specialties (in my opinion) is their various blends, which further expands their reach to diverse palates, with nuanced variations.
The Wines
On this visit, we knew what we wanted and chose our traditional bottle of red and bottle of white. In this case, the white I chose was their 2019 Chardonnay and the red was their 2019 Blaufrankisch (the label on the photo below is blocked due to my careless oversight). The Chardonnay was perfect for relaxing and chilling, while soaking in the sun and the music. It is a creamy, medium-bodied version, with green apple notes and a refreshing finish. The 2019 Blaufrankisch possessed the typical cherry notes, with just a little smoke and spice to pair fantastically with my pulled pork sandwich.
The wines here are consistently good and still pretty inexpensive!
The Food
I wish I had taken a picture of the Pulled Pork sandwiches that my wife and I devoured. They were awesome. The good news is that I do have the name and a photo of their food truck. It will look familiar to South Jersey winery lovers (and subscribers), as they are frequent contributors to winery events in the area. Their pulled pork sandwiches (“The Porker”) were brioche rolls stuffed with tons of pulled pork, a great sauce, and then topped with coleslaw)!
The Music
The photo at the top of the post depicts the entertainment for the day: Nancy Malcun. I could not find info on her sidekick, who accompanied her on guitar and his “Bangbox.” Nancy, who performed all of the vocals, has a very good voice, offering covers of popular songs from the Beatles and other acoustic favorites, as well as playing some of her original songs. She has gotten great press, playing at a few of our casinos in Atlantic City. Nancy has recorded a number of singles and albums. You can check her out on YouTube and Facebook or listen to her music on Spotify. We enjoyed her music and would certainly look for her in the future.
Bellview Winery is a great winery to visit and enjoy the great outdoors, while sipping some good wine and listening to music.
For more information about Bellview Winery, you can check them out here: bellviewwinery.com
Behr Brewing
Behr Brewing is located in Cape May. It has only been open for about two years, but in that short time they have built a significant following (especially given the COVID issues during this time period). There is a good-sized tasting room with some gorgeous hand-carved tables and a nice outdoor area, with tables and umbrellas. They are pet friendly, as we got to witness when one of the dogs outside, temporarily evaded his owner to visit the customers inside.
My wife and I opted to taste a few of their beers via their samplers. They included:
- Pale Behr (Pale Ale)-An easy drinking beer with a 5.5% ABV.
- One of Those (IPA)-Classic, smooth, caramel color IPA. ABV=6.5%.
- Two Two (Imperial/Double IPA)-Perhaps my favorite. Well-balanced and very tasty, with lots of citrusy flavor. ABV=8.0%
- King Nummy (Belgian)– a good golden version with a 9.0% ABV.
- Dark Thirsty (Dry Stout)-Nice aroma of chocolate; ABV=4.0%. Smooth, not bitter, as some can be.
- EZ Livin (Mango Wheat)-I don’t usually like fruit in my beer, but the mango added a welcomed flavor to this brew. ABV=4.5%.
- Winnie (ESB)-Happy to see an ESB on the menu. I think they are underrated and far too uncommon in breweries in this country. Don’t let the “bitter” term scare you away. Made with biscuit, caramel malt and local honey. It is well-balanced with lots of flavors, and a refreshing finish. ABV=5.%.
- Side Pocket (IPA)-A light version with generous hopping. ABV=6.5%.
My favorites were their Two Two Double IPA, their Dark Thirsty Stout, and their Winnie ESB.
Behr Brewing is open seven days a week until 9:00 PM. You can read more about them here: www.behrbrewing.com
Cheers!
Coming Attractions
- Unionville Vineyards
- Beneduce Vineyards
- Angelico Winery
- Va La Vineyards
Tried a New Jersey wine lately? Visited a NJ winery recently? Please share your experience here. Just scroll down to the Comment Section and add your comment. Like what you read and see on these pages? 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.
