Terra Nonno is located in Rosenhayn. I have been meaning to revisit Terra Nonno for some time and finally got the chance this past week. I love how they have expanded their tasting room, adding to their attractive indoor space with an expansion of their large covered patio. They are currently only open on the weekends (Fridays and Saturdays from 1-7 and Sundays from 1-6). However, they seem to have something going on each of those days. On Friday, they had a very good food truck (Got Pizza?) and live music (Britney Ewan). They also had a food truck on Saturday and Sunday and Live music on Saturday and Sunday, as well. We only got to hear a couple of songs from Britney Ewan before we had to leave, but her voice and guitar playing sound very good.
I recall enjoying all of Terra Nonno’s dry wines, but being partial to their reds. On this visit, it was their white wines that I was more impressed with. More about the wines we sampled below. But first, we had to feed our hungry stomachs.
Food
While starting our flights, we decided to order a charcuterie plate. You shouldn’t drink alcohol on an empty stomach and we hadn’t yet had lunch. Is there a better pairing with wine than cheese? I don’t think so. Later, when we could order from the food truck we put in an order of their Crab and Old Bay Pizza. It was amazing and is pictured below. It was so good, we brought one home, too. We ordered a bottle of the French oaked Chardonnay to enjoy with our pizza.
Wine Flights
Flight #1
- French Oaked Chardonnay-Possibly my favorite white wine in our tasting – Medium+ body with a lush mouthfeel, and hints of green apple on the palate.
- Unoaked Chardonnay-A somewhat less complex, but more fruit forward version with lively acidity.
- Traminette-Lovely fragrant aroma, yet as dry and good a version as I have tasted.
Flight #2
- Blaufrankisch-My favorite red in the tasting;
- Chambourcin-A nice Chambourcin with cherry notes and a smooth finish.
- Cab Franc (oaked)-A medium-bodied version, somewhat darker in hue than many I have had recently.
Flight #3
- Cabernet Sauvignon-A pretty good Cab with a smooth finish.
- Godfather’s Blend-My favorite in this flight. A smooth and tasty blend.
- Trinity Red Wine Blend-Another interesting dry red blend with medium body.
Flight #4
- Godmother’s Rose-A decent dry Rose.
- Zanella Rose-This wine was very good. They exposed the wine to the skins for such a short time, that it presents more as a white wine, than a Rose wine. But a pretty good one.
Face-Off #1
Turdo Vineyards Nero d’Avola vs Morgante Nero d’Avola
This is the first in an occasional series, pitting a New Jersey wine that I am fond of with a wine made with the same grape from somewhere else in the world. Why am I doing this? I have been saying for years that many of New Jersey’s wines could compete with wines around the U.S. and beyond. So, I am choosing a few of my favorite New Jersey wines and selecting a competitor. I will be careful to choose a well respected competitor, often one receiving 90 or more points from a well known wine critic. My reviews are my own, but should you doubt my results as biased, I encourage you to try these or similar comparisons on your own.
Morgante 2020 Nero d’Avola-A wonderful version made in Sicily (where Sal Turdo is from and where he obtained his root stock for his Nero d’Avola at Turdo). Yes, I know their winery is now closed, but I was able to stock up on many of my favorites before they closed. Back to the Morgante…It received the following scores: Decanter=93; Wine Spectator=90; and James Suckling=90. Terrific scores for a terrific Nero d’Avola. It was also #83 in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 of 2023! It is a medium-bodied red with fine tannins and lots of blueberry and raspberry notes.
Turdo Vineyards Turis 2022 Nero d’Avola-While I could not find a review by any well-known wine critics, but I will offer mine. This wine is a full-bodied version, packed with bold flavors of dark fruit, enough structure to store for years to come, but smooth as silk today. As much as I enjoyed the Morgante, I preferred the Turdo version. Incidentally, I asked my wife and my son to try both (without naming either one) and they both preferred the Turdo version. This was their signature grape. They were the only producer of this wine in the U.S. that I am aware of.
As good as the Morgante was, I much preferred the Turdo Nero d’Avola. If you are lucky enough to have a bottle of both (or can still get these two wines), try this face-off yourself, let me know what you think.
Cheers!
Coming Attractions
- Saddle Hill Vineyards Grand Opening
- Angelico Vineyards Spring 2024
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