With inflation still stubbornly higher than we’d like, there are some ways you can save money when visiting wineries and buying wines. You can become a member, visit during happy hour (for those offering them), buy wine “futures”, and look for sales. Today, I wanted to highlight a couple of recent examples.
Hawk Haven Membership
Hawk Haven Vineyards is located in Rio Grande. I have written about this winery often and even fairly recently. Therefore, I hadn’t planned on writing about my recent Barrel Tasting Futures event at Hawk Haven Vineyards. I also decided that I could take a break from the note taking and photos I usually take during these visits and just enjoy the moment-the wines, the food, the experience, and the day. As the day was coming to an end, I felt how special this experience had been. Besides being a free event for members, Todd Wuerker and his wife, Kenna provided an assortment of delectable foods to enjoy with some wine afterwards-shrimp, crab, cheeses, meats, and crackers. I have written about NJ Wine Club memberships, barrel tastings, and futures events, but this one was a home run!
Hawk Haven offers the highest discounts I know of in the state. They offer 25% off a case to members, normally. During a preview tasting of your quarterly allotment, they generally offer 30% off with the purchase of a case. I should add, I wish all wineries would do a free preview tasting prior to purchasing their allotment. This allows you to make your best decision about which bottles to buy and how many you want. Hawk Haven offered 40% off a case of any of the wines tasted during this event.
Once home, I did take the photo below of the white wines we tasted and were able to bring home. From left to right below: 2013 Viognier, 2023 Dry Pinot Grigio, 2020 Brut Methode Champenoise, and Sauvignon Blanc. Besides having the best membership benefits in the state (in my opinion), Hawk Haven offers some of my favorite wines. The reds will probably be available in December: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Sauvignon OA (sourced from grapes from Orley Ashenfelter’s vineyard). Can’t wait!
Autumn Lake Happy Hour
On a spur-of-the-moment on a dreary Thursday afternoon, my wife and I decided to visit Autumn Lake Winery. We were out of their Albarino and needed to just chill and enjoy some good wine with a beautiful view. Autumn Lake Winery Albarino is our favorite Albarino in the state (both of them). Yes, both-they make an oaked Reserve Albarino and their unoaked Albarino. You can enjoy their happy hour specials four days a week (Monday thru Thursdays). Most wineries only offer a happy hour (if they have one) once a week.
I thought we’d save a little since our visit was during happy hour. As it turned out, we saved a little more utilizing our membership 10% off discount on our four bottles purchased: Albarino, Albarino Reserved, Blaufrankisch, and Halcyon (pictured below).
There are other great memberships around the state, but here are a few of the best in South Jersey (in my opinion):
- William Heritage Winery-Besides being close to me, they offer free flights of five wines and a free glass of your favorite wine four times a year (via gift cards when you pick up your allotment). They also offer a Member Appreciation Day with live music, a free cheese plate, and a free glass of wine, as well as member only wines and discounts and early notice for reservation on special events.
- Bellview Winery-You can become a member without committing to an allotment, just buy enough wine over time. At one point, I did not know I had become a Silver Member. This allowed me to purchase wine with a 10% discount on even a single bottle. With frequent live music events and wonderful festivals, it’s fairly easy to qualify.
- Amalthea Cellars–A one time cost of $25 will get you discounts on many of the wines offered for you and three others. A no-brainer! They also do some great wine futures deals.
There are lots of other great deals out there. I will keep reporting on them, but I recommend you check out the websites of those wineries near you, check out the Garden State Wine Growers Association (GSWGA) website, and of course, come back to this site for more helpful NJ wine news.
Coming Attractions
- Old York Cellars Spring 2024
- Angelico’s Winery Revisit
- Hopewell Valley Vineyards
- Beneduce Vineyards Spring 2024
- Unionville Vineyards Spring 2024
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