I don’t know about you, but I did not do a Dry January-a little to0 extreme for me. I would call our first month of 2025 a Drier Than Usual January. But after all there is New Year’s Day, two Eagles Playoff games, and my birthday. So somehow, it did not seem fitting (or certainly not in the festive style I sought). With February starting today, we decided to get an early start on Friday and revisit Stokelan Estate Winery in Medford. The Greek Revival-style structure pictured above, dates back to around 1853.
It has been quite a long time since I have visited or written about Stokelan Estate Winery. It is such a beautiful venue. Unfortunately, since my last visit, the owner and founder, Deepa Lal, passed away. Her husband, Jay and their family have continued to pursue the dream of offering wonderful wine and food in a beautiful old mansion that has been adoringly transformed into a great tasting room (actually two). There is the Drawing Room (pictured below) and the Library. There is also a large wrap-around deck for porch seating and lots of lawn seating, as well.
The Wines
My wife and I each selected the Andrew Selection of five wines for our tasting. Joe, our server told us the majority of their grapes are sourced from their estate, a few from other New Jersey vineyards, and only one of their wines is sourced from outside of New Jersey.
- Myra 2023-This tasty dry Rose, made from their Cab Franc was a light to medium pink with notes of red fruit and lively acidity. It is named after the owner’s daughter.
- Catspaw 2023-A very good unoaked Chardonnay with apple and pear notes
- Crossroads 2023-An excellent Chardonnay that is gently oaked and surprisingly lighter color than their unoaked Chardonnay.
- Bella Mia 2021-A deep red wine made from Petite Sirah grapes, with medium plus body and offering notes of ripe red berries.
- Kirby’s Mill 2021-Named after a local mill we happened to pass on our way home. It is a nice, easy drinking red blend.
To accompany our food we chose a bottle of the Crossroads Chardonnay.
The Food
We chose two shareable apps:
Refresh the Palate
Fresh artisanal bread with goat cheese, rosemary and thyme in olive oil. The bread was good, though a bit crunchy. However, it was a good excuse for generously dipping pieces in the exceptionally tasty olive oil and pictured below.
Mediterranean Platter
This featured a creamy whipped feta cheese, hummus, and savory romesco spread. It was served with soppressata salami and prosciutto, sliced cucumbers and carrots, and toasted pita bread. This was wonderful, especially the whipped feta, which was sweetened a bit with honey and tiny pieces of nut were added to this delicacy.
My wife and I enjoyed our visit (what’s not to like about good food and wine served in a beautiful old mansion)? I also want to give a shout out to our server, Joe, who was attentive, personable, and helpful. We will definitely be coming back here. Cheers!
Coming Attractions
- Working Dog Winery Winter 2025
- Blue Cork Vineyards
- Ready to Drink Cocktails
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