My Favorite “Lesser Known” NJ Wines

After writing last week about Willow Creek’s unique Malvasia Bianca, it brought to mind several other very unique and very good New Jersey wines. Like many of you, I have my favorite varietals, but I also really enjoy trying something new. After all, variety is the spice of life! Here again, I feel quite fortunate to live in a state that is not only making some great Cabs, Cab Francs, Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs, and Rieslings, and is also producing some great, unique and lesser known wines. Below are a few of my favorites. My criteria: tasted recently, grown and produced in New Jersey, and used as a single varietal.

My favorite unique white wines made here in New Jersey:

• Malvasia Bianca (Dry)-Besides Willow Creek in Cape May, New Jersey, in America, it is only made in a handful of states (California, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico). Apparently META hasn’t found Willow Creek’s version. It is Italy, Croatia, Greece, and Turkey that have a longer history making this wine. This wine has a beautiful fragrance
• Grillo–Turdo Vineyard is the only producer in America that I know of. Its origin is in Sicily, where the Turdo family also has its roots. This unique wine offers medium bodied citrus and apple notes with a bit of minerality and slightly briny finish. It is great with seafood.
• Gruner Veltliner–Bellview Winery is one of the few wineries in the state that makes this dry white wine. In my opinion, it is also the best one. They have won numerous awards over the the years for this wine. Its apple, pear, and lime notes and lots of acidity, make it a good wine to pair with a wide variety of foods.

My Favorite unique New Jersey Reds

• Nero d’Avola-An excellent and very unique red wine. Like the Grillo, Turdo is the only winery in the U.S. growing this grape and making this wine. Its origin is also in Sicily. The wine is a deep colored, medium-plus bodied, and delicious red, with notes of black currants, and prunes.
• San Marco-This grape was brought from Italy to New Jersey largely through the work of Larry Coia, a key grape grower in Vineland (and a recent partner at Bellview Winery). It has a dark, inky color, with medium+ body and a soft mouthfeel and subtle earthy black fruit notes, reminding me a little of a Pinot Noir, with a bit more body. Good acidity-very food friendly. Bellview Winery and Autumn Lake Winery make this wonderful red wine.
• Norton (also known as Cynthiana)-Though a few other wineries offer this wine, Cedar Rose is definitely my favorite. I got the last of their 2016 vintage and I’m hoping they continue to offer it as a single varietal. As I have mentioned in previous posts, it has an interesting history (documented in a book entitled, The Wild Vine). It discusses how, at one time, vines of Norton grew wild in this country, with its birthplace in Richmond, Virginia. Norton is also the official grape of Missouri. It is truly a native grape and I love its dark, inky appearance, taste of blackberries and cherries, and full-bodied earthiness.
• Petit Verdot-While red in color, the French words mean, “little green.” The grapes are small and thick-skinned. They produce a robust, dark colored red wine with blackberry and plum notes and high in tannins. More often used as a blending grape, but increasingly enjoyed as a single varietal. Hawk Haven, Autumn Lake, Auburn Road, and Bellview Winery all make very good Petit Verdot, in  limited quantities.
• Counoise-This unique French grape is grown at Unionville Vineyards and made into a wonderful red wine that is light bodied and dry, but fruit-forward with notes of strawberries and raspberries. Limited quantity produced.
• Regent-This grape is commonly used as a blending grape, but more recently I have enjoyed it as a single varietal at Bellview Winery and Cedar Rose Vineyards. It is a deep dark color, offering bold and tasty notes of cherry, plum, and blackberry.

Below are those bottles that I currently have in my cellar. From left to right – Turdo Vineyards Nero d’Avola; Cedar Rose 2016 Norton; Hawk Haven Vineyards 2020 Petit Verdot (utilizing grapes supplied by Orley Ashenfelter’s vineyard in Vineland); Auburn Road 2019 Petit Verdot; and Bellview Winery 2020 Regent.

Coming Attractions

• Magnify Brewing & My NJ Wine of the Week
• Old York Cellars Spring ’26
• Beneduce Vineyards Spring ’26
• Angelico Winery Spring ’26
• Sharrott Winery Spring ’26

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