What’s New at Hawk Haven Vineyards

My wife and I visited Hawk Haven in Rio Grande on Sunday to do our Allotment Preview Tasting. While I was certainly looking forward to that, I was also curious to see the newly renovated Tasting Room and find out if they suffered any damage from the late frost last month. In answer to the last concern, Hawk Haven Vineyards was spared any damage from the recent frost. Todd Wuerker (owner) told me that it was a mixed blessing. Though he was very relieved that they escaped damage, many of his friends at wineries around the state were not so lucky and some were devastated. I touched on this issue in my last post (though I did not post it on social media). If you are a subscriber you should have received it. If you are not a subscriber and would like to read that post, press here: newjerseyuncorked.com

I tried to get a good picture showing the lovely changes in the tasting room, but there were too many people in the room. Consequently, I will share the biggest changes I observed. First, the bar is now longer and it is topped with copper, giving it a bright, upscale appearance. Right now there are only a couple of tables with chairs nearby, but I think this is temporary, as the tasting was done standing at the bar and the room is adjacent to the greeting area. My wife shared that the new ladies room is very attractive and definitely a big improvement. I didn’t go in the men’s room, but I’m sure it was also a nice improvement.

I look forward to other proposed additions and I will share them when I gather that information. In the meantime, you can check some of these out by getting on their website at http://hawkhavenvineyard.com

The Wine

Conner McCaney (head winemaker) guided us through our tasting of four of the Winemakers Selections:

1. 2025 SS Sauvignon Blanc-Surprisingly high reserve sugar, but the bright acidity helps to balance the flavors.
2. 2025 SS Viognier-A wonderful, fragrant version that is a little lighter in body and color than some, but delicious, with the signature “oily mouthfeel.”
3. 2025 SS Cabernet Sauvignon Rose-Done in stainless steel, it is a deeper color than many Roses and has just a hint of sweetness.
4. 2023 SS Syrah-A pretty, deep ruby color, with high tannins. It was already quite good, but will  benefit from aerating a bit before drinking. Below are the first three described above. I swapped out the 2023 SS Syrah for the 2022 SS Syrah mentioned and pictured in Our Takeaways.

Two Bonus Pours

1. 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon-An excellent Cab that spent 17 months in a mix of new French oak and neutral French oak.
2. 2022 Open Source Cabernet Franc-One of the best collaborative efforts to date. This delicious Cab Franc was made with shared grapes from other Co-Op members (Unionville, Beneduce, Heritage, Working Dog, and Auburn Road).

Our Takeaways

I hadn’t planned on getting a full case, but the 30% discount coupled with the dwindling supply of their highly rated 2022 Q W/E = 93 pts.); 2022 SS Syrah (WE = 93 pts.); and 2022 OA Cab Franc ((WE = 93 pts.). The others include:

Coming Attractions

• Turdo Vineyard
• Plagido’s Winery June ’26 
• Cedar Rose Vineyards June ’26
• Beneduce Vineyards June ’26

Tried a New Jersey wine lately? Visited a NJ winery recently? Please share your experience here. Just scroll down, press the “Comment” button, and add your comment(s). 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. Subscriptions are FREE and I will not share your email info with anyone.