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Food + Dining
Cellar Tour
By Brianne Harrison
images courtesy of lauritawinery.com
The forecast had called for rain, but we were blessed (so to speak) with freakishly perfect weather as we stood amongst the vines at Laurita Winery for the annual blessing of the vineyards. I’d been meaning to check out Laurita for a while, and this event sounded so unusual I couldn’t pass it up. I’m happy to say, I was not at all disappointed with the vineyard, the wines, or the event.The blessing is done every year just after the feast of St. Vincent (on January 22), the patron saint of vineyards and winemaking in Burgundy. The ceremony was simple—a prayer for a good crop and vintage in the coming year, capped off with a bagpipe performance of “Amazing Grace”. I really have to give kudos to the bagpiper and drummer who played throughout the day—they were excellent. As were the young Irish dancers who provided entertainment back at the tasting room.
Of course, I couldn’t very well visit a vineyard without sampling the wines. Laurita’s run the full spectrum, from serious reds to whites perfectly suited to summer picnic sipping. Here were some of the highlights:
Naked Chardonnay: This provocatively named wine had a bright, grassy nose with a hint of oakiness. We found it sweeter than most chardonnays, which was nice. It’s a clean, unpretentious wine, and I can really appreciate that.
Chardonnay Reserve: This one was a little more serious than the Naked. It had hints of vanilla and was mellow and highly drinkable.
Windswept White: Windswept teases you with scents of lemon, pear, and a very subtle hint of a sweet herb like basil. It’s nice and round, with a smooth finish. Another eminently drinkable bottle.
Relaxing Red: I’ll admit, I was a bit worried when I first got a whiff of this one. It was very strong on the raspberry scents, with a little cherry thrown in, and I expected this to be a pretty sweet wine. Surprisingly, it ended up being more on the acidic side, although the cherry and raspberry flavors were still present. This is a great red for summer, as it’s on the light side and wouldn’t be overwhelming on a hot day.
Tailgate Red: We weren’t huge fans of the Tailgate White, but the red went over well, with a nose that started with black licorice followed by wild cherry. This, too, was on the acidic side for a red, and would, like the Relaxing Red, be a nice summer wine.
Merlot: The merlot had an oaky nose, with hints of cherry and tobacco. It had a bright opening and tasted of cherry and vanilla. We really liked it, and although it is a merlot, it’s not too heavy.
Chambourcin: Chambourcin has a kick at the front, which gets your attention before mellowing out to flavors of sour cherry, orange zest, and leather. It eases into a nice, round finish and leaves you wanting another sip.
Cabernet Sauvignon: This was definitely one of the more complex wines we tasted. It has pepper, plum, and caramel on the nose, along with vanilla and chocolate. It reminded me a little bit of a ruby port. The taste is not overwhelming, but it’s strong and full and would probably stand up beautifully to strongly flavored winter dishes or pair well with chocolate desserts.
Lemberger: If you’re drinking this, I hope you like currants, because as soon as I caught a whiff, I said “Woah, cassis!” That strong nose (accompanied by black raspberry) carries right through to the taste, although the flavor is a brighter, lighter version of the nose—a good thing, unless you’re looking for more of a liqueur.
Laurita’s a fairly young winery—it’s only been open to the public a little more than a year, but they’ve done well. The location is beautiful, and the winery’s commitment to environmental stewardship is laudable (they use solar power, and the buildings are all made from reclaimed materials). You can spend the day there—there’s an adorable little café in the tasting room serving paninis, soups, and salads, or a whole weekend: the winery adjoins both the Laurita Equestrian Center, where you can rent horses for trail rides, and the recently restored Dancer Farm Bed & Breakfast Inn. The tasting room is also available for special occasions such as weddings, catered by Philadelphia-based Conroy Catering.
February Events
Wine Tastings at CoolVines, through 2/28CoolVines hosts free wine tastings every Saturday throughout the month at both its Princeton and Westfield locations. Visit coolvines.com for more information.
Wine Bar, every Friday
Sick of the the bar scene? Come and enjoy a relaxing Friday evening at Hawk Haven. Live music, wine by the glass, Seaside cheese and a warm fire, need we say more? Music starts at 6:45 every Friday. Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery, 600 S. Railroad Ave., Rio Grande, 609.846.7347, hawkhavenvineyard.com
Valentine Country Night, 2/12
Presented by DJ Mark Country Music & Dancing and Laurita Winery. A night of country music and dancing with sweethearts in mind. Three lessons, 1 couple lesson, 2 line lessons. For an additional cost, a “new country style menu” will be offered, as will award-winning Laurita Wines. Tickets can be purchased online at lauritawinery.com, while visiting the winery, or by calling 609.758.8000. $5 before Feb. 11, $7 after. 6:30 p.m. Laurita Winery, 35 Archertown Rd., New Egypt, lauritawinery.com
Wine Pairing Dinner - Special Valentine’s Themed Menu, 2/12 & 13
Eat Red, Drink Red for Valentine’s. Private chef Ewa Nadolczak will prepare a special 3-course wine pairing dinner for Valentine’s Day weekend, featuring pasta nests with shrimp, red wine vinegarette, feta cheese and olives, and red pepper stuffed chicken breasts wrapped in proscuitto. Live music by herbmoorejazz.com. $48 per person. Reservations required. Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery, 600 S. Railroad Ave., Rio Grande, 609.846.7347, hawkhavenvineyard.com
Wine Lovers Valentine’s Dinner, 2/13
Bring your sweetheart for an Valentine’s evening of wining, dining, and dancing with music by the Diamond DJ’s and a luscious sit-down dinner that includes harvest bounty bisque, pan seared Atlantic salmon or chicken breast with wild shitake mushrooms, and of course scrumptious chocolate truffle torte. Cash bar features award-winning Tomasello wines and champagne cocktails. Please call 1.800.MMM.WINE for reservations and subscriber information. For more information, visit tomasellowinery.com. $59.95 per couple, 7-10 p.m., Tomasello Winery, 225 White Horse Pike, Hammonton
Wine and Chocolate Wine Trail Weekend, 2/13-14
What’s a better pairing than wine and chocolate? Wineries throughout the state will be hosting tastings and special events. For more information, visit newjerseywines.com
Valentine’s Day Taste & Tango at the Winery, 2/14
Learn the Argentine Tango for beginners to intermediates with the latest Tango music. The 45-minute Tango lesson begins at 1:30 p.m. in the Historic Cave Room, followed by an open Milonga from 2:15 to 3:30 p.m. and a tasting of five Unionville Vineyards wines. Complimentary winery tour at 2:30 PM. $25 per couple, reservations required. Call 908.788.0400. Unionville Vineyards, 9 Rocktown Rd., Ringoes, unionvillevineyards.com
Colts Neck Wine Workshop, 2/16
Taste provocative Spanish wines from 7-9 p.m. $30 per person, per session. 4 JG's Orchards & Vineyards, 127 Hillsdale Rd., Colts Neck, 908.930.8066, 4jgswinery.com
Wine Pairing Dinner with Chef Geoff Johnson, The Copper Fish Restaurant, 2/19 & 26
Each of the three petite entrée courses, prepared by a local area chef, is paired with a half glass of Hawk Haven’s wine. Learn about wine pairing, enjoy the live music and experience the local culinary talent. Live music by herbmoorejazz.com and gregoryjohnmusic.com. $48 per person. Reservations required. Call 609.846.7347 or email info@hawkhavenvineyard.com for more information. 7 p.m. Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery, 600 S. Railroad Ave., Rio Grande, 609.846.7347, hawkhavenvineyard.com
Art Exhibit with Local Artist Ellen Veeden and Live Music with the Lifters, 2/20
Wine tasting in our 1858 Tasting Room, Barrel Cave Room and art exhibit by artist Ellen Veeden. Enjoy the sounds of the 60’s through the 90’s live music in the Barrel Cave Room by The Lifter’ complete with casual barrel pub tables and stools. Complimentary winery tour at 2:30 p.m., free admission, $5 wine tasting (classic), $10 (premium), Unionville Vineyards, 9 Rocktown Rd., Ringoes, 908.788.0400, unionvillevineyards.com
Swing & Dixieland Jazz with the Hot Taters, 2/20
Join us for wine tasting in our 1858 Tasting Room and the Barrel Cave Room with the Hot Taters Band performing swing, big band sounds and Dixieland jazz music. Complimentary winery tour at 2:30 p.m. 12-5 p.m., free admission, $5 wine tasting (classic), $10 (premium), Unionville Vineyards, 9 Rocktown Rd., Ringoes, 908.788.0400, unionvillevineyards.com
“Feast in February” Wine Festival—A Taste of South Jersey, 2/27
During this fantastic annual event, guests will pair Natali wines with eight local restaurants while enjoying live music from the “Ravioli Shanker Band” as well as vineyard and barrel room tours. Sample and purchase seasonal wines like beach plum, blueberry, or their award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon. Enjoy this month’s special release Strawberry Wine! For more information call 609.465.0075. 12-5 p.m., free admission. Natali Vineyards, 221 North Delsea Dr. (N. Rt. 47), Cape May Courthouse, natalivineyards.com
Wines for Woofs, 2/28
What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than enjoying wine, entertainment, raffles, hors d’oeuvres, and more in the heart of historic Northport while helping Little Shelter save lives at the same time! A portion of all purchases made at the winery will benefit the animals at Little Shelter in Long Island. 1-5 p.m., Northport Tasting Room & Wine Cellar, 70 Main St., Northport, NY, 631.261.0642, northportwines.com
More Cellar Tour
Perfect PortGood Suds
Holiday Spirits
Where was New Jersey?
Further Information
New Jersey Wineries and Vineyards
