Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/705606
3 0 V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T | J u l y - A u g 2 016 w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m ahead of that pack when Benduce, Unionville, Heritage Vineyards and Working Dog Winery founded the Winemaker's Co-op. Its stated goal is "to change the image of the Gar- den State in the eyes [and noses and palates] of the wine-drinking public." The co-op members meet to share data, ideas and advice about everything from grape variet- ies and soil types to the timing of harvest and choice of barrels. All four say they're dedicated to creat- ing premium dry wines from estate- grown Vitis vinifera grapes. Thirteenth in the nation in wine production, New Jersey's wine industry is small, but has been growing steadily since 1981, when the New Jersey Farm Winery Act was enacted to lift Prohibition-era restrictions. From seven winer- ies in 1981, New Jersey boasts 51 today, with 15 new licenses pend- ing. "The appreciation for New Jer- sey wines is growing with every vintage," says Vincent Comunale, wine and beverage manager for the Harvest Restaurant Group. Most consumers, he adds, expect New Jersey wines "to be either sweet or sub-par," but this view is gradu- ally changing as the wines improve. "Currently, we're pouring Alba Vineyard's Estate Pinot Noir — yes, I said Pinot Noir from New Jersey! — at several of our restaurants, and she was so impressed by a couple of New Jersey wines after tasting them blind that she decided to add them to the list. "If you're tasting wine blind and not obsessed with price, label or where the wine is from, you can let your palate be the judge without other influences," she says, echoing the result of Ash- ton's report about sensory percep- tion and expectations. But aren't we're experiencing tremendous success with this wine. We like to represent local winemakers on our lists, and we enjoy showcasing wineries that highlight the fact that not all great wines are found at the other end of a six-hour flight west." Comunale acknowledges that some of the recent success with these wines can be attributed to the popularity of the "farm to table" movement, and he notes that the craft beer movement has also influenced consumers' atti- tudes. Whether tomatoes, beer or Chardonnay, there's a feeling that local is better and, as a result, consumers are slowly beginning to trust local wines. "But this doesn't happen without improv- ing the quality of what ends up in the bottle," Comunale adds. "And just as improvements were made in California's wines in the 1960s and '70s, in the Garden State now, we're improving our vineyard man- agement and vinification process- es." He also credits millennials for the uptick in New Jersey wine appreciation: "We see this new generation of consumers branch out and accept local wines and know that they have the potential to develop even further." Terri Baldwin, wine director and sommelier at the prestigious Ber- nards Inn, told me in an e-mail that Terri Baldwin of Bernards Inn added New Jersey wines to her list after being impressed during a blind tasting. 707~293~6212 KCVINEYARDS.NET SERVING SONOMA, MENDOCINO AND LAKE COUNTIES Vineyard Management • Development • Custom Har vesting A Sonoma County Agricultural Family Since 1853. EAST WATCH MARGUERITE THOMAS