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3 2 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 non out there for $20. The biggest hurdle for me — and, I think, for many consumers — is the price." Fisch mentions that the domi- nance of sweet wine can be anoth- er hurdle. "But it's important to remember that the New Jersey wine industry is still young. It took Napa decades to really make a mark in the world of wine; so who knows, maybe New Jersey's great- est impact is just around the cor- ner. New Jersey wine sales were up 10% from 2014 to 2015, and we increased the wines we carry by 26%. We definitely see this as a growth category, albeit still small in the grand scheme of things." When it comes to wine, New Jersey isn't the only state with an image problem, although its prob- lems may be more deep-seated than most. On the other hand, there are many reasons to be optimistic about the future. According to the Garden State Wine Growers Associ- ation, New Jersey's wine industry is the fastest-growing segment of the state's agricultural industry. Dan- iel Ward, director of the New Jer- sey Center for Wine Research and Education (part of Rutgers Agricul- tural Experiment Station) told me he thinks New Jersey has a lot going for it, including a good physical envi- ronment (good soils, reasonable climate), excellent access to good markets and educated, cosmopoli- tan consumers. "This is a young, dynamic industry that's trying to do a hard thing," he says. "They're try- ing to create a new industry and a new identity in a state that doesn't always get the best publicity. New Jersey faces plenty of limitations, but all in all, the future looks good." And that's no joke. Marguerite Thomas is a Balti- more-based journalist and photogra- pher who contributes wine-related articles to several national and inter- national publications. She is the author of the books "Wineries of the Eastern States" and "Visiting East Coast Wineries." Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. New Jersey's four Gary's Wine and Marketplace stores carry local wines and have increased inventory due to increased sales. EAST WATCH MARGUERITE THOMAS