Grapes: Chardonnay… one of the main grapes grown in Burgundy and is doing well in New Jersey.
Taste/Nose:Â The nose has aromas of citrus, almonds, a bit floral and a whiff of oak. Very soft yet crisp mouth feel.
Food Pair: Terrific with Cheese… Brie, or light ante pastas like Caprese
Label: Water color by Joan Ventimiglia with fruit pouring from the wine glass.
Misc: French Style with minimal creamy-buttery layers.
Price: $15.00
Grapes: A mutt… grapes from this vineyard: Marquette, Landau, Chambourcin, Marechal Foch, Concord, Frontenac.
Taste/Nose: Berry taste, some melon. A lighter red.
Food Pair: Tangy pasta dishes.
Label: Lavallette Yacht club sunrise.
Misc: A good table wine in general, definitely for the dry wine lover.
Fun Fact: The ridge line that Ventimiglia Vineyard is on is called the Rocky Ridge, thus the name..
Price: $17.00
Grapes: Cayuga – This grape is a Cornell University hybrid. The Cayuga grape is popular in the Finger Lakes.
Taste/Nose: Dry White wine, fruity but with refreshing finish.
Food Pair: Any sea food or poultry. Spicy foods or something with a light cream sauce.
Label: Lavallette sunrise.
Misc.: Most wine makers sweeten Cayuga grape wine, but we LOVE the flavor and finish of the natural, dry Cayuga.
Price: $16.00
Grapes: Vidal Blanc
Taste/Nose: Honeydew Melon on the nose. Overtones of white grapefruit. Bright opening with lots of fruit, but still dry.
Food Pair: I love this wine with Oysters, Sushi and several fish dishes. Good with a palate cleansing sorbet or salad with strong fruits and vinaigrettes.
Label: My sister in law’s (Joan) sketches from ABT. Gene’s niece, Danielle is a stage manager at ABT allowing Joan to sketch some of the dancers.
Misc.: This wine, although dry, is a wine many sweet wine drinkers like because of the fruit flavors.
Fun Fact: A grape developed in the 1930s that grows well in colder climates. It is grown as close as 500 miles from the Arctic circle in Sweden where it is used to make iced wine.
Price: $17.00
Grapes: Chambourcin – a grape that grows well in the Mid-Atlantic states from NY and NJ to WV.
Taste/Nose: A simple, earthy wine with black fruitiness bouquet. Well balanced.
Food Pair:Â Bleu Cheese, Dark Chocolate, good for Sangria, and with brighter fruits such as raspberry, strawberry, citrus. Good with Pork dishes or crawfish, a nice lunch BBQ wine as well.
Label: The Crushing process here at the winery.
Misc:Â This is a good everyday wine. It can go with any food, or stand on its own. It has a beautiful color depth, but is still lighter in body.
Fun Fact: This grape is growing in popularity in Germany.
Price: $21.00
Grapes: LaCresent, Pinot Gris, Traminette, Vidal
Taste/Nose: A bit of apricot & spice from the traminette grape.
Food Pair:
Label: My sister-in-law’s (Joan) sketches from ABT. Gene’s niece, Danielle is a stage manager at ABT allowing Joan to sketch some of the dancers.
Misc.: 100% Sussex County grapes!!!
Price: $18.00
Grapes: Carignane from CA
Taste/Nose: Smooth and easy, but complex taste that lingers in your mouth. Leaves a warming finish. Nose is aromatic, carrying fruits and a touch of spice.
Food Pair: Enjoy this wine with a wide array of food… Lamb, red sauce, pizza, pasta, herby chicken. Supports a big, heavier meal while compliments lighter meals. Enhances herbs like wild thyme.
Label: Gene’s grandfathers village Rocco Cilento, Italy (near Salerno) as painted by his mother, Marguerite.
Misc: Gene’s grandfather made this wine. It is the family wine Gene grew up with. It is a nice easy table wine.
Fun Fact: The grape is a Spanish/French grape variety that needs a warm climate to grow. It is used to blend, make Rose wine, and was used as a primary source of jug wine from California for a time.
Price: $27.00
Grapes: Cabernet Franc –Parent grape, with Sauvignon Blanc, of Cabernet Sauvignon. This grape can be found as far back as the 17th century. Grows well in this region.
Taste/Nose: A blast of fruit in front with a mellow, quick finish. Woody/oak overtones, perhaps even a bit of almond on the nose.
Food Pair: Lamb/Pork/Veal lighter meals, anti pasta, richer shellfish.
Label: Photo taken by Gene’s nephew David of buildings in Rocco Cilento, Italy.
Misc: This wine is so soft that many who prefer sweet wine also like it.
Fun Fact: Cabernet Franc yields less grapes per acreage than Cabernet Sauvignon, another reason when you see it, it is often more expensive. Often used for blending with Cab Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux style.
Price: $35.00
Grapes: Old Vine Zin, Petite Syrah, Carignane (CA grapes)
Taste/Nose: A full bodied red that is smooth. Bold, dark, acidic nose. Bold flavor with a bit of fruit to almost give it a sweetness. The finish is almost vanilla or leathery.
Food Pair: Beef dishes… steak, grilling food, pasta or tomato based dishes. Hard Cheeses. Possibly a pork scallopini with gorgonzola sauce.
Label: Grandfather’s Car: Father driving with Grandmother and Aunt standing next to it.
Misc: Another wine to have a sweet drinker try to show that a red, dry wine doesn’t need to be harsh. Drink this wine with food or without.
Fun Fact: There is no official age at which a Zinfandel plant get dubbed an “old vine,†but most people say the vine has to be at least 40 if not 50 years old.
Fratelli Ventimiglia means “Brothers Ventimigliaâ€
Price: $35.00
Grapes: A blend of grapes including Cayuga, LaCrescent, Frontenac Gris.
Taste/Nose: The sweetest of our wines here, but really considered a semi-sweet wine overall. The blend results in a sweet but complex wine with a wonderful finish. Nice acidity on the nose.
Food Pair: I love this wine with spicy food or deserts… like shortcake.
Label: The 220 ft monument at High Point State Park marks the highest point in NJ and is a monument to all war veterans completed in 1930. Drawn by Erin Kelly.
Misc: For Dry Wine drinkers this is a dessert wine, for sweet wine drinkers this is good for any day at any time. This is a sweet wine without the syrupy feel.
Price: $18.00