Balic is the third oldest active winery in the state, celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. Located in Mays Landing, the vineyard was first planted in the early 1900s and today it is also one of the largest in New Jersey. Founder Savo Balic brought his knowledge of the wine business from Yugoslovia. He immigrated to the United States and bought the 57-acre vineyard and opened in 1966. In 1993 Bojan (Savo’s nephew) joined his uncle in the enterprise, adding his European winemaking background to further enhance the family tradition at Balic Winery.
Balic offers complimentary tastings in their modern tasting room. In addition to their main tasting room in Mays Landing, they also offer their wines at many outlets around the state (farm markets, etc.). They make more than 25 wines, with many award winners at numerous competitions. To complement their classics like Chardonnay, Dry Riesling, Cabernet and Merlot, they offer a number of proprietary wines and/or blends. These include Napoleon Bonaparte (their Meritage white blend); Alexander the Great (their “indigenous red Mediterranean varietal”); Country Red (a “Beaujolais-style blend of Gamay and Cab Franc – with a bit of spice added”); and Red Velvet (their red Meritage, Bordeaux-style blend, based on Cabernet and Merlot).
Balic also makes several semi-sweet wines, including their Cream Red and Cream White, as well as their Almanique, a dessert wine fermented with cherry pits and toasted almonds, and Rose Supreme (an after-dinner Rose). Their Sparkling wines include a Strawberry Spritzer and White Spritzer, both billed as sparkling “spumante” wines. In the aperitif category, the winery also makes a highly prized Cream Sherry, which was a Double-Gold Medal Winner at the San Francisco Chronicle Competition (an international competition). It is lighter than most cream sherries, both in color and in body, with roughly the same alcohol content (about 20%). It is also more refreshing and not as cloyingly sweet as many others I have tasted.
In keeping with their history and the history of New Jersey wine, they also offer an assortment of fruit wines. Their fruit wines include Pomegranate Wine, Huckleberry Wine, Mango Wine, Blueberry Wine, Red Raspberry Wine, Cherry Wine, Cranberry Wine and Blackberry Wine. Holiday Wine (an American Grape Wine with spice flavor added) is a big seller around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Perhaps Balic Winery’s best buys are the Country Red, Red Velvet and the Cream Sherry, but the Napoleon Bonaparte and Alexander the Great are also worth a try. Though I had tasted Balic wines previously at festivals and one or two of their other outlets, I must say I found them much more enjoyable when tasting them in person at the winery. They are also very reasonable. Besides their free tasting, their wines are all priced under $16 and they offer a 15% discount on a mixed case. Balic has very convenient hours: open seven days a week all year round, with evening hours, as well. So you can stop in on your way to or from the Jersey Shore.
On a personal note, my wife and I visited Balic yesterday and enjoyed a yearly complimentary event consisting of live jazz, a nice small buffet and their usual array of twenty some wines to sample (be careful out there). This is done as a kind of thank you to their customers (not a “members only” event – they do not have a membership). The discounts noted above are for all customers. Subscribe to their newsletter and you can find out more about future events and more about their winery and their wines. Click below to navigate to Balic’s website.
P.S. You can also visit the nearby Lazy Eye Distillery right on Route 40. Yes, it is a grape story. They use grapes to make their Vodka and they happen to be our featured blog next week.
I am also happy to report that my book with the same title as this blog (New Jersey Uncorked: A Snob-Free Taste of NJ Wine) will be published soon. I am anticipating March, 2017. It will cover items in my blog, plus much more. For instance: my picks at each of the wineries, insider tips, ambience, value, food options, entertainment, and a host of other things to enhance your wine experience at our wineries.
Visited a New Jersey Winery recently? Tasted a NJ wine lately? Share your experience here.
Cheers!
I’ve had Balic at festivals and also thought what I tasted was ok but it didn’t blow me away. I’ll make it w point to get to the winery next time we are that far south! You’ve got me wanting to give them another shot!
Nancy, Thanks for your comment. If you compare their wines with the best in the state I would agree with you. However, if you compare them with other wines in NJ with the same price point ($8.75-$15.95) I think they compare pretty favorably. I also have to say that you don’t have to spend $5-$10 finding out you don’t like them, but with 20 or so to choose from you can probably find at least one you like. Finally, for anyone that likes Cream Sherry, theirs has been a Double Gold Winner meaning the judges agreed unanimously that it was the best of those tasted in that category and at that price point.