Sharrott Wine and Music Festival

   

The Sharrott Wine and Music Festival is an event I look forward to every year. We have attended the last five or six and they are always a highlight of the season of festivals. This year was no exception. Held on Saturday, 6/3/17 we lucked out with the weather. Wine, music and food, shared with friends – it doesn’t get much better! We brought our own food (crackers, cheeses and salad with chicken), though there were some excellent food trucks, which tempted patrons with the alluring smells of pizza, barbecue and other wonderful aromas. The music was provided by the Matt Noffsinger Band and Mike Chet Beck. They both created a party atmosphere with eclectic sets of music that ranged from The Allman Brothers to Michael Jackson and everything in between.

While we sampled dry whites and reds from most of the wineries represented (Sharrott Winery, Plagido’s Winery, DiMatteo Vineyards, Monroeville Winery, Villari Vineyards, Bellview Winery, Coda Rosa Winery and Chestnut Run Farm) we agreed upon a bottle of wine to enjoy with our picnic lunch – Sharrott Pinot Grigio. Sharrott’s Pinot Grigio has become my favorite New Jersey Pinot Grigio and is probably my favorite Pinot Grigio outside of Italy. It is light, dry and crisp, but with a nice fruity aroma and taste. It is a great complement to so many dishes, including ours.

Other wines deserving a shout-out in my tastings included Bellview’s Chardonnay, Villari’s Merlot, DiMatteo’s Chambourcin, Monroeville’s Stillwater White and Richwood Red and Chestnut Run’s Dry Crisp Asian Pear Wine. I need to add, at this point, that I am a member at Sharrott and I’m already very familiar with their wines, so we did not wade into the waiting line to taste (until we decided to purchase the Pinot Grigio). It’s always good to have a “Go-To” wine or winery when you are tasting this many wines. Sharrott makes a few of our favorite whites and reds, making our deliberations a little easier.

Here are a few suggestions for attending a wine festival

1. Pack some ice in an insulated bag. Even your bottle of red will benefit from a brief chill on a hot day (and obviously this is a must for your food). Light-weight beach chairs and/or blankets are necessities, as well.
2. Get there early. Pick a place to set your chairs and paraphernalia, equally distant from the wine tents and the live music.
3. Go directly to wineries you are not familiar with before the crowds descend. It’s also a great chance to check out wineries which do not have a tasting room (like Villari and Chestnut Run Farms) and present a rare opportunity to taste their wines.
4. Decide if the tastes of new wines sway you from your “Go-To” wine, purchase now and take back to your chairs.
5. Enjoy your wine with your picnic lunch (or purchased food truck meal for those who decided to skip the lunch prep) while enjoying the music.
6. If you haven’t already overindulged (or have a designated driver) you may be able to get a final taste at a winery you didn’t sample before, as the crowd thins out, but before the wine merchants pack up for the day.
7. If you want to take wine home with you, purchase when you do your initial tasting and ask them to save for you in their sheltered area (it will cook in the sun). You can pick it up on your way to the car.
8. Do not bring your own alcohol, as your cooler may be checked and the alcohol confiscated. It’s the law that only those alcoholic beverages purchased on-site are permitted.

I am actually hoping these festivals don’t get much more popular, as the crowds are getting large and could take away from the enjoyment. Luckily it has not reached that point yet. Life is good!

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Cheers!