White Horse Winery Recent Revisit

At a recent revisit to White Horse Winery, I was excited to see that two of the wines that I had tasted at a private pre-release tasting were now available: Dry Rose and Barrel Reserve Vidal Blanc. I previously wrote about this experience here: http://wp.me/p74Vsa-lb

The potential for some excellent wines had already been tasted and agreed upon by all present at that tasting. Now I was eager to see if these wines were as good as expectations were for them. My wife and I were both delighted with the Dry Rose. With its beautiful color, strawberry on the nose and dry finish, it is one of my favorite Roses in a year full of great Roses in the state.

I don’t want to overlook the other wines sampled at my tasting: Both Chardonnays were very good, with the Barrel Fermented Chard, remaining my preference. The Merlot Reserve was also terrific, full of dark fruit and smooth as silk. The Chambourcin did not disappoint with its classic dark fruit and rounded tannins. This, too was a winner. The Nebbiolo was promising, but still in need of a little cellaring and aging, as its tannins were still a little rough around the edges.

The Vidal Blanc was not available to sample at our tasting, but as members, it was included in our current allocation. This oaked version was a pleasant surprise before it was even bottled. The extra months have turned this into something special. It also revived my interest in this grape. I confess that it has not been one of my favorite grapes over the past few years, but this wine reminded me of how it can be crafted into a top-notch wine. Tasting it as I write, it is a great summer wine, with a distinct flavor of grapefruit and only a subtle reminder of the neutral French oak. It has great acidity, making it a very food-friendly wine, as well as a summer white alternative to Chards and Pinots.

The winemaker, Seferino Cotzojay, is a great guy with an interesting background. I hope to get a chance to interview him as part of a future post, highlighting a few New Jersey winemakers. He was born in Guatemala, was Assistant Winemaker at a winery in Long Island (a wine hot spot that I plan on visiting soon), and has been the winemaker at White Horse Winery from its inception. Initially, Seferino utilized fruit from California and elsewhere, while waiting for their estate grapes to mature and be utilized in their wines. We are now starting to see that owners, Brock Vinton (father) and his son, B.J. not only chose an excellent winemaker, but also a great spot for their winery. Their estate wines are winning as many awards as their wines sourced from grapes from afar.

White Horse Winery continues to offer music every Friday Saturday and Sunday. You can enjoy it inside (if weather or allergies are an issue) or out. For colder evenings, there are fire pits, while the air-conditioning beckons on those hot and humid days. While you cannot bring your own food, the winery does offer a nice array of cheese plates and other accompaniments.

Cheers!

Exciting news about my book:

• I received my proofs for my book, New Jersey Uncorked: A Snob-Free Taste of NJ Wine and will be reviewing them over the next couple of days. The cover looks great. A few minor changes so far, but hopefully, the book will be published in mid to late July.

Coming Attractions

• Festivals (it is that time of year)
• Red, White and Brew – Bottle of red, bottle of white, perhaps a growler of brew, instead…

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