On the Way to Cape May…

 

My agenda for the day on Friday was admittedly ambitious. I wanted to visit Turdo Vineyards & Winery, try a new distillery nearby and attend a Rootstock Concert at Hawk Haven. Fortunately, my wife, Carol agreed to be designated driver and did not partake in the tasting at the Distillery. I am a lucky man! Nothing to do in South Jersey? I think not! On the Way to Cape May…

Turdo Vineyards & Winery has been around since 1995. Sal and his son, Luca make some of the best wines I’ve ever had. Somehow they seem to continue to get better and better every year. The past year was a very busy one, as they expanded their beautiful patio, overlooking the vineyards, flowers and fruit trees. Unfortunately the expansion meant they would need to pull up some of their prized vines (I believe this entailed some of their Cabernet Sauvignon and their iconic signature grape, Nero d’Avola). Fortunately, more of these vines are growing further out in the vineyard, as well. We did a terrific tasting and decided to enjoy a glass of wine on their expanded patio, which affords some protection from the sun, while letting in the wonderful breezes. My photo above does not do justice to this gorgeous setting.

We tasted the following white wines:

• Albarino-wonderful; fruity, yet fresh and clean
• Grillo-Their signature white wine with Sicilian origin. This is the only Grillo made in the U.S. It is a winner with seafood or a capella (especially in the summer)
• Pinot Grigio-crisp, clean with nice acidity
• Sauvignon Blanc-Scored 89 Points in the Wine Enthusiast. I like it better than some highly rated New Zealand versions, as the grapefruit is on the palate, but not “in your face.”

The best was yet to come, as Turdo’s red wines are magical:

• 2017 Turis Pinot Noir-Scored 88 Points in Wine Enthusiast
• 2017 Turis Barbera-Wine Enthusiast 88 Points
• 2018 Turis Barbera* (Just bottled; we got to taste the two vintages side-by-side. As good as the 2017 Barbera was, the 2018 already blows it away. It is already lush and velvety smooth despite its youth. The best Barbera I have ever tasted-No Hyperbole!
• 2016 Turis Sangiovese-Gold Medal Winner at the 2019 Indy International Wine Competition. Consistently my favorite Sangiovese made in the U.S. (better than most Chianti I have had).
• 2017 Turis Persara-Bordeaux-style that is a perennial favorite for us (and many others).
• 2018 Turis Nero d’Avola-Their signature red wine; a grape indigenous to Sicily. They are the only grower and producer on the East Coast. A lovely, dark, spicy, full-bodied wine.
• 2016 Turis Cabernet Sauvignon-Bronze Medal Winner at the 2019 Indy International Wine Competition. I want to taste the other winners, if this didn’t win the Gold! This is their best Cab to date, in my opinion. Lush, full-bodied gem, with velvety-smooth tannins.

My wife chose a glass of Grillo and I chose a glass of the 2018 Barbera to enjoy on the patio, while our two cases were being boxed up. What a great way to put a bow on our incredible tasting!

Next we were off to Nauti Spirits Distillery (a stone’s throw away on Shunpike Road). I had to check this place out, as it was closed the past few times we were in the area. I had heard good things about them. They won a Gold Medal for best domestic Vodka at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and a Gold Medal for their Gin at the 2018 Los Angeles International Spirits Competition. I knew I had to limit my intake, given our extensive tasting at Turdo and we still had our Hawk Haven Rootstock Concert (and our obligatory wine to be consumed there).

Nauti Spirits Distillery makes a vodka, a gin, a rum and a whiskey. Their vodka is made with corn and sweet potatoes. The corn and sweet potatoes are grown right on their preserved coastal farm. I thought it was very good, but would probably prefer one of their hand crafted mixed drinks.

According to my server, their gin actually starts out as vodka and then the juniper berries and other flavor profile enhancers are added. I thought the fragrance was great and the taste surprisingly good. Again I might prefer it in a mixer rather than straight up.

Their rum is made from traditional molasses. It is light in color and very flavorful. Their whiskey was decent and apparently new to the menu, as it is not listed on their website.

The tasting room is fairly large and inviting and they also have a very nice covered space out back, overlooking the farm. Check out their website, as they have live music on a fairly regular basis. When I return, I would definitely like to try one of their mixed drinks, which looked very good and perhaps enjoy some music while I’m there.

Our last stop was the Rootstock concert at Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery. On the main stage was Jeffrey Gaines who we had seen here a year ago (see below)

                           

Because I very recently wrote about a Rootstock Concert here, I won’t say too much about this one. However, if you haven’t seen Jeffrey Gaines, you really should make it a point to see him if you like the singer-songwriter genre of music. If you like beautiful outside venues to enjoy your music, you really must check out the Rootstock Concert Series at Hawk Haven. Their wines are far from an afterthought. Truth is, Hawk Haven makes some of the best wines in the state. My wife and I enjoyed a bottle of their fantastic Signature Series Pinot Grigio and took some home, as well. Hawk Haven is a member of the Winemakers Co-Op, five New Jersey wineries consistently making some of the finest wines in the state and beyond. My final word on this winery and this event is: Consider becoming a member and get free tickets to all of the Rootstock Concerts, while getting a great discount on their wonderful wines and many other benefits. For more about Rootstock Concerts at Hawk Haven and Jeffrey Gaines see my post from last year here: https://wp.me/p74VSa-t4

Finally, there is a new brewery in Cape May close to Turdo, Cape May Winery & Vineyard and Nauti Spirits distillery called Gusto Brewing Company. My work here is never done!

Cheers!

Upcoming New Jersey Winery Events of Note (that I plan on attending):

• Wine Down Summer at Riverwinds on Saturday, 8/24 and Sunday, 8/25
• Winemakers Co-Op Fall Portfolio Tasting at Beneduce Vineyards on Sunday, 9/22

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