A lot of people have asked me if New Jersey produces any Italian-style wines like Chianti. As you may know, Chianti is made from the Sangiovese grape. Only a winery in the Chianti Region of Italy can call their Sangiovese wine Chianti. Similarly, Barolo wines are made from the Nebbiolo grapes, but only wineries in the Piedmont Region of Italy can call their Nebbiolo wine Barolo. The good news is that we have a few really good examples of Sangiovese and Nebbiolo right here in New Jersey.
Here are my personal favorite Sangiovese:
- Turdo Vineyards 2014 Turis Etichetta D’Oro-Simply the best Sangiovese I’ve ever tasted. Not just in New Jersey. I like it as well or better than even the best Chianti Classico Riserva. Comparable to a Brunella. It is 100% estate-grown Sangiovese grapes, aged in oak for five years and following all the DOCG Wine Laws in Italy for the production of Brunello.
- Turdo Vineyards Turis 2016 Sangiovese-My favorite, before Turdo released its limited release, upscale relative (described above). This Sangiovese is so good. It is more full-bodied than a lot of Sangiovese (and Chianti) I have had over the years. It is also richer and very smooth. (Pictured above)
- Working Dog Winery-A lighter, tasty version.
Note: There are other NJ wineries that produce Sangiovese and Nebbiolo. The ones mentioned here are my favorites. Some NJ wineries also produce Sangiovese, but source their grapes from outside of the state (or even outside of the country), though a couple of these are very good.
My favorite New Jersey Nebbiolo
- Turdo Vineyards Turis 2014 Etichetta D’Oro-Again, simply the best Nebbiolo I’ve had. Rivals the best Barolo I have had, with smoother tannins than most of them. 100% estate-grown Nebbiolo grapes. Aged in oak for three years and following all DOCG wine laws for making Barolo in Piedmont. (Pictured above)
- White Horse Winery Nebbiolo-I just enjoyed one of these a couple of weeks ago. It is now fairly smooth, medium-bodied, with classic cherry notes. I may keep this one for another year in my cellar as it keeps getting better with age. (Pictured above)
- Natali Vineyards Nebbiolo-A somewhat lighter, but very good version; not on their current menu, but I have enjoyed it in the recent past.
Suffice it to say, while I love my Italian wines, you can enjoy a great Italian-style wine right here in New Jersey, while supporting our local wineries.
A Note on Mother’s Day
I hope all the mothers out there had a great Mother’s Day (even if a bit different). For my wife, I had purchased concert tickets from the New York City Winery. Performers included Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Indigo Girls, Loudon Wainwright III, Jorma Kaukonen, and many other artists. I also got a deal on a subscription to EPIX (the streaming service). They are now offering a deal with Prime and featuring, Belgravia. My wife loved Downton Abbey, so this was a no brainer. For dinner, she requested Linguine and Clams (I had to substitute Spaghetti, as Instacart users can’t be choosy). I prepared this and served it with a great Pinot Grigio (Hawk Haven’s Signature Series Dry Pinot Grigio). The appetizer was equally simple-Shrimp with lemon and cocktail sauce and served with Hawk Haven’s Naked Chardonnay (no mask). OK. Not exactly the stuff of legends, but we are in the middle of a pandemic and she said it was great. (Love her)! Pandemic also means FaceTime with our son. No drive-by as he and his family live in Illinois. But, all-in-all, a very nice day…
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Coming Attractions
- NJ Italian-Style Wines Part 2 (Barbera, Nero d’Avola, Grillo, Pinot Grigio)
- NJ Uncorked & Unplugged – Sharing music virtually (while enjoying your wine en vivo)
- Terra Nonno-New Jersey’s newest winery
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