I have lived in South Jersey my whole life and have never spent any time in Mount Holly. A visit to two winery tasting rooms and a craft brewery recently changed all of that. I knew it was an old town, but didn’t know it was settled in 1677 by the Quakers. Mount Holly even has the oldest remaining and longest continuously operating all volunteer fire company in America. The Rancocas Creek flows right through the center of town. Lots of interesting history here, for sure.
What does the town have to offer folks today? If you enjoy wine, beer, or spirits and much more, they’ve got you covered. Our trip to Mount Holly centered around New Jersey wine, of course.
Tomasello Tasting Room
We started our self-guided tour at an old Victorian building on Washington Street, adjacent to the northern branch of the Rancocas Creek. Housed inside the lower level of this lovely building is a satellite tasting room for Tomasello Winery. The building, located at 5 Washington Street, dates back to 1873. We had decided that if it was crowded, we would look around, buy a bottle, and leave. Fortunately, there was only one other couple and they were sitting at the rear of the tasting room, leaving the window seats in the front, just for us.
Being familiar with Tomasello Winery and its wines, we decided to skip the tasting and choose a Palmaris red and white, enjoy a glass of each and cork and enjoy them once home. While here, we soaked up the ambiance, sipping these two wines:
- Tomasello Palmaris 2017 Pinot Noir Reserve-A very nice, medium-bodied wine with delicious black cherry notes and ample acidity to enjoy with many different foods. To make it even more enjoyable, it was on sale for 25% off.
- Tomasello Palmaris 2018 Chardonnay Reserve-A dry, medium-bodied, lightly oaked Chardonnay, with tasty apple notes.
Iron Plow
A very short walk down High Street brought us to the tasting room of Iron Plow. We have visited Iron Plow Vineyards and tasting room in Columbus, but this was our first visit to this attractive satellite tasting room. I am so thankful that we can visit during less crowded times. My wife and I were the only patrons on this Thursday afternoon. Our server was very knowledgeable and helpful. The wines were even better than I recalled. We went with a red flight and a white flight. Even the wine glasses were unique and attractive. I had only planned on bringing home a bottle (or two at most), but that was soon going to change.
Red Flight
- Norton-(AKA Cynthiana)I have felt for a long time that Norton is an under appreciated grape. This wine proves the point-dry, but fruit-forward with a deep ruby color, and full body.
- Cab Franc-Oak-aged for 24 months, it is medium-bodied, has notes of chocolate and black pepper, with smooth tannins.
- Cabernet Sauvignon-A full-bodied version with subtle cherry notes, and soft tannins. My favorite wine in the tasting.
White Flight
- Chardonnay-An unoaked version
- Gruner Veltliner-Refreshing with lots of acidity.
- Traminette-Classic floral aroma and just a hint of sweetness to this interesting wine.
In addition to the unfinished wines from Tomasello, we took home three bottles from Iron Plow: a Cabernet Sauvignon, Gruner Veltliner, and Traminette.
I shall return. I still would like to check out the distillery in an old train station, called Train Wreck Distillery, and check out a few more of the shops and local businesses, and perhaps enjoy a lunch or dinner there.
Cheers!
Coming Attractions
- Village Idiot Brewing Co. in Mount Holly
- Train Wreck Distillery in Mount Holly
- FLX Revisited
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