There are a lot of unsung heroes in the wine business. I generally write about the wines, winery owners and winemakers. Today, I am writing about one of the key grape growers in the state of New Jersey-Larry Coia. I got a chance to interview Larry this past week and I think you will find his story quite interesting. Those in the wine business already know Larry. He grows high quality grapes on his 15 acres located in Buena Vista Township (bordering Vineland). Larry is pictured above (right) with his son, Stephen. Several New Jersey wineries source one or more grape varieties from Coia Vineyards. Below I have included some of Larry’s comments from my recent post about the San Marco grape. Larry played a pivotal role in bringing San Marco to New Jersey. More about that later.
The Past
Larry came to grapes and wine, first as a hobby (planting his first grapevines in 1976), while he pursued his career as a radiation oncologist. He retired in 2013 and has put all of his energy and time into the grape growing business, which was already producing about 15 different grape varieties on his 15 acres of vineyards. But long before Larry retired from the medical profession he was contributing to New Jersey’s burgeoning wine business as one of the founding members of the OCPVA (Outer Coastal Plain Vineyard Association) and bringing in funding for the state via grants and research.
The Present
Larry continues to play an active and critical role in the OCPVA. One of the recent highlights he is justifiably proud of is his role in bringing the San Marco grape to New Jersey. Larry met in Italy with Marco Stefanini, the grape breeder, for which the San Marco grape was named. He traveled there on several occasions to learn about the grape and he wrote grant proposals to bring it to the United States, have it grown at Rutgers University, propagated at Double A Nurseries, and distributed to growers in New Jersey. The first New Jersey winery to commercially introduce the San Marco grape in the U.S. was Bellview Winery. The photo below shows Larry with Marco Stefanini near a San Marco vine trained to a pergola in Italy.
The Future
Despite the success of Coia Vineyards and Larry’s contributions to the state via the OCPVA, he has concerns about the future of New Jersey grape growers who are not also making and selling wine in New Jersey. Part of this is the ongoing competing philosophies of growers vs winemakers and owners: to what extent is it necessary to sacrifice quantity for quality? Meanwhile, with rising prices, necessitated by multiple causes, some wineries are already seeking out grapes from California and other sources.
What is the future of grape growers and wine producers in New Jersey? Larry is more optimistic about New Jersey’s wine future, as they are producing award winners in numbers that are quite impressive. What about the issue of global warming? Larry believes that any pluses attributed to warmer temperatures may be offset by greater temperature variability, possibly increased rainfall and damaging storms. Let’s hope for more serious programs to address these concerns and the continued adaptability to the changes already in progress.
On a lighter note, I was curious if Larry ever tried his hand at making wine. Turns out, he has. Not surprisingly, he won a couple of competitions (as an amateur entry). The photo below shows a sampling of wines that Larry has made. As for Larry’s future, he was somewhat enigmatic about what the next chapter in his career might bring. But, I am certain that whatever the next chapter might be, he will continue to be successful in the grape/wine business, using his scientific background and approach to his work.
Coming Attractions
- Three 3’s Brewery in Hammonton
- Blue Rascal Distillery in Hammonton
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Great article! Larry is an asset to New Jersey in both viticulture and agricultural in general. We need more Larry’s to highlight the great benefits New Jersey has to offer in both commercial production and agri-tourism.
Mike, Thanks for the kind words. It would be great if we could clone key people the was we can clone key grape varieties. I will try to continue to highlight some of these folks, while I report on my observations and tastings around the state. Cheers!