For the next few weeks I will be writing a lot about curbside pickups, take-out dinners, and delivery of wines and dinners. Today I want to share my experience with Brook Hollow. I wish this winery was closer (it’s about a two and a half-hour drive for me) and that COVID was not so prevalent right now. My wife and I have talked about making a trip to the northern part of the state and visit Brook Hollow and a few other wineries nearby. Brook Hollow Winery is located in Columbia (in the northern part of the state). This is a beautiful area, with mountain views and the Delaware Water Gap a short drive away! We also want to visit the Lakota wolf preserve near Brook Hollow (one of the winery’s charities).
While that trip is not going to happen right now, I was able to snag a great deal via an email from Brook Hollow. You can get 10% off an order of 6-12 bottles and free shipping. I love a good sale and free shipping almost as much as I love wine. I ordered my six on Monday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon these welcome guests arrived:
- 2017 Reserve Chardonnay (2) -Medium+ bodied with notes of lemon and green apple, good acidity, and a luscious mouthfeel.
- Proprietor’s Red 2018-A blend of their Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab Franc. It is a full-bodied red with dark red fruits and vanilla on the palate.
- 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon-Aged in oak for two years, it is a very nice dry Cab that is surprisingly smooth.
- Merlot 2018-A fan favorite bursting with raspberry flavor.
- Cabernet Franc 2018-We enjoyed this wine with a beef dish in our crockpot (great comfort food).It is a medium-bodied version with ripe cherries and raspberries and a very smooth finish.
We enjoyed the Chardonnay during our happy hour on Tuesday when we received the shipment.
This week I also want to take a look at wine shipments more broadly. This includes shipping New Jersey wines, as well as shipping wines from around the world to folks who live in New Jersey. My three favorite companies in this business are: 1. Wine.com; 2. Wine Library; and 3. Vivino. If you have a lot of wines shipped, I believe wine.com is the best option. Get the StewardShip Membership for $49 (plus tax). You get unlimited shipping all year, with no minimum number of bottles. Like other services, their prices are often a little higher than a discount liquor store (like Total Wine). However, they constantly offer sales and coupon codes for up to $50 off your order of $200 or $250 or more.
Another great option is Wine Library. You can sign up for emails, but better yet, sign up for their text service. You will get great deals daily. While I find their membership ($99.99 per year, plus tax) a bit steep, they offer amazing discounted prices on some excellent promoted wines. I have used their service numerous times and been happy with it.
Finally, Vivino is another great option for shipping. They utilize liquor stores all over the country and you can often get free shipping on mixed cases (sometimes even less than a case). They also utilize customer ratings of the wines they sell, which can be helpful for wines that are new to you. I have also been generally happy with their service.
For those of you looking for a good shipping service, I hope this helps you in your quest. I wish they included more New Jersey wines (hardly any are offered). Consequently, you will need to order them directly from the wineries. While I have used all three services listed above, I do not receive any compensation for my recommendations. Unlike a lot of sites these days, hopefully you notice I do not accept any advertisements, allowing me to tell it as I see it.
Cheers!
Make it your resolution to learn more about New Jersey wine and wineries…
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Coming Attractions
- Home Cooking & NJ Wine
- Take out & NJ Wine
- Train Wreck Distillery
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