Pictured above are a couple of very good New Jersey wines that may have been overlooked since they were released several weeks ago. If you are not a member at William Heritage Winery, you may be familiar with their BDX, but perhaps not the Painted Horse. Autumn Lake Winery has won a number of recent prizes for their wines, but I have not heard a similar buzz about their Cab Franc. I believe this is about to change (or at least it should).
At a time when I am not able to get out to the wineries as much as I would like, I am very grateful for the many riches that are in my eclectic wine cellar. On that note, I would like to share these two recent winners…
William Heritage Winery 2020 Painted Horse
This is a wonderful red blend of Chambourcin (50%); Merlot (39%); Cab Franc (5%); Cabernet Sauvignon (3%); and Syrah (3%). This bottle was in our Spring allocation, along with their 2019 BDX. As stated above the BDX may have put William Heritage on the map (for those not already familiar with their winery). However, the Painted Horse is not just a tag along. It is a very nice, fruit-froward wine with incredibly smooth tannins. It is also reasonably priced (under $20 in our allotment). This wine will pair remarkably well with a host of barbecue fare, as well as pizza, pasta, etc. It is also damn good all by itself.
Autumn Lake Winery Cab Franc
The Autumn Lake Winery 2019 Cabernet Franc is a winner! In a state that boasts a plethora of excellent Cab Franc, (like Unionville Vineyards, Working Dog Winery, and Hawk Haven Vineyards, to name a few) you need to add this one to the list. It is a delicious, medium-bodied Cab Franc with tart cherries on the palate, soft tannins, and a super smooth finish.
Cheers!
What Else is Happening in New Jersey?
It’s spring and there are lots of new wine releases, food trucks, and entertainment of various sorts (live music, yoga classes, book club meetings, trivia games, etc.). In addition to these happenings, there are some changes in the business that we can see already trending. With the rising costs of bottles and corks, New Jersey is embracing trends that have already been set in motion all around us. For instance, I recently have had a few New Jersey wines with twist off caps, instead of the traditional corkage. I don’t have a problem with this change. It may not have the same panache as hearing that pop, but bad corks are a part of the problem-not just the increasing cost factor.
This week I had a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Courtney Benham) with a twist off cap-and it was very good. It reminded me of ordering a bottle of wine at an upscale restaurant in Newport, Rhode Island to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary. It was a highly rated (but relatively inexpensive) Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc. The waiter showed me the bottle and then walked away (he said to get an ice bucket). When he came back it was already opened, so I did not notice that it was a screw off cap. I suppose he didn’t want to upset me by charging me $50 for a wine with a screw off cap (uncommon in 1999 for a good bottle of wine).
The use of cans is now becoming more common, though I admit I am not a fan. I’m not saying I wouldn’t drink a can of wine. However, I would prefer to pay a dollar or two more for the bottled version. Still, there’s a time and a place for most things and if you can’t take a glass bottle to your pool or on your patio barbecue, do what you need to do. So far, I have only seen the William Heritage Rose in cans and the Hawk Haven Flying Press wines available in cans. The Flying Press wines are thankfully still also available in bottles. I expect to see more and more of these (especially in the less expensive wines on the market).
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