When I was doing research for my book, New Jersey Uncorked, it was a common occurrence to do two tastings in one day, perhaps three. The state is large and often required a lot of driving. Fortunately, my wife would often serve as designated driver, limiting her tastings or just sipping one of two of my selections. On Saturday, I did two very special tastings. The first was a members only barrel tasting at Hawk Haven Vineyards in Rio Grande.
Hawk Haven Vineyards Barrel Tasting
My wife and I got to taste:
- 2021 Signature Series Dry Riesling-Possibly the best Riesling they have produced thus far-dry
- 2021 Signature Series Albarino-Excellent version with notes of lemon, lime, and pear and a refreshing finish.
- 2021 Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon Rose-A delicious oaked, dry Rose with raspberry notes and a little more body (in part due to the oak)
- 2020 Signature Series Reserve Merlot-A very smooth Merlot with medium body.
- 2020 Signature Series Cabernet Franc-My favorite in the reds we tasted. Silky smooth, though a little less body than in previous vintages.
- 2020 Q-A nice blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Petit Verdot will be added soon (which will likely add to the depth of color, body, and complexity).
For our last tasting station, it was back to the tasting room. Here, we were treated to an assortment of shrimp, stone crab claws, cheese, crackers, and figs. This tasty interlude was followed by a taste of their 2022 Gewürztraminer and an oaked Rose of Petit Sirah. The Gewürztraminer was excellent, just a bit sweeter than their previous vintage. The Rose was great, with the added body and complexity provided by these grapes, coupled with the oak. The Rose was poured by Todd, Wuerker (owner and winemaker) who was running back and forth to wherever he was needed. At the end of the tasting, my wife and I were asked to join Todd and his wife, Kenna outside for a few photos. We were happy to be a part of the numerous photos that were taken during this event. Perhaps they will be posted on Facebook or on the Hawk Haven website.
The white wines we were able to take with us and are pictured above. The reds will be available in a couple of months.
After our tasting we had reserved a table in one of their tented areas (formerly their crush pad). As we were planning to go to another winery, we enjoyed a small glass of their Pinot Grigio while taking in the burgeoning vineyards and listening to some live acoustic music nearby. My wife thought it was time to snap a photo of me relaxing and enjoying myself. Carol declined to be in this picture.
Our other purchases from our visit are pictured above.
Fortunately, our second tasting was only a short drive to Turdo Vineyards in Cape May…
Turdo Vineyards Tasting
A tasting at Turdo is always special. On Saturday, we had the added good fortune to have Sal Turdo (owner and winemaker) serve our wine, with informative narration and enlightening stories.
I got to taste the following white wines:
- 2021 DiLuca Albarino-Fragrant fruity aromas and with notes of pineapple and nectarine on the palate. Very refreshing!
- 2021 Turis Pinot Grigio-Lively acidity with notes of apple and lemon. In my opinion, this is the best Pinot Grigio they have produced here. I will have to pick up some next time, as our cellar is nearing capacity after today.
- 2021 Turis Grillo-I love that this winery is the only winery in the country that you can find this wine and it is grown and produced here. It offers aromas of apple and citrus, with citrus on the palate. It is the perfect pairing with seafood, with its briny acidity.
- 2021 Turis Sauvignon Blanc (one of the wines my wife tried and let me taste)-Grapefruit and pear on the palate with a long finish.
- 2021 Turis Rosato (another shared wine)-Beautiful pink Rose-Mediterranean style, with strawberry notes, lively acidity, and a clean, crisp finish.
I got to taste the new red vintages:
- 2021 Turis Barbera-Their Barbera has won awards repeatedly and this one is sure to please the critics. Ripe black cherry and raspberry with a great balance and lively acidity. Medium-bodied with a soft, rich mouthfeel.
- 2021 Turis Sangiovese=Always one of my favorites. This year is no exception. It is fruit forward with cherry notes on the palate and a hint of caramel on the finish. Aged 28 months in new French oak. Delicious!
- 2020 Turis Persara-Sal’s Bordeaux-style red blend named for his wonderful wife, Sara. It continues to be one of the best red blends around.
- 2019 Turis Cabernet Sauvignon-One of my favorite Cabs in the state. Full-bodied, with rich flavors of black cherry and blackberry with notes of vanilla and cocoa. Exceptionally smooth, despite spending 30 months in New French Oak. This will continue to get even better, though that’s hard to imagine. I’m also not sure I will be that patient.
When we finished our tasting, we elected to have a glass of wine on their lovely expanded patio, where there always seems to be a delightful breeze, the view is gorgeous, and the wine continues to amaze us. I chose the Cabernet Sauvignon and my wife chose their Grillo. See photo below.
What a great and memorable tasting! We will be back a few times during the summer for sure. Our take home selections are pictured below.
Cheers!
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