Let me start by saying, I am not celebrating “Dry January.” On Friday I celebrated my __th birthday. The celebration was a bit nontraditional, but very nice, nonetheless. It was quiet, laid-back, with lots of food and wine (ok the latter is pretty traditional). As my wife and I were contemplating a visit to nearby Autumn Lake Winery, we were surprised by a knock on the door and an unexpected package on our porch. It turned out to be a wonderful lunch, our son and his wife had delivered for us. It was from a local restaurant (Mamami Vietnamese Kitchen). Our delivery consisted of Pho Seafood, with shrimp and chunks of fish, rice and veggies, as well as spring rolls (filled with pork and rice).
Below is a photo of the Pho Seafood and Cuon Heo Nuong, before we put the ingredients in the broth (we thought it would be more photogenic this way). Terrific!
Even though it was a bit early, I decided to pour a small glass of wine to go with our delicious lunch. I chose Hawk Haven Vineyards Gewurtztraminer and it was a nice match-with citrus notes and a hint of sweetness.
Autumn Lake Winery
After we finished (and wrapped the leftovers) we decided to make that visit to Autumn Lake. Autumn Lake is located in Williamstown, just a stone’s throw away from home and they have a couple of new wines on the menu I wanted to try. We were able to visit early in the day, before the Friday Happy Hour crowd arrived. We were happy that this worked out perfectly. Though it was not a sunny, pretty day, our view from our window seats looking out on the lake, couldn’t be beat. As for the wine tasting…
The Reds
- Tortuga-A little lighter in body and color than I remembered, but very nice cherry notes.
- Squankum-My favorite in the tasting. Chambourcin is fermented in Bourbon barrels, giving a another layer of flavor to go along with the cherry, but not overpowering the fruit. The name comes from the native Americans who settled in the area later to be named Williamstown.
- Coeur d’Est-A red blend only produced in wineries in the OCP (Outer Coastal Plain), utilizing only the best available grapes from the winery. Definitely one of the best Coeur d’Est wines in the state-full-bodied and tasty.
The Whites
- Viognier-A decent version of a wine, seen more often in Virginia than New Jersey, but becoming more popular here.
- Traminette-One of the best around, with typical floral notes and just a hint of sweetness.
- Sauvignon Blanc-The grapes are sourced from Chile. This was a nice surprise, full of lemon-lime notes and a bit more body than some Sauvignon Blancs.
- Trentina-A vinifera, that is new to this area. Its “parents” are Muscato Ottonel and Malvasia Candia Aromatica. It is citrusy with lively acidity and an interesting addition to the lineup.
My only regrets: The Albarino is already sold out and obviously the new vintage reds are not ready to be bottled yet. But, what a nice way to enjoy an hour or so.
Dinner & a Movie (and delicious NJ Wines)
We continued with my untraditional birthday celebration via takeout from an excellent Italian restaurant in Haddonfield (Tres Famiglia). We had talked about dining there in person, but it is a very small dining room and on Fridays it is always packed. Add to that a few family members and friends who have had recent bouts with COVID, RSV, and/or the flu and we were more than happy to take home to enjoy.
Tres Famiglia (located in Haddonfield)
For my dinner, I chose their Shrimp and Apple Salad. My entree was Papardelle Bolognese and for dessert we both got chocolate cannolis. All were superb. My wife chose a Beet Salad and Crab Cakes with Risotto for her dinner. I do not have a photo of her dinner, but it was wonderful, too.
For our red wine, I chose the Turdo Vineyards 2016 Etichetta d’Oro (Sangiovese made to meet the standards of a Brunello). It is one of my all-time favorites (from New Jersey and beyond). It is full-bodied and so rich in flavors of cherry and vanilla, silky smooth tannins, and a long delicious finish. For our white wine, I selected a new bottle from Turdo Vineyards. Luca Turdo created a white Pinot Noir, his Blanc de Noir. Luca utilized Pinot Noir grapes from California in this very limited production wine. I was lucky enough to grab a couple of bottles. Thanks, Luca! This medium-bodied wine is dry, with delicious notes of apple and pear, and good acidity. It was great by itself, but also complimented my wife’s meal.
We continued to enjoy our wine, while renting The Fabelmans, the Oscar nominated movie from (and about) Steven Spielberg. It showed the difficult aspects of pursuing your dream, when your obsession takes its toll on relationships and when your family is a bit dysfunctional. We tend to idolize and often envy those whose talents make them famous, but it comes at a price.
Note: I did not highlight a NJ Wine of the Week today because I had already enjoyed more than my share of NJ wines, mentioned above. All were exceptionally good.
Coming Attractions
- Terra Nonno Winery
- Striped Lion Distillery
- My Featured NJ Wine of the Week
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