Located in Hammonton, Tomasello has been a fixture in the area since 1933. The timing of this visit was spurred by their weekly sale featuring their Palmaris Reserve wines. It brought back memories of my introduction to these wines, with Jack and Charley Tomasello hosting a private tasting for my wife and me. You can read about that wonderful experience here: https://wp.me/p74VSa-iY). While Tomasello made some very good wines before the Palmaris wines were introduced, these wines were a real game changer. Many of them have won numerous awards. They are heavy on the reds, with only one white wine (Chardonnay) at this time. Speaking of heavy, I am hard pressed to think of another wine producer who uses heavier bottles for their wines. But even with the high quality of these wines, and the increase in the cost of bottles, the 25% off sale was a real bargain.
Flight #1
- 2019 Palmaris Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve-Beautiful deep ruby color and full-bodied; awarded 93 points from the Beverage Tasting Institute.
- 2017 Palmaris Cabernet Franc Reserve-My favorite in the tasting; an excellent Cab Franc, with ripe cherry notes and lots of structure, but very smooth.
- 2019 Palmaris Pinot Noir Reserve-Great with mushrooms, truffles, and much more.
- 2017 Palmaris Pettit Verdot Reserve-A smooth, full-bodied version, with chocolate notes; a Gold Medal winner at the Atlantic Coast Seaboard Wine Competition.
- 2018 Palmaris Merlot Reserve-A full-bodied Merlot; awarded 92 points by the Beverage Tasting Institute.
Flight #2
- 2019 Palmaris Chardonnay Reserve (oak)-Even if you are a red wine devotee, this Chardonnay is worth trying; tasty oak qualities with a bit of butter on the palate, and very smooth.
- 2020 Napa Valley Cab-Good, but I preferred their Outer Coastal Plains version.
- 2020 Napa Valley Palmaris Red (a blend of Merlot, Cab, and Cab Franc)-Enjoyed this one, but again not as much as the other Palmaris wines.
- Syrah-Very dry; a good Syrah
- Blaufrankisch-My favorite non Palmaris Reserve, this was an excellent Blaufrankisch. I decided to bring this one home, as well.
My Take Aways
If you haven’t visited Tomasello Winery in a while, it is definitely worth the trip. The tasting room is attractive and they have recently added a few tables outside-both along the the walk and under a larger covered area out front. To learn more about their tasting rooms (in several locations), you can click on their website here: tomasellowinery.com
Chimney Rustic Ales
This brewery opened about five years ago. It is also located in Hammonton (how convenient). It is a small, but inviting spot located across the street from The Funky Cow. I love the colorful umbrellas adorning the picnic tables along their sidewalk. While they do not offer the traditional samplers, you can get small pours (four ounces) of the beers of your choice.
Our choices:
- Ironworks-An IPA (ABV=5.9 %).
- Nuggies-DIPA (Double IPA; ABV=8.4%)-Tasty and potent.
- Andrew’s ESB-I really enjoyed this ESB (Extra Special Bitter). They are hard to find in my experience. They are refreshing, go down easy, and won’t render you senseless after downing a couple.
- Bear’s Den-Black Lager (ABV=6.9%); using a Stout recipe, but using their house lager yeast. Unique and very good.
- Confetti-Another DIPA (ABV=8.2%) in the Milkshake style; smooth and tasty with a bit of vanilla in the mix.
- Toast-A delicious Imperial Porter (ABV=8.7%); My favorite in our tasting.
Interested in learning more about this brewery? Check out their website here: chimneybeer.com
Cheers!
My New Jersey Wine of the Week
This week I chose William Heritage Winery’s 2021 Chambourcin Estate Reserve. I love this versatile wine. It goes with so many dishes. Fortunately, New Jersey has a lot of success with this grape and William Heritage did a very nice job with this vintage. This wine is medium-bodied with a deep garnet color, and offers the classic cherry notes, as well as blackberries.
Coming Attractions
- Old YorkCellars (Food & Wine with a View)
- My NJ Wine of the Week
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