I always look forward to our visits to Amalthea Cellars in Atco. The very name itself (Amalthea) comes from the name of one of Jupiter’s moons and conjures up a special place. The wines are always great and the setting is special – indoors and outdoors. We visited during off hours and consequently had a very enjoyable tasting in which we were the only patrons. After our tasting, we took a bottle of wine and some snacks outside, behind the tasting room. From our table we could see other patrons begin to enter the building, while seemingly in another world. Amalthea Cellars truly has a wine for all tastes. Our takeaways are pictured above. In keeping with our love of dry wines, my wife and I chose to select these in our tasting.
Our Tasting
White Wines
- Elara-Sometimes referred to as their little Chardonnay, it is a blend of Chardonnay, Riesling, and Rayon d’Or. It is light and refreshing, with citrus notes.
- Green Dragon Fume Blanc-A Sauvignon Blanc; the only wine in our tasting that I was not crazy about.
- Dream Barrel Chardonnay-An excellent Chardonnay sourced with California grapes (Santa Rita); nice mouthfeel with hints of apple.
- Vidal Blanc Reserve-An interesting and unique version with a complexity and body, and just a hint of smoke.
- Leda 3 (Rose)-A very nice dry Rose wine with tasty strawberry notes. This wine was on sale (three bottles for $40). Too good to pass on that sale!
Red Wines
- Green Dragon Cabernet Sauvignon-A very good Cab; full-bodied with cherry notes and smooth tannins.
- Carme’ 5th Edition-For those of you Googling what kind of grape Carme is-it is another moon of Jupiter that is its namesake. It is another full-bodied red blend, deep in color, with hints of blackberries.
- 2019 Europa I-A wonerderful Bordeaux-style blend (a la Chateaux Margeaux). This blend has been one of my favorite wines here from the first one I tried-full-bodied, and very smooth. It has won many medals in the past. The 2015 version garnered 97 points from BTI (Beverage Tasting Institute).
- 2019 Europa V-Another great red blend in the Bordeaux-style (50% Merlot and 50% Cab Franc).
- Winter Cantina Mas-This seasonal red blend is sold in their plastic jugs, but don’t let that deter you. These blends are wonderful. They change four times a year, with the seasons. Unfortunately, we tasted the last of the Winter blend, which was a delicious full-bodied red, and very smooth.
A few notes about their wines:
- Their Green Dragon label is named after a historic Irish pub in Boston. Amalthea has their own Green Dragon Tavern on site, only utilized for special occasions.
- Their Dream Barrel wines are sourced from around the world (often California, but not exclusively).
- In addition to the winery’s name, some of their wines are also named after moons of Jupiter (e.g. Carme’, Callisto, Leda, Elara, Metis, and their Europa Series).
- The Europa Legends Series are red blends done in the style of several classic Bordeaux Chateaux.
Want to learn more about this wonderful winery? Check out their website here: amaltheacellars.com
I plan on returning soon. I look forward to trying the Spring Cantina Mas!
My New Jersey Wine of the Week
This week I selected Turdo Vineyards 2020 DiLuca Rosso “Super Tuscan” as my NJ Wine of the Week. I got to taste the new vintage this week (more about that visit next week) and enjoyed this bottle shortly after this trip. It is amazing and Luca’s best to date (in my opinion). The wine is a blend of 50% Cab, 25% Sangiovese, and 25% Merlot; full-bodied, with ripe fruit and a bit of vanilla. It spent 30 months in French Oak and has very smooth tannins.
Finally, I had the opportunity this week to meet with Devon Perry, the Executive Director of the Garden State Wine Growers Association (GSWGA) at their relatively new office space in Haddonfield. I missed their Open House Event and had not yet met Devon. We had a great meeting, sharing our views of our state’s wineries and wines. Since we both share a passion for wine and want to support New Jersey wines in our own capacities, we agreed to periodically meet. I was impressed with Devon’s positive, energetic approach to the mission and her knowledge of wine (since, like me, she did not come from the wine business in her previous work). For those of you who would like to know more about this organization, the Passport Program, or what’s happening at our wineries, you can check out their website here: newjerseywines.com
Coming Attractions
- Turdo Vineyards-A fabulous tasting and a delightful spontaneous chat with Sal Turdo (owner and winemaker)
- Balic Winery
- Behr Brewing in Cape May
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