My NJ Wine of the Week
This week I chose the 2019 Open Source Collaborative New Jersey Red Wine from Unionville Vineyards. These wines are made by members of the Winemakers Co-Op. At that time, there were five member wineries: Unionville Vineyards, Beneduce Vineyards, Working Dog Winery, William Heritage Winery, and Hawk Haven Vineyards.* These wineries start with a shared quantity of the grapes agreed upon to be utilized and then each winery gets to put their own techniques and touches on the wine they make with the grapes. This wine is a full-bodied blend with luscious cherry cola notes, lots of structure, yet smooth as silk. It is a wonderful blend of Cab; Cab Franc; Merlot; Malbec; and Petit Verdot. It is pictured above. It is unlikely that Unionville has more of this gem in stock. But, fear not, as they have many other gems to offer at their winery in Ringoes. You should definitely visit them. You can check out their website here: unionvillevineyards.com
*More recently Auburn Road Vineyards became the sixth member of the Co-Op.
Choosing Your Next Bottle
Think of your favorite wine (or two). Now, what is it about that wine (or those wines) that entice you to buy again and again? The more you can articulate those qualities, the more you can be confident that you will enjoy your next wine (even when you try something outside of your usual wheelhouse). To do this, might I suggest doing an informal evaluation. I’m not talking about the Robert Parker 100 point scale. I mean, does it have the qualities you like? But, first you need to know what you like and don’t like, and at least a working knowledge of some of the key descriptive wine terms. Then you don’t need to look for a score in a review, but instead look at the description to see if some of these terms are used and if the description hits the right notes with you. You don’t need to be able to list a dozen obscure descriptors of the aroma and taste.
Here Are Six Qualities that You Might Consider When Choosing
- Dry vs Sweet-Wines can be made from bone dry to sweet and everything in between. The terms can be slightly deceiving, at times. For instance, a dry Riesling is rarely bone dry, but the acidity level is so high, you might not enjoy it without a small amount of reserved sugar.
- Acidity (Low to high)-This is a very important one. Acidity is especially important in pairing wines with food. The wines with the highest level of acidity are Rieslings among the white wines and Pinot Noir, among the reds.
- Alcohol (“Legs” and Taste)-Though you may not be able to taste the alcohol it contributes to the body (“legs”) and feel. At higher levels you may also feel a slight burning sensation (though not like sipping Bourbon or Scotch). You can also read the label and see what the ABV % is. This statistic is required by law.
- Body (Light to Full-Bodied)-For me, I love full-bodied reds, but I tend to drink lighter wines and more white wines in warmer weather.
- Oaked vs Unoaked (“Naked”)-You may think you don’t like Chardonnay, if you don’t like oaked wines and you haven’t tried a “naked” version. You may think you don’t like red wine (because many are high in tannins, most are oaked, and many are fuller bodied wines). But perhaps you would like a Pinot Noir that is lower in tannins, lighter in body, and some are not aged in oak.
- Tannins- a quality anchoring the wine; provides texture, balance, and structure. Tannins can be felt as a puckering, drying sensation. They come from skins, seeds, stems, and oak. They can be silky smooth to aggressive, grainy (even harsh). They also allow wines to age for longer periods of time.
There are a myriad of other qualities you might consider when you evaluate a wine if you become a little more serious about the process (finish, complexity, consistency with style, for starters). But I don’t want to get too deep into the weeds here. Read your labels, read about a wine you are thinking of trying, and ask the store proprietor (or winery staff) about a wine you are considering. Want a couple of suggestions for a New Jersey wine that might meet your palate’s wish list? Ask in the comment section of my posts. I’ll be glad to give you my suggestions.
Cheers!
Coming Attractions
Next week I will start the first of an occasional “face-off” between a New Jersey wine and a wine using the same grape(s) from another part of the world. The photo below will give you a preview of this match-up.
- Face Off (Turdo Nero d’Avola vs Morgante Nero d’Avola) & Much More
- Saddle Hill Winery
- Va La Vineyards
- My NJ Wine of the Week
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