Valenzano Winery

logo Valenzano Winery
Valenzano Winery
Valenzano Winery
Location1090 Route 206, Shamong, New Jersey, United States
Coordinates39°47′29″N 74°44′12″W / 39.7913°N 74.7368°W / 39.7913; -74.7368
AppellationOuter Coastal Plain AVA
Other labelsJersey Devil Meadery
First vines planted1991
First vintage1995
Opened to the public1996
Key peopleAnthony B. Valenzano (owner)[1]
Acres cultivated88
Cases/yr80,000 (2018)
Other attractionsPicnicking permitted, pet-friendly, (outside), sustainable farming and green energy compliant
DistributionOn-site, wine festivals, NJ farmers' markets, NJ liquor stores, NJ restaurants, home shipment
TastingDaily tastings, tours by appointment
Websitevalenzanowine.com

Valenzano Winery is a winery in Shamong in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States.[2][3] A family grain and livestock farm since 1974, the vineyard was first planted in 1991, and opened to the public in 1996.[4][5] Valenzano is one of the largest wine producers in New Jersey, having 88 acres of grapes under cultivation, and producing 80,000 cases of wine per year.[6][7] The winery is named after the family that owns it.[5][8]

Wines

Valenzano Winery is located in the Outer Coastal Plain AVA, and produces wine from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chambourcin, Chardonnay, Concord, Fredonia, Ives noir, Merlot, Niagara, Cynthiana, Vidal blanc, and Zinfandel grapes. Valenzano also makes fruit wines from apples, blueberries, cranberries, peaches, plums, raspberries, and mead from locally-produced honey.[6][7]

Events, licensing, and associations

Since 2002, the vineyard has hosted "WineFest," a wine festival that over 9,000 people typically attend.[9][10] Valenzano has a plenary winery license from the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, which allows it to produce an unrestricted amount of wine, operate up to 15 off-premises sales rooms, and ship up to 12 cases per year to consumers in-state or out-of-state.[11][12] The winery is a member of the Garden State Wine Growers Association and the Outer Coastal Plain Vineyard Association.[13][14]

A beige building with a maroon roof and wooden double doors, and a sign that says "Ballroom Entrance Tasting & Salesroom."
Many weddings and catered events are held at Valenzano Winery

Features and controversy

The entire winery facility is powered using solar energy, and heated using geothermal energy.[15][16] Valenzano is located in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, and has had conflicts with state authorities regarding the construction of a banquet hall and the installation of solar panels on agricultural land. Before the winery was permitted to build its banquet facility, the New Jersey Pinelands Commission required that it conduct environmental and archaeological studies which took three years and $250,000 to complete.[15][17] In 2011, Valenzano questioned whether the Pinelands Commission had the authority to regulate solar panels.[17] Valenzano Winery has won awards for their wines including 2 double-gold medals from the Finger Lakes Wine Competition and the Indie International Wine Competition.

See also

References

  1. ^ Caren, Allie. "Summer wine, Jersey style" in The Philadelphia Inquirer (20 July 2013). Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  2. ^ Corcoran, David. "So Crisp, So Complex, So Unexpected" in The New York Times (17 July 2005). Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  3. ^ Westrich, Sal. New Jersey Wine: A Remarkable History. (Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2012). ISBN 9781609491833.
  4. ^ Rignani, Jennifer Papale. Images of America: New Jersey Wineries. (Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2008). ISBN 9780738557229.
  5. ^ a b Harbach, Louise. "Family farm saved by wine: Frustrated by low prices for their crops, the Valenzanos turned to growing grapes" in The Philadelphia Inquirer (14 March 2004). Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  6. ^ a b Jackson, Bart. Garden State Wineries Guide. (South San Francisco, CA: Wine Appreciation Guild, 2011). ISBN 9781934259573.
  7. ^ a b Toms, Charlie. "Valenzano Winery Review" in American Winery Guide (28 December 2013). Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  8. ^ Schmidt, R. Marilyn. Wines and Wineries of New Jersey. (Chatsworth, NJ: Pine Barrens Press, 1999). ISBN 9780937996386.
  9. ^ "Valenzano Winery's annual WineFest next weekend in Shamong" in The Central Record (9 September 2011). Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  10. ^ Carchidi, Sam. "Grape Expectations" in JerseyMan Magazine (17 September 2012). Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  11. ^ New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. "New Jersey ABC list of wineries, breweries, and distilleries" (5 February 2013). Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  12. ^ New Jersey General Assembly. "N.J.S.A. 33:1-10". Statutes of New Jersey. New Jersey.
  13. ^ Garden State Wine Growers Association. "GSWGA Wineries." Archived 2013-06-21 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  14. ^ Outer Coastal Plain Vineyard Association. "Outer Coastal Plain Wineries." Archived 2013-03-15 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  15. ^ a b Smith, Eileen. "NJ winery is going solar, bottling sunshine" in The Courier-Post (22 April 2011). Retrieved 8 April 2013.
  16. ^ McHale, Todd. "Winery to power production with solar panels" in The Burlington County Times (7 April 2011). Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  17. ^ a b McPherson, Gary. "Valenzano Winery sees red over Pinelands permits" in The Central Record (4 May 2011). Retrieved 26 April 2013.