Spring Wine and Food Pairing along the Vintage North Jersey Wine Trail, April 13 & 14

What better way to celebrate the arrival of spring than to spend the day traveling along the country roads of beautiful northwest New Jersey. On April 13 & 14, 2013 Vintage North Jersey wineries will hold a Spring Wine and Food Pairing event.
 
Do you wonder whether to serve Chardonnay or Chambourcin with Cheddar?  Can’t decide whether a Cab Sauv goes best with crab or cake?  Taste and learn as you travel the Vintage North Jersey Wine Trail. You will learn which foods pair best with which wines.  Nine wineries in Sussex County, Warren County and Hunterdon County will offer samples of foods selected to highlight their wines as well as how to select wines to compliment foods.
 
Winery pairing menus feature the following:
 
Westfall Winery will cover a few courses, pairing Italian meatballs with Sangiovese and Cranberry Wine with brownies.  Be sure to catch photos of their thoroughbreds kicking up their heels for spring.
 
Ventimiglia Vineyard will be offering a luscious array of hot and cold appetizers to complement several of their special wines. Recent international award-winning wines will be among the wines sampled: Merlot-Cabernet Franc 2010, which won a silver medal in the 2013 Finger Lakes competition; Chardonnay, 2011, Merlot, 2010, and High Point White, all of which won bronze medals in the 2013 Finger Lakes competition.
 
Cava Winery will pair goat cheese and olive spread appetizer served with crostini and Cabernet Sauvignon, and a creamy pasta primavera dish with their Magnesio white wine.  Now that snow has melted on the greens, consider bringing your golf clubs for a quick 9 hole round at Crystal Springs Resort.
 
Visitors to Brook Hollow Winery will be some of the first to visit the new facility at their new location at 594 State Highway 94 in Columbia NJ. Brook Hollow Winery will be serving their Triple Chocolate Chambourcin cake with, of course, Chambourcin. Owner Paul Ritter says, “This is the ultimate death by chocolate dessert according to our customers.” They will also be serving their White Wine Cake made and served with their Riesling. They guarantee this will be one of the most moist, white cakes you will ever have. Recipes for each of these decadent after meal delights will be on hand!
 
An easy dish to prepare, Four Sisters’ Winery will be pairing Grilled Chicken Tenders marinated with a special homemade herb, garlic dressing and Traminette wine. This delightful chicken dish also pairs well with Vidal Blanc a semi-dry white with a delicate fruit bouquet and crisp finish. Papa’s Red, a blended red of Baco Noir and Frontenac with earthy tones and savory depth is wonderful when Italian red sauce is added topped with Parmesan cheese.
 
Dr. Audrey Cross, Villa Milagro Vineyards’ winemaker and resident “foodie”, will offer tips on how to pair food-wine.  Delicious examples will include a gorgonzola cheese pastry paired perfectly with Villa Milagro’s slightly sweet Rubia and a savory parmesan crostini to highlight the deep richness of their Sombra.  Truly “miraculous” flavor combs!
 
Beneduce Vineyards will have catered a spread of cold sandwiches including their caterer’s signature turkey and pastrami sloppy joes and grilled vegetable wraps.  Stoll in the vineyard to see how young Mike Beneduce has pruned his vines to prepare for a great 2013 vintage.
 
And what might one pair Old York Cellars wines with now that it finally feels like spring – but Spring Rolls!  Take a moment to relax on their stone patio overlooking their vines with Sourland Mountain in the distance.
 
As you turn onto Rocktown Road heading toward the winery, look left for an expansive view of Unionville Hill burst into view. A traditional favorite, Unionville Vineyards will have a sampling of dried meat & cheese paired with a variety of their wines.
 
Wineries are listed from north to south. However you will find traveling south to north or selecting a winery in the middle and exploring in either direction is equally as beautiful from the start to finish.
 
Hours and costs vary from winery to winery. Please consult individual winery websites for specific details.
 
For more information visit VintageNorthJersey.com. Supported in part by a grant from New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism. VisitNJ.org
 
 
 

Contact Information

Giulia Iannitelli

Marketing DIrector

Vintage North Jersey

vintner@vintagenorthjersey.com