Warren County Vistas Wine Trail Along the Vintage North Jersey Trail

WARREN COUNTY, NJ: Warren County boasts more preserved farms than any other county in New Jersey making it a haven of gentle hills and idyllic views.  Dotted with historic buildings, bridges and homes, it is a respite from the rushed pace of daily life. This becomes evident when you take a leisurely ride from one Warren County winery to another or sit and relax on the deck and look out over the vineyards with a backdrop of rivers and rolling hills.
 
A portion of the western part of the county along the Delaware and Musconetcong rivers and their tributaries has been designated by the federal government as a wine grape growing region – Warren Hills American Viticultural Area (AVA). The soils and terrain of this part of the county are very suitable for French-American hybrid grapes like Cayuga, Seyval Blanc, Chambourcin and Leon Millot.  
 
According to Bob Matarazzo, owner of Four Sisters Winery, being able to grow French American varietals allows him to produce superior Leon Millot and Seyval Blanc.  The Frontenac grape is a popular favorite for blending with Warren Hills Red, hence Warren Hills Viticulture area. Many of these blends bring the fruit forward, some with a crisp finish and balanced acidity.
 
At Brook Hollow Winery in Columbia owner Paul Ritter recently added 5 additional acres to his vineyards. Noiret and Traminette – a red and a white grape – were two grapes chosen for this new vineyard. Each grape was developed at the New York State Agricultural Experimental Station in Geneva at Cornell University.
Both hybrids demonstrate good cold hardiness for the area and provide excellent fruit structure desired from Paul looking to add to the quality dry wines he produces.
 
Using sustainable and organic practices, Villa Milagro Vineyards grows vinifera –varieties of grapes that thrive in Europe and California.  Unlike hybrid created specifically for these condition, vinifera struggle with the shorter number of growing days, cold winters and moist summers of the East Coast.
 
Villa Milagro Vineyards successfully grows seven of these varieties, including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Sangiovese from which it makes European style blended wines.  Its success is the result of limestone soils, which are well drained, wicking away summer rains that would damage vine roots and its gentle southern slope increasing the number of hours of sunlight exposure during the day.
 
Agriculture is a way of life out in these parts and is celebrated each year at the Warren County Farmers’ Fair. The fair kicks off the Saturday before August 1 and runs through the following Saturday. The event features a Hot Air Balloon Festival that has also become an event the community looks forward to experiencing
 
To promote its agriculture and vineyards, the three wineries are offering an opportunity to win a Hot Air Balloon Ride during the Warren County Farmers’ Fair, July 27 – August 3, 2013.  Visit all three –Brook Hollow Winery, Four Sisters Winery and Villa Milagro Vineyards – and your name will be put into a drawing to win.
 
Pick up your card at any of the three wineries and be sure to visit each one for your official stamp.

Visit www.vintagenorthjersey.com for more trails and events along the Vintage North Jersey Wine Trail. Supported in part by a grant from New Jersey Department of State, Division of Travel and Tourism, www.visitnj.org.

Contact Information

Giulia Iannitelli

Marketing DIrector

Vintage North Jersey

(1) 908-283-0721

vintner@vintagenorthjersey.com