Taste some local grapes at the Wetlands

The Wetlands Institute offers a new wine tasting event at the Annual Wings ‘N Water Festival that features New Jersey’s finest vineyards and wineries.
The wine tasting will be open in the Wetlands Institute Lecture Hall at 1075 Stone Harbor Boulevard, Sept. 19 – 20, from noon to 4 p.m.
Participants must be 21 years old or older to taste the wines.
“Cape May County used to be all about lima beans, but with four vineyards already established and three more on the way, the region is on the cusp of becoming wine country,” said Katie Hylas, spokeswoman for Hawk Haven Vineyards in Rio Grande.
The area’s sandy soil is ideally suited to growing grapes as it draws the water away from the grape roots allowing for a dry wine. And the moderating temperatures of the ocean and bay limit temperature extremes, which can destroy the fragile crops.
“The last frost here was in early April and the growing season lasts until October, which is ideal for grapes,” said Hawk Haven owner Todd Wuerker, whose family has been in agriculture since the 1940s.
In addition to Hawk Haven, Balic Winery, Swansea Vineyards, Wagon House Winery, Auburn Road and Natali Vineyards will present their wines at the Wings ‘N Water event.
A $5 admission fee ensures tastes of all the wines as well as a commemorative wine glass. Visit each table, taste the wines, and take home bottles available for purchase.
Balic Winery of Mays Landing produces “American Wines with a European accent.” Its 27 award winning wines owe their unique taste to their European founder.
Savo Balic, a former vine-grower from the Adriatic Sea migrated to the United States in hopes of bringing a European flare to American wine-making. Balic Winery’s newest wine, “Alexander the Great,” is a red wine described as “rich in tannins, very in depth and rich in the body.”
Natali Vineyards is in nearby Cape May Courthouse. The Vineyard produces wines that are produced and bottled in Cape May County, a very special place for growing European wine grapes (Vitis Vinifera). Natali Vineyards produces unique wines with very distinctive tastes.
Swansea Vineyards of Shiloh is located in Cumberland County, an area known for an abundance of delicious fruits and vegetables. The soil and climate of Cumberland County also provide terrific grounds for healthy grapes that produce delicious wines.
The wines at Swansea Vineyards are handcrafted in small batches to ensure fine quality, creating wines with terrific structure and flavors.
Wagon House Vineyards in Mickleton, Gloucester County, is a family run winery that produces exceptional products. The land that was originally a dairy and vegetable farm is now transformed into a vineyard that produces award winning wines, such as their 2008 Blueberry wine.
Auburn Road Vineyard and Winery is located in Pilesgrove. It boasts eight medals in the New Jersey wine competition of 2009, including Gold Medal winning “Classico 2007,” a deep, and rich, full-bodied red that is a “Super Tuscan” blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chambourcin.