
Photo Credit: Jessica Hendrix Photography
Do you know what New Jersey’s Governor’s Mansion is named? It’s Drumthwacket. The name comes from two Scottish Gaelic words, drum and thwacket. Put together their English translation is “wooded hills.” Built and named by Charles Smith Olden in 1835, Drumthwacket is now the official residence of New Jersey’s governor. (Olden became the state’s 28th governor in 1860, and the name stuck.)
At the moment that residence is occupied by Governor Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy. Since 2018, they have welcomed the winners of the Garden State Governor’s Cup to the mansion (with some years missed during the pandemic) for the competition’s awards ceremony.
“We’re really excited about where we are in New Jersey with wine,” says Bill Green, marketing chair of GSWGA and owner of Saddlehill Cellars. “Having the Governor help us enhance the New Jersey Governor’s Cup winners emphasizes the quality of the standards of what we’re looking to do here.”
Although the Governor’s Cup competition has been held since the 1980s, Governor Murphy and the First Lady were the first to invite the winners to Drumthwacket for the awards ceremony. They not only hosted the event but also publicly threw their support behind the wines of the Garden State.
“Starting tonight, we will only serve New Jersey wines in this house,” Tammy Murphy announced on that November evening in 2018.
“We can’t be thankful enough for the support from the governor and first lady,” says Green. “We’re grateful that they do this.”
On January 28, 2025, the winning wineries of both the 2023 and the 2024 Governor’s Cup will once again head up to Princeton for the New Jersey Wine Competition Reception and Governor’s Cup Celebration.
How the Governor’s Cup is Decided
New Jersey wineries voluntarily submit bottles of their choosing to The Beverage Tasting Institute in Chicago. Not every winery chooses to submit wines. The judges at the third-party organization blind taste the wines and score them. Those scores are returned to us here at the Garden State Wine Growers Association, and we announce the winners in each category annually.
The 2023 and 2024 Governor’s Cup Winners
At the ceremony on January 28, the governor will hand awards to the following wineries:
2024 Governor’s Cup Winners:
- Governor’s Cup for Best in Show and Best New Jersey Dessert Wine 2024: William Heritage, Mullica Hill (2023 Ice Cider)
- Governor’s Cup for Best New Jersey Vinifera White Wine 2024: William Heritage, Mullica Hill (2023 Limited Release, Chenin Blanc)
- Governor’s Cup for the Best Red Vinifera Wine 2024: Meadowbrook Winery, Oldwick (2022 Reserve, Cabernet Franc)
- Best New Jersey Fortified Wine 2024: Hopewell Valley Vineyards, Pennington (NV Estate Chocolate Porto Rosso)
- Best New Jersey Hybrid White Wine 2024: Working Dog Winery, Hightstown (2023 Estate, Traminette)
- Best New Jersey Hybrid Red Wine 2024: William Heritage, Mullica Hill (2022 Burn Pile Vineyard Reserve, Chambourcin)
- Best New Jersey Rosé Wine 2024: White Horse Winery, Hammonton (2023 Painted Estate Grown Rosé)
2023 Governor’s Cup Winners:
- Governor’s Cup for Best in Show and Best New Jersey Dessert Wine 2023: Tomasello Winery, Hammonton (2021 Ice Wine, Vidal Blanc)
- Governor’s Cup for Best New Jersey Vinifera Red Wine 2023: Cape May Winery, Cape May (2021 Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon)
- Governor’s Cup for Best New Jersey Vinifera White Wine 2023: White Horse Winery, Hammonton (2022 Estate Albarino)
- Best New Jersey Red Hybrid Wine 2023: William Heritage Winery, Mullica Hill (2021 Reserve Burn Pile Vineyard Chambourcin)
- Best New Jersey Sparkling Wine 2023: Beneduce Vineyards, Pittstown (2022 Estate Grown Gewurz Pet Nat)
- Best New Jersey Rosé 2023: William Heritage Winery, Mullica Hill (2022 Reserve Grenache Syrah Rosé)
- Best New Jersey White Hybrid Wine 2023: Bellview Winery, Landisville (2021 Estate Grown Traminette)
It’s going to be a joyful event. Make sure to keep an eye out on our social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook to see the celebration come to life.