New Jersey is producing some of the most interesting, diverse, and delicious wines on the East Coast, and the list of wineries in the Garden State just keeps growing. Newly designated regions ensure visitors will not miss a single wine or winery.
Because New Jersey’s wine industry is evolving so quickly, visitors sometimes need guidance tracking down all the wineries and understanding which ones are near each other so they can plan a day trip or a weekend getaway.
At the Garden State Wine Growers Association, one of our jobs is to offer that guidance to thirsty explorers. Another one of our jobs is to market our member wineries. We have carved out six wine regions that include all the state’s wineries to make things easier for you and for us.
“Wineries tend to be in rural areas,” says Kenna Wuerker, marketing chair of the GSWGA board of directors. “Linking wineries that are close together into wine regions is a natural way to promote the state’s growing industry and help visitors plan a make-a-day-of-it experience.”
Creating these regions also allows the GSWGA to support all its member wineries.
“We can delegate our limited marketing dollars to the six regions with a targeted plan rather than spreading small amounts to each individual winery. In addition, the regions dovetail with the regional mapping of NJ wineries in our new Passport to New Jersey Wine Country app, which will roll out later this summer,” Wuerker says.
The Six New Jersey Wine Regions
Some parts of the state have fewer wineries than other parts, so the regions vary in the number of wineries. Do not mistake that for an indication that one region is better than another. While many of the wineries in the same region share similar climate, soils, and topography (which all come together to create “terroir”), they each offer distinct experiences.
“Each region has something special to offer whether it be a less known grape variety or a fun summer concert series,” says Wuerker. “And each New Jersey winery has a very distinct personality from the type of wines they produce to the variety of experiences offered onsite. Some wineries focus more on events and the on-site experience while others focus on winemaking with limited production specialty wines.”
For specifics on what each winery offers, please visit each winery’s webpage, which we have linked to.
Northern Region
Villa Milagro Vineyards, Phillipsburg, Northern Region
The Northern Region contains the wineries in Warren County, Sussex County, Somerset County. Some of the wineries fall within the Warren Hills AVA.
Central Region
Old York Cellars, Ringoes, Central Region
The Central Region contains wineries in Hunterdon County and Mercer County.
Central Shore Region
4 JGs Winery, Colts Neck, Central Shore Region
The Central Shore Region contains wineries that are in Monmouth County, Somerset County, and Ocean County.
*Crosswicks Creek Estate Winery
Southern Region 1
Tomasello Winery, Hammonton, Southern Region 1
The Southern Region 1 contains wineries that are in Atlantic County and Camden County. Many of the wineries are in the Outer Coastal Plain AVA.
*HDJ Vineyards
Southern Region 2
Autumn Lake Winery, Williamstown, Southern Region 2
The Southern Region 2 contains wineries that are in Gloucester County and Salem County. Most of the wineries are in the Outer Coastal Plain AVA.
Southern Region 3
Hawk Haven Vineyard, Rio Grande, Cape May, Southern Region 3
The Southern Region 3 contains wineries that are in Cumberland County and Cape May County. All the wineries are in the Outer Coastal Plain AVA and many of them are also in the Cape May Peninsula AVA, a sub-AVA of the OCP.
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*Vineyard member – not yet open to visits from the public.
