When you want to know what the best wine in the world is, you might turn to Wine Spectator or The Wine Advocate. Like perusing Vogue, or the financial pages of the Wall Street Journal, you know you probably won’t emerge with any tips you’ll act on, but it’s a fun way to dream and learn something too.
Now, if you want to know which wine will go best with the roast chicken on Tuesday without breaking the bank, you probably consult your best foodie friend or hit up Instagram to check out the recommendations of your favorite food and wine influencer.
That’s where Edward D. Wengryn comes in: think of him as your new source for actionable, down-to-earth, but always brilliant wine-pairing advice. His specialty? New Jersey wine. At first glance, he might not seem like he has the time to devote to telling you what Cabernet Franc will work with your pizza. Follow along as we make history together and share breaking news with you!
Ed Wengryn: The Garden State’s Newly Minted Agriculture Guru
On March 22, Governor Phil Murphy announced Ed Wengryn’s appointment as New Jersey’s Secretary of Agriculture, making him the eighth Secretary to serve since the Department was created in 1916.
Secretary Wengryn is the Department’s executive officer, Chair of the State Agricultural Committee, and a member of Governor Murphy’s cabinet. He is charged with fueling the development of the state’s agricultural sector, conserving and developing natural and renewable resources, ensuring the health and well-being of the state’s various produce and livestock industries, as well as other programs related to these areas.
On November 9, at the first inaugural NJ Wine Expo, Secretary Wengryn announced that he sees the wine industry as an integral part of the state’s larger agricultural tapestry.
“For a long time, I’ve been thinking about how to promote New Jersey wine,” the Secretary says. “The wine industry has grown and changed in the last 15 years in a way that nobody expected. We now need to tell that story, so I am going to use my platform as Secretary of Agriculture to select good New Jersey wines and introduce them to the citizens of the state.”
The Secretary has a long history with food and farming in New Jersey, having served with the state’s Farm Bureau since 1998, and in many ways, this adoption of the wine industry is an extension of Secretary Wengryn’s lifelong career path. His work has brought him into the fields of farmers across New Jersey, and he has made a point of creating ways for agriculture to be more viable for farmers and accessible to members of the local community.
Look Out for the Secretary’s Select
In 2025, Secretary Wengryn will begin introducing wines that he loves to all of us under the rubric Secretary’s Select.
“I’ll pick my favorite wine to go with cheese and fruit, or a roast lamb dinner, or for everyday use as a kind of house wine,” he says. “I am really excited to start the process and spotlight great wines. I’m not a wine expert, and I’m not a connoisseur, but I know what I like, and I think this is an opportunity to get people excited about the grapes and regions.”
We can’t wait to see the Secretary’s picks, and we welcome his help and support in getting the word out on our state’s great wine growers and makers.
EXEC SUMMARY: Secretary of Agriculture Edward D. Wengryn is your new source for actionable, down-to-earth, but always brilliant wine-pairing advice. In 2025, Secretary Wengryn will begin introducing New Jersey-born-and-bred wines that he loves to all of us under the rubric Secretary’s Select.
