You’ll pop your cork over Cape May Winery and Vineyard. Spread out over 15 acres, the southern New Jersey winery has become a must-see stop for wine-lovers.
Stop in the wine-tasting room and you can sample the winery’s Chardonnay, Reisling, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. There is a $5 fee, but you get to keep the glass. The tasting room, all stylish, wide open space, is also a one-stop spot for selecting your favorite vintage and also picking up wine-related supplies and paraphernalia.
Cape May give you a few choices for how you can experience the winery. Stop in the tasting room, pick up a brochure that directs you through the vineyards for a self-guided tour and you can wander up and down row after row of vines. To make your tour more fun, do it with a glass or your favorite wine in hand.
A few times each month, the winery offers guided tours. Yeah, there is a fee, but you’ll also get to sample various wines, including a barrel tasting, nibble on a selection of cheeses and get to keep your wine glass as a souvenir. Figure on a good 1 ½ - 2 hours because the tour winds through the vineyards and the production facilities where you’ll see how the grapes are crushed, processed, barreled and bottled.
One look at the grounds and there is a good chance that the first thing that will pop into your head is that it is a lovely setting for a picnic. Cape May Winery has you covered. You can pack a picnic lunch and spread out your blanket on the deck or the lawn. But if the whole picnic thing is one of those spontaneous things, the Winery has wine and cheese trays you can pick up right there. Just take it outdoors for a spur-of-the-moment afternoon out in the fresh air.
Throughout the year, Cape May Winery hosts special events and festivals. And if you are one of those, “I’d rather do it myself” types, you can book a private blending party, including a visit to the Private Tasting Room or Barrel Room, where you’ll create your own custom-blended wine and design your own labels and two weeks later, voila! You'll also receive your own case of personalized wine.