Spring in Jersey - Spring Sangria -  Autumn Lake Winery 

 

When you think of wine, growing grapes and beautiful wineries, you are most likely going to think of Napa Valley, and some other sprawling wineries in Tuscany Italy. But actually, Jersey is home to quite a few beautiful wineries, that make delicious wines. New Jersey is actually the 7th largest producer of wine in the country. We grow Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon, and many others. We actually grow 80 different varieties. Most of the popularity of producing wine here, is due to the hybridization of North American and European grapes. 

One of such of these wineries, is right here in South Jersey. It is named, Autumn Lake winery, and can be found in Williamstown. This winery is named such because of the beautiful lake that sits next to all of the luscious grape vines. It is absolutely a beautiful landscape to relax in. The lake measures 16 acres and the vineyards 9. The winery sits on 115 acres, and it was established in 2012. They have a very good selection of wines, from sweet to dry, and most are moderately priced. I found their wines to taste very good. 

I love the entrance because their sign is made from one of the wine barrels. Some parts have a lot of trees with a woodsy feel, while the vineyard is totally open with lots of sunshine. It truly is a beautiful place to visit, and to go and relax for a couple of hours. At select times they have live music, with the stage being set up right in front of the lake, and an area in front of the stage with fire pits and comfy chairs to relax in. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there, and it was hard for me to leave that day. It was a warm spring day, with a slight breeze blowing, and the live music was fantastic. They are dog friendly, which is really nice. There are also walking trails if you want to do a little hiking, where you can see native wildlife. 

They also have a new building that houses their wine sales, with a totally relaxed and comfy vibe. It has a large fireplace for those crisp, fall days, and pub style tables and chairs. The staff was very knowledgeable about the wines and very helpful. 

They also hold events. Weddings and private parties. The vineyard is a stunning back drop for wedding pictures. This winery is a must visit. 

So after relaxing at the winery, we always take a bottle or two home to enjoy later. From this winery, I chose their Barrel Reserve Vidal Blanc. It is a white wine, more dry than sweet. I chose this wine, knowing I was going to use it to make a pitcher of sangria. When the weather starts to warm up, I so enjoy sitting outside on my porch, thumbing through a colorful magazine, reading a good book, or just listening to some tunes. I have been cooped up all winter, and it is time to get outside. I am sure you all agree. 

This spring sangria, that I have made up, has a nice citrus flavor to it. I also add sliced strawberries, not only for sweetness, but for color. Just in time for those sweet, plump, Jersey strawberries that I have told you about on many occasions. You get to support your local farms, and Jersey strawberries are simply the best. (In my opinion, anyway). 

Now when I make this sangria, I just go ahead and add the soda to the pitcher. Some people don't like to do that, because if they have left overs, they are worried about the soda becoming flat. So they just top off each glass with the soda, after pouring the sangria into each glass. However, I am not afraid of this, it does not bother me if the soda goes flat. I simply store the pitcher in the refrigerator, and the soda just adds to the sweetness and the flavor. But it is totally up to you. 

To make this sangria: Use 1 bottle of white wine - 1 cup of Cointreau (orange flavored liqueur) - 2 cups of lemon lime soda (I use Sprite) - 1 orange sliced - 1 lemon sliced - 6 whole strawberries sliced 

Salute' my friends!