(by Gab)
Sharrott Winery in Blue Anchor, NJ, is home to 14 different wines, several of which have won international awards. We ventured out there last Saturday evening for their weekly live music event.
Of all of the wines we sampled, the Just Peachy Sangria was a favorite.
![]()
Made from their Riesling, it is very refreshing and not overly sweet like some other sangrias I've had. This is the wine to pick up if you plan on entertaining this summer. Cases are selling like gangbusters and this will only be around for a few more weeks!
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
This is the perfect place to sit outside and soak in the golden hour of a summer's evening with your favorite people, enjoying live music and award-winning wines as the sun sets over Sharrott Winery. We can only hope that the sun won't be going down on this beautiful place forever.
![]()
Made from their Riesling, it is very refreshing and not overly sweet like some other sangrias I've had. This is the wine to pick up if you plan on entertaining this summer. Cases are selling like gangbusters and this will only be around for a few more weeks!
If you prefer a more dry white, I highly reccommend the Pinot Grigio, Unoaked Chardonnay, and Vidal Blanc (my current favorite).
![]()
If you are a bigger fan of reds, you have got to try Trio. A rich and velvety blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, this is a wine that walks in boots. Perfect for the upcoming fall and winter seasons, and a wonderful choice for a summer barbeque.
![]()
![]()
As much as I adore the wine, it is not the only reason why I love visting this beautiful place. There is a peacefulness here that blurs the chaos of living in the New Jersey suburbs. It is a place where I can bring my girls and watch them play under the huge, gorgeous sky while I sip my favorite wines and visit with my family and friends.
The winery is not just a business to the Sharrotts, it is a dream they have realized through years of hard work and planning. That dream and their livelihood are now in danger (as well as the 40 other New Jersey wineries). Their fate lies in the hands of the Assembly, who failed to vote on S-2782, a bill passed by the Senate that will continue to allow wineries to open off-site tasting rooms to sell their wines, sell directly to retail outlets and ship directly to customers. This issue is best summarized in the words of Danielle Sharrott:
"A court case was filed in 2003 prompted by a California wine group that sued the state of NJ, alleging that the laws at the time were not constitutional because NJ wineries were allowed to 1) sell directly to customers in the tasting rooms, 2) Distribute to outlets (like you may have seen in local restaurants that are BYOB but can sell wine by the bottle from a specific winery), 3) Directly distribute to liquor stores, and 4) at the time could ship within NJ where wineries outside of NJ did not have these privileges within NJ. Well...in 2010, the judge agreed and ruled that the laws are unconstitutional. The judge is expected to deliver remedies as early as August.
On July 1st we were very excited to learn that the state Senate passed Senator Sweeney's bill S-2782 which restores all of the rights at risk mentioned above, but the assembly bill A-3831 backed by Assemblyman Cryan which was amended to match S-2782 in an attempt to get legislation passed to save the wineries, was stripped back to it original form and continues to be blocked in the assembly. The liquor lobby is working hard and has successfully been able to get Cryan and company to block this legislation.
Without this legislation, the NJ wineries are at great risk. Without the ability to sell directly to customers (in the tasting room, at festivals, etc) and to self-distribute to local liquor stores, nearly all of the wineries in the state will need to lock their doors as most are too small to be forced to work through distributors. This is the grim reality we are facing with the Senate and Assembly now in recess and not expected to return until after the judge has decided on a remedy.In spite of research that shows that less than 1% of the liquor stores/distributors business comes from small wineries and that shipping in the other states has not had an adverse affect on them, the liquor lobby continues to propagate the false information that this will be damaging to them. In addition, they argue that opening up shipping will lead to alcohol getting into the hands of minors, which is again an unfounded claim. Companies like UPS are not allowed to drop packages on doorsteps, they MUST leave it with someone with a valid ID showing that they are at least 21 years of age."
I can only imagine how frustrating and infuriating it must be for the Sharrotts to be hanging in limbo with their future resting in someone else's hands. You can check out Uncork NJ for links to numerous articles written regarding this issue, as well as supporting research.
"A court case was filed in 2003 prompted by a California wine group that sued the state of NJ, alleging that the laws at the time were not constitutional because NJ wineries were allowed to 1) sell directly to customers in the tasting rooms, 2) Distribute to outlets (like you may have seen in local restaurants that are BYOB but can sell wine by the bottle from a specific winery), 3) Directly distribute to liquor stores, and 4) at the time could ship within NJ where wineries outside of NJ did not have these privileges within NJ. Well...in 2010, the judge agreed and ruled that the laws are unconstitutional. The judge is expected to deliver remedies as early as August.
On July 1st we were very excited to learn that the state Senate passed Senator Sweeney's bill S-2782 which restores all of the rights at risk mentioned above, but the assembly bill A-3831 backed by Assemblyman Cryan which was amended to match S-2782 in an attempt to get legislation passed to save the wineries, was stripped back to it original form and continues to be blocked in the assembly. The liquor lobby is working hard and has successfully been able to get Cryan and company to block this legislation.
Without this legislation, the NJ wineries are at great risk. Without the ability to sell directly to customers (in the tasting room, at festivals, etc) and to self-distribute to local liquor stores, nearly all of the wineries in the state will need to lock their doors as most are too small to be forced to work through distributors. This is the grim reality we are facing with the Senate and Assembly now in recess and not expected to return until after the judge has decided on a remedy.In spite of research that shows that less than 1% of the liquor stores/distributors business comes from small wineries and that shipping in the other states has not had an adverse affect on them, the liquor lobby continues to propagate the false information that this will be damaging to them. In addition, they argue that opening up shipping will lead to alcohol getting into the hands of minors, which is again an unfounded claim. Companies like UPS are not allowed to drop packages on doorsteps, they MUST leave it with someone with a valid ID showing that they are at least 21 years of age."
I can only imagine how frustrating and infuriating it must be for the Sharrotts to be hanging in limbo with their future resting in someone else's hands. You can check out Uncork NJ for links to numerous articles written regarding this issue, as well as supporting research.
This is the perfect place to sit outside and soak in the golden hour of a summer's evening with your favorite people, enjoying live music and award-winning wines as the sun sets over Sharrott Winery. We can only hope that the sun won't be going down on this beautiful place forever.
No comments:
Post a Comment