Amalthea Cellars facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Amalthea Cellars |
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Location | 209 Vineyard Road, Atco, NJ, USA |
Coordinates | 39.738343 N, 74.886403 W |
Appellation | Outer Coastal Plain AVA |
First vines planted | 1976 |
Opened to the public | 1982 |
Key people | Louis Caracciolo (owner) |
Acres cultivated | 6 |
Cases/yr | 5,000 (2013) |
Other attractions | Picnicking permitted, pet-friendly |
Distribution | On-site, wine festivals, NJ liquor stores, NJ restaurants, home shipment |
Tasting | Tastings Friday to Sunday |
Website | http://amaltheacellars.com |
Amalthea Cellars ( AM-əl-THEE-ə) is a winery in New Jersey, United States. It is located in the West Atco area of Winslow Township. This area is part of Camden County. A winery is a place where grapes are grown and made into wine.
The first grapevines were planted at Amalthea Cellars in 1976. The winery officially opened its doors to the public in 1981. Today, Amalthea has 10 acres of land where grapes are grown. They produce about 5,000 cases of wine every year. A "case" usually means 12 bottles of wine. The winery's name comes from Amalthea, which is a moon of the planet Jupiter. This name was chosen because the owner has a background in science and loves old stories, known as mythology.
Wines
Amalthea Cellars is located in a special grape-growing area. This area is called the Outer Coastal Plain AVA. An AVA is an "American Viticultural Area." It is a specific region known for growing grapes for wine.
Amalthea Cellars makes wine from many different types of grapes. Some of these include Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Sauvignon blanc. They also use unique grapes like Rayon d'Or. This is a white grape that was first grown in France a long time ago. Amalthea is the only winery in New Jersey that uses Rayon d'Or grapes.
Besides grape wines, Amalthea also makes fruit wines. These wines are made from fruits like blueberries and peaches. Amalthea Cellars even took part in a special event called the Judgment of Princeton. This was a wine tasting where New Jersey wines were compared to famous French wines.
How They Make Wine
Amalthea Cellars believes in using traditional ways to make wine. This means they use natural methods and materials. For example, they might use egg whites to help clear the wine. They also use sulfur to keep the wine fresh. Another important part of their process is using oak barrels. The wine ages in these barrels, which can give it special flavors.
The winery has a special permit called a "plenary winery license." This license is from the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. It allows Amalthea Cellars to make as much wine as they want. They can also have up to 15 other places to sell their wine. This license also lets them ship wine directly to customers. They can send up to 12 cases of wine per year to people in New Jersey or other states.
Amalthea Cellars is also a member of some important groups. They belong to the Garden State Wine Growers Association. They are also part of the Outer Coastal Plain Vineyard Association. These groups help wineries work together and promote New Jersey wines.